Spoken Word #101

Six things people do to disbelieve God’s Word

Brian Kocourek

June 10th, 2009

 

This morning, we will once again look at brother Branham’s sermon, “The Spoken Word is the Original Seed”, and paragraph 78 where  he said. “You can't be a seed and disagree with the Word because the Word is the Seed. And if you are the Word, how can you disagree with It? You'd be disagreeing with yourself. You'd be defeating your own purpose. Like somebody said, " Why do you ever go out with them people like that?" Well, if I didn't do it, I'd be defeating the very purpose I was sent here for. There's got to be a light. Now, as we go on down, we're going to bring them things in and show just how they set themselves in order, just exactly perfectly with the Word.”

 

Now, he said, You can't be a seed and disagree with the Word because the Word is the Seed. And if you are the Word, how can you disagree with it? Therefore, I would like to ask the question, in what ways do people disagree with the word? And the reason I ask this question is because people disagree with the Word of God every day and yet in their mind own minds they do not think they are disagreeing with the Word of God, but they are and don’t even realize what they are doing.

 

Now, this morning I would like to look at several ways that people change the meaning of the Word even though they might think they are actually believing the Word.

 

First of all let’s look at when Satan approached Eve. I want you to notice that she did not realize he was disagreeing with the Word that God had spoken, because his approach was so slick that he was able to insert into the quotation of God just one little word that changed the entire meaning of what God had said to Adam and that Adam had passed along to Eve.

 

Therefore without disagreeing with the actual Words God had said, what did the Serpent do that showed he was disagreeing with God’s word?  Well, the Serpent didn’t out-right deny what God had said, in fact he quoted every single Word that God said back to her, but what did he do is that he changed the meaning of What God had said? He said to Eve, “Eve, everything you quoted me is what he said… That’s true but he surely didn’t mean that you will physically die. So he agree with the Word,  but by adding one little word he changed the entire meaning of what God had said.

 

Genesis 3:1  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  2  And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3  But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  7  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.  8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.  9  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

 

And I want you to notice the behavior of Adam and Eve. Noticed that they sinned by disbelieving God’s Word, and then when they heard God’s Voice they hid themselves in shame for what they had done. They didn’t want to face up to their sin, they wanted to hide the outcome of their sin from God. And I might say this to you, when you sin, when you fall short, don’t hide it, but be quick to confess it and then move on with your life. Get it out in the open for God to deal with. The worst thing there is, is a secret sinner, because that person is a hypocrite. So when you come short of the Glory of God, then face up to it. Don’t hide from God, but this is the hour that we can come boldly to the throne of Grace and ask for the Blood to cover our sin. Then move forward with your life. Don’t let your sin stop your progress towards coming into the image of the first born so. Be a man, face the music, and move forward.  

 

Greatest battle ever fought 62-0311 P:112 Now, what did Satan do? Satan had the others anointed. Now, Satan anoints his servants. Oh, sure, uh-huh, sure. He anoints his servants. What does he anoint them with? With unbelief. Satan and his demons anoints humanity to disbelieve God's Word. Now, if you want to confirm that, you turn to Genesis 3:4. Let's just turn back there and listen to this just a minute, and see if that ain't his first tactic. That's the first thing he did; he never leaves his same tactics; he does it all the time. Now, just see if that's what it is. Now, he didn't disagree with the Word; he just caused her to kinda misconstrue that a little, you know, just kinda make It sound like the way he wanted It to sound, don't take the whole Word.

 

So you can say you believe everything God’s vindicated prophets have spoken in His name,  but then to add one little word of your own you can change the entire meaning of it and go straight to hell doing so.

 

Now, the word “misconstrue” means to mistake the meaning of; or to misinterpret or misunderstand the meaning of. In other words, to take the wrong understanding instead of the way it was actually meant. And to do so is death.

 

2). Another way to disagree with the Word of God is to hold to your traditions and creeds making the Word of God of none effect.

 

Matthew 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2  Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 

Way of a true prophet 63-0119 P:34 Why, you think Phoenix would receive him? Do you think Louisville would receive him? New York, Boston, Massachusetts, or wherever it might be, California? No, sir. They'd have the little fellow in jail as quick as they could get him there. Certainly would. They would certainly do that. If he went back to the Word, I'm sure they would, 'cause every group would disagree with him. There wouldn't be a one agree with him, 'cause they have to hold to their traditions in order to disagree with the Word. We'd have to remember that he is a true prophet. If he had been... If he  was a prophet sent from God, he would be one mark to him: one definite mark that we'd know he was a prophet; he would stay with the Word, 'cause that's where the Word of God came, was to the prophet.

 

The third way you can disagree with the Word of God is by being slow in heart towards it. Jesus called them slow hearted, which means sluggards in their mind to understand what is going on.

 

Luke 24:1  Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2  And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3  And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4  And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5  And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?  6  He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7  Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8  And they remembered his words, 9  And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10  It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. 11  And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. 12  Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. 13  And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14  And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15  And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16  But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17  And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18  And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19  And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20  And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21  But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22  Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23  And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24  And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25  Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ( Amplified 25And [Jesus] said to them, O foolish ones [sluggish in mind, dull of perception] and slow of heart to believe (adhere to and trust in and rely on) everything that the prophets have spoken!) (THE MESSAGE 25Then he said to them, "So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can't you simply believe all that the prophets said?) 26  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28  And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29  But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30  And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31  And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

 

The fourth way you can disbelieve the Word is to misinterpret the Word based on your senses or your experiences. Therefore if your senses, or experiences run contrary to the Word of God then let them go, and believe the Word the way God said it.

 

Greatest battle ever fought 62-0311 P:65 If you've got your senses, see, taste, feel, smell, and hear, they're all right, but don't trust them unless they agree with the Word. They're all right, but if they disagree with the Word, don't you listen to them. Now, imaginations, conscience, memories, reasons, and affection, they're all right, if they agree with the Word. But if your affection doesn't agree with the Word, get rid of it; you blow a flue right quick. See? If your reason disagrees with the Word get away from it. That's right. The engine... If your memory, if your imaginations, if your conscience, anything disagrees with that, what's on the inside, get rid of it.

 

The fifth way you can disagree with the Word of God is by thinking you are right in your interpretation of it when you actually are not. Now, this is so important for us to understand that we will spend most of our time this morning studying this point.

 

1 Peter 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

Hear ye Him 58-0328 P:10 And the Scripture is of no private interpretation. It was wrote by the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is the only One Who can reveal it, for it is hid from the eyes of the wise and prudent, and it's revealed to babes such as will learn. So if you don't watch, if you don't use the mind of the Holy Spirit to put it together, you'll have your scene all mixed up, for instance, just like a cow picking grass in the top of a tree. And that's just about the way some of it looks. When we think that we could go to heaven by shaking hands with the preacher, or being baptized in water a certain way, or some little creed to repeat, why it's ridiculous. Jesus said, "Except a man be born of water, and of Spirit, he will in no wise enter the Kingdom." So the picture looks ridiculous, but the only way that we could find is by receiving the Holy Spirit first in us, then He teaches us the truth and the life. He will never disagree with the Word. He's always on the Word. So if the spirit in you says that the days of miracles is past, it's not the Holy Spirit. If you believe that Jesus is changed in the years that's gone by, if that spirit in you says that, then it's not the blessed Holy Spirit. It bears record of the Word.

 

2 Corinthians 10: 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Perseverance 62-0218 P:18 Now, the Devil is not like some people think; he's mean and everything, but he's deceitful. The Devil makes you think that you're right. But when you disagree with the Word, that shows that it isn't the Spirit of God, 'cause the Holy Spirit wrote the Bible. And then it's got to be agreeable with the Word. And remember last Sunday, just one little disbelief in God's Word... Eve, Satan told her the truth, and he never denied the Word being true, but that one little part of the Word caused all this trouble. The woman disbelieved It because she was hunting for wisdom instead of staying with the Word. When God says anything, heavens and earth will pass, but His Word shall never pass away. God's Word must be fulfilled to the dot. Just to the very tittle and jot, It must be fulfilled.

 

God of this evil age 65-0801M P:55 He don't need anybody to interpret It. Your worldly knowledge don't have anything... You might have a B.A., D.D., A.D., or whatever it might be; it don't mean one thing. God interprets His Word Himself. He promised it, and here it is. But by the knowledge of seminary, denominational preaching, has caused the whole world to wonder after the beast whose deadly wound was healed from pagan to papal.

 

Christ is identified the same 64-0415 P:37 Now, watch, so you'll see whether we're right or not in these thoughts we're thinking.... Each one of us interprets the Bible different. The Methodists says it should be read like this. The Catholic says like this, the Lutheran like this, the Pentecostals like this. But the Bible says that the Word of God is of no private interpretation. God interprets His own Word. God don't need any interpreter. He don't need us to interpret. When God makes a promise, and manifests it, and makes it so, that's the interpretation thereof. God said in the beginning, "Let there be light," and there was light. That don't need any interpretation. When God said there'll be light, and light sprung in, that interprets His own Word. He said, "A virgin shall conceive," and she did. He said He'd pour out His Spirit in the last days upon all flesh, and He did. It don't need any interpretation; when God makes His Word plain to you, that's giving the interpretation.

 

Identified Christ of all ages 64-0401 P:31 Listen. Today we're always, Man is always praising God for what He done, always looking forward for what He will do, and ignoring what He's doing. It's always been that same thing. And everybody's got his own private interpretation. God is His own Interpreter. God don't need no one to interpret. The Bible said It's without interpretation. It don't need man. God interprets the Bible Himself. God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. That settles it. God said, "A virgin shall conceive," and she did. That settled it. When God says anything, and vindicates it, that's His interpretation of it. He said He'd pour out His Spirit in this last days, and He did it. There's no interpretation to it; it's already interpreted. Unbelievers might rise, and skeptics might stand, and whatever they might do, but God did it anyhow, because He said He would do it. He doesn't need anybody to interpret Him. He does His own interpretation. He made the promise, people believe it, and He interprets it to them. He's the Lord that heals all of our diseases. I can't tell you how He does it, but He does it. He said He would do it, that He would do it. So it's up to our faith. He couldn't do it there without faith. Neither can He do it here, or any time, without faith.

 

God identified by characteristics 64-0311 P:2 .And now, bring your Bible, bring a pencil, set down the text. Go, seek them out; check them with the Word and see if they're right or not. See? And then don't take your own theology; just take it the way the Bible is written. See, many times we can say, "It means this; this is what It means." God don't need any interpreter; He interprets His Own Word. See? God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. That didn't need any interpretation. It happened just the way He said. He said, "A virgin shall conceive," and she did. That don't need any interpretation. God has promised certain things for this age that's got to come to pass. He said it; it don't need interpretation then. God said so, and He interprets Himself; so therefore, the Bible said It's not without any private interpretation. God interprets His Own Word by vindicating It.

 

God's only provided place of worship 65-1128M P:40 Cain was just as religious as Abel was. They both built altars. They both loved God. They both made sacrifices. They both worshipped. They both paid tithe. They both done everything just alike. But Abel, by faith, which is the revelation, the Word of God revealed, made plain, showed out, and vindicated... Glory! Cain made an offering, but God didn't vindicate it. God required worship, and Cain made the offering; but God didn't vindicate it. But by the true channel...You say, "Well, my church is It. My..."Wait just a minute. God interprets His Own Word by Its terms that Its spoke in. See? Cain said, "I am religious. I am a lover of my Maker. I offer to Thee this fine altar. I offer to You this sacrifice. I built all these things up, Lord, because I love You." Abel said the same thing. Now, it's the one that's vindicated, the one that's proven. And God come down and received Abel's sacrifice, because by revelation he had struck the true channel of God that was accepted.

 

The sixth way you can disagree with the word of God by choosing to not understand it, or by holding to your own understanding of it. Some people say we don’t have to understand it, we just have to believe it. Now, a woman tried this on brother Vayle many years ago. She said, br. Vayle, I do not understand it therefore I am not responsible for what I do not understand. He said, hold it right there. You are responsible for every word of it, so you had better understand it. So you see how people think that by being mentally lazy they can get away from being held accountable for their unbelief. But in reality we will all have to give account for what we have done with God’s Word.

 

Birth pains 65-0124 P:51 Simeon had the promise setting over in his study that morning. Oh, I guess there might've been several hundred babies brought in every morning: about two and a half million Jews in the country, and these babies come in and many born; every eight days the mother had to come offer offering for purification. And now here comes Simeon, setting there, you know, maybe reading the scroll of Isaiah; I don't know. But all at once...Now, if the Holy Ghost has made you a promise, the Holy Ghost has got to keep that promise. If it's really God, If a man comes through and says a certain thing, God doesn't back it up, it isn't Scripture to begin with; forget it. And if he says it's so, and God still doesn't back it; it's still wrong, 'cause God interprets His Message. He's His own Interpreter. What He says comes to pass, and then God said hear Him for it's the Truth. That's only common sense. If He says it happens and it happens, that tells it. It must be every time exactly the Truth because God don't tell lies.

 

Broken cisterns 65-0123 P:45 And when a man will cling to an ecclesiastical conception of the Scripture, instead of accepting the Holy Ghost which vindicates the Scripture and makes It real to you, there's something spiritual wrong with that person. That's exactly right. Sure, the Holy Ghost... Each one has an interpretation of the Bible, what you think is right. God don't need your help. God don't need your interpretation. God's His own Interpreter. God does the interpretation the way He says He would do it. The Lord said in the beginning, "let there be light," and there was light. That don't need any interpretation. That's what God did. He said, "A virgin shall conceive"; she did. That don't need any interpretation. He said He would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh; He did. It doesn't need any interpretation. God interprets His own Word by vindicating It, and manifesting It, and proving It.

 

Harvest time 64-1212 P:92 As I have said, God don't need no interpreter. He interprets every Word Himself. See, you don't need somebody to interpret It to you, God interprets it to you when you're willing to accept It. See, that's the Life, that's Life Itself. Jesus said, "In vain they worship Me." They actually worship God. Cain actually worshipped God in the beginning. "But in vain do they worship Me." What's vain? "It don't do no good." They might say, "Well, I do this. I dance in the Spirit. I speak in tongues. I prophesy. I preach the Gospel." But fail to let your hair grow out, fail on one thing, and see what happens, the Spirit will leave you right there. That's what's happened to our churches; failed. "In vain, worshipping Me. Oh, it's a beautiful worship. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of man."

 

Modern events made clear by prophecy 65-1206 P:23 See, a man can say anything, but 'less God interprets that Word... See, now, we have our own interpretation; we say It means this. And this one, Methodist says this; the Baptist says this; the Pentecostal said this; the Oneness says this, the Twoness says this. And, oh, my, there you are. But God don't need no interpreter; He's His own Interpreter. He interprets His own Word by vindicating It in the age that It's purposed for, the age that It's given for. We're not living in a Pentecostal age; we're living in another age. See? We're not living in a Methodist age; we're living in another age. We're living on up here to the Bride age, the calling out of the church and getting it together for the rapture. That's the age that we're now living. To my honest opinion that's exactly the truth.