What the Holy Ghost Given for no 4
Satan's End Time Snare
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
Let us stand to our feet and we
wil take our text from Luke
31 So likewise ye, when
ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the
let u pray,...
This evening we will continue
in brother Branham's sermon, "What the Holy Ghost was Given
for and pick up our study from paragraph number 5. And
heavenly Father, we now come approaching Thee again in
prayer. Which no doubt that prayer has already been made among the children of
God tonight in this little place, and that songs have been sung, and we have
lifted hearts in joyful rejoicings at the praises of God. David said he would
come into the congregation of the saints and make his requests known. And
tonight, there has been many hands. Perhaps, maybe, I
would say, 80 percent of those that are setting in this building tonight
raised their hands for requests. Shows, Lord, that we just can't go
without You. We've got to have You
day by day. You are our Life, our Joy, our Health, our
sustaining Strength, our Stay, our Buckler, our Shield from the enemy. And we just
could not fight this battle of life without You.
It would be totally impossible for us to do it, and we have to totally rely
upon You. For we know that we're walking through a
dark and dismal land. On every side the enemy has beset us, on giving
traps and snares. Our paths, Lord, are set full of snares of the
enemy to upset us.
For
our text we read from Luke 21:34-35 and I
would like to read it from the (NIV) 34 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down
with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will
close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35
For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.
Notice
Luke
There
it is, Jesus is warning us that the cares of this life
will cloud the brain like drunkenness and the people will not be aware that the
You
see Peter tells us to gird up the loins of our mind at the time of the
Revelation of Jesus Christ. We have to have sharp minds to catch the
revelation. We can’t afford to cloud them over with drink and cares of this
life, but that is exactly what is happening to the people.
And
yet we all think, Yeah, that’s right. It is happening to them, but never to me,
and then when we get to that place we have already deceived ourselves.
35 For as a snare (a snare is a trap,
so like a trap)
shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. (what will come? The cares of this life. The everyday living, it will
come on everyone like a trap, and what's the purpose? To keep you so occupied
that you will miss the very thing you have longed to see. The
36 Watch ye therefore, and
pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that
shall come to pass, and to stand before(The word again means
to stand “in the presence of “) the Son of man.
Now in this scripture we are
told that the cares of this life or anxiety is actually is as a trap or snare
for all who live on the face of this earth. Why? Because just
as a trap it doesn't end there. If our focus is on the things of this
world, then we will be caught up into those anxieties which become a snare to
us. So you see the snare is set for those who do not have their focus on the
path.
I remember when I was a young boy,
I had watched Tarzan show and saw how they set traps for wild animals. So the
next time we were playing guns in the woods, I cut a vine and made a noose in
it, set a small not in it and cut a notch in a nearby tree to hold it down,
then I laid the noose end on a few small sticks to hold it of the ground so as
to catch the foot of the bad guys and then I covered the noose end with leaves.
I set it on a path in the woods, and I waited for the bad guys to come along. I
knew that if they were not paying attention they would get caught in the trap.
And that is exactly what Satan has
been set for mankind in this hour. A trap has been set for those whose focus is
not upon Christ and His Promises for this end-time. Those who
are lazily walking though life without paying attention to the conditions of
the hour. Didn't Jesus warn us "if the
man of the house had know what hour the thief was
coming, he would have prepared his home and he would not have suffered the
thief to break in."
Our focus should be on standing in the presence of the Son of Man as
Jesus tells us here. We should not be concerned with the cares of this life,
because they are considered a snare to the real things that God has in store
for us. And remember people, every time we see people caught in a trap in
the scriptures, they were destroyed.
The snares that trap and catch
men are all different; but Satan, seems to not give up on any man while he still
has a chance to snare him. And he finds some way by which to confuse, entangle,
sidetrack and secure the downfall of all men where it is possible.
We can look all threw the Bible
and see that men of God seemed to fall for something that became a snare to
them and they lost out on the promise for their day as a result.
The snare in Gideon's case was gold; with
Samson and David and Solomon, it was lust; with Saul it was envy; with Balaam
and Judas it was money; with Demas it was the love of this present world.
To this day men are falling
away from duty and from God on account of these things. And because the Devil
has had such success in the employment of these baited traps and flower-covered
pitfalls, he is as persistent in his temptations these days as in former times.
He knows the power of the snare and the weakness of the nature he
has to deal with, and never seems to be discouraged.
This is the reason that the
Bible has so much to say about "Watching and Praying;" about working
out one's salvation with fear and trembling; and utters the peculiarly solemn
words, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed
lest he fall." We have all known men who not only thought they
stood, but really did stand in grace and were used of God; and yet we have seen
them sour, grow bitter, become envious, backslide in heart, backslide in life
and then lay around for years as helpless, useless and melancholy in appearance
as the wrecks of ships thrown by a storm on the beach and left after that to
whiten and fall to pieces as the days and months rolled by. God
save us from the snare of Gideon and from those of Saul, Samson, David, Judas
and Demas and from any and every other kind which the enemy of our souls would
place in position to cripple and capture us, and finally, to destroy and damn
us, both soul and body, in hell forever.
Amos 3:5 Can a bird fall in a trap upon the earth, where
no snare [has been set] for him? shall
[one] place a snare in the earth, where there is nothing at all to catch? 6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and
the people not be afraid? shall
there be disaster in a city, and the LORD hath not done [it]? 7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he
revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. 8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
When God sends you a prophet, it is
because God wants you to know something. This is the man that you must listen
to. And He gives you a choice, you either listen and
be saved, or if you choose not to listen, you will be destroyed. Not much of a
choice, but I like it that way. Strait to the point.
He said, "this is the way, walk ye in it."
But notice what Amos is telling
us. Amos 3:5 Can a bird fall in a trap upon the
earth, where no snare has been set for him? shall
one place a snare in the earth, where there is nothing at all to catch?
And the greatest catch in this
hour is the Elect Bride of Jesus Christ. So, Satan has all his guns aimed at
her in this hour. And if that is so, the he's got to be setting his snares to
catch every soul that he can. And when you understand what those snares are you
will also know to flee from them with all your life. Flee, get away from those
things. And so what is the snare to the church in this hour? The Apostle Paul
told us it is a wrong Word.
Romans 11:7-10 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which
he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it,
and the rest were blinded 8 (According
as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they
should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9 And David saith, Let
their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock,
and a recompence unto them: 10 Let their eyes be darkened,
that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
The snare is scripture itself,
inasmuch as it is understood and handed down or taught in a deceitful manner,
so that under the show of pious instruction the souls of the deceived and
simple are craftily ensnared. From one and the same table, or from one and the
same Holy Scriptures, one draws for himself death while the other life, the one
honey and the other poison. Hence, nothing else should be treated with such
reverence and so altogether without arrogance as the Word of God. It at once
ensnares the proud and traps and offends them, though in a way that they do not
perceive: Indeed, in a fascinating and beautiful disguise. But this is not the
Words fault, but that of human pride, which arrogantly raises it's head against it.
The stumbling block consists of
this, that they who are ensnared by false teaching constantly take offense. For
if they are ensnared it is through that which they understand wrongly. To that
they cleave and with it they are pleased. So without realizing it, they permit
themselves to be ensnared willingly. But they take offense of what is pointed
out to them as the truth from which they turn away. If they can not avoid it,
(the truth) they distort it and deny that scripture must be so understood.
2 Timothy
Things that are to be 65-1205 P:45 And
now, that's the way you come: through justification to believe God. You were baptized
unto repentance or the remission of your sins. You confessed your sins before
God, and He forgive you for it. And you was baptized
to show that you'd been forgiven, confessing to the people and showing to the
world that you believe that Jesus Christ died for you, and He took your place,
and now you stand in His place. He become you that you might become Him.
Then the sanctifying power of God cleansed all the habits out of your life.
You used to smoke, drink, do things that wasn't right,
tell lies, everything. Then the sanctifying power of the Blood of Jesus
Christ comes into your life; it takes all the things away from you. If you
happen to say, something's got wrong, quickly you say, "Wait a minute;
pardon me, I didn't mean to say it like that." See? The devil got a
trap setting there, but you've got grace to come back if you're a real
Christian, say, "I was wrong." Yes. So
therefore...
1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into
temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which
drown men in destruction and perdition.
Now, we know he is speaking of lustful snares of which
money, popularity and women are the three brother Branham said would
get a preacher if he was not careful.
But we find also that
the Word of God in the wrong hands can also become a snare to those who are
also not careful.
Isaiah
28:7 But they also have erred through wine, and
through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred
through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way
through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in
judgment. 8 For
all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 9 Whom
shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to
understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and
drawn from the breasts. 10 For
precept must be upon precept, precept upon
precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and
there a little: 11 For with stammering lips
and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye
may cause the weary to rest; and this is the
refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13 But the
word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line
upon line, line upon line; here a little, and
there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and
snared, and taken.
I would like to read this from
the
And again from the Isaiah 28:8 NIV All
the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth. 9 "Who
is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message?
And finally from the LAMSA: Isaiah 28: 89 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that
there is no place clean. To whom shall he teach knowledge, and whom shall he
make to understand the report. Those who are weaned from the
milk and drawn from the breasts. For filth is upon filth, filth upon
filth, vomit upon vomit, vomit upon vomit; a little here, a little there; For with difficult speech and with an alien tongue will he
speak to this people. For I have said to them, This is the place of my rest
wherewith I may cause the weary to rest, and this is the place of tranquility; but they would not listen.
So the Word of the Lord
was to them filth upon filth, filth upon filth vomit upon vomit vomit upon vomit a little here little there that they might
return and fall backwards an be broken and snared and taken.
John 8: 34 Jesus said, "he that committeth sin is the servant of sin." Then
we found in 2
Peter
Now thus far in our study we
have found that this bondage is a result of an influence that begins with
anxiety. The Devil has laid out a snare or trap for every one in the whole
world. And that snare or trap is in the guise of the economy. He knows that
people have to make a living. He has known that since the curse that was placed
upon man for his disobedience in the garden.
In fact he was responsible for
that curse being placed upon man. And so then we see that he took advantage of
that situation and he has manipulated man into a wrong focus again.
The other thing the Apostle
points out is that they are causing offenses which are contrary. Now the Greek
word for offenses here is the word skandalon in which
we get our English equivalent scandal. Literally it is a stumbling block, an
occasion of stumbling, a thing that offends, 1a) the movable stick or trigger
of a trap, a trap stick; a trap, snare; any impediment placed in the way
causing one to stumble or fall.
So here we find the Apostle warning the
people of those brethren that would be doing things that are contrary to the
doctrine and which would be causing the people to fall or to stumble because of
the things they are doing.
And what are we to do when we see that
there are ones causing sedition and who are doing things which are contrary to
the doctrine we have been taught? He said avoid them!
Romans
Is that all we are to do Paul?
Yes, that is all. Just avoid them. Don't go near them. Just
let them alone. Notice, these are not people who are just ignorant of
the doctrine, and don't know any better. But these are men who willfully use
means to dissuade and cause sedition, insurrection and harm to the doctrine,
and those who would stand by it.
Luke 21:34 NIV 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 (worrying and becoming apprehensive 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
And then in Luke
Now, the rich young ruler did all the
commandments of God yet 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. Almost, but one word off is
Satan's kingdom. The Bible even tells us that Jesus loved him much, but later
Jesus tells us the story of how this rich young ruler had died and was burning
up in hell, and asked Abraham to send the beggar Lazarus with a drop of water
to quench his thirst. And looking up from hell he pleaded with Abraham to send
some one to warn his brothers, But Abraham said, "Though one be raised from the dead they won't believe Him!"
And I tell you this evening, that One has Raised from the dead and is standing
in their very midst today and yet they believe him not!
The other thing the Apostle
points out is that they are causing offenses which are contrary. Now the Greek
word for offenses here is the word skandalon
in which we get our English equivalent scandal. Literally it is a
stumbling block, an occasion of stumbling, a thing
that offends, 1a) the movable stick or trigger of a trap,
a trap stick; a trap, snare; any
impediment placed in the way causing one to stumble or fall.
So here we find the Apostle warning the
people of those brethren that would be doing things that are contrary to the
doctrine and which would be causing the people to fall or to stumble because of
the things they are doing.
And what are we to do when we see that
there are ones causing sedition and who are doing things which are contrary to
the doctrine we have been taught? He said avoid them!
Resist the devil and he shall
flee. That's all you have to do brothers and sisters to defeat Satan is to
resist him, and that simply means don't go along with him. When he inhabits
someone you know, and all he wants to do is gossip, just don't go along with
that person, don't give him what he wants, an open
ear.
Brother Branham taught us that we
must separate ourselves from unbelief. He said that God could not bless Abraham
until he separated himself from
It becometh us to
fulfill 61-1001M P:66 Abraham, it was becoming to Abraham to
separate himself from unbelief. Becoming to any believer to separate yourself from unbelief. Abraham, it was becoming to him to
walk in a land of his own, him and God alone, 'cause he was a prophet. The
world didn't understand why Abraham made such a choice. Why did he leave his
home? Why did he leave his church? Why did he leave his people? Why did he do
such a rashal thing to sojourn in a strange land
where there's no water or food? Why did he go into those bleak deserts where
men had not went yet? But it was becoming to him, for he was a prophet, to
separate himself from all unbelief and to walk alone with God. God said,
"Separate yourself, and I'll bless you."
2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith
the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and (then after you have separated
yourself, He says,...) and I
will receive you.
End time evangelism 62-0603 P:82 God
wants His people to be separated from unbelief and unbelievers. So many of you people
make a mistake in this, sometimes letting your children play out here a little
Oswald. See? I don't mean to be different now, and starchy, and so
forth, and be some kind of a fanatic. I don't mean that. But you be sure who your daughter goes out with at nighttime. See,
see? Maybe you raised her a godly little old girl around the church, and the
first thing you know she gets out with Oswald or some of them, and he's a
atheist, unbeliever, and her life will come up ruined and you don't know what
he is. You see? Then he'll marry her, and look where your kids are, your
grandchildren then. You see? Be careful. God wants His people to be
separated.
Let
us pray