Masterpiece 71
The Church and the
Squeeze no. 2
June 24th, 2006
Pastor, Brian Kocourek
Last night we spoke on the Church, the squeeze, and
the trial of your faith which is given to us in order for us to pass it.
We talked about the squeeze that brother Branham said
was coming, and we showed how that squeeze is really nothing compared the Word
that is being choked off in the believer today by the cares of this Life, the
deceitfulness of riches and other things coming in and choking off the word,
that the word might not produce any fruit. The reason that this choking off of
the Word is worse than the literal squeeze is because the Very Life in the Word
is far more precious than these bodies that could receive some problems in a
literal squeeze that is ordained to come.
Last night I said, “the Word being choked from
producing fruit in the believer is a far worse squeeze spiritually than the
shutting down or persecution of the church. Now, that does not mean there won’t
be the Squeeze that brother Branham talked about, but to have the Life of the
word choked so much to the point that it produces nothing is far worse than
persecution for your faith. In fact I believe the Bride in America and Canada
need the squeeze brother Branham talked about just to get them to wake up, if
it isn’t too late by then. They need something to shake them up.”
And we see in this next quote where brother Branham
says that our squeeze is ordained by God to squeeze the self, out of yourself, in
order for you to come to the place where you can let go and let God.
From His sermon, I know 60-0417S P:47 Brother Branham said, There
was too much of you in you, till God had
to squeeze it out through trials. And while
that squeezing was coming on, it's hard. But after while the skies clear
back and you see the purpose of God. Then you cry, "I know my Redeemer
liveth, and at the last days He'll stand on the earth. Though the skin worms
destroys this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." These little trials and things are just for a moment, and they fade
and pass away. But they're only done for
your good; let us remember that, that God would get glory.
Notice he said there is too much you in you. So God
uses the trials to squeeze you until some of that you in you let’s go, and
let’s God. And that is the way it is. Sometimes we get too full of self and God
has to squeeze the self out of us in order to make room for His own image to
come forth in us.
Now, again this morning I would like to continue with
this study of paragraph 119 of brother Branham’s sermon the Masterpiece where
he said, "The
Word is right," the church trying to squeeze It out.
Now, as we saw last
night this statement is worthy of examination because it has to do with
something brother Branham spoke on concerning the end time. Notice here in this
quote that He is pointing us to the Word, and He says it is right, and then he
adds that the church is trying to Squeeze the Word out of the church.
Now this “Squeeze” that brother Branham mentioned
here, has to do with the church and the Word. He said The Word is right," but the church trying
to squeeze It out. Therefore, the squeeze has to do with the Word of
God being rejected by the church. Actually it doesn’t have anything to do with
you or I except that we are the vessels in which that Word is coming alive, and
therefore in order for the church to maintain its control it must expel, cast
out, or somehow nullify the work of God in you and I. Because the Word of God
is a Seed, that the Sower planted and when it is planted in good soil that is
tilled and made ready, it will bear fruit and that fruit is what the church is
against. Because the fruit is the teaching of the season.
Now, brother Branham used
the word squeeze 65 times throughout his ministry, and in most of them he is
talking about something being squeezed, like the Life that was in Jesus Christ
being squeezed out at
From this sermon, Look away to Jesus 63-1229E
P:16 he said, So now, I am going to say
something to you now, that I haven't said all along. And that is, the thing
that we have looked forward to for so long, or at least many years, four or
five years or maybe longer, the third
pull has now been vindicated, and I'm
sure you all know what it is. Now, remember, there'll never be any
impersonation of that, 'cause it can't be. It cannot be. Now, it's in existence, and I am warned of
this, that soon, right at this time now, it's just happened, so it could
identify its presence among you.
See? But it will not be used in a great way, until this council begins to tighten up. And when it does, when
that does... The Pentecostals and so forth can almost impersonate anything
could be done, but when that time comes, when
the squeeze comes down, then you'll see what you have seen temporarily, be
manifested in the fullness of its power. See..?
So here we see him speaking of the council of churches tightening up, and
he calls this tightening up a squeeze.
Now, let’s continue with what he is saying in this sermon.
P:17 Now,
I must continue in evangelism, just as I was commissioned first; I must
continue on. Therefore, you've had the Word, and you know what to look for, how to stand. I must continue on in
evangelism. And friends of mine, keep
still and just keep moving on, for the hour is approaching swiftly (See?),
that when something is going to be done. Now, you might see some little odd
things happen from me, nothing sinful, I don't mean that, but I mean something
odd to what the regular trend, because what I have reached to now in the
ministry, I'm dropping back here, watching that spot and waiting for the time
to use it. But it's going to be used.
And everyone knows that for as certain as the first was identified, so has the
second been identified; and if you'll think real closely, you who are spiritual
(as the Bible said, "Here's to him who has wisdom.") the third is
properly identified. See? We know where it is. So the third pull is here.
P:18 It
is so sacred that I must not say much about it, as He told me in the beginning.
Said, "This, say nothing of it." You remember that years ago? It
speaks for Itself. See? But I've tried to explain the others, and I made a
mistake. This will be the thing that, to my opinion (I don't say the Lord tells
me this.)--this will be the thing that
will start the rapturing faith for the going away. See, see? Now, and
that... I must lay quiet for just a little while. Now, remember (and who's
listening to this tape) you might see such a change in my ministry right away,
dropping back... Not going up, dropping back... We're right at the age now, and
it can't go any further. We have to wait
here just a minute until this happens over here to catch up, then the time
comes. But it's thoroughly identified.
P:19 There's coming a time upon,
in this nation, to where this nation is going to exercise all the power that
the beast had before (which was pagan
P:20 And
now, on persons like ourselves, we're going to be cut out of all that
altogether. That's exactly, because they won't be able to do it. It's tightening; and then when that time
comes, and the press comes to a place to where you're pressed out, then watch
(what I am fixing to tell you in a few minutes) watch the third pull then. It'll be absolutely to the total lost,
but it will be for the Bride and the church. Now, we're closer than it seems to
be. I don't know when, but it's real, real, close.
Notice he is using words that are expressive but yet do not clearly
define what is going to happen. Her calls this tightening a squeeze and a press
and all pressed out. These are the words he used to tell us of a condition that
he says is now on its way concerning our freedom to assemble and worship.
Now, last night we talked about the cares of this Life and the
deceitfulness of riches and other things come in and choke out the life of the
Word. Well, brother Branham said that those things have come upon the church
and pressed down upon the church until there is nothing left but a worldly
church.
Shalom
64-0112 P:43 The hour is upon us, darkness, gross
darkness, gross darkness on the people now, that's what it is. What does it all
mean? Where we standing? What hour are we in? How close are we to the coming?
Why, you say, "When all they have a revival...""Fear not, little
flock, it's your Father's good will to give you the Kingdom." All right.
What does it mean? God has begin to
separate the Light from the darkness (See?), pressing it behind, like He did in the beginning to show the dawn
of a new day. The church ages are fading out. Pardon me. The church ages are
fading out. God is pressing the darkness
into a place; it has to do it to
fade out the church organizations, fade out the world. The world is covering
the thing over, and worldlyism has took the whole thing. Then isn't God
right? By worldly things, and worldly
dressing, and worldly acting, and worldly living, it's the world. Ye are
not of the world, little children. You are of heaven. This is not your home.
Why should I look to, us older people try to look back and get young again? We
can't do that. But we're looking forward, not looking back. Looking here, what
has been, and we want to know what's going to be. And we're looking for that hour, pressing for it.
So we see that this press is the world upon the church and God is
allowing it to separate the Light from darkness just as He did in the beginning
to show that a New Day is approaching.
Shalom 64-0119 P:31 God,
at the beginning, separated the light from the darkness. He's always done that.
What does He do? He presses the... By the coming light He presses the darkness
to the other side of the earth. And that's
exactly what's coming to pass now. It's just before day. The morning star
has come out to hail the day coming, and the Holy Spirit showing Its Light. It's coming a time when the Light and
darkness will have to be separated, one from the other. Church and its
order will take the order of the day; and Christ and His Light Word promise
will go in the rapture. That's the only thing that's left for them to do. It's
a day. Today is the dawn of a new day, for many who are looking for His coming.
Shalom 64-0112 P:19 The
difference is just like it was in the beginning, when there was gross darkness
upon the earth. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water and
said, "Let
there be light." And God separated the light from the darkness.
And I believe that we are now living in
that hour again, that when God is separating Light from darkness, and He's
pressing it to the other side of the world, that the Light might be made manifest.
And we are...Then the church, the reason I'd say "Shalom" to them, is
because that it's God's Peace. That's what I want to bring to you this morning
for the new year's, not looking back, but we're looking forward to the breaking
of a new day, until there is something great laying ahead of us, where the
years has been the joy that we've looked forward to, the pressing, coming of
the great Light. And now we can see it breaking over the horizona, horizontal
realm, but breaking between mortal and immortality. We see it breaking between
heavens and earth, from an earthbound sickness and troubled world unto a bright
shining day of an immortal Life and an immortal body and an immortal earth that
can never pass away. It--it's "Shalom," until the--unto the church.
Now, it's Light time coming for the believers, but a gross darkness for the
people. I...
So we see that this is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.
God is pressing the darkness away by the Light, and the church must respond to
what God is doing and that is where the squeeze comes forth. They must do it to
save their own kingdoms, and so they cast out the word, they squeeze down on
the Word. Now, he did not say the Catholic church is solely responsible for the
squeeze, but he said when the council begins to tighten up, and that council brother
Branham called the federation of churches. But what we know of the squeeze is
that it is a tightening and he also called it a press and He said God is doing
it, so what are we afraid of.
There is a purpose for everything God does. So shalom, peace.
And in the message he preached called “Desperation” he said, Desperation 63-0901E P:31 Now,
I'm going to give you my text while you're turning. My text tonight is
"Desperation." Desperation. And now, you know what desperations is?
And now we're going to read from Jeremiah the 29th , the 10th :: For
thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will
visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to turn to this
place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,... (Isn't that
sweet?)... saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you the accepted
end. Then shall you call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will
hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for
me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will
turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all nations, and from all
the places where I have drove you, saith the LORD; and will bring you again
unto the place which I caused you to be carried away captive.
(Back to Pentecost... I put that in myself; It doesn't say that. That's what I
was meaning to the church.) Luke
16, begin at the 16th :: The law and the prophets were
until John: since that time the
So you see there is a need for a squeeze to come that the people might
become desperate concerning the
Greater
than Solomon 64-0306 P:63 Anybody who drives, looking through a
rearview mirror has a wreck. That's what's the matter with the church today,
it's looking through a rearview mirror to what it was. No wonder it's wrecked
up. Don't never...Paul said, "Pressing to the mark of the high
calling, I go forth. I go forward." I know Mr. Moody was a
great man, Mr. Wesley was a great man, the Pentecostal move, the Baptist move,
were great, but let's press towards the mark of the high
calling in Christ. Don't look through a rearview mirror,
forty years ago. Look what is tonight. Look what the Scripture promises
tonight. He did promise them in that day, but we're living on above there now.
We're going on.
From his sermon Desperation 63-0901E P:102 brother Branham is
quoting Scripture and says, “Desperation.
"When thou seekest Me with all thine heart, then I'll hear you."
See? The Kingdom... The law and the prophets were until John.
Since then, the Kingdom of heaven's been preached, and men press into It.
You don't just stand around and say, "Pick me up by the collar, Lord, push
me in." You press into it. You get desperate, between life and death.”
And from Modern events made clear by prophecy 65-1206 P:108 he
said, But let me tell you, I'm not
trying to tell people to leave church or... My, I want you to go to church,
"Don't forsake to assemble yourself together."
But what I'm trying to tell you to do is
press into the
Now, I like this next quote because in it we see that Jesus also went
through a squeeze in order for the Holy Ghost to be squeezed out of Him, so
that it could come back upon you and I much like sweet perfume is squeezed from
the Lilly and the rose in order to create a beautiful smelling perfume.
Church
dedication 59-0708M P:37 And the great beautiful life that our Lord
lived was instrumental in God's hand. But it could never be a perfume until He
was crushed, and mashed, and spit on, and squeeze
the very life out of Him at
Now, notice he said that Christ Jesus went through a squeeze too, and
notice that his squeeze was also brought on by the church of his day coming
against Him.
The Apostle Paul said in, Philippians 3: 14 I press toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
And this word press is also used in 2
Corinthians 1: 8 For we would not, brethren, have you
ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure,
above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
The word press was
translated from the Greek Word “dioko”, and it means to bear down upon by
pressure, to exert, to press forward, or to persecute, and we find it used in
more than 70 Scriptures of which I will read several in closing.
Matthew
10: 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into
another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of
Matthew
23: 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men,
and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall
ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
Matthew
5: 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness'
sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew
5: 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you,
and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Matthew
5: 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Matthew
5: 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use
you, and persecute you;
Luke 21:
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and
persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being
brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
John 15:
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not
greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute
you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
John 5:
16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to
slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
Acts 22:
4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering
into prisons both men and women.
Acts 22:
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul,
why persecutest thou me?
Acts 7:
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and
they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom
ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Romans
12: 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
1
Corinthians 4: 12 And labour, working with our own hands:
being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
2
Corinthians 4: 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but
not destroyed;
Galatians
4: 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him
that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Galatians
5: 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet
suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
Galatians
6: 12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they
constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for
the cross of Christ.
Philippians
3: 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy
3: 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall
suffer persecution.
Revelation
12: 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he
persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.