Contending For The Faith

1 Good evening, friends. I am happy to be here tonight in the Name of the Lord Jesus. And I am sure that our Lord will give us a great blessing for gathering tonight.

I will now have brother to read the Scriptural lesson for tonight. We will read Jude the 3rd verse. This will be for our text for the evening, 3rd verse of Jude now. [The brother reads the text--Ed.] This is for the...?... earnestly contend for the faith that's once delivered to saints. [Brother Branham speaks to someone--Ed.]

This is a very striking text. It was just thirty-three years after Pentecost. And now, they were asked to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. And now, there had been a falling away since then.

2 Now, before we start to speak tonight I want to make a few statements. Now, I do not claim to be a healer. I am just your brother in Christ. I do not condemn doctors or hospitals or medicine. I believe they are God's gifts to us. He has give us some wonderful things by scientists: automobiles, airplanes, better clothes, many things. And we are very thankful for all these things.

I don't claim to take a doctor's place. I pray for doctors, that they have more success to help God's suffering children. But there is some things that doctors cannot help. Then we have a right to go to Jesus then to heal us then. And I believe that He will do it.

I have seen Him in my ministry of ten years heal tens of thousands of people, blind, crippled, twisted, lame, halt. I have seen Him raise three people up from the dead after they were pronounced dead, two of them in the United States and one of them in Helsinki, Finland. Why, I'm sure you have heard of that. It swept over the world.

3 He is the same Lord Jesus. You notice in His ministry, He only raised three from the dead in His ministry here on earth. He raised up Jairus' daughter, and the woman's son that was buried, and Lazarus. Three is a confirmation. He could've done more, if the Father would've showed Him.

Now, let us be reverent, and let us take the right attitude towards the Lord Jesus. For be it assured that your--your attitude towards any Divine gift will determine what results you get from it.

The woman that touched His garment, she felt virtue. But the man who put a rag over His face and eyes, and said, "I understand that You are a prophet," and then struck Him on the head and said, "Tell us who hit You and we'll believe You," he felt no virtue. It was his approach he went to Jesus.

It's the way you come that's what it will happen, just the attitude you take towards it.

Here lays people laying here tonight that are hopeless and helpless outside of Christ. But with Christ, at the end of this meeting, those who have faith will be picking up their beds and going out whole. Do you believe this? The Lord bless you.

4 Now, to our text for a few moments. Now, Jude said to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints, not a faith, the faith. Now, every one of us wants to think that our church has that faith. I hope that we all do. But let us examine the Scriptures, and by the Scriptures see if our church is contending for that faith.

The Catholic, they say they are contending for it. The Lutherans say they have it. The Baptists say they have it. The Presbyterians say they have it. The Pentecosts say they have it. The Nazarenes say they have it. They all claim to have it. There is only one fair way to find out. Let's go back and see what it was. If that is a fair trial, raise up your hand. Thank you.

5 It said to--to contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. Now, let us go back to where the saints began, and examine our faith by the faith that was delivered to them. Then if we find our faith is like theirs, then we believe that we have the faith that was once delivered to them. That's as fair as I know. For this is God's resting place for faith. There's no other place that faith can divinely rest, only in the Word of God. True faith can't rest on a creed, neither can it rest in a denomination. It must rest on the Word of God.

6 Now, when the faith was first introduced to the world, the faith that we're to earnestly contend for, John the Baptist introduced it. He introduced Jesus to the world, and Jesus introduced the faith. Now, let's go back and see what faith He introduced to the world, and then we'll see what we're talking about.

Now, He did not claim to be a healer. If Jesus did not claim to be a healer, then how can some man claim to be a healer? When Jesus was questioned, He said, "It's not Me that doeth the works, but My Father that dwelleth in Me." So He had nothing to do with it. It was God the Father in Him that did the work.

When He was baptized with water by John, they bare record seeing that God came--coming like a Dove and going in Him. And then when Jesus went forth to preach, great crowds come to hear Him. And He begin to work miracles among them, and His fame went way abroad. That's when He said, "It's not Me, but the Father that doeth the works."

7 Then let's see some of the works that He did. When Philip was converted in the beginning of Jesus' ministry, he went first and found Nathanael. And when he found him, he was under a tree, praying. And he called him; he said, "Come, see Who I have found. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph."

Then when he came, Jesus praying in the prayer line for the people, Jesus looked over and saw him coming, and He said, "Behold an Israelite, in whom there is no guile."

Why, it astonished the man. How did He know he was a believer? If I'd say the same thing tonight, I'd say, "There is a true man, a believer." And Philip... Nathanael said back to Him, "Rabbi, when knowest Thou me?"

He said, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the tree, I saw thee."

8 And he said, "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, the King of Israel."

Jesus said to him, "Because I said I seen you under the tree, believest thou? Thou shall see greater things." Now, what if that would be said today by someone, what would they say about it? How many ever read that--the piece in the Bible? Did you ever read that piece in the Bible? Yes. All right. That is the Scripture.

Now, I think Peter well explained to the church what Jesus was. He said, "Ye men of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among you by signs and wonders..." See, God a vindicated Jesus by signs and wonders.

9 And I think that also, that Nicodemus explained what the great ritualistic church thought of Him in that day also. Now, if you'll notice that that was an old teacher, old sage coming to a youthful boy. And there was a man with a scholarship coming to a Man that didn't have any earthly education or diploma. But he said, Nicodemus, representing the orthodox church, he said, "Rabbi, we know that You are a Teacher comes from God." What? We know. Who knows? The Jews. Everybody knew it, but they couldn't accept it. Their church said they'd put them out if they accepted it.

Said, "We know Thou art a teacher comes from God, for no man could do the things that You do except God be with him." Now, look what He did. He didn't claim to do anything Himself. But He said the Father did it in Him. There was once a woman... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]

10 "He is a holy Man, and if I touch Him, I'll be made whole." And she touched Him, and then went out into the crowd. Many people had their arms around Him. And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" Why, Peter said, "Why, Lord, all of them's touching You."

But that was a different kind of a touch. He said, "Virtue, or strength, has gone from Me." And He went to looking around, and He saw the woman. And He said, "Thy faith has healed thee." That was Jesus yesterday; that's Jesus today; that'll be Jesus forever.

11 Now, in the city, in the country many will say, "Let me see Him heal this one and I'll believe it." Jesus could not do that if He was here on earth. Jesus went into His own country. And the Bible said, "Many mighty works He could not do because of their unbelief."

In Saint John 5, Jesus went down to the pool of Bethesda. The Bible says that great multitudes, means "thousands," lay there; lame, blind, withered, halt, lame, waiting for the moving of the water. For at a certain season, an Angel went down and troubled the waters. And the first one stepping in with faith, got healed of what ever disease he had.

Now, listen to this closely. Then here come Jesus by that same multitude of people, passed by the crippled, passed by the mother with the big water-head baby... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... poor old father crippled up with arthritis, lame, withered. He was God Himself. Why didn't He heal them?

12 He went right off through that crowd and found a man laying on a pallet. And He knew that he was laying there. He wasn't going to die. It wasn't going to kill him. He had a disease twenty-eight years. It was probably retarded. He might've had TB, might had prostate trouble, some disease. He wasn't helpless. He could walk. He said, "When I'm coming down, someone can beat me down there."

Then Jesus said, "Take up thy bed and go to the house." Then he picked up his bed and went on his road.

Now, listen, church. Pay close attention to this. This might determine your position tonight. Now, Jesus when they found this man packing his bed, they questioned Him, the Jews did. If Jesus came by this group tonight and went over there and healed some man with TB, and passed all this line of stretchers, what would the critics say tomorrow? "See, there's nothing to it." Jesus did that same thing under thousands of people laying there. So they brought Him up and questioned Him.

Now, listen close. Saint John 5:19. Here's what Jesus Christ said about it. This is the faith that He was presenting to the people. Now, I'm going to quote Jesus' Words. He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you... ('Verily' means 'absolutely.') I say unto you the Son can do nothing in Himself. But what I see the Father do, that I do also."

13 Otherwise...?... God showed Jesus a vision on what to do, and then He went and done it. Do you understand it? No flesh glories in the sight of God. It's all in the realm of spirit. Even Jesus, the Son of God, said, "I can heal no one, or do nothing, until the Father shows Me what to do."

How many understands that plainly now, raise up your hand. Thank you. I just wanted to see if you were really understanding. I hope to see one day when all languages are one. It will be someday when Jesus returns. Babylon will be forgotten. Do you understand now, that the faith that Jesus produced to the Church was not by going out and just whosoever He would heal; it was to who the Father showed Him.

14 Now, I want you to listen close. Jesus when He went away, He--He said to His disciples, "Go into all the world." That was Zurich also. "All the world, preach the Gospel to every creature. These signs shall follow them that believe." In all the signs that He gave, one of them was lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.

Jesus said, "These things that I do..." What are these things? To look out in the audience; He perceived the people's thoughts. He knew when they'd come to Him where they had been and if they... Then He said, "These things that I do, shall you also for I ('I' is personal pronoun.) I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world," not the end of the apostles, to the end of the world, to the end of civilization.

The Bible said, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." If you believe that, say, "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] He has raised from the dead. He said to the apostles (Listen.), "A little while and the world will see Me no more." That meant the world order, the unbelievers. "The unbelievers will see Me no more. Yet you shall see Me (ye,) for I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world."

15 If you are a believer, you can... Jesus is the same today as He was then. If you're an unbeliever, you cast it aside like the Pharisees did, and walk away like they did. You sure wouldn't want to take their place tonight, where they're at. You'd want to take those place who loved Him.

Now, if that's the faith that Jesus introduced to the world (Just a moment now.), then He gave that to His apostles to carry it from one to another, to the end of the world.

When Peter, the apostle, was in prison one night, God sent His Angel and delivered Him. When He was upon top of the house, in Acts 10, why, He saw a vision of Gentiles He must go to. Same faith Jesus had.

When Saul was on his road to Tarsus, God--God had a man down there, and--by the name of--of Ananias. And when he saw a vision of Paul, and he went down to the street called Straight and found Paul, laid his hands on him. And then when Paul was out on a ship, and--and it was all water-logged and fixing to sink, Paul went into the gallery and saw a vision that he was going to be saved.

16 Now, that was the faith they had. Do you believe, if Jesus will come here in this audience tonight and will do the same things that He did then, will you accept Him as Lord? Will you do it? Raise your hand. God bless you. Uh-huh. Now, that is a great statement for a man to make. But many of you have read the book, worldwide circled papers, like "Reader's Digest" and many magazines, how that the Lord has did these things. And I humbly submit myself tonight for the service of God.

As I close, let me say this. I am just a man, your brother. You have a right to doubt my word. People could come in here and say anything. You have a right to disbelieve that. But when God speaks and says the man is right, then it would be sin to disbelieve. Isn't that right?

17 Let us bow our heads. And I'm going to ask at this time, this must be perfect reverence. You who know the Bible, know that this is not playing church. We're dealing with evil spirits. I am not able with one service to explain it all to you. But hear my word. Now, don't move around while the service is in session now.

These men behind me here, they watch me, for it goes into vision. Just one of them almost takes your life. Daniel saw one vision and was troubled at his head for many days. It made Jesus feel virtue go from Him. What would it do to me, a sinner saved by grace?

You must keep your seats. Sometimes evil spirits scream out and show great things at the platform. You must be reverent for when it goes from one, it'll go to another one if there an unbeliever is in the building. You must be real quiet; be in prayer. Let us pray.

18 Our heavenly Father, let Thy blessings rest upon Thy Word. Rest upon Thy servant, upon Thy people. And, Lord, Thou knowest I know no one here. I cannot even speak their language. But Thou knows every one. Thou knowest what their heart is. And oh, great God, in the Name of Thy Son Jesus, permit this once more. And let Thy Spirit come on Thy servant, that the people might know that You are not a dead Christ, but You have raised from the dead, and You're the same today as You was then. Oh, eternal God, grant these blessings in the Name of Jesus, Thy Son. Amen.

Now, mothers, keep your children near. Don't move around. I will not be responsible for disobedient people from this time through the meeting. Remember, I have said this.

19 Now, we will call the prayer line. Now, you've got a little card, something like this. Look at your card. And look, there's a number on it and a letter.

And who has prayer card number 1? Raise up your hand. The woman has prayer card number 1. Just raise up your hand. Back there? All right. Have the lady to come here. All right. Come here, lady, with prayer card number 1...?... (If my boys and Brother Fandler will go--will go down there to the prayer line. All right.)

20 Number-1. Who has number 2? Is that the lady down here? We're forming the line down here. But no one raise without a card, till I call you. Prayer card number 3? Who has it? Raise... Come right here. Number--number 4? Who has prayer card number 4? Number 5? Raise up your hand. Prayer card number 5. Look at your neighbor, it may be somebody's deaf, can't hear. There might be someone who can't raise up their hand. Look along at these cards.

Number 5, Would you raise up your hand? Do you have number...?... The lady's probably deaf and can't hear. Number 5. Who has number 6? 6? All right. 7? Raise up your hand. Come. Number 8? Number 8? Prayer card number 8? Number 9, who has prayer card number 9? If--if the man can't walk, just leave him set there and I can come to him. Now...?... When his number's called, let the usher go to him and put his hand up when his number's called for the line. Number 10, prayer card number 10? Would you raise your hand?...?... Number 11? 11? Raise your hand, please...?... 11, 12? 13? 13? Number 14 then? You're losing your place. You won't be permitted another a card now. There's too many to be prayed for.

Number 15, who has prayer card number 15? Raise up your hand. Number 15? Number 16? Well, let's stop with that then. (You'll have to give them a little better than that. You see? 'Cause they'll have to respond to it 'cause it's shakes it so hard for me here.)

21 Now, how many in here that does not have prayer cards and you want Jesus to heal you? I ask you this in a challenging word. You look this way to me. Believe that I have represented the Lord Jesus, and God will speak to me, and the Angel of the Lord will go out there and tell me what to tell you. Would that be like Jesus did? If it is, raise your hand. That's...

What? Billy, you missing one? Number 5 prayer card is missing. Somebody with prayer card number 5. It may be a deaf person; my boy can't... Number 5? Speak it in German there. You got it? Speak in French. Can you speak French? Somebody can speak French. Maybe it might be French. What--what's that? Prayer card number 5... What was that? Somebody come. Got them all the rest of them lined-up as far as we got? All right.

22 Let's bow our heads. No more stirring from here on. Be reverent.

Dear Lord, hear Your humble servant. This is a great moment, Father. It might mean the turning of Switzerland. I am not praying that they hear me. But Thou, O holy Father, hear the prayer of Your servant. And now, let the Holy Spirit come and do the same works like they did with those who came from Emmaus. He did something different from ordinary men. And they said, "Did not our hearts burn within us?" May we say the same thing after this service tonight. For do something a little different, Father, not the ordinary church service, that the people might know that You're the Son of God. I delight in Thee, my heavenly Father. And now speak, that Thy servant has told truth. In the Name of Thy Son, Jesus, I ask it. Amen.

23 Now, this cannot be done by man. And I'm sure you Christians appreciate my position at this time; I'm representing your Lord and Saviour, the Lord Jesus. Be real reverent, and be ready to answer if He would call you.

Now, catch my voice quickly. Here stands a lady before me. I never saw her in my life. We are perfect strangers to each other. We are strangers. If we are, may the lady raise up her hand. I know her not. I have never seen her. She has never seen me. We were born thousands of miles apart. But God knows her, and God knows me. There's something the girl come here for. I do not know. There's no way for me to know, unless Jesus would reveal it to me. I am His servant. I believe that the things that He said that He did that I could do also. If God will come...

This is a perfect vision of the Samaritan woman and our Lord Master again, man and woman. What did Jesus say to her? He went to speaking to her, said, "Bring Me a drink." And He caught her conversation to catch her spirit. And as soon as He found where her trouble was, He said, "Go, get your husband." That was her trouble.

24 And she said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet." She said, "When Messiah cometh, which is called Christ, He will tell us these things like that. But Who are You? You must be a prophet."

He said, "I am He, the Christ." Now, wasn't them things the very sign of Christ?

The woman said herself, said, "When Messiah cometh, He will do these things." He's the same today.

25 Now, I must look at the woman. For the glory of God, for the sake of His Word, and in the Name of Jesus Christ, I take every one under my control. May the Lord add His blessing.

I wish to talk to the woman just a moment. It's very difficulty, for the interpreter will have to catch my voice as I speak to her. The lady is very conscious that something is going on. She knows she's in the Presence of Something besides her brother, for she is a Christian. And she is suffering with a throat trouble. And it's a tonsil throat. She has... She has been to a doctor just recently, and the--the doctor is going to operate to take out the tonsil. He looked at blood, and it's bad blood in the bowels. And you--you speak English. You're from away from here. You have come to the north, come from south. And you're from the Germany--Germany. You come by a train. You got to go back tonight. And you got a grandmother with you, who has a cancer. And you wish her to be healed. That is true. If that is true, raise your hand. Go, lay your hands on your grandmother, for THUS SAITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, you're going home to be well. I bless thee, my beloved sister. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, go and be made well. Amen. Go on your road, rejoicing and be happy, telling great things to the people.

You believe with all your heart now? Be reverent. The lady, she stands before me, is a stranger to me. I never seen you in my life. We are strangers. We do not even speak the same language, but you are a believer. You're spirit is welcome. If I am strange to you, raise your hand. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus raised from the dead, and you believe that that's Him that you feel now, His Presence that you're in?

26 If Jesus stood here where I stand now, and you'd ask for healing, He could not heal you, because He has already did it at Calvary. But He could tell you what was wrong with you, or something to move your faith up, so you'd believe Him. Is that truth? Raise your hand. If Jesus Christ, Who is with me now, will tell--let me know what your trouble is, will you accept Him as your Healer? You... I see between you and I, as the woman moves back from me, she has something bleeding...?... coming. And it's bleeding in the bowels. You had it for two years. That is right. You accept your healing now? If Something is here to tell me what you are... Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe. They lay hands on the sick, they shall recover." Almighty God, have mercy now. And I pronounce the healing virtue of the Lord Jesus upon this woman, in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. God bless you. May the Lord bless you.

You believe? Reverent, everyone, please. Don't move. It is spiritual, my friend. And I have no way to know except it by spirit. I am just weakening down. I come here as your brother. I come to help you. Now, help me; be reverent.

27 We are strangers to each other. If that's so, raise hands. I never seen you. Look on me and believe. If God will tell me what you're here for, will you believe on the Lord Jesus and believe it comes from Him to help you? You do not live in this country. You come from Germany...?... You got to go back tonight. You suffer with heart and you... I see you try to get out of bed and you're stiff. It's rheumatism that's bothering you...?... You accept my word as God's prophet? Raise up your hand. Raise your feet up-and-down. Your rheumatism has gone from you. You're well. Your faith has healed you. Go back to your home, rejoicing, and tell the...?... that God has done for you. Bless thee.

Have faith. Be reverent. Just a moment, please. The Holy Spirit has left me and gone to the audience.

28 There's a lady looking at me. She has on a large hat. There's that Light hanging just above her. She is praying that God will heal her. And she has heart trouble, and she has arthritis. The lady sitting there praying, looking at me, if that's the truth, stand up. You are healed. Your faith made you whole.

Lay your hand on that man setting next to you, next to you there, over next to you here. Sir, just a few moments ago there was a strange feeling come over you when it was on the woman. Isn't that right? Raise up your hand. You've been suffering with back trouble. Isn't that right? Raise your hand up and wave your hand. That's... Yeah. You are healed. Your faith makes you whole. Go now and be well.

Let us say, "Praise the Lord." [Congregation says, "Praise the Lord."--Ed.] Oh, how wonderful. Look this way and believe. You--you don't have to be up here. Christ is here. That's the same faith that those people had like the woman touched His garment. Look this way and believe, in the Name of the Lord Jesus. There's nothing too great for our Lord. He will heal all of you. Believe.

29 Now, may I talk to the woman. We are strange to each other. You believe with all your heart? If you do, raise your hand. To the audience, this woman's strange to me. If God will reveal what that woman's here for, let it be whatever it may... If God will let me know what is her trouble, will you accept it and believe that Jesus Christ raised from the dead and doing the same thing He did when He was here on earth? If you will, say...?... What He will do for this woman, is what He will do for all of you. It is nothing strange. It's a Divine gift.

He tells me in the room just what's taking place in the parts of the world. I am forty years old, past, and He has never one time told me anything but what was perfectly true. You might write to my city or anywhere that I have been. It is God and not your brother.

30 All you along here in these stretchers now, look this way. Believe with all your heart and say to God, "God, if that be You, I do believe it is, then let that man turn and call me. And what he tells me, I'll believe You." Just have faith now.

The lady seems to move away from me. It's a vision, it... Now, she is... I see her in some kind of a place. It looks like it's in a... There's men around her with... It's doctors, and--and they have been... She's... s hospital and got a stomach... In the stomach and it is cancer. And He says that the doctor has sent you home. And he's saying that you cannot live, and you're going to die with cancer. You have only been out of the hospital six weeks. That is true. Raise a hand.

31 Now, that wasn't my voice talking. Now, it's my voice. But what He said was true, is it? And if He knows what was, He knows what will be. You believe?

O God, Author of Life, the Giver of every good gift...?... on this woman, as I condemn this power of death of cancer that's binding her...?... In the Name of Jesus Christ...?... come from the woman...?... and heal her. Go rejoicing. God makes you well.

Do you believe? Have faith. You'll see great things.

Now, the lady. No, I am not reading her mind. Quit thinking that. Stop thinking that. (Take my...?... off.) See? Lady, come forward to me. Put your hand over on mine. I have not looked at you in the face. But if our blessed heavenly Father will show me here what your trouble is, will you accept your healing? If you will, raise your hand. I see the lady moving from a table. It is in her stomach: stomach trouble. That is right. The woman is a nervous woman. She has peptic ulcer in the bottom of the stomach which is making her belch up her food and become sour in her mouth. She's very nervous. She keeps dropping things and doing like that. Is that true? Wave your hand if it is. Now, go home and eat your supper. Jesus Christ has healed you.

32 Let us say, "Praise the Lord." [Congregation says, "Praise the Lord."--Ed.]

Do you believe, as you come? Do you believe God will heal your heart trouble? You believe? Go on your road. Your faith has made you--made you whole.

Have faith and come, lady. Be reverent. No one, please, please...?... They'll take me from the platform. Be reverent. Do you believe God will heal that tumor you got? Raise your hand and accept Him...?... take them, brothers, to come... I'm getting weak.

Do you believe God will heal you of the kidney trouble in your back? Then go, rejoicing. God bless you.

Do you believe that God will heal you of the heart trouble? Go, rejoicing. Believe with all your heart. Amen.

33 You believe, out in the audience? Look this a way, please. What is that lady going there with the white hat on? As you're standing I see the Angel of the Lord above the woman. Step back, mister, out of the way. The Holy Spirit's speaking. Just a moment. Tell her to wait. It's on the other woman, the woman with the baby in her arms. Yes. Do you believe me to be God's prophet? If you do raise up your hand. Your baby is suffering with a brain condition. Is that right? Raise your hand. Raise your hand if it's right. Lay your hand on your baby and believe, and it'll get well. If you can only believe... You believe?

34 What do you think, the lady laying here on this stretcher. Do you believe me to be God's prophet? He's the...?... comes before faith. Yes. You've been laying there praying. And you asked God to let me speak to you. Is that right? And raise your hand. If God will tell me what's your trouble will you obey me as His prophet? It's a collapsed lung.

[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]

[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] Right. Do you believe me to be His prophet? Then in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, take up your bed and go home. Come up.

Do the rest of you believe? Every man stand up. O God, send Thy blessings upon this people and heal everyone, and may they rise from places and be made well through Jesus Thy holy Son...