The Witness of THE SPIRIT
Brian Kocourek
This morning I would like to again speak from WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC
paragraph 70, where brother Branham was quoting the Scripture
that said, "He that's
born of God doth not commit sin; he cannot sin."
Now, we find this quote in
the book of 1st John. Therefore let's begin reading from…
I JOHN 3:7 Little children,
let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he
(God) is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the
devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might
destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit
sin; Oh, that's a
stinger. So we better look at little bit more at that passage or else there
would seem to be no hope for any, for all have sinned and have come short of
the glory of God.
Whosoever is born
of God doth not commit sin; (Now the Greek word for commit is poieo pronounced
poy-eh-o, and means to initiate, celebrate, or habitually do)
Therefore we should read
this as Whosoever is born of God doth not
initiate sin; or, better yet we can read this verse as; Whosoever is born of God doth not celebrate sin; or
better still, we can read this verse as Whosoever is born of God doth not habitually continue in sin;
And why is that because John
continues by saying, for His (that's God's) seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin (In
other words, he has no power or permission to sin), because he is born of God. Look,
if you have been born again it means one thing, there has been a new birth,
which means a new life is now living out in you and that you life, that one
that is born again, is not the onld sinful man, that man is perishing day by
day, the new man is being renewed daily by the Word of God which liveth and
abideth forever. And it is now God's own Life, God life that is living in you
and you have become a new creation in Christ, as we see in,
II CORINTHIANS 5:17 Therefore if any
man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new. things have passed away and all
things have become new.
10 In this the
children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth
not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. Now, what does he mean by
that? Was John just joking? Or is this Gods Word we are reading? He says here, whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God,.
Then are we to avoid this because it is too controversial? I think not. You can
call a buzzard an eagle if you want to but just because you say it doesn't make
it so. And you can call yourself born again if you wish, but your life will
bear you out.
Now, after brother Branham
quotes from 1 John 3 he then swings right into Romans 8. Romans 8:1. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are
in Christ Jesus; they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." There you are. See, that throws your body subject.
You don't have to say, "Oh, if I could just quit drinking, if I could
just..." Just get in Christ; it's all gone. See, see? Because your body
is subject to the Spirit, it's no more subject to the things of the world;
they're dead. They are dead; your sins are buried in baptism; and you are a
new creation in Christ. And your body becoming subject to the Spirit, try to
live a right kind of life... Now,
if it throws your body subject, it throws your body subject. Let's not try to
change the meaning of what he said. Now, let's see if he is saying the same
thing as the Apostle Paul. 72 Like you women
claiming you got Holy Ghost and going out here and wearing shorts and things,
how could you do it? How could the
Spirit of God in you ever let you do such a thing as that? It just can't be so.
Certainly it can't be. He's not a filthy spirit; He's a holy Spirit. And
then when you become subject to that Spirit, it throws your whole being subject
to that Spirit. And that Spirit is nothing in the world but this Seed Word made
manifest, or quickened (Hallelujah.), made alive. And when the Bible said,
"Don't do this," that body quickly turns to it; there's no
question. And what is it? It's the earnest of the resurrection. This body
will be raised up again, because it's already started. It was once subject to
sin, and mire, and corruption, but now it's got the earnest; it's turned
heavenly. Now, that's the earnest that you're going in the rapture. It's the
earnest.
Now, this morning we are going to examine this Romans
chapter 8 for a few minutes to see what brother Branham is driving at. Now,
remember he is speaking on Melchisedec and the theophanic form in which He was,
and how Jesus never bypassed his theophany but you and I did to come to this
world for testing. Now that is the context to which brother Branham has quoted
these two scriptures here and it is to give us a better understanding of the
workings of the Holy Spirit in a new birth to you and I to get us ready to
receive our glorified body which will not be capable of dying.
ROMANS 8:1 ¶
[There is] therefore now no condemnation (the word is Katakrima, it means damnatory sentence,
in other words, there is no White Throne) to them
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Notice
again, it's not what you say that
counts, it's your walk) who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit 2 For the law of
the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made (or set) me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law
could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in
the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That
the righteousness (The right-wise-ness or the correct
underastanding) of the law might be fulfilled in us,
(here it is again) who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind
the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit (do mind) the things of the
Spirit. Notice he says, They that
are after the Spirit do mind the things of the spirit. Those that are born again by the spirit of God have become new
creations in Christ and are always mindful of the things of The Spirit, namely
God Himself. The word Spirit used here is the Greek word pneuma,
and I want you to notice the article The used before signifies it is THE
SPIRIT which is God Himself . Thus we read, they which are after (or
according) to THE SPIRIT do mind the things of THE SPIRIT. Now,
it you are doing something after or according to something you are doing it as
you are following. The word after means following after. Like jesus said, "The son of himself can do nothing, but whatsoever he seeth the
Father do that doeth the son likewise. Therefore, they that are after the Spirit (do mind, or shall we say, do in their mind) the things of the Spirit
Therefore in verse 10 we read, The Spirit is Life
because of right-Wise-ness. But there is no inward spiritual man unless there
is The Holy Spirit. IN Galatians 5:19
we read, Now the works of the flesh are, adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, etc. Again!
The fruit of The Spirit is
Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, faith, meekness, temperance. (Gal 5:22-23) The inner spiritual man is
like the good tree that bears god fruit, and the flesh is like the corrupt tree
which brings forth evil fruit. (Matt 7:17) It is more fitting to say that the Holy Spirit creates the good
tree (in us) than to say He Himself is the Good tree.
6 For to be carnally minded [is] death; but
to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.
7
Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Now, that is a pretty strong statement to make. He
says it can't be subject, it is not possible)
The carnal mind is enmity against God. (8:7) That is the case because the carnal mind is not of God, but
of the devil. It was born in sin, fashioned in passion and came to the world
speaking lies. How can it please God. Well, I know I 'm elect so I must be
pleasing to God. And by what evidence do you know that you are Elect? That's
what we are speaking of today. How are you so sure. How many people in this
world are so sure of themselves and yet so surely wrong. What evidence do you
have that you are elect. There is but one evidence, and that comes from a
witness of His spirit that your Spirit is from Him.
8 So
then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Now, how is it that you think you can please God when
you know in your heart that you are not living like He wants you to live) 9(Now, this is the key, this next verse.) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be
that the Spirit of God dwell in you.(In other words, wiothout the
Spirit of god dwelling in you you can not be spirit motivated, and spirit
conscious) Then Paul tells it like it is, and doesn't hold back any punches
here. Ye are not in the flesh but in The Spirit, (8:9) That is, you do not
live according to the old man, his wisdom and hatred of God. But you are in the
Spirit, that is, you live according to the Word of God which is Spirit, or
according to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit which we know via His Word, And this
brings fellowship with Him and friendship divine, or shall we say divine
friendship. If so be that The Spirit. of The God
dwell in You. If the
Holy spirit of God dwells in You, IF God life dwells in you, his indwelling God
life will make us new creatures. St.
Augustine said, he is called an enemy of God who does not obey His Word, and
this is because the wisdom of the flesh only seeks after earthly treasures,
gifts etc. and fears only that which is temporary such as sin and death. He who
is spiritually wise does not fear temporal things. But he who is mindful of the
things of the flesh dreadfully fears death and of sin, and the punishment of
it. Those who have the wisdom of the
Spirit delight in the will of the Father, because they are made known the
wisdom of the Father and they gladly
take heed to His warnings, for they have become like Him. So if they know that
it is God's Will that judgment day should come, which fills all (carnal) men
with fear as it manifests the divine wrath, yet they are not afraid of it, but
await it with joy, and they desire that it would come soon. Where this new mind
rules, there is neither sorrow nor fear, but only an eager longing for what
heavenly blessings we desire and grateful acceptance of what we seek (when it
is granted). After the Lord had described the terror of judgment He added, (Lk 21:28) "When these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up
your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh."
Now if any man have
not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Now,
you can talk election all you want and we have a whole generation of kids who
were born into a family wher3e the parents have raised them up in this message,
and that is all these kids have ever known. They have been raised in THE Faith
and have never known wrong doctrine, and yet what assurance do they have of
their own election. They will quote and
say the evidence of the new birth is that you believe the word for the hour in
which you live. Great, that is great, and what is that word for the hour? God
sent a prophet! Come, come, now my little children, you should know better than
that?
We have more quoters of this
end-time prophet of god than ever and yet do they have a true revelation of
what this end time shout is all about? And what about those who can talk the
talk? As Br. Vayle said to me, they've got it but they don't got it.
10 ¶ And
if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is]
life because of righteousness. Now, what about that. He said, if Christ be in you
the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is Life, the Spirit has been
made alive by right-wise-ness. Then what if your spirit has not been made
alive. What if you can talk the talk and quote the quote and your spirit has
not been quickend. Where does that put you. Come on now, lets say what Payul
said. Let's say what John said, 9 Whosoever is
born of God doth not commit sin;(Now the Greek word for commit is poieo pronounced
poy-eh-o, and means to initiate, celebrate, or habitually do) for his (God's)
seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin (He has no power or
permission to sin), because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the
children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither
he that loveth not his brother.
11 But if the Spirit
of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up
Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that d
welleth in you. He that raised up Christ from the dead,
shall also quicken your mortal bodies.
The body is dead . Here he speaks of mortal bodies, because in the glorified
body we will be incapable of dying, therefore, he does not say he will quicken
your dead bodies but your mortal bodies, for then in your mortal your body will
not only not have to worry about death, but it will be incapable of dying.
12 Therefore,
brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
The price has been paid, you
don't owe your body anything but to love God and live right for Him, and for
yourself.
13 For if ye live
after the flesh, ye shall die: but If
you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Notice how it is not you who do it, but you
through the conduit of God's Spirit living through you that is capable of
mortifying the deeds of the flesh. The deeds of the flesh are not just evil
works, but the passions also which come forth in lust and evil passions.
14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God. To be led of the Spirit
means to follow God in such a way that you despise and renounce all that God
despises and renounces. I other words you despise and renounce everything that
is not of God, even oneself, and to reject the pleasures of this world which
are impure and covered with filth. It means freely to forsake all earthly
things and to face and welcome the sufferings of the Christian Life. But this
is not the work of our corrupt nature, but the work of the Holy Spirit working
within us.
15 For ye have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear; Here the Apostle Paul contrasts the spirit of bondage with the
spirit of Sonship. But notice he uses the words "The Spirit of adoption
which speaks of receiving the identification of the Spirit of God whereby we
are considered or recognized or witnessed to be sons. The word bondage must be
understood to be that of the will. For our wills at one time were subject to
the flesh only but through the Spirit of God by His Word have been set free to
follow the leading of The Spirit. Jesus
said in (John 8:34) whosoever committeth sin is the
servant of sin. Of this bondage no law could ever free you. The law can only cause
you fear of the judgments that follow sin. Therefore law, or even the Law of
God can only destroy the works of sinful desire, but it does not destroy those
passions which allow for the sin to manifest in our lives. Therefore it does
not destroy them but actually makes us aware of them and thus increases the
desire for sin. It actually intensifies the hatred for the law and the desire
to transgress it.
But ye have received The Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba
Father. He is
telling us that we have become free from fear and have received the spirit of
adoption by which you trust God. This trust he shows very clearly by the words,
"whereby we cry, Abba, Father." This is the cry of the
heart which is full of childlike trust and knows no fear. (remember, brother
Branham told Brother Vayle after he was translated to see the other side, he
said, "Lee, from that time on I know no fear." The cry
is not of the mouth but of the heart as we see in (Galatians 4:6-7) because ye
are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying
Abba Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son,
then an heir of God through Christ.
The Spirit Itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
children of God. Just to confess it and believes
this or hope that you are a child of
God, does not make you a child of God.
Remember the Pharisee who argued with Jesus in (John chapter 8) he said
they were of the devil and they argued that they were children of Abraham and
thus children of God. But the Spirit, God's Spirit must bear witness with your
spirit, the spirit within you, that you are indeed a child of God. The Witness
of the Spirit is the identification in our hearts that we are seed of God. And
this can only come by an identification of our spirit with his.
You can believe and have always believed from your heart that you
are God seed, but until his Spirit has come into you and has made you a new
creation in Christ, all things passing away and all things becoming new, until
you have truly received a confirmation in your heart, that there is a Witness
of the Spirit, His spirit with your spirit, you are only deceiving your self.
As brother Branham so wonderfully said, "just because you say it's
so, does not make it so." There must be this witness of the
Spirit.
This witness must consist of three things.
1)
First you must believe that
you have forgiveness of sins only through the gracious favor of Almighty God.
2)
Do not call a single work
your own, unless He has given it to you.
3)
Believe that you can not earn
eternal salvation by any good works, for your salvation is a gift from God
given you out of pure Grace.
This witness of The spirit is just a beginning or the foundation
of our newly acquired faith. For this is HIS witness to us, Your sins are
forgiven you, Thus it is the beginning of our faith, and thus we are justified
by faith. For to believe this no one can do so without the spirit of God.
Now, let's take the remaining time this morning to examine this
verse 16 more carefully. Romans 8:16
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of
God,”
How many vain men, not understanding what they spake, neither
whereof they affirmed, have wrested this Scripture to the great loss, if not the
destruction, of their souls! How many have mistaken the voice of their own
imagination for this witness of the Spirit of God, and thence idly presumed
they were the children of God, while they were doing the works of the devil!
These people might be enthusiastic, or as brother Branham would say, they might
be sincere, but they are sincerely wrong.
John said in I JOHN 1:7 But if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the
blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 ¶ If
we say that we have no sin, we deceive ONLY ourselves, and the truth is not in
us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not
sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
And Paul said in GALATIANS 6:3 For if a man
think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
These people convince themselves into error, especially if they
have drank deep into that spirit of error! All endeavors to bring them to the
knowledge of themselves, they will consider fighting against God; and their
forcefulness and impulsiveness of spirit, which they call “contending earnestly
for the faith” sets them so far above all the usual methods of conviction, that
we may well say, “With men it is impossible.”
The problem with the taking of this Scripture in a wrong sense is
that so many have done so that it has brandished fanaticism instead of
heartfelt dying out to self. Amongst the
fanatical fringe you will have those who are always witnessing in their spirit,
this, that or the other. But this Scripture does not speak of what we
witness, but what God is witness in us. It says, THE SPIRIT
also beareth Witness with our spirit. And how
could The Spirit of God ever bear witness to just any spirit which is not born
again in His own image. for to bear
witness speaks of identification. You say, "I can bear witness to that.
And you mean, I really identify with what you are saying.
What happens though is because of the fanaticism of those who walk
in a state in which they have become so heavenly minded that they have become
of no earthly good, that others will steer so far clear of that that they themselves
loose touch with the inner consciousness of the Spirit of God wooing and
calling But it seems that you run into
one extreme or the other? And didn't brother Branham say we should keep in the
middle of the road. We should keep a sufficient distance from that spirit of
error and enthusiasm, and yet without denying the gift of God, and his calling
to us. What a great privilege we have of being God's children?
In order to walk then as His children, we need to consider walking
in His presence and having the proper fear of God, First, because after all,
the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom. .
Now, we must ask ourselves, what is this witness or this testimony
of the spirit? The real question should be, what is the testimony of
God’s Spirit; and, how does He “bear witness with our spirit that we
are the children of God?”
We will cover this in the next meeting. Let's bow our heads in
prayer.
Gracious Father, we ask your forgiveness for arrogantly thinking
that we are identified as your sons and daughters simply from the witness we
have within ourselves whereby we identify with your spirit. Thank you for
showing us today that it is not our witness, it is not what we witness in our
spirit, but it the witness of your Spirit, and not our own. For this we are grateful. And we would ask
for the same witness from your spirit as you witnessed in your Son Jesus, Amen.