Spoken Word no. 218
“Manifested to destroy the works of the
devil part 2,”
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
January 12th, 2011
Sunday we looked at paragraphs 141 through 144 of
brother Branham’s sermon, The Spoken Word
is the original Seed and we spoke how that Christ was
manifested to destroy the works of the devil. Before we ended, I began to show
you how that we as the body of Christ, are to do the same thing. Therefore this
evening I would like to read a few paragraphs of Brother Branham’s here so we
can get more and more into this thought. Why? because there is something here
that we are not quite grasping. And by reading from his sermon for a little bit
here I hope we will begin to see what he is driving at. And do not ever forget,
the sermon title is what he is talking about throughout this beautiful sermon.
“The Spoken Word is the Original Seed. So if Jesus Christ, the Son of God is
the original Seed, then there has to be other seed off of that original Seed
And if there is other seed that has come from that original Seed, according to
the Law of Reproduction which is Genesis 1:1 which brother Branham keeps coming
back to throughout this 6 ½ hour sermon, then what I believe the main thought that he is driving at stems
from Genesis 1:11. For if there is an original Seed, then there has to be other
seed in the same image and same nature as the original seed.
So with this thought in mind, let’s read again from
The Spoken Word is the original Seed, and we will begin tonight at paragraph
141.
Notice he says, “Now, Christ was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. You believe that? Now, I can't explain all this; I'm just
going to go through it just quickly now, hit the high place so you won't stay
too long. Christ was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. Is that right? You all believe that? What was He? God's Word, which destroys the works of the
hybrid, the devil. Is that right? He was done to do that; He was born to be
that, to destroy the works of the devil.
Now, he just got done telling us about the Son of God,
Jesus Christ, but watch how he turns this now to you and me?
Now, His
body is to do the same, because the Head and body is together. Is that right? If Christ is the Head, was the Word, His
body has to be the same thing as His Head was (Is that right?), a church of
the Word, born of the Word, virgin
born from the Word, not denominational now; virgin born from the Word.
Now, notice the qualifier
brother Branham places on this when he speaks of the church. Not just church,
not just anyone who claims to believe God sent a prophet, but those who are
born of the same spirit. That’s who he is talking about.
Paul said in Romans 8: 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
dwelleth in you.
Now, the word quicken
was translated from the Greek word, zoopoieo, and that word means to make alive,
to vitalize, literally to give life to.
In other words, before
you were born again, you were alive to the world but dead to Christ. And
literally you were dead while you lived. Dead to God-Life, dead to the things
of God, dead to the mind and thoughts of God. Therefore, just like an animal
you, although higher than an animal because you had an ability to think, yet
not much better than an animal.
And don’t think for
one minute that animals do not have some ability other than just to eat and
sleep and make babies. Animals know how
to plot and plan. Have you ever watched a pride of lions attack another animal
for food? They don’t just run after it and chase it down? If that were the case
they would hardly ever eat, because a lion is not that fast, or at least not as
fast as most of its prey.
No, they watch and get
low and come in up wind and they split up, and each has its assigned route, and
then one is assigned to spring up first and to drive the prey towards the
others, and their whole attack is really quite amazing when you think of it.
And what about
chimpanzees. I watched a film once that showed two groups of chimps who went
off to do battle with each other. They used hand signals, sound signals, they
made weapons to use with their hands, and it looked just like what you might
expect from two armies of men coming to do battle with antiquated weapons.
Now, animals might not
reason, or think as we think, but they are not altogether idiots like some
people I’ve met. I mean all of Creation is travailing and waiting for the sons
of God to manifest them selves as sons of God, so how stupid can that be? They
know more than the so called educators we have in our Universities.
Now, in getting back
to what brother Branham is saying here. He said Christ is the head of the body,
and “His body is to do the same, because
the Head and body is together.”
So we are looking at
the same nature that was in the Original Seed manifesting itself in other seed
the same as it manifested that Life in the original Seed. And we see that Paul
said if the same God Life that was in
Jesus Christ and that raised him from the dead, if that same God-Life dwells in
your body, then it will also make your body come alive the same way it
quickened the body of Jesus. Then why do we look at Jesus as being something
you and I never could become?
I mean look at his
life for a moment. He never did anything supernatural until God entered Him at
the river
So then if that is the
action in the head, the Original Seed when it was here on earth manifesting
that God-Life to mankind, then what should be the actions of the other Seed,
the body, when that same God-Life comes into it and brings forth manifestation
in their bodies?
In paragraph 142 Brother
Branham continues with this same thought. He says, “The
way the body operates is by the head.
Is that right? My body can't move until
my head tells it to move. Well, what if my head is flesh and my body is
concrete? Can't move. Head can say, "Move, move, move, move, move,"
but there's nothing to send a message to. Is that right?
And you know that is
the way man thinks concerning himself and Christ being the h4ead of the church.
But that’s because what man calls church is a denomination or an organizational
framework. It isn’t a church. It’s a lodge. Jesus said His church is where ever
two or three gather together in His name. Not to some board of deacons, or
trustee board, or some hierarchy of men, but in His name, just tow or three.
That is the church of the Living God.
And it is not just
where two or three gather but Christ has to gather with them, and He is the
Word. Matthew
18: 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the
midst of them.
Now, brother Branham
continues as we pick up into paragraph 142…, “Well, if my Head is
Christ and my body's a denomination, how's it going to work? How can purity
and a whore work together? Oh, I love it, brethren; I'll tell you. I'd like
preach on some of this awhile. The way
the body operates is by the Head, and the Head is the Word. Is that right? The Head is the Word.
Now, we are getting
somewhere. Notice he says, the Head is the Word of God. Not some feeling
somebody gets, but the Word of God. Not the word of some bishop, or some
presbyter, or some overlord or some man who thinks he can yell and scream that
makes him a preacher. No, the head is the Word of God.
Now, the question then
is this. Can anyone open this Bible and read the Word of God? And the answer is
no, it can not be done by just anybody and get out of it what God wants you to
get out of it.
The Apostle Paul told
us we must be born again in order to understand what is being said. He said
unless we have the same spirit as the one who wrote it, we will never be able
to understand it.
1 Corinthians 2:1 And
I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of
wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
In other words, the apostle Paul is making a
confession here. He is saying, I didn’t come with a great oratorical skills,
nor of a great ability to communicate great swelling words of man’s wisdom. It
wasn’t like that at all. But rather I came to you with my mind on Christ and
Him alone.
2 For
I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
And then he says, in fact when I came to you, I had no
understanding of how you would even receive what I had to say. So it was not in
confidence in my own self, that I came, for to tell the truth when I came unto
you, 3 And
I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And
my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
So this is not the confession of one who thought very
highly of his ability to communicate. No, on the other hand, he had Christ on
his mind, and that was it.
And then he tells us why he came that way. He says, 5 That your faith should not
stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
So what he is saying is this. Get your eyes off the
man, off the vessel and look to the one who is using the vessel. For truly if
he is being used by God as a vessel of God, then he most certainly knows first
hand that whatever God does in and through him is not himself doing it, but
rather the God who is sovereign is doing it.
6 Howbeit
we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world,
nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But
we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God
ordained before the world unto our glory:
Now, here is the key to what the Apostle Paul is
saying right here. He saysm what I am telling you is not for me, and not from
men, but it is God’s wisdom which actually has been hidden from man, because it
is not for him. But rather this wisdom which has been hidden from man, is to be
revealed to you because it has been ordained for your Glory. Now, we know that
word glory was translated from the Greek word Doxa, which is the very values,
opinions, judgments of God. and yet he says it is for our Glory. It is for our
values, our opinions, and our judgments that it is revealed to us.
Now, this ought to send you around the tree praising
God just as hard as you can run. Because after all, this Shout, this Message,
This Glory of God, isn’t for just anyone. Otherwise it would not have been
hidden from age to age.
Paul continues saying, 8 Which
none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not
have crucified the Lord of glory.
And look, who had the schools and who had the books to
learn from, and who had the finances to be able to dedicate their time to learning?
It wasn’t the humble people, nor the common people, it was the princes of this
world. So those who had the financial means to study it was hidden from them. It
was hidden from the wise and prudent and revealed to babes such as would learn.
That’s what Jesus said himself. Luke 10: 21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and
said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid
these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even
so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Matthew 11: 25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I
thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these
things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Now, who do you suppose those babes were? Children of
God, younger brothers and sister of the eldest brother who was saying it.
9 But
as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
So man hasn’t got a clue on his own. And if He is not
God’s seed, then he is none of his. That’s what Paul said, Romans 8: 9b “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
his. “
Then Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:10 But
God hath revealed them unto us by His
Spirit: for The Spirit searcheth
all things, yea, the deep things of God.
Not just any spirit can search the deep things of God,
it takes the spirit of God to do it, for the Word of God which is the Spirit of
God, Jesus said, My words are spirit and they are Life, For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than
any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature
that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the
eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Now, 1 Corinthians 2:11 For
what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?
even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God
knows. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given
to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in
the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But
the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all
things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind
of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
This is what Peter told us would come in 1 Peter
chapter 1
1
Peter 1: 3-13 3 Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant
mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance
incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith
unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein
ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness
through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of
your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be
tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen,
ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy
unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end
of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10 Of
which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who
prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching
what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did
signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory
that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed,
that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are
now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the
Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be
sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ;
Notice that verse 13 it
speaks of the revealing of Christ and having our minds ready to receive
Paul said the same thing in 2 Corinthians 1: 3-10 3 Grace
be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I
thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by
Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all
utterance, and in all knowledge; 6 Even as the testimony of Christ
was confirmed in you: 7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting
for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be
blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by
whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 Now
I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all
speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be
perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
It was prophesied in ISAIAH
54:13 And all thy children [shall be]
taught of the LORD; and great [shall be] the peace of thy children.
Ephesians 1: 17 The Spirit of Wisdom & Revelations in
the knowledge of him
1 Corintians 13: 9-13 we no longer think as
children, but we are to grow up and think right We will know as we are known.
And what about 2
Thessalonians 1: 3-10 speaks of the mind of the Father coming into us. 3 We are
bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your
faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each
other aboundeth; 4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches
of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations
that ye endure: 5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous
judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which
ye also suffer: 6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to
recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who
are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels, 8 In
flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who
shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,
and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be
glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because
our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
From Looking unto Jesus 64-0122 P:65 Many people have the wrong impression about
a gift. A gift is not something that God gives you to go out and say,
"Here, I'll go over here and pick out this, and I'll take that and I'll do
this." That's not gifts. So many people think that, but they're wrongly
impressed. A gift of God is just to know
how to get yourself out of the way so God can use you; that's all a gift is.
See? As long as you're in yourself, Didn't Jesus say, Himself "The Son can do nothing of Himself?, ..."
God's
provided way 64-0206E P:53 What
is a gift? What is a gift anyhow? Not to take something and use something, say,
"I got a gift of healing. I go out and heal this one, heal that one."
If I could, I'd certainly do it. But a gift... You misinterpret a gift. A gift is just get yourself out of the way,
and let the Holy Spirit use you. See? That's
a gift. That's what a minister is. He
don't preach what he wants to preach. He
just gets himself out of the way. It's a gift. An inspiration comes, and he speaks through the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit. Any other gift is the same way. Now, ministerial gifts, and so forth,
has been. There's first of God-given gifts is first, apostles, prophets,
teachers, pastors, and evangelists. That's the offices. That's their gifts.
Proving
His Word 64-0816 P:133 "What is a gift, Brother Branham,
something that you take and..." No.
It's something you know how to get yourself out of the way. See? As long as you're there, it'll never work.
William Branham is the greatest enemy I
got. See? But when I get him out of
the way (See?), then Jesus Christ can use the body.
God is
his own interpreter 64-0205 P:52 What
is a gift? Not something you take and chop and turn. No, no. It's knowing how to get yourself out of the
way that God can use you. A gift is only getting yourself out, then God uses
it.
Way back
the 62-1123 P:89 Now,
we don't have to be smart; we don't have
to be educated. We have to believe. We
have to humble ourselves and empty ourselves for God to manifest Himself
through us. Empty up yourself; get
yourself out of the way. The biggest enemy you have is yourself.
What does thou here 59-0301E P:41 And
all your big statues and stuffed shirts didn't go with God. You might be D.D.D,
Ph.D., or double L.D. You might be bishop, pope, or whatever you might be. But it takes God to make something out of
nothing. And as long as you can be the nothing, God's the Something. As long as you can get yourself out of the
way, then God can come in. But when you're so stuffed up and starchy, till
you the biggest and the best; you haven't got nothing that you ought to have: that's a humble heart before God. And
we know that, brethren. Certainly. Surely you never did see or hear the sun
rise. You never did hear that. Did you ever go out at night to hear the dew
fall? What would we do without it? See, it don't take that. I tell you one
thing now; it's the still... It isn't the rippling waters that makes such a big
noise, and jumps up-and-down that reflects the beauty of the stars in it. It's
the small pool that's deep and still, that reflects the beauty of the stars.