What the Holy Ghost was Given
for no 25
Aliens -
Ten Attributes of a Kingdom Citizen
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
Let us remain standing and open our Bibles to Hebrews
11 and begin reading from :
13.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, (in the revelation) not
having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, (somewhere
off in the future) and were persuaded of them, (they
were certain of them) they thus embraced them, and
confessed that they were strangers
(that's an alien) and they
confessed that they were pilgrims (that's a resident foreigner) on the earth. 14 For they that say such
things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that
country from whence they came out, they might
have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a
better country, that is, an heavenly:
wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for
them a city.
Let us pray, "Dear Father we are so thankful that you
have come down to receive us up into Glory in this hour. We long to come home,
and to dwell with you, to ever live in your presence. And it matters not where
we are at this very moment as long as we are walking with you. For you are our
first Love, but it would be so much better for us to go home now, to your home,
our home, where your Holiness and Righteousness is expressed throughout all
that great City that is built foursquare. we've walked
here on this earth which was created beautifully by Thee, but the men of this earth have turned this beautiful
creation into a cesspool of evil and immorality. We desire to come home now
Father, to that
You may be seated.
Notice the Apostle Paul wrote in Hebrews that we are
aliens and resident foreigners as we pass through this place called earth, and
then he said, 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that
country from whence they came out, they might
have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But
now they desire a better country, that is,
an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he
hath prepared for them a city.
Therefore, we see the importance of keeping our focus
on the promises of God.
For we are warned, "if they had been mindful
of that country from whence they came out, they
might have had opportunity to have returned."
Spiritual Adoption 56-0923 P:5 I'm
so glad there's a way out. I'm so glad that we don't have to stay here
forever too, aren't you? What would we do if I had to live in this pest
house forever? I'm so glad that there's a open door.
And that's all that the earth is, is just a pest house. Just as soon as
you think we're running all right, then here comes something else along, and
get here, here comes something else. But I'm so glad that there's a way out. So happy that the Lord Jesus has come and made a way for us, a way
of escape.
Christ is identified the same 64-0415 P:4 We
all believe in the coming of the Lord, that His coming is soon at hand. We
believe it's at hand now. We don't know just what time it'll be that He
will arrive. And in view of this, we want to put forth every effort that we
know how to further the Kingdom and get that last person saved into the
Kingdom. And when the last one's saved... There will not be one extra. It'll
just be so many. And when that last one's brought in, the Body of Christ is
completed; the rapture will come. And so, we are longing for that day to get
out of this place where we're at here now, for it's certainly a pest-house.
We know that, full of sickness, disease, and disappointments, and troubles, and
who would want to stay here when there's such a better place to get to?
This evening we will pick up at
paragraph 76 of brother Branham's
sermon, "What the Holy Ghost was Given for", and this will be number 25
in our series.
76 If you got full of
the Holy Ghost, you have passed from death unto Life, waiting for the general
resurrection in the last day. In the world to come through our Lord Jesus
Christ and Who said He was coming in glory and
majesty... The sea will give up its dead. The corruptible bodies of those
that sleep in Him shall... Sleep in Him... How do you get in Him? By one Spirit we're all baptized into one Body. The corruptible bodies of those that sleep in Him shall be
changed and made like unto His own glorious body, whereby He's able to subdue
all things unto Himself. "I heard a voice
from heaven," said John. "Said unto me, 'Write: Blessed are the dead that
die in the Lord from henceforth, for they rest from their labors, and their
works do follow them.'" That's what He
sent the Holy Ghost for. Oh, blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. "I am in Him, and He is in me; the Father in Him, and He in
the Father; and the Father in me, and I in Him."...
Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory Divine! I'm an heir of salvation,
purchased of God, Borned of His Spirit, when washed in His Blood. Amen. I
wouldn't trade it. Oh, my. All rubies and diamonds, and silver and gold, His
coffers are full, He has riches untold. For I'm a child of a King, I'm the
child of the King: With Jesus my Saviour, makes me a child of the King. Amen
and amen. I wouldn't swap it. I wouldn't swap it; I've got two or three more...
Then here's another Scripture. When you are filled with the Holy Ghost (That's
the things that you have.), then what are you to the world? An alien. (I
know it's late, but it's never too late for this.) An alien. Oh, We're
pilgrims and
we're strangers
here, We're seeking a city to come. The
lifeboat soon is coming To gather His Jewels home.
77 I can hear the
water splash yonder on the
78 You're
an alien, and you're a stranger. You do strange things, different from what you used to do. You don't act like you used
to. The people... The Holy Ghost, when It comes upon you, and
you become filled with the Holy Ghost, you ignore the things of the world.
You ignore the things that would beset you; you ignore it. Then you
become a odd acting creature, the ugly duckling to
them, the little eagle that was hatched under the hen's nest, that I preached:
"And When the Eagle
Stirs Its Nest."
You're a funny looking creature to them. But, oh, my, walking up the King's
highway. Amen. Oh, it's a highway to heaven. I'm walking up the King's
highway. Say, "Look at that holy-roller, that ugly duckling. That's that
holy-roller preacher."
79 A famous
Methodist preacher said to a man today in Louisville, said, "I'd like to
help Brother Billy, but you know what it'd do, I'd have to stick my neck
out." You don't have to stick your neck out for me; He stuck His Life out
for me. Amen. Just walking up the King's highway, that's all.
Oh, my. Filled with His Spirit, borned of His Spirit, washed in His Blood,
hallelujah happy...And then another thing. Why? What makes you do that? You're
still a human. But what makes you do it? Is because that you come, you, your
spirit, come from above. It's God in you.
80 When
I went over to
Watch them get off the airplane, them little clothes on
and everybody go to looking at them. And here comes Miss
81 A Roman comes
over here and he scratches his head; and a German comes over here; a American goes there. Why? You got the spirits of them
countries you come from. That's what makes us so much different to the
world. You're from above. You're born; you're a citizen of another Kingdom.
You believe it? That's what the Holy Ghost is, is to make you a citizen of
the Kingdom of God. Then if you are a citizen of the
(4)purity of mind, (5)power, and (6)love, (7)going
to the lost, (8)healing the sick,
(9)performing miracles, (10)doing great things. Then to the world you look crazy; they say, "Them guys
are off at their head." See? But you are a citizen of the Kingdom.
Notice brother Branham
gives us 10 thing here and ten is the end of a cycle.
0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, and then the cycle ends and
begins to repeat itself. 11, etc.
The number ten is used
throughout scripture to depict the end of a cycle, such as God completed the
cycle of man in the antediluvian age with Noah. Noah was the tenth Generation
from Adam bringing in a new covenant from God, and Abraham, was the tenth
generation from Noah bringing in a new unconditional covenant from God.
Then, there are the ten
commandments, and of course the ten spies Moses sent to spy out the
land. And there were ten rows of ten silver talents which made up the base or
sockets for the tabernacle in the Wilderness.
Tithes is a tenth, that represents the
whole which is due God, showing His claims on the whole, and there were ten
plagues upon Egypt which brought the cycle of world power in Egypt to its end.
Therefore we see the number ten
represents a conclusion, and refers to coming into a full cycle. Jesus spoke
several parables where ten was the key number. The ten
virgins which represented the end of the cycle of virgins. The ten
pieces of silver, which silver represents redemption, and thus the ten pieces of
silver in the woman's crown represented the ten fruits of the spirit, the nine
mentioned in the book of Galatians and the tenth one mentioned by Jesus in
Matthew 7, which is the teaching for the season.
Now, since the ten pieces of silver
concerned this woman, who represented the church, we found in our study of this
parable why she was so obsessed with finding the missing piece.
But tonight we will look at
another set of ten, and that is the ten attributes of the Citizen of the
81. That's
what the Holy Ghost is, is to make you a citizen of
the
So let's begin looking at these
attributes of a citizen of the
(1) holiness, The first attribute mentioned here is
Holiness for the Scripture teaches us
Now, the first of these attributes that God expresses
in His Kingdom, brother Branham listed as Holiness. And thus when we receive
the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, we receive a Spirit of Holiness. and the reason that Holiness is listed as number one is that
without it, you can not even see or understand God.
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord:
And lest we forget, brother Branham said, That's what the Holy Ghost is, is to make you a citizen of the
And notice that is exactly what the Apostle Paul tells
u in Hebrews
God wants us to be partakers with Him of His Holiness.
So it is not our holiness, for we have none. but that
is by He gives us of His Spirit which is called the Holy Spirit, so that we can
become partakers of His Holiness.
And that Holiness is birthed into you, but through
trials and suffering, God shows us how to overcome the nature of our flesh that
we might attain to a higher form of holiness, which Paul calls the perfecting of
Holiness in 2
Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these
promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the
flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Notice there is something that we are asked to do, and
that is to recognize what is God's thoughts and what is our own thoughts, and
thus we are asked to cast down our own thoughts and imagination, and receive the very thought's
of God which are holy and righteous.
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;
You see, Holiness actually comes forth from righteousness,
which is "right"-"wise-ness", or
having a "wise-ness" based on a
"right" thinking.
Luke 1:75 In holiness and righteousness
before him, all the days of our life. Because you can not separate holiness from
righteousness.
And that was listed as number 2 by William Branham. And hopefully we will find out this evening that
you can never be Holy in God's sight if you retain your own thoughts. For our thoughts are as filthy rags unto God.
Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither
are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For
as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteous-nesses (our
right-wise-nesses, our thoughts which we think are right) are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our
iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
So God says in 1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness,
but unto holiness. In other
words, it is through receiving God's right-wise-ness
that we come into God's Holiness.
1 Thessalonians
Romans
Now, let's examine number (2) righteousness, for
brother Branham said,
"Then if you are a citizen of
the
So we want to look at what this righteousness is, and
we have already shown you that it is lining up your thoughts with God's
thoughts, for His thoughts alone are righteous.
Notice the Apostle Paul tell us in Romans 6:19 I speak
after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have
yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity;
even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto
holiness.
Notice he says, now yield
your members unto righteous unto holiness. Yes, Righteousness
unto Holiness.
Notice then that righteousness unto holiness means
that you can not have Holiness, at least God's holiness without having God's
righteousness, which is God's right wise-ness.
Again let me read from Isaiah
55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
And Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous-nesses
(our right-wise-nesses, our thoughts which we think are right) are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our
iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
That is why The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians
Psalms 119:142 Thy righteousness is an
everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all
goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins (the loins of your mind) girt
about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
1 Peter
2 Corinthians 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of
God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the
left,
You see, you can not separate truth and righteousness
for how could you have a right-wise-ness that is not
first of all truth.
Zechariah 8:8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in
the midst of
Jeremiah 4:2 And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth,
in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in
him, and in him shall they glory.
And the reason that the Lord lives in truth and
righteousness is because he is The Truth.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
And God will not accept those who call on his name
without doing do with truth and righteousness.
Isaiah 48:1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are
called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of
Proverbs 12:17 He that speaketh truth sheweth
forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.
Psalms 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh
to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the
people with his truth.
That is why you without being born again and
inheriting the very nature of God you can not show evidence of your citizenship
from heaven without living in True Holiness which can come forth only from His
Truth and His Righteousness, and thus you will never liven in his Holy City.
Psalms 15:1-2 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? (He's talking about the City built upon the Holy Hill, So Who can live there and thus be a citizen of that
Kingdom?) He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh
the truth in his heart.
And that brings us to attribute
or characteristic number (3) which William Branham said was purity of thought.
And we can not have purity of thought unless we have God's thoughts.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
So we are looking at God's Wisdom, the wisdom that is
from above that is first of all pure.
That is why the Apostle John tells us that if we are
to purify ourselves it must be as God is pure, and He is the Word. 1 John 3:3 And every
man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
And so the Apostle Paul admonishes us in Philippians 4:8 Finally,
brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
In other words Paul admonishes us to think only
thoughts that have their source in the pure Word of God.
And Notice how closely tied together are attributes
number 3 and number 4 that brother Branham lays out for us.
First he says purity of thought and then in order to
have a purity of thought their must first be a purity of mind. So attribute
number (4) is purity of mind,
Titus
So you see when we receive the very mind of Christ we
receive the pureness of that mind, which comes through a washing of water by the Word.
And in having a pure heart it allows us to see as God
sees. Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
And so we are commanded by the Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3:1 This second
epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure
minds by way of remembrance:
And Paul tells us with our pure mind we are able to
hold onto the Mystery of Faith.
1 Timothy 3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure
conscience.
Proverbs
1 Timothy 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out
of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
And that leads us to the next attribute of our
Citizenship and that is (5)power,
Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with
power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from
the dead:
Notice that Jesus power was according to the Spirit of
Holiness. And power apart from having the right character is satanic. In fact
that is what brother Branham taught us in the Seven Church Age Book.
Church Age Book 4 - The
Now, I want you to notice how these ten
characteristics of having a citizenship from Heaven flow out one from the
other. First holiness because without it you can not see God, and that holiness
can only come from having God's Holy Spirit living itself out in your life.
Then we see how that righteousness or having a right-wise-ness
is essential to living a holy life. And how that only having God's right-wise-ness can produce a true holiness. And then out of that true
holiness which is based up
God's right right-wise-ness produces pure thoughts that come forth from a
purified mind. And only until these four
attributes have entered into your nature and presented themselves in your
character, are you fit to manifest the power of an endless Life, which is
eternal life, and thus the power of an eternal Life which there is only one
eternal and that is God life, and that all comes from God's Word for He is the
Word..
Hebrews 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal
commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given
unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge
of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through
faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of
fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Thessalonians
Philippians 3:10 That I may know
him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death;
Ephesians 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his
power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Guide a 62-1014E P:47But when it comes to know the holiness and
righteousness and the power of God, and how the Holy Spirit operates and what
It does, you better stay right behind the Word, the Guide. See? ... Jesus said,
"Those that passed this way, these signs will follow them. My Name, they
shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues; or take up serpents or drink
deadly things, it won't harm. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall
recover." Most of them refuse It, deny It, say
It's not even inspired. They're not following the Guide. They're following a
manmade creed. You better stay right behind the Word, because you haven't
passed this way, you know.