Token
no 16
Witness
of The Spirit no 3 Rapture ready
August
30, 2015
Brian
Kocourek, Pastor
Wednesday night
we spoke again from Brother Branham's sermon the Token, and
we read from
paragraph 62 where brother Branham said, So does
the man or woman who's filled with the Holy Ghost. His whole life displays what he is. Wherever he walks, whatever
business he does, whoever he talks with, when he comes in
contact with women, when he comes in contact with associates, when he comes in
contact with everything, that Token's laying there. Amen. When he comes to death, "I'll
fear no evil; for Thou art with me," that Token lays there. When it comes to
the resurrection, He will be there, for God will raise him up at the last days.
Jesus said so. "When I see the Blood (the
Token), I'll pass over you." Oh.
Notice God's prophet is telling us "when a man has the Token and it is applied,
(I would like to add here that this is the key, not just having it
but applying it.) He continues, His whole Life displays what he is.
Wherever he walks, whatever business he does, whoever he talks with, when
he comes in contact with women, when he comes in contact with associates,
when he comes in contact with everything, that
Token's laying there.
In other words, that token is on display, the Life of Christ is on
display no matter what your circumstances may be, no matter who you're talking
to, no matter what you are doing, and no matter where you go. That Token - That Life, remains "the same yesterday,
today and forever" because it is not your life on display, it
is His Life that is being displayed, and His nature doesn't change for anybody,
it doesn't change in any place or because of any activity, because His nature "is the same yesterday, today and forever."
And that's the problem with so many who claim to have that token. The
Life in them changes depending on their circumstances. What comes out of your
mouth depends on who you are talking to. What you nature is expressing does so
according to where you are at the time, or what activity to you're doing at the
time and with whom you are doing it. But His nature doesn't change, because it
is His Life, His Nature, the attributes and characteristics of Christ living itself
out in the True believer.
What an indictment to the casual Christian. The person who rations out
time for fellowship with God perhaps an hour or so a week they can spare time
to meet with God. The rest of the time they've allotted time to fellowship with
everyone, and any place, even with people they don't know. Even people who will
never see an eternity in heaven.
But brother
Branham continues, His whole Life
displays what he is. Wherever he walks, whatever
he does,
whoever he talks with, when he comes in contact with women,
when he comes in contact with associates, when he comes in contact with everything, that Token's laying there.
In other words,
the person with the Token, Who truly has the Life of Christ living itself out
of them, their Life "is the same yesterday, today and forever",
because "they
are dead and their life is hid with God in Christ". And the
Life that people see in them is not their own, but they see "Christ in you the
Hope of Glory."
Just because you
have been baptized in water does not make you a believer, nor does it mean that
you've been baptized with the Holy Spirit.
As brother
Branham said in his sermon, God's only provided place of worship 65-1128M
P:114 But when once that Holy Spirit really... that genuine
Word comes into you (the Word, Jesus), then, brother, the Message is no secret
to you then; you know It, brother, It's all lit up before you.
Notice the
"Rich Young Ruler" ended up in hell, yet he faithfully did all the commandments
and kept holy every Sabbath day.
But that type of
Christian is an almost Christian as we find in Acts 26: 27-29. Here we find Paul
speaking to king Agrippa and after telling Him of the Pillar of Fire coming
down among the people in that hour, Paul says to him, "King Agrippa,
believest thou the prophets? I know that Thou believest". Then Agrippa said unto Paul, "almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian". And Paul said, I
would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both
almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds."
"Paul, thou almost
persuadest me to be a Christian. "Almost persuaded". Therefore we
see in Scripture the almost Christian is someone who knows it is right and has a form of
Godliness but denies "the power thereof," which is "the power of an
endless life." What good is it to live for Christ one day a
week, and not the other six. What good to confess to be a Christian, but not to
die to self and allow eternal Life in.
We see in Matthew 25
which speaks of ten virgins which we know by vindication is a type of the
Church in the last days. All ten were virgins which means they were not
inoculated by man's creeds and dogmas, and they all carried lamps which
according to Psalm
119:105 is the Word of God. "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light
unto my path."
Only five were
considered wise (They applied their Token) and
the other five were called foolish because they had let the Token slip away
from them through neglect. Brother Branham said they had it but they let it go
out. Now this word "wise" Jesus uses here is the Greek word Phronimos
which means "that which regulates the outward behavior".
In other words, they applied what oil they had while the others let it go
through neglect.
In Matthew 7:24-27
Jesus says, "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his
house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds
blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a
rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a
foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and
the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and
great was the fall of it.
In this parable
we see that the Wise are those who not only hear but put into action what they hear. In
other words the wise were those that not only have the Token but they have applied
in every aspect of their life The Token which is the Life of Christ.
Of course we see
on the other hand the almost Bride, (the almost Christian), were called "Foolish",
because they had the oil but had let it out because of neglect. They were those
who heard but did not do, they "did not apply the Token".
They did not
have the oil applied to their lamps, and because they did not put into action
what they heard, they were considered foolish. They could have taken action and
saved their home but they did not and therefore their home was destroyed. Oh,
how many believers today are watching their own children going down the wrong
road and are headed for destruction only because they did not apply the Token.
Brother Branham said it must be applied, and that means it has got to be put
into use or it won't do you any good.
In
Matthew 24:42-51
we see Jesus use this word "wise" again in which He is trying to
illustrate the importance of applying what we know for our own benefit.. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth
come. 43 But know this, that if the Goodman of the
house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have
watched, and would not have
suffered his house to be broken up.
How many homes
have been broken up because of parent delinquency. How many children drifted
off because the parents did not take an active participation in the Spiritual
matters of their children.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the
Son of man cometh. 45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made
ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so
doing. 47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his
goods. 48 But
and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delays his
coming; 49 And
shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him,
and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And
shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. That's tribulation.
Now, it's very
apparent by this parable that Jesus is letting us know that He expects us to be
busy applying what we know rather than being lax, uncaring, unsuspecting and
like fools, not ready when He comes. He says, those that are not ready when I come will be placed
outside with the hypocrites where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth
which we know is tribulation.
Then we find
right after Jesus tells us this parable, He then tells the parable of the five
wise Virgins and the Five foolish. So we see in Matthew 25 the wise took oil which
represents the Holy Ghost in their vessels and applied that Token. In other
words it made their lights shine so they could see.
That is why in 1 John 2: 19
John tells us "we have an anointing" that allows us to know
all things. In contrast to Isaiah 28: 9-13 NIV we see what happens to those who
hear this Message but understand it not. "Who is He trying to teach? To whom is He
explaining His Message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken
from the breast? For to such it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on
rule; a little here, a little there. Very well then, with foreign lips and
strange tongues (That's Kentucky English) God will speak to this people, to whom He
said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest" ; and
"This is the place of repose" but they would not
listen. So then, (because they would not listen), the Word of the
Lord to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; as
little here, and a little there- so then they will go and fall backward, and be
injured and snared and captured."
And so we see
the foolish virgin whom the Word of God was not anointed to
them, when they realized how late the hour really was, they went to those who
did understand the Midnight Shout and they began to seek the anointing or
understanding of what was happening pertaining to this Shout, but by
then it was too late. And so when they realized they did not have it, they went
into works programs and tried everything they could to work themselves up into
a condition of anointing but to no avail. Let's read what happens to them.
Jesus again
warns us in Luke
22: 34 Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with spending too much
time and energy on indulging yourself with pleasure, drunkenness, and the
anxieties of life which is (worry and apprehension about what may
happen), and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap or snare.
For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the
whole earth. Be always on the watch,
and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to
happen, and that you may be able to stand in the Presence of the
Son of Man." Oh, God, that is my greatest prayer. The Only
thing I live for is that resurrection ministry that's coming. To Stand in the
presence of the Son of Man.
And then in Luke 14:33
Jesus Said, "Whosoever
be of you who is not willing to forsake all that he has, he cannot be my disciple."
Now, those are pretty strong words from our Lord, but 99% commitment just won't
cut it with Him. It's either all or nothing. Either you're in or you're out. He
said, "He
that's not with me is against me." "And "because they are
neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of My mouth."
Now, the Rich
young Ruler did all the commandments of God that he knew about, but when Jesus
showed him one last thing, when it came time to surrender all that he had in a
final gesture of total commitment to Christ, he could not depart from his
material possessions. He almost made it. But was unwilling to die to self in
order to be born again. Jesus said take up thy cross and follow me. he couldn't
crucify himself. he couldn't die to what he had accomplished. The Bible even
tells us that Jesus had loved him much, but later Jesus tells us the story of
how this Rich young Ruler had died and was burning in hell, and cried out for a
drop of water to quench his thirst.
And t was King
Agrippa who said to Paul, "Thou almost
persuaded me to be a Christian." How many almost Christians will
there be in that day. How many almost Christians do we
have hanging around the Message today? How many almost Christians
will go through the Tribulation because they almost made it. But Almost
won't count when the Rapture takes place "Thou almost persuaded me",
they'll say. "Thou almost persuaded me."
And what good
will Agrippa's words be when he lifts up his eyes from hell and his words echo
over and over in his ears, "Paul, Thou almost
persuaded me to be a Christian."
And yet we must
ask ourselves, "What is an Almost Christian?" And if I were
to tell you the answer many of you would fall to your knees in shear horror
because you would know that your life comes up short if you were to know what
an almost Christian is. Jesus defined an almost Christians when he asked the Rich young ruler if
he obeyed the Ten Commandments and he replied that he believed
and practiced them all. An
Almost Christian Believes in One God and has no other gods in his life,
no idols, or toys that he worships, nothing but the One True God.
Secondly the Almost Christian Honors God
by honoring His Sabbath. He doesn't work on the Sabbath. He honors
God's day. The almost Christian will not speak God's name in vain, He honors
his father and mother, and he does not lie, nor does he steal, nor does he
kill, or commit adultery, or bear false witness against his neighbor, or
desires his neighbors goods.
Paul tells us
the Almost Christian, "has a form of godliness, but denies the power thereof,
He denies the transforming power of the
Word, and he will not apply that power in his life, the Token.
John Wesley
said, "The
Almost Christian does nothing which the Gospel forbids. He takes not the name
of God in vain; he blesses and curses not; he swears not at all, but his
communication is, yea, yea; nay, nay. He
profanes not the day of the Lord, nor suffers it to be profaned, even by
the stranger that is within his gates. He not only avoids all adultery and
fornication and uncleanness, but every word, or look, that either directly or
indirectly tends thereto" such as movies and television. "Even all idle
words are watched and he abstains from backbiting, tale-bearing, evil speaking,
and from all foolish talking and jesting and from all conversation that is not
"good to the edifying" and that consequently grieves the Holy Spirit
of God whereby ye are sealed until the day of redemption. The almost Christian
abstains from strong drink, from reveling and gluttony. He avoids as much as in
him lies, all strife and contention, continually endeavoring to live peaceably
with all men. If he suffers wrong, he avenges not himself, neither returns evil
for evil. He is no railer, no brawler, no scoffer, either at the faults or
infirmities of his neighbor. He will not willingly wrong, hurt, or grieve any
man: but in all things acts and speaks by the Golden rule, "Do unto others that which
you would have done unto thee." And in
doing good, he does not confine himself to cheap and easy offers of kindness,
but actually labors and suffers for the
profit of many, that by all means he may help some. In Spite of toil and
pain, "whatsoever his hand findeth to do,
he doeth it with all his might."
Whether it be for his friends or his enemies, for the evil or for the good. He
is not slothful in this or any business, as he "hath opportunity" he doeth all manner of good, to all
men." He reproves the ignorant,
comforts the afflicted, labors to awaken those who sleep, and he constantly
frequents the house of God, as well as stirs up those who are saved through
faith. And when he approaches the table of the Lord it is not with light
heartedness, nor is it with a careless behavior, but with an air, gesture and
deportment which speaks nothing else but "God be merciful to me a sinner".
"And to this add family
devotions, and prayer and a setting apart time to worship God as a family. Now
with all these things we have spoken which are the attributes of an Almost
Christian we have but one more and that is sincerity. By Sincerity I mean a
real, inward principle of religion from whence these outward actions flow. And
indeed, if we have not this we have not even a heathen honesty. For even the most
wretched heathen will abstain from doing evil in order to avoid punishment. If
then a man does all these things to avoid punishment or to avoid loss of
friends, or his reputation or even his gain, and if you do ever so much good
and show ever so much Grace to others, and yet we could not say this man is
never so much as an almost Christian if his motives are thus. Sincerity therefore, is necessarily implied in
being almost a Christian; a real design to serve God, a hearty desire to do His
Will. A desire to please God in all things; in all his conversation; in al his
actions; in all he does; or leaves undone. This design if any man be almost a
Christian, runs through the tenor of his life. This is the moving principle,
both in his doing, his abstaining from evil, and his using the ordinances of
God."
"Yet you might ask, How could it
be possible that any man living could go this far and nevertheless be
considered by Jesus Christ, as only Almost a Christian? What more than this can be implied in being
a Christian altogether? And I must answer, Yes, It is possible that a person do
all these things and yet be only an almost Christian. For to be an altogether
Christian, First, you must have the Love of God in your Life.
For thus Saith His Word, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength."
Such a love as this engrosses the whole
heart, and takes up all the affection, and fills the entire capacity of the soul, and employs the utmost extent of all it's faculties. He that
thus Loves the Lord His God, his spirit continually rejoices in the God of His
Salvation. His heart is ever crying out, (Notice he is talking about the
Token on display all the time) "Whom have I in
heaven but Thee? And there is none upon the earth that I desire beside
Thee!" And indeed what can the
altogether Christian desire beside God? Nothing of this world or the things of
this world, for we are crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to
me. The Second thing implied in being altogether a Christian, is "the love of God that is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Ghost". True Christian Love which knows
no boundaries. For Jesus told us, "Thou
shalt love thy neighbor even as thyself."
Third, You must die to
self and receive the Holy Ghost, then you will know the things of God so you
may apply the things of God in your life.
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. 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.
From his sermon,
God's Only
Provided Place of Worship pp. 114
brother Branham said, "But when once that Holy Spirit really... genuine Word
comes into you (the Word, Jesus), then, brother, the Message is no secret to
you then; you know It, brother, It's all lit up before you.
Brother Branham continues
in The Token,
pp.
62
said, "But if you're living the Life of Christ, if Christ is in you,
"He that's in you is greater than he that's
in the world." If your doubts and
frustrations about God's promise is in you, then Christ isn't there. See, you're only worked up. But if Christ is living in you, His Word He
will recognize and His promise He'll do. See? He'll do.
Notice, he
quotes Paul saying, "He that is in you is greater than he that's in the world".
He's greater in you than whoever you are
talking to, He's greater in you than
what you are doing. He's greater in
you than whatever circumstances you are currently surrounded with. And if your
life shows that, then you're an altogether Christian.
Now, Wednesday
night we were showing that John 14:12 is
the Token or the Life of Christ on Display. It must be applied, it must be
displayed.
Perseverance 62-0218 P:27 Someone said to me not long, to be a
little critical, said, "'Greater works,' He said, 'shall you do.' We do
the greater works."I said, "Do the lesser before you do the greater.
Just show me the lesser works." You can make It, twist It around and try
to make It say something, but still It remains the same. And you watch anybody that's got faith enough
to believe that, It'll manifest Itself the same
way that God did it. Now we got so much today under the emotions and so forth, that
and things. I have nothing to say against it, that's up between the individual
and God. But to me, every word, every
action has to come from this Bible. It has to be God's Word, then I know It's
true, if God, the Bible backs it up and says it's true, with a promise, then
it's the Truth. It's somebody that's found faith, that stands there on that
Word and makes It live again. "Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, today, and forever."
Go wake Jesus 63-1103
P:70 If Beethoven lived in you, wouldn't you
be a composer of songs? the great composer Beethoven? Say, "Beethoven
lives in me." Then you'll do the works of Beethoven. You'll write his
music. Certainly. If it lived in you, you would certainly do that, because the
spirit of him lived in you .Then if Christ lives in me... My. If Christ lives in me the works of Christ
will be done through me. Certainly. If Beethoven lives in you, the works of
Beethoven will be made known. If Christ lives in you,
the works of Christ will be made known, for He is the same: same. He
can't change. Remember what I said? He's eternal. He can't change He's the same yesterday, today, and
forever. Oh, then call Him on
the scene. Are you afraid to? Is men of this hour, is men of this day afraid to
call Jesus on the scene, to say, "Lord, You promised it. Now do it."
Greater than Solomon
is here 63-0605 P:82 And if you are a Christian, the
Life of Jesus Christ is in you, because it is the Holy Spirit. You
believe that? And then the Holy Spirit...If I told you that the spirit of John
Dillinger was in me tonight, you'd expect me to have guns out here and be a
robber, like he was. If I told you the spirit of some great artist was in me,
you'd expect me to be able to paint these mountains here just like they look,
'cause the spirit of that artist is in me. And if I tell you that the Spirit of
Christ is in me, He said Himself you'll
do the works of Christ. St.
John 14:12
said, "He
that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; greater works than
this do." I quoted that
once and a man said, "Sure, we do greater works. We preach the Gospel to
all the world. He didn't do it in His day. "I said, "Just show me the works that He did first,
and then we'll talk about the greater," See? Ninety percent of the
world hardly knows nothing about Jesus Christ. Millions dying every year that
never heard His Name. It's less evangelized today than it ever was. Hearing
them talk about greater works, preaching the Gospel, certainly not.
Countdown the 62-1125E
P:54 Now,
He said, "He
that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he also." He cannot change that decision. He
said, "These
signs shall follow them that
believe."
If the Life of Christ be in you, if the
mind of Christ, then we're concerned and do the things of Christ. He
said these signs that He done will follow
every believer that believes in Him.
Awakening Jesus
63-0117 P:82 He said, "It's not Me that doeth the works. It's My
Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works." Now, we believe that, don't we? Now, if I told you the
spirit of a gangster is in me, you'd expect me to have big guns, and mean. See?
The spirit of an artist, you'd expect me to take a brush and paint. If I tell you the Spirit of Christ, then it'll
do the works of Christ. "He that believes in Me, the works that I do..." Just like putting the life out
of one vine into another, it'll bear the fruit of the life
that's in the vine.
Return and Jubilee
62-1122 P:39 But in order to be a son of God you've
got to be born of the Spirit of God, then you become Christ-like
and do the works of Christ;
Stature of a perfect
man 62-1014M P:60 And now, we're supposed to
do His work. He said, "He that believeth on Me..." (St.
John 14:7)
"He that believeth on
Me, the works that I do shall he do also." You're beginning to reflect the
works of Christ. But so many of us try to do the
works of Christ before the reflection of Christ is in us. Now, there's the trouble. We find those things
happening. You know it. I know it. We see these stumbles along the road. We
find the scrap heaps of ministers, of Christians, piled along the road. Is
because they didn't go into it right. And that's
why I'm here this morning, is to try to teach this little church, and myself,
how that we can become the dwelling
place of the living God. How many would like to be that? The dwelling place
of the living God...
So that
explains why we do not see John 14:12 so
much in the church. In fact brother Vayle brought that out in 1963 right in the
Branham tabernacle.
Perseverant 62-0623
P:116 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and
forever. Then if the Spirit of Christ is
in us, He will do the works of Christ. That's where my faith stands.
Letting off the pressure 62-0609E P:64 If I tell you the Spirit of Christ is in me, then I should do the works of Christ, live the kind of Life that He lived, a sacrificed Life for the
people. That is right.
End time evangelism 62-0603 P:36 And
if I told you the spirit of John Dillinger was in me, I'd have guns here and be
an outlaw; because that would be His spirit in me. If I told you the spirit of
an artist, you'd expect me to paint the picture of an artist. If I tell you I am a Christian, and the Spirit of Christ is in me, or in you,
then we do the
works of Christ. Jesus said, in St. John,
"He that believeth on
Me, the works that I do shall he do also." Then He said here, "These signs shall follow them
that believe. "
Spoken word original seed 62-0318M P:97 All right. Manifested, the works manifested the same by us, for It
is the same Word. Now, if you want to do
the works of Christ, do the same thing He done. "He that believeth on Me shall have My
works." What is that?
Believeth what? That He is the Original
Seed germ that come.
Perseverance 62-0218 P:132 If It's the Spirit of Christ,
It'll do the
works of Christ.
Paradox a 62-0128A P:97 And if I tell you the Spirit of Christ is in me, then I'll do the works of
Christ. That's exactly what He said. You believe that? If you believe it,
don't doubt it, God will make it manifest.
Forsaking all 62-0123 P:86 And
if the Spirit of Jesus Christ is in me, I'll
do the works of Christ because it's the life of Christ in you. See? Manifested in who? Manifested in who? He forsaken His
Son-ship and became sin and took our sins, that He might take sinners and make
them sons. He became me that I might become Him. He become a sinner that I
might become a son of God. Oh, it's striking what He done. See, He taken your place that you might take His place. You're joint heirs with Him in the Kingdom. He become a
sinner like you, your sins placed upon Him that He might take you and make you
a fellow citizen of heaven and set you with Him in God's Kingdom. There you are: put His Spirit in you. And if His Spirit's in you, the
works that He did you'll do also.
Now listen, how can you be a joint heir with Him, if you can't do the
things he does? That doesn't even make sense. People claim to have His Spirit,
but live like devils. If you have HIs Spirit you will live like He lived,
because it's the same nature in Him that's in you.
Mark of the beast 61-0217 P:38 And if you're of Christ, you do the works of Christ.
That bears record and proves that it is. It's just as clear as the Scripture, I
know how to say it. That's just as plain as the nose on this big face, or big
nose on this face of mine, rather.
Well then, according to what he just said, then those who do not the
works of Christ we have a right to say they are not of Christ. Is that right?
Ten virgins 60-1211M P:129 They
were filled with the Holy Ghost (That's right.), and their works was the works of Christ. They laid hands on the sick
and they recovered; they done all kinds of signs and miracles and wonders.
Jehovah Jireh 2 60-0802 P:29 Then
if we are Abraham's seed, the Holy
Spirit lives in us doing the works of Christ. See what I mean?
Hear ye Him 60-0712 P:94 That's
the way Christ is doing to His Church. He's beating it, and turning it, and
beating it, and turning it, and beating it. How dare a
preacher to be sissy enough not to tell the Word of God and tell men and women
when they're living wrong. Tell them it's wrong to wear these
immoral clothes. It's wrong to smoke cigarettes. It's wrong to stay
home from church. It's wrong to go to gambling, and racing, and
carrying on the way the church is doing today, and playing lotteries and
things. God forbid when I have to do that. No, sir. Beat that thing until... Jesus beats it
with the Holy Ghost until He sees His own reflection in it. Then you can see the works of Christ being performed in the
Church; then she's
ready for the rapture. Pure gold... Do you believe that, all of
you?
O, Brother!!! Did you hear that? Notice what he said, "when the bride of Christ gets to the place where her life is
such a reflection of the Life of Christ, then you will begin to see the works
of Christ as well, and then
she will be ready for the rapture."
Now, let me read a few more quotes where brother Branham says the same
thing.
Jehovah Jireh 58-0127 E-36 And the same Holy
Spirit that was in Jesus Christ, will have to be operating in His church
to make them coincide together at the
rapture, or it won't go up at that
time. The Spirit that was in
Jesus, will have to be in His church, or the two pieces won't dovetail
together, the life of the church and
the life of Christ cannot dovetail together.
Now, listen, brother Branham is nailing this down, and he's
telling us that if the church does not have the same spirit, the same life
being lived in it, and the same works of Christ operating in her,
she
will not go in the rapture. So John 14:12 manifested in the church is a critical stage
for the church to be rapture ready. There's no getting around it.
Again we hear brother
Branham teach the very same thing in his sermon, Hear Ye Him 60-0313 E-32
And the church will have to have the same Spirit, doing the same things that Jesus did; or it'll never go in the rapture.
Now, that has to be John 14:12,
or I have no clue what Scripture he would be referring to.
Jehovah
Jireh 61-0226 P:49 When He was
here on earth, He was Emmanuel, God with us. But at Calvary God tore Him apart.
He tore Him apart, and He raised up the body, and set it on His own right hand,
and sent the Spirit that was in the body back down upon the church to
continue the works that it did in there. There's the covenant
confirmed. So the church that goes to be the Bride of Jesus Christ
will be baptized into that same Spirit, with the same signs, same wonders. Same
Holy Spirit was upon Him will be in the church. It's got to be exactly
the same. So when that Spirit come down, It come down on Pentecost on a
hundred and twenty believers; and It baptized them into the body of Christ. And
the same Holy Spirit was upon Christ was upon the church. It continued
on.
Mary's
belief 61-0121 P:51 So then if it don't do the
same work, then it isn't the same Holy Ghost; but if It does the same work,
then It is the Holy Ghost, the same One. Amen. Do you believe that?
64-0305 Perseverant pp. 214 But He is here in the form
of the Holy Ghost, to come into me and
into you, and perform His same works. He said, in John 14:12, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall He do
also."
Is that right?
58-1007
- Church Order We believe in an apostolic Church, teaching apostolic
blessings for peoples of this day. We believe in the full Gospel, and believe that all of the signs and the
wonders that was spoken of by our Lord Jesus Christ, would accompany His Church
until He returns.
We believe in those things, and believe that they are to be set in order, that
the Church has its order.
Oneness 62-0211
P:112 Oneness with God is to have God's Spirit in you agreeing with
the WORD, all the Word, the whole Word and to make it manifested in power.
Jehovah Jireh 57-0326 P:57
When that Holy Spirit fell
on the day of Pentecost, It produced a church. And, brother, I don't care what
denomination you got tacked to you, except
that Spirit that was tore out of Christ is put into the man, he will be left in
the day of the rapture. He tore him apart and sent the Holy Ghost down,
which lives in us, the Spirit of Christ,
working in us, doing the same works that Christ did, living the same life,
doing the same things, and the outside world stands and makes fun of It.
Others say there's nothing to It. Some try to mock It. Others receive it.
Brother, that's the only way that God
ever makes you a seed of Abraham. When the Spirit of Christ comes into you,
then you become the seed of Abraham.
Faithful Abraham 61-0312
P:53 Now, the church
that professes to be a Christian church, will
have to have that same Spirit that was in Jesus Christ. For at the resurrection of the church, Christ and His Bride will come
together and dovetail. The writings and promises of God will be made
fulfilled there. So it cannot come
together unless the same Spirit was in Christ is in you and me. And then if that
same Spirit is in there, It'll do the same works, and live the same kind of a
separated life, and do the works that He did. The Bible said so, all
the way to Genesis confirms it. Genesis is the seed chapter.
"Genesis" means "beginning." Here it is confirming. Would
that not make us all happy? Would not that make a sinner... It ought to be
striking. It ought to make a church member come to Christ and stay until he's
filled with the Holy Ghost. It's the only promise of the
rapture, the only way that the church and Christ can
come together, the very Spirit.
Lee Vayle
Adoption No. 2, Macon Georgia, 1972 Now in the first message on this subject which was last
night we showed from the prophets teaching that there would be a word
identified Bride who would be able to manifest the very life of Christ at the
end time, quoting brother Branham "there'll be a power come into the church and now is coming
in that the holy spirit will so anoint the people so that they'll speak the
Word and it the word will create itself
like that or identical to what was spoken."
You see when God said let their be light, suddenly
something didn't said I think I will have a little fun, let it be - dark. No, -
Light. See?
Therefore the Word which will be in the bride will be a
literal manifestation into creation of that same Word by the Spirit that
lies in the Word, there will be literal creation. Now, that's what the prophet said, do you agree with that
he said it. Alright, fine we believe it.
Now, notice the language of the prophet. He said now,
N.O.W. at this moment it is coming into the church. That means only one
thing, the potential is already in the bride of this hour and it, the
potential will produce the manifestation in her of creation by spoken
word. God is going to refill the bride with the spirit,
Then see what happens, Brother Branham said we've got a
ministry coming that just excites exactly like the life of Christ. Now
that's what he told us and that's what we believe.
I was preaching one time in Chicago
a couple a years ago or three when Doctor Hoyer who in my estimation is
the greatest authority in the Hebrew and Greek living today because he can speak it with the exact emphasis, the exact
facial expressions and the exact demonstration by the hand. He is a very
brilliant scholar. At the end of the service he said, brother Vayle, I
trust you will not think me to be a
fanatic, but I would like to say something, and he sounded so apologetic I wondered what in the world he was going to
say.
He said, Please, please , please do not take this bad, he
said, I said what it is br. Hoyer, he
said, "Br. Vayle from
a study of the Word of God I believe the Bride will have the creative Word
within her before she goes in that rapture". I said,
"brother that's exactly what a vindicated prophet said by "thus saith
the Lord".
... And
he said "brother Vayle I know that
it is coming". "So we see according to the Word of God
given to us by a vindicated prophet that
the creative Word will be in the very bride at the end time. Now
this great capstone ministry of the bride it's called the manifestation of the sons of God or the adoption or placing of the sons,
and to me, and I emphasize to me, it is also the manifestation of what brother
Branham called the third pull in the bride.
Up until 1963 brother Branham talked much of this
manifestation, but after 62 and 3 he spoke of the pull of the various pulls,
and he said there would be a third pull in the bride which would come into
manifestation. Now, we have no details concerning it, but remember it will
be the creative word within that bride. Now let us just think of the
potential or the prime cause of this great manifestation. It is already in the bride but its is
evidently subdued, Now, It's in there but subdued...
So we see
there are certain steps to this program of God.
1) The Bride
has to die to self and receive the Token which is the very life of Christ.
2) She must
apply the Token, which means live that liFe.
3) Once she
lives that life, then the works of Christ will begin to manifest in her life
making her a perfect fit for the headstone which is Christ to come down.
And we see
this is the stage we are in right now, the last stage getting us ready for the
rapture.
Faith 56-0815 P:63 And brother, the only way in the world
that the covenant will ever be kept, is when you and I receive the baptism of
the Holy Ghost that God tore Christ apart and sent the Holy Ghost down for you
and I. The only way we'll be able to go up in the rapture is
when that body comes to receive the Spirit again, the raptured people that's in
the covenant.
And the covenant is the circumcision by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, that's
Abraham's seed. Amen. Whew. I feel like shouting myself. My. God made the
promise, and He tore Christ apart at Calvary. And on Pentecost, He sent the
baptism of the Holy Ghost, and the
Spirit that was in Christ is in you and you're a new creature. "And the works,"
Christ said, "that
I do shall you do also; even to the end of the world I'll be with you." Hallelujah. Oh, my. Friends,
when I think of it to see how perfect it is that the Scripture lays on it. You
may think I'm excited, but I'm not excited. If you felt like I did, you'd do
the same and act the same.
Absolute an 63-0127 P:57 We think this great big bunch of
cannon fodder here, atomic ash, is going. It'll only go if it's got the
Life of Christ in it, because God will raise it up. That's right. There'll be a rapture. You
think. Two or three people here, and one over here, and somewhere else somebody
come up missing, thought they'd run away from home, they... Better be careful;
they might be gone. Looking for a
rapture, and it already passed...Now, that isn't contrary to the Word. No,
it isn't. He come like a thief in the night. See? They'd be gone before you
know it. God places His great power out
in the church. See, it don't take a great big group
in; it takes a minority. "Fear not, little flock. It's your Father's good will..."
What shall I do with Jesus
63-1124M P:84 Let
me say something too. This uniting time--you see churches uniting nations
uniting... It's a uniting time of God and His Bride too. And I say this with
reverence and respect. I believe that the Bride of Christ is called; I believe
She's sealed in the Kingdom of God. I believe the mechanics is there. They're waiting for the Dynamics, that'll
take Her off the earth into glory in the rapture. I believe it with all my
heart. Yes, sir. We don't know how He's going to do it. but He's going to do
it. He is the Dynamics.
Adoption
or placing 60-0522E P:23 The church has got to be so perfectly
like Christ,
until Christ and the church can unite together, the same Spirit. And
if the Spirit of Christ is in you, It makes you live the life of Christ, act the life of Christ,
do the works of Christ.
"He that believeth on
Me, the
works that I do shall he do also." Jesus said that. See? Now, we're going to have... We got a ministry coming that's just
exactly like the life of Christ. What does that ministry
identify? The coming of the Lord.
Again let's review this last quote and see the progression that has to come
before God is finished with the Gentile Bride and received her up.
Notice he said, The church has got to be so perfectly
like Christ,
until Christ and the church can unite together, the same Spirit. And if the Spirit of Christ is in you, It makes you live the life of
Christ, act
the life of Christ, do the works of Christ. "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do
shall he do also." Jesus said that.
See? Now, we're going to have... We got
a ministry coming that's just exactly like the life of Christ. What does that ministry identify? The coming of the Lord.
No. 1) It
makes you live the life of Christ
No. 2) act the life of Christ
No. 3) do
the works of Christ
Now, that is the order that Brother Branham, Br. Vayle, Doctor Hoyer
all believed, and I do too. Can't you see why the understanding of John 14:12 was given to us by God through His
Prophet, and can't you see why the Devil has so attacked it using the pulpits?
If there is an order to our getting out of here, and it has to do with
the Token in us being applied and that being applied shows the Life of Christ,
the acts of Christ and the works of Christ on display then Satan doesn't want
that known to the people, so he has so convoluted the ministers into thinking
that all there is to make us rapture ready is to have a right doctrine.
He said "when I see the Life that the
blood has been applied, I will pass over". Not, when I hear you
speaking the right doctrine. But when I see the Life... When I see it, and how
can you see it unless "the works that I do
shall you do also".
Be certain of God 59-0708E P:49 If I
had the Spirit of Christ, I'll do the
works of Christ. Jesus said, "If I do not the works of My Father, then believe Me not." And if the church does
not do the works of Christ, then don't believe that church. Jesus
said, "These signs shall follow them that
believe."
And we've perverted it by works of man, doctrines of man. The
Bibles said, "In the last days, they'd be heady, high-minded, and lovers
of pleasure more than of God, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, and
despisers of those that are good." You say, "Them's communists."
No, them's Christians, so-called, and
church members. "Having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." Saying, "Oh, God did that in
another age, not this age." The Bible said, "From such, turn
away." We're living in that day.
Blind Bartimaeus 59-0408 P:43 The Spirit of Christ is in the Church;
It'll do the works of Christ. It's got to; it's the same Spirit.
We would see Jesus sirs 60-0109 P:67 If we profess to
have the Spirit of Christ, we should do the works of Christ.
Oh, I love what he said here, if we profess... we should do.
Otherwise we are hypocrites.
What is the Holy Ghost 59-1216 P:45 They knew the church was to
receive power that would work in the church the same works of Christ,
because as a shadow becomes deeper and deeper and reflects more...
God's provided way 59-0415A P:41 What
is this robe? When you wear the robe of
Christ, you should have the Spirit of Christ in you. And the Spirit of Christ will act like Christ.
It will do the works of Christ. It will be gentle,
long-suffering, goodness, mercy, meekness, patience, with the Holy Spirit.
Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, that's the Spirit of God that comes when
you're robed with His righteousness. His
Spirit lives within you.
Have faith in God 58-0510 P:50 If I
say, "The Spirit of Christ in
me," then it produces the works of Christ. He promised it.
Door to the heart 58-0316E P:92 If
it's a sinful vine you're hooked into, it'll bear sin. If it's a church vine,
it'll bear churchianity. If it's Christ,
it'll bear the works of Christ: got to. "I am the Vine; ye are the
branches." And now, He only has hands, mine and yours, eyes, mine and
yours. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And let me say this as I'm
leaving tonight.
Love 58-0313 P:62 Any spirit, anything, any life will bear record of itself.
Now, if that Angel of God Who's picture you see here, if that Angel of God is the Christ, it'll bear the works of Christ.
How many knows that? It'll bear the works
of Christ. If it don't bear the works of Christ, then it isn't Christ. If I
had the spirit of John Dillinger, I'd have guns; I'd be a...?... character. Whatever spirit you are, that's what bears
your record.
Jesus Christ the same 58-0312 P:31 If a Christian church is the branch that's in Christ, they'll do the works of Christ and bear
the Life of Christ. "By their fruits you shall know them." Now, then the way that He is today, He's here in the form
of the Holy Spirit, working through His
Church, performing the same things that He did there. That makes Him the same yesterday, today, and forever. His
Life, the Life that was in Christ, which was God, produced the kind of a life
that He lived then, that same Life
comes into His churches, His church
members, since they have been purged by His Blood and given the Holy Spirit access to work through them, bears the
same fruit that He bore. So therefore, the world can see then that Christ
is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Will church go before tribulation 58-0309E P:48 Now, the Lord Jesus, when He was here on earth, the works that He did, which we've just quoted, He promised that
He would come again before the end of time and would do the same thing. He said
He would do it through His church. Now,
He said, "I am the Vine. Ye are the branches." Now, the vine doesn't
bear fruit. The branches bears fruit.
Now, if it's a pumpkin vine, it'll bear pumpkins. It it's a watermelon vine,
it'll bear watermelons. If it's a cantaloupe vine, it'll bear cantaloupes. If
it's a grapevine, it'll bear grapes. If
it's a Christian vine, it'll bear Christ, the life of Christ, the works of
Christ. See? Then our spirits has to
be energized by something. I'm so glad to be in Him, tonight.
Hear ye Him 58-0301E P:87 If I
tell you the Spirit of Christ is in me,
you'd expect me to do the works of Christ. That's right. That's what the churches look to, not to
have creeds, but to have the Spirit of Christ.
Hear ye Him 58-0209A P:37 And
if the new life that you think you've received doesn't pattern with God's Word,
you've got the wrong life in you. The
life of Christ will produce the works of Christ, will produce the faith of
Christ, will make you act as Christ, make you love Him. He will be first in
your life. Your objectives, your motives,
and everything will be all-together different. It'll be for the glory of God.
Queen of Sheba 58-0125 P:44 If I
say, "The Spirit of Christ is in me," then I must do the works of Christ. Jesus said, "The Father has
sent Me, and if I do not the works of
God, then believe Me not. But if I do the works, and you can't believe Me,
believe the works that you might be saved." How plain. Your objective
right, your motive right, sincerely, dumped out of self, and yield yourself to
the Holy Spirit and watch what He will do for you.
I stand at the door and knock 57-1208 P:56 and if a spirit of the devil
is in you, you'll do the works of the devil. If John Dillinger's spirit was
in you, you'd pack guns and kill people. If the spirit of anything was in you,
it'll make it act like the person. If
the Spirit of Christ is in you, it'll act like Christ. It'll do the works of
Christ. "He
that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he also." There you are.
Sirs
we would see Jesus 57-0804E P:34 That was
Jesus yesterday, if He's the same today, He has to be the same. He will do the
same; He will act the same. And if His Church has got His Spirit, they'll be
like Christ. If I told you I had the spirit of some outlaw in me like John
Dillinger, you'd expect me to have big guns and be dangerous to be around me,
if his spirit was in me. If I told you I had the spirit of some famous artist,
you'd expect me to be able to catch the waves or the sunset and so forth, and
paint like that artist, if his spirit is in me. Oh, I hope this goes home. But if the Christian Church has got
the Spirit of Christ, they'll do the works of Christ; Christ said so.
If the Spirit is in the Church. What faith are you to contend for? We're
just Christians by profession. We might be Christians by cold formal
profession; we might be Christians by radical, enthusiastic, hysterical faith.
But a real Christian,
the Spirit of Christ produces the Bible again, for it's His Spirit.
Faith once delivered
to the saints 57-0610 P:27 The spirit that was in you, controls you.
And if the Spirit of Christ is in us,
the body of Christ will be Christ-like in it's feelings in it's actions. Whatever it is, it'll be Christ-like. It'll do the works of Christ. God wants to work in the body of Christ as
He did in the physical corporal body of the Lord Jesus. He wants to work in this body of Christ,
if He can only get them to a place where they'll stand still long enough, that
He can place them on the foundation of His Word so He can work. God cannot work
contrary to His Word.
God in His Word
57-0323 P:53 Something is going through your heart.
What is it? It's the Holy Ghost feeding on the Word of the living God. It's God
in His people. You believe that He's here? I believe He's here just in as much
power as He ever was in anywhere in the world. Oh." Yet a little while and
the world sees Me no more. Yet you'll see Me, for I'll be with you." He said,
"As the Father has sent Me, so send I you." The Father that sent Him,
come in Him, and went with Him, and stayed with Him: stayed with Him in death,
stayed with Him in the resurrection. And as the Father sent Him and went with
Him, He's sending us, and going with us, and performing the works of Christ as Christ performed the works of God,
going with us through death, and raise us up at the last day. God's in His
people.
Let us pray...