An Ensign

1 Thank you, Brother Outlaw. Thank you very much.

Good evening, friend. That's a... Certainly appreciate that fine introduction by Brother Outlaw, and it's mutually felt between us. And I am happy to be here in this tabernacle tonight, back here in Phoenix, and listen at these wonderful songs and this lovely little choir. I was just looking them all over. I'm so critical of some of the way people do and dress in these last days, I kind of have to admire this little clean-faced bunch of women up here. And it looks real good to me. And I'm certainly thankful for them. God bless them.

2And to Brother Outlaw and his son, I remember when I was here, the boy was just a little bitty fellow. And now here he is, I think, married and perhaps got a family. And just shows that don't take long for it to pass, does it? We're just certainly drifting on down the way. But there's one glorious thing that we are looking forward to, the day that we will see our Lord Jesus, and then we'll all be changed then.

3 They said Sister Waldrop was here tonight, the lady that was healed with cancer. I called her name the other night. Where is she at? Is she here in the building now, now? Yes, Sister Waldrop, yeah, and Brother Waldrop too. We're certainly glad to have you in the service tonight. I believe I see Brother and Sister Evans from Macon, Georgia, over here on the left hand side, all the way from Macon here.

4 And--and this little Greek brother setting here in front, I can't think. He's all the way from Greece, so I met him not long ago. And Eddie, I believe, isn't it? Or, am I... [The brother says, "Dave."--Ed.] Dave, David. I appreciate that Bible, and so forth, that you sent me just recently, that book. And I thank you very much, brother.

5And many of our friends... There's another group from Georgia, Brother S. T., I call him, I believe, or T. S., on this side.

6And I was happy to see Brother Williams' boy. How many times that he's requested me to pray for him, and hear him stand up here testifying like that tonight, it certainly thrilled my heart, to--to, for that.

7Coming in, I met Brother Mc Anally out there, my old friend. I get to see him pretty near every time coming down.

There's just so many of our friends here.

8 Hearing the testimonies from healings, it brings me to think of this. A few moments ago I made a long distance call to Brother Tommy Hicks, who's in Washington, or in Oregon, rather. Wanted me to come take his place this week. His brother, and his sister-in-law, and the whole family, was killed instantly this afternoon, down in Mexico. And he has to go down to identify his brother and make all the arrangements and so forth. And I certainly have a feeling for Brother Hicks. I had to do the same thing, a few weeks ago, for my mother. And I know just how he feels. And so, I believe, at this time, as we are all associated together as one great Christian body of people, I believe it would be real nice if we would just bow our heads a moment and offer prayer for the comfort of Brother Hicks in this hour.

9 Our Heavenly Father, we are bringing before Thee now, as a group, a group of people that are pilgrims and strangers, sojourners, professing that this is not our home, we are citizens of another great Kingdom that shall come, that Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy Kingdom come. Thine will be done." Father, tonight, one of our brothers, Brother Tommy Hicks, Your servant, sadness is floating across the wires to his ears. His precious brother, believing he was an unsaved boy, and his wife, and little ones, all was just destroyed today by an automobile accident. And our brother is in the air now, flying to meet up the body of his precious brother. I pray for Brother Hicks, Lord. I pray that Your Spirit be upon him and help him. Comfort him. And may the great hand of the living God reach down and give him sustaining grace in this hour. Feeling the sharp feeling myself, Lord, of just a few weeks ago, something similar happening, and I feel sorry for him. And I pray that You'll comfort him in every way that You can, Father. We ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

10 There's just so much to be said, so little of time to say them. We are terribly sorry tonight, that people standing inside, outside, and around the walls of the church.

11Now, this next week, next Thursday starts the convention up here at the Ramada. I believe I pronounced that right. Up on the right hand side of West... or East VanBuren Street. And the Ramada, it's kind of a big hall there with enough seating room to seat twenty-five hundred people. And it has been deemed a great privilege to me to be invited here by the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship, to which I have spoken, over most of the world, for them. And they invited me here to this convention, Brother Williams, and the president here of this chapter, and many of the fine men.

12And we're expecting a great time up there, and there's going to be some fine speakers, as I understand, to be there. I understand that it's going to be my great privilege to speak to the Saturday morning breakfast. And if that be so, I want to speak on the subject: The Worst Man I Ever Found. So...

13 And then Sunday afternoon I'm to speak again, to address the body of believers there Sunday afternoon. All through the week I got church to church, church to church, sometimes two in a day, and so, to visit my brethren. And I certainly deem it a privilege, friends, to get to meet the different organizations.

14And here, a long time ago, this would almost been impossible, to get the people together of the different phases and organizations. But God is so wonderful. He is. He's just worked it around so that all of them now are beginning to fellowship one with another, and forgetting their little differences, and pressing on towards the mark of the high Calling. That's certainly fine. I'm very grateful to God, to see that. And now may it just continue to grow, is my prayer.

15 Brother Outlaw, as he just said, was the first one to invite me to Phoenix. I come here many years ago with Brother Kidson, and we had a great meeting. That meeting was a red-letter mark in my life. They didn't have tape recorders then. They had a little sound-scriber and they made record. And I've still got the records that was from Brother Outlaw's church, and from Brother Garcia's church over there, the little Spanish choir that sang in Spanish, like these do in--in English.

16And every once in a while we get kind of lonesome at home, and I kind of get the blues, to see the folks, see, folks out at Phoenix. I put that record on and play it, you know. And you... It's pretty near worn out. But I just know it so well, till I know every little time it's going to jump and skip a line, and so forth, so I just stay right with it.

17 I've had a very sad experience in my life recently, of losing my mother, which was a very sweet Christian woman. But her--her going was quickly. I haven't time to tell it tonight. I want to, at one of the meetings, some of the little breakfasts somewhere, and how that the Lord sent me away, for this to happen. He gave me a vision where to go and what would happen. Then, on the road back... And the sweetness of watching mother come to the end of the road, and holding her in my arms, or by the arm, and committing her soul to God, and seeing that dear, old, saintly woman as she was going out, when she could no more speak.

18And I said, "Mother, does Jesus still mean the sweetness to you as the... did the day you received the Holy Ghost? You cannot speak, I know. But if it's real, just bat your eyes real fast." And she would bat her eyes. The tears would just run down her cheeks. And she went to meet the Lord. That night He came to me in a vision and showed me her, the way she was then. I just can't keep from inviting people to press on to That. See? Laying... Never miss that, friend.

19 And now, many times, the way that we stand, we don't disfellowship anyone because the way they believe, but being pentecostal, and having the pentecostal experience, I've seen it come in my family, the ones right down to the end of the road, and watch them until their soul went out. I tell you, I'm so glad that I've got that experience. I... of being a pentecostal experience in me. And I just want everyone to have it. Don't miss it. Whatever you do, don't miss the experience.

20 Usually in my meetings, everywhere I go, it's always about praying for the sick. I don't know. It's--it's been very successful. The Lord has blessed, answering my prayers many times. And I wonder, just before I spoke to you, was there any come tonight to be prayed for, something, so I could change my text around a little bit. You was going to be prayed for, I was going speak on something on Divine healing and if not, I was going to speak on something else. Is there anyone here to be prayed for, would like to be prayed for? Raise up your hand, so I can get just a general. Hum. My! Well, I wrestled around about a half-hour, a while ago.

21Say, by the way, is Billy Paul here, my son? Billy Paul, are you here? Got some prayer cards out there? Go get some, while I'm talking a little bit, give them out. See?

22If you don't, sometimes they keep coming back and back, and back and forth, in the line like that. You never get to the end of it. Yeah. So you... And so, if you're going to have that many, we want every one of them, but not twice, you see. We can't. Cause, many of the people here are come from a long ways. And I'll speak quietly just for a few moments on something another that will try to help, and to bring faith up to that spot where we can pray for the sick.

23 You got a wonderful pastor, and co-pastor here, wonderful board, wonderful church, wonderful people.

24And the other day I was speaking at one of the meetings out here in Phoenix, in the--the first meeting. I was saying, as wife and I was going down the street, why, how that this valley must have looked a few hundred years ago, and what it looks like today.

25And today we took a trip and went up on South Mountain, and way up above the city there, out of the atmosphere of the city. We were setting there together speaking about the Lord, and how good He had been to us. And just... The Holy Spirit just so sweetly moved into the car. And just...

26And I looked down in the valley where little Joseph and I went down, not long ago, when I was here. And he and I set down there, and held each other's hands, and prayed, my little boy. I asked God, when I left, let me be able to lay my Bible in his hands, and let him stay with it, just with the Word, and it'll be a contribution to Him sparing my life and helping me.

27 Now, you know, if you get away! We know, all cities. I think Phoenix is--is a wonderful city.

28But I said to my wife, "Just think, down in there now, right at this moment, that little valley, the Maricopa Valley here, as we can look through it, Salt River, through here, how many people at this minute, in that one little valley, is taking the Name of the Lord in vain! How many sins, adultery, and so forth, has been committed in the last hour, in this city, this little group of people!" I said, "How many people do you think that's sinned in the last fifteen minutes, since we've been setting up here in this city?" Think of it, tonight. I said, "It's a wonder that God just doesn't wash the whole thing out, like that." It certainly is true.

29 But do you remember like it was in Sodom? There was someone down there that had to be brought out. I said, "Sweetheart, besides all of that, remember, that in this valley since we been setting up here, there's been prayer after prayer go from a sincere heart. See?" I said, "That's the reason we're here at Phoenix today, and in this meetings around, the fellowship with our brethren, is to put ourself in with them, to help to move this great load, to try to get others to see."

30"Now, someday I believe that the whole valley will be wiped out. The whole earth will be wiped off, and there will come a great Millennium." And I said, "The warriors and heroes of the faith then will walk down through the gardens of God, never to be old again, never to be sick again, while anthems fill the air, the Angels looking down."

31 I think of a soldier coming home when he's been honored, you know, overseas or something, and how that there seems to be such a great honor the people pay him. But what is it? It's just a few honors out on the street, and a few trumpets to sound, or bells to ring, and then you go right back into the old grind.

32But this way it'll be an endless Eternity, how that the--the anthems of the Angels singing, as these warriors and their wives and families walk through the paradises of God. Now, that's not some mythical dream like Christmas Santa Clauses. That's the truth, friends. And--and we are looking forward to that. I'm looking, with all my heart, to that time that when Christ shall come and we shall be in His likeness then, and there'll be no more old age.

What say? Come right here, Paul, if you will.

33And you that wants a prayer card, as he comes down, just to give you a prayer card, just raise your hands.

34 And I wonder if it would be asking a little too much, if we would get this pianist and this choir here to sing?

35Well, let's have the audience, put everybody in it, if they will, sing Close To Thee. Close To Thee. You know the song? You know it? Everybody knows it? Close To Thee? All right.

36Some song, let's just let the choir sing one then. That, I think that'd be better, just let the choir sing it. That'll let you all be interested in giving out, getting your prayer cards.

37 Brother Outlaw, would you come here again, if you will, if it's not asking too much of you, my brother? And we'll have another chorus, or whatmore, from the people. And then we will go right straight, quick as we can, for a short Message, and pray for the sick. The Lord bless you. Pray for the little choir now, as it... all that appreciates them. You Pentecostal people that appreciates a nice, little, clean-looking bunch of girls and boys like that, just raise up your hands. See? We sure do. There's one outstanding thing, many outstanding things, about this church here, and, one of them, they sure are singers.

38[Brother Billy Paul Branham passes out prayer cards, for about seven minutes, while the choir sings Jesus Is My Friend, or, Jesus Will See Me Through. Choir director then says, "Billy said to sing with real emotion, so we want to sing a song we did the other night. Couldn't seem to get going, same thing Tuesday night, till we sang this song, so we'll try it now. I Was There When The Spirit Came. How many have the Spirit?" Congregation says, "Amen." Choir director says, "How many have the Holy Ghost?" Congregation says, "Amen." Choir director says, "So, I Was There When The Spirit Came." Choir now sings I Was There When The Spirit Came--Ed.]

39 Thank the Lord for that. Amen. How thankful we are for a nice spiritual lift like that! Was There When The Spirit Came.

40Now, we are grateful for these services, again I say, and we're praying now that God will heal the sick, save the lost.

41Now, you pray for me. Now, when you come in, just kind of unexpected, and we don't know no arrangements; just drop in and drop out, and like that, we can't feel like we not doing our very best for the Lord, but we're try to do the best we can for Him.

So let us bow our heads once more now for prayer.

42 Our Heavenly Father, it's tonight, with grateful hearts, that we face Thy throne, not knowing just what Your will is, and what for us to do. But Thou will lead us. You promised to, so we believe it. We pray that You'll speak to the lost tonight, and will heal the sick. Get glory unto Thyself.

43Bless this church, we ask again, Lord. Bless every church that's in this city and in this valley, that there will come a time when there will be a great pouring of the Spirit out upon all these people, that people from all over the country will flock in to hear the Word of the Lord.

44 Now, we realize, Lord, the reason that we can rejoice and sing songs is, first, because we came to Christ, believing that He was. "For faith cometh by hearing, hearing of the Word." And as we have enjoyed singing spiritual songs, and seeing the Spirit move in the audience, now may You provide the Word that will condition the hearts of the people for farther service, for the healing of the sick, and the spiritual healing of someone who has been hurt, or a little tender conscience been bruised, like the bruised reed. We pray that You'll strengthen it tonight, Lord, and give it of Thy healing balm that will give the cure for all, that this one that might have been turned out of the Way will be turned back to the Way tonight.

45 We would also pray, Lord, for those that are in the hospitals, so sick they can't even get to the services. We pray for them, knowing that they would love to be here, but the enemy has bound them in such a way that they cannot come. God, grant that their deliverance comes quickly. We believe that it is written in the Word, that, "The people that's called by My Name shall assemble themselves together and pray, then I'll hear from Heaven." That's why we take this opportunity to pray while all the churches assemble together, so that You'll hear from Heaven and heal our land. We ask this now for the glory of God, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

46 Now, feeling for those who are standing, and legs getting tired, I'll hurry just quick as I can. I would like to come back sometime to Phoenix, and where we could get everybody together, and have a good, long, healing service in Phoenix, where the Lord blesses some of us. Some of us are preachers, like Brother Outlaw. And many of the other brethren here are preachers. I'm not much of a preacher. I--I just pray for the sick. And yet there's no man that ever preached the Gospel but what loves to express his feelings to the people. There's just something about it, you love to do it. And I'm so glad that you've come to--to hear the little expression I have about Him, and trust that He will do something tonight to prove to you that I--I'm telling you the Truth and love you.

47 I want to take a little text here for a few moments, if the Lord willing, out of Saint John, the 12th chapter and the 32nd verse.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

48And for a little text, to build upon that, I'd like to take the text of: An Ensign.

49That's a very odd, strange thing, to read a text like that, or read a Scripture, and then take an odd text. But I have found out in the years of ministry, that sometimes God comes in an odd way, odd times, times when you're not thinking, speaks through texts that we wouldn't think that He would speak through, use somebody that we would think would be insignificant. But God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.

50 And an ensign, of course, we know... all know what an ensign is. It's something that's in a commemoration, lifted up something, to people, to look to. It's something placed before you. And God promised, in Isaiah, the 5th chapter and the 26th verse, that, "There would be an ensign lifted up. There would be an ensign lifted up."

51 Man down through the age is prone, it's inside of him, to try to help himself. Now, that's just the nature of man.

52Now, what we're trying to do is set a base here for something that we're asking the Lord to do: heal the sick, and to give confidence. And you can just not walk right out and have faith for anything that you know nothing about. You first got to have something that faith can rest upon.

53When you married your wife, you had to have faith in her. She had to have faith in you, before you could make a home. And you just can't take a haphazard something and have faith in it, because it's not proven.

54So the most proven thing that we could take a base upon, for faith, would be the Word of God. "For faith cometh by hearing, and hearing of the Word of God," because it's God's Word.

55 And man now, being that he is made, even in his fallen condition, yet he's in the image of his Maker, God. And in one sense of the word, he is a son of God, fallen from grace. He's fallen away from what God made him to be. And in his fallen estate, gives him them attributes to try to do something to bring himself back up to a place where something inside of him tells him that he come from. Because, he knows he's not in the right condition yet, 'cause he sees death, sickness, and sorrows, and heartaches, and disappointments. He knows he wasn't made for that. Yet, no matter how far he is away from God, there is something with inside of him that tells him that, some inside something.

Now, a man is made up as a triune being: soul, body, spirit.

56 Now, the outside is the body. There is five gates to that body, and that's the five senses, of course: see, taste, feel, smell, and hear.

57The inside, like the seed that's planted, the inside of that is the pulp-like of the seed, which is the soul. There is five gates to that, you enter into: conscience, and memory, and so forth.

58But then inside of that little compartment is the third compartment, which is the spirit. And that's what controls the rest of it. There's only one avenue through that, and that's self will. You can accept or turn away, and that's the only avenue to that. If you accept the will of God through that spirit, God's Spirit takes His place in your heart and controls the rest of you. And if you do not accept That, then the enemy takes that spot and controls the rest of you. So it lays in that.

59And man, being made up in that fashion, then it gives him the--the something inside of him that makes him want to achieve something by himself. He is trying to do something to save himself. He wants to get out of it, but he wants to do it himself. He wants to make his own way about it.

60 Now, he's tried many achievements. He's tried to achieve this through science. And every time that he moves through science, he only destroys himself. Every time that science makes something, he destroys himself; gunpowder, and atomic energy, and--and nuclear weapons, and automobiles, and all these things. Yet, temporarily it helps him, but in the long run it destroys himself. Because he's... It's something that he has achieved while he's in God's workshop, trying to make something, pervert what God has made, and put it into his own ideas, and make it up.

61 Now, as I said about this city, as this great beautiful city here. If this city was just... It would be prettier than it was at the first place if, up-and-down the streets went the people of God, with their hands in the air, praising God for their home and everything. Wouldn't Phoenix be a garden spot of the earth? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] But, instead of that, like all other cities, it's lying, stealing, cheating, gambling, smoking, drinking, carousing, adultery. And it's become a stink before God. See?

62So, you see, what a man tries to achieve, he just makes a mess out of it. He cannot save himself. And he tries by education, he's took that route, to see if he couldn't educate people into a saving knowledge of Christ, or saving knowledge for himself, or to do something through his education.

63 I was reading the other day in--in Life magazine. Where, they had... I believe many of you read the article. Where, they done everything now towards putting different elements together, or accumulations, until they can almost make life. And they said they would make it. They can't do that. Life is creation. So only One is a Creator, and that is God. See? They'll never be able to make life, but he's trying to do that. Wonder what kind of a specie it would be, if he could make it, if it'd be after the intelligence of a man? So you see he can't do that. It's just not for him to do it. He's failed with education. He's failed with science.

64He knows that he come from somewhere, but he wants to find his way back.

65 Adam really expressed that, the first man on earth. After finding that he had fallen from grace, he tried to take his own intelligence and make a way back to God without an atonement. He tried to go back to God without making an--an atonement, something to pay for his sins. After the penalty of God was death, he tried to go back without a death atonement.

66And men are still trying to do that, trying to make a religion without an atonement in it. Adam made himself a covering out of fig leaves, with no blood shed for this covering, and God refused it. And He has refused it then, and He always will refuse it. Because, "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins."

67He just can't get back. Because, the penalty is death; and something has to die, to pay that penalty. So it can only be substitutionary, or we're all in death if there wasn't a substitute for us to hold on to. And man, in doing this, realized that, that he needs something to hold on to, something that he can put his hands on, something he can say, "This is it. I've got it. I know it's it."

68 So, Adam, to hold on to something, made a fig leaf to cover his and his wife's nakedness, but he found out that that what he had in his hand did not work.

69On down through the ages we could count men, if we only had time. Let's take two or three of them, anyhow.

70Let's take Nimrod. Nimrod thought the same thing. After the flood, he was conscious that there was a God Who would judge the wicked, for they had just come out of that flood. And he knew that it was sin that caused God to destroy the world. Therefore, knowing that sin again would make God do the same thing, he tried to achieve something, to make a tower. That, men could run up in heaven if it got bad here on earth, and live in heaven; and then come back down on earth, and sin, and go back up into heaven again.

71 Now, that's been the idea of men all along the road, trying to sin and live in earth, and be in Heaven at the same time. You cannot do it. You can't do it. Jesus said, "You can't serve God and mammon."

72That's the reason we believe tonight in a total abstaining from sin, getting away from it. It's poison. Do not fool around it. Don't in-tolerate in it at all. Have nothing at all to do with it. Don't see how close you can come to it without sinning. See how far you can stay away from it. Anything that looks sinful, stay away from it. Don't have anything to do with it, at all.

73 So, Nimrod, with his great master mind, he tried to achieve this. And if you'll notice, it's always been, since man was created. That the... If you run the genealogy of Cain's children, they all become scientists, mighty men, workers in the earth with metal and wood, and so forth. They were the smart, intellectual side.

But Seth's children were peasants, sheepherders, humble.

74Now, that's the same way it is today. Those who are depending upon some man-made mechanical something that they can put their hands on, say, "This is it. This is it," something that man has achieved, himself. Then you find out, mostly, that's those kind who are trying to escape the Blood atonement back to the right Way.

75Now, but Nimrod after while in the building of his tower, God set in the heavens and laughed at him. And he come almost completing. I want you to notice that he almost achieved what he started to do. But, then, all of a sudden, God just turned the thing the other way, and the thing went to pieces. It went into the dust. Just like Adam's fig-leaf apron went to dust, so did Nimrod's tower go to dust.

76 Then there come another, which was King Nebuchadnezzar, and he was going to build a city.

77And if you'll notice, sometimes those spirits that get onto men. And it's a day coming, and is at hand now, where the Christian Church, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, ought to be so spiritual, because that Jesus said, that, "The two spirits would be so close till it would deceive the very Elected if it was possible." The enemy is so cunning.

78Now watch him with Nebuchadnezzar. He built a city just exactly a pattern of Heaven, as the river Euphrates flowed--flowed by the throne. Like in Heaven, the river of water of Life goes by the Throne, swinging gardens and everything just exactly like it was, for before, why, when Abraham was journeying, looking for such a City. And if you're not spiritual-minded, Satan will blind you on these things, see, something that looks almost like It, but it isn't It. If it's man-made, it's no good. If it's Blood-boughten by God, it's the Truth. That, see, it's true. But, if it's man-made...

79 Now, he made this great city. And then we find out that, also, he made an image for people to worship, and brought an image worship amongst the people. But in the midst of all of it, there come a supernatural handwriting on the wall, an unknown tongue that no one could interpret but a Spirit-filled prophet that was among them. And that kingdom went to the dust, just exactly like Nimrod's tower and Adam's fig apron, just the same, because it's something that man achieved himself. It's something that he wanted to do, to show that he could save himself.

80You cannot save yourself. There's not a thing you can do about it. The Way is already made for you. You cannot save yourself.

81 We could call many other great things that taken place. Just recently, France, after the First World War they wanted to build the Siegfried line up there. And they turned all their guns towards Germany and said, "Now, if the Germans ever would try to come this way again, why, we'll be able to hold them off, because we got a line here that we can hold them off with it." Just to show that man-made schemes cannot stand, the Germans outsmarted them. They got behind this Siegfried line and said, "We can eat, drink, live in adultery, dance, live in sin, do anything we want to, because we are protected. We have done something that will protect us."

82The Germans marched right around behind it and took them, see, went right around behind. Because, they forgot to make their guns turret, could turn any way. So the Germans just got out of the reach of their guns, and went right around, in behind, and the Siegfried line fell.

83The Germans come around and made the Maginot line. And they thought, "If the Yankees ever come over here, why, we'll just get down in this fortified concrete, and we'll be all right." What happened? The Yankees come over with blockbusters and busted them to pieces. She fell anyhow.

84 United States, here not long ago, thought they could build a ship that no other ship builders could build. It was called the Titanic. One night, when she was steaming across the ocean with all of her engines running, and the bands was playing jazz music, whooping it up. All of a sudden, it turned to Nearer, My God, To Thee. Why? She struck an ice gorge out there, and knocked a hole in her, and busted up the engines, and she went to the bottom of the sea. Why? God with His mighty hand shows this world it cannot stand. Man cannot achieve nothing by himself.

85 Now, today, the great fuss is on, about the nuclear weapons. And we're spending billions of dollars to try to get a man over on the moon. What good is it going to do after he gets on the moon? I ain't... As I said the other night, I'm not worried about getting on the moon. I'm wanting to get in Heaven, so the moon is not far enough for me.

86And then the Russians, saying, "Oh, we put the first man in space." I sure different with them there. That man went in space about two years ago. And we've had One in space for two thousand years, building us a Home to come to.

87But, you see, man-made achievements, what man has achieved to do within himself, it will not work.

88 Now we've tried to educate people, to get what we would call, "The better class of people," through education. Our seminaries has sent our ministers to school, which is fine, and learned an education by proper speaking, speech, and so forth, and better grammar. That, where that the better class of people of the city, so-called, would come in to these churches. And we've filled our church full of that.

89Now, I don't believe there is a better class of people than the people of God. See? And Jesus never worked upon such a class when He was here. He went to the fishermen, the illiterate, unlearned, ignorant. And that was what He chose. And God, if you could only understand Him, He likes to take something that's nothing and do something with it. That proves He's God. There's nothing you can brag on. He takes something that's nothing, to make something out of it. That proves that He is God.

90 Now, we tried to do it then with denominations. We thought, maybe, if we could get our denominations to grow. And what did we do, in making our denominations? Which, is all right; nothing against them. But the thing that we done with our denominations, we just started pulling for that denomination, and the first thing you know we didn't give the other brother enough blanket to keep warm by. See? And we separated ourselves then. You see? And in doing that, then we caused something to happen among us, that should not have happened. And we find out that that just don't work.

91Our intellectual talks, which is fine, only wish I could do it. But that ain't what counts in the sight of God. It's the Holy Spirit. God never did ordain such. He ordained and commissioned His Church to go preach the Gospel. The Gospel is not intellectual. "The Gospel came not in word only, but through power and demonstrations, manifestations of the Holy Spirit." That's what brought the Gospel.

92 Here not long ago in Chicago, a full Gospel group called for a meeting. And they went to a certain big Bible school, and they got a great intellectual speaker. It was advertised all over the city, about this great speaker from a certain great school, with such a name, my, and all the degrees on the end of the name, until they thought that would just be it. And when crowds gathered in to hear the man, when he raised up in the back of the building with a suit on, the collar turned around, and his speech under his arm, walked up and spread it across the place.

93And the speech, my, it was superb. There was no one could say a word against that speech. It was perfect. The grammar was exact. His actions and his pulpit manners were perfect. He never stammered, stuttered, or slobbered, like a lot of us do. But he--but he... He brought his speech out, with such eloquence.

94 But he thought, "With this bunch of an illiterate people, I'll get up there and show them what it really means to be a preacher." With his chest out, he walked up, all puffed up, and gave this speech. But he found out that didn't set with that kind of a crowd. It went over the top of their heads. So much great, big swelled-out words, they didn't get it.

95So after while, when he seen he was wrong, he gathered up his speech and put it on his arm. His shoulders dropped. His head dropped. His knees hanging. He drooped back down, humble, humiliated, off of the pulpit.

96There was an old saint setting back there, looking around, touched another one, said, "If he would have went up the way he come down, he'd have come down the way he went up."

97So that's just about right, until man knows that he knows nothing, and he'll humble hisself before God and expect the Holy Ghost to do the work. That's the thing. Man cannot achieve nothing by his intellectuals. He must depend solely upon God.

98 Now, man doing this, shows that there is an achievement somewhere, for this great cause of being redeemed. And God made that achievement. He did that, and He made it so simple: it was by faith. God told, in beginning, it is always been by faith. Today you're not saved by works, by good things, by joining church, by being educated. "You're only saved by faith, and that by the grace of God." You're saved by faith, by believing what God has already done.

99 God appropriated the ensign. God give you something to hold onto, an ensign, like a flag hanging.

100And in Korea, and, oh, down in the islands, during the time of the war, when the Americans had drove back the Japanese. And they run up in Guam and different places, to the top of the hill, the highest hill that they could find. And there, with tears running down their cheeks, and with shouts, they planted the American flag, Old Glory, above the hillside. They had conquered the land. What an achievement, to lift up that ensign, that, "This belongs to us." Oh, what a privilege it was for those soldiers, to stand there on the land that they had conquered.

101I tell you, God gave the Church an Ensign one day, when Jesus was lifted up on Calvary between heavens and earth, none other than God, Immanuel, bleeding out His Blood upon the ground. There was an Ensign lifted up to the people, that, "We have conquered. We have. We are more than conquerors, because He conquered for us."

102 Now we find that Noah, a man of God, had faith, and God give him an ensign. And that ensign was the ark. And Noah built away, by faith, because it was a commandment of God, to build this ark for the saving of whosoever would enter into it. Now, as Noah went along, building on the ark, he knew that he was completing an ensign that God had told him to build. Anything that God says to do, hold on to it, because it's right. No matter how many scoffers laughed and made fun of, Noah knew he had THUS SAITH THE LORD.

103Compare Noah with Nimrod. Nimrod had his own idea about it; and Noah had God's idea about it. Nimrod had something he could put his hands on; and Noah had something he could put his hands on. It was an ensign, something he could hold to. Certainly.

104 Then we find out, after that. We will speak of another man quickly, and his name was Moses. And he was just one man. But how would he ever be able to deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt, out of the bondage; after he had studied for school, had been trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and found himself totally defeated? But one day, back in the wilderness, God met him, or he met God. And God give him an ensign, a stick to hold in his hand. What a simple thing, but it done the work. "Take this rod before you." It was an ensign. That, Moses, when he had that stick, he marched forward with it.

105 I was studying not long ago of David Livingstone, when I stood at his grave in London. And more people visits Livingstone's grave than any other grave in the Abbey. Then, hearing the story of Livingstone, how that he went down there as a doctor and a Christian. How he went to the natives, and he couldn't get in, because they were mostly savage.

106So, he got to the chief. And he said, the chief said, "If you will drink the blood of the covenant with me, then you will be one of us." So they got some wine in a cup, and they plucked each other's veins, and held it over the cup and dropped the blood in there, and mixed it up, the two bloods together. And then Livingstone drinking half of it. And the chief drinking half of it.

107And then they gave one another an ensign, that they were brothers. And the chief asked for Livingston's doctor coat, and he took his coat off and give it to the chief. And Livingstone asked the chief then for his sacred spear.

108And then when he went back into the jungles, and the natives run after him, would throwed a spear through him, how well he could feel when he lifted up this ensign, the sacred spear. And when he lifted it up, like that, natives would fall on the ground and almost worship him as God, because they knowed that that's where that sacred spear came from.

109 Now, that's today. The people of today fail to realize the great Ensign that God has given us.

110You say, "Brother Branham, do you have power? I wish I had power."

111We don't have power. We're not to have power. We got authority. It's not a power. It's authority. We don't need power. Christ has the power. But we've got the authority. Amen. There's a lot of difference. He was the One Who conquered. He conquered and gave us the authority. He's got the power, but we got the authority, just like any ambassador going to another country.

112 Here, to explain it to you. There is, down... You go down here at one of these crossings here in Phoenix, along about five o'clock in the afternoon. There's a policeman standing out there. Here is the cars passing by, at forty, fifty miles an hour. Well, that little bitty policeman maybe not be five-foot high, walk out there, and, why, he hasn't got power enough to stop one of them cars. Well, one of them cars may be three hundred horsepower. Well, they just pick that little fellow up and crush him, and go on. But let him raise his hand once, blow the whistle. He hasn't got power, but he's got authority. That's it. Brakes will slide, and wheels will squeak. Everything will stop because he raised up his hand, because he has an authority.

113 And when a man or woman is dressed in the full armor of God, it ain't power. It's authority from on High, when he says. Devils will scream and brakes will squeak. Even death itself will shudder, and graves will open, at the authority that Jesus Christ gave His Church. All men knows this. "These signs shall follow them that believe." Lift up the authority, the ensign.

114His hand raise up, with his white glove on, and every car will stop. He hasn't got enough power, maybe, to--to stop a bicycle. But he's got authority to stop anything that comes across that street. Because why? The whole law of Phoenix is behind him.

115 And a Christian that's dead, and buried, and raised with Him in His resurrection, in Heavenly places! See, "If we are dead with Him, then we're also raised with Him," for the Body goes where the Head is. And He is the Head, and this is the Body. And not will be, but, "Now we are seated together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus," with every power of the Devil conquered and under His feet. Authority! Authority, there is the ensign. That's the hand that lifts up, that counts.

116 Moses went down into Egypt. There was the great seas out there. Lifted up the ensign, and what happened? They turned to blood. Lifted over the land; frogs, lice, fleas. The sun refused to shine. Death struck the land. Why? He lifted up the ensign of God's judgment.

117And when we lift up the ensign of God's judgment, as a believer in Christ, with a crucified life to yourself and your own ideas, and raised, and His Word made alive among you, every devil has got to squeak at It. That's right. Cause, it represents Christ. See? He died. He's the one lifted up the Ensign.

118And Moses with his stick, it looked like a little bitty thing, but it was a stick. And it was God's ensign to Egypt, his judgment rod, and it brought judgment. God always gives something that you can look at, something you can put your hand on, something you can prove, something that's right, after you have accepted Him. The wise men, Magis...

119 We read, Peter said that he perceived that God was, would take any nation of people, anybody that believed Him.

120The wise men, they were looking for a star to rise of Jacob, a star to come out of Jacob. And they were given an ensign. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, wise men came from India following a star. Oh, my! What? An ensign, an evidence, a proof, a supernatural proof.

Unbeliever, I'd like for you to see this.

121 Not altogether does everybody have to see it. Nobody saw that star but them three men. He passed over every observatory, a real living evidence, an ensign to lead them to Christ. Nobody seen it but them.

122"A little while and the world sees Me no more. Yet ye shall see Me, for I'll be with you always, even to the end of the world." The Ensign, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever," God's true Ensign. The unbeliever may not see it.

123Jesus also said, "He that believeth in Me, the works that I do shall he do also." What would it be? It would be a sign, an ensign.

124It was once asked Him, "Let my son set on, one on the right hand, one on the left."

125He said, "Can you drink the cup that I drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism I'm baptized with?" The same Holy Spirit was upon Him without measure, comes upon His Church by measure, but It's the same Holy Spirit, the same God. It's the Ensign.

126 We are God's ensigns to the world. That's the reason I'm always scolding the Pentecostal church, getting after them, their ways of living. That's the reason the world can't see Christ, is because we let down the bars. We get away from that.

127When our women dress and act like the rest of the world; when our men go out, and dirty jokes, and smoke, and carry on like the rest of them; married four or five times and everything else; pulls, get them into church, and things like that. Why, no. The--the world don't believe you've got It.

128Let me tell you, brother, when you are dead, and your life is hid in Christ, through God, and sealed by the Holy Ghost, and God lifts you up in Heavenly places, you'll be an ensign that a work of God has been committed in you.

129 Jesus said in Mark 16, "These signs shall follow them that believe." What kind of an ensign is it? Some great stuffed shirt? No. Humility. The fullness of God in Christ Jesus made Him walk like a humble peasant, made Him wash the feet of His disciples, had not a place to lay His head.

130Some of us calling ourselves Christians, we go to a place, we got to have the best there is in the country; got to be guaranteed so much money, we won't go, the evangelist. Some pastors won't go to a church unless it's a high class and big place. Oh, my!

131We need another experience like Paul saw when he was on the road to Damascus. Paul saw that Ensign lifted up! He said, "Who are You, Lord?"

He said, "I'm Jesus."

132What we need tonight is another Pillar of Fire hanging over the church again tonight, that people's blinded eyes would be opened and could see it.

133 Jesus still lives and reigns, the ensign. Now, He's the God gave us this Ensign. It's an Eternal Ensign.

134Remember that all of Roman's ensigns, all of the Nimrod's ensigns, all of Babylon's, and all the rest of them, are crushed and gone. We only know them by history. I stood in Rome, to where the Caesars once ruled the world, and you'd have to dig down twenty-foot in the dirt, to find their... where their palace was. Stood in Egypt where the Pharaoh's were, and it's gone and turned to dust.

135 Brother, but there is an Ensign that God achieved one day, by lifting up Jesus Christ from the dead, and sending the Holy Ghost upon His Church. "And heavens and earth will pass away, but His Word shall never pass away." "Upon this rock I'll build My Church, and the gates of hell can't prevail against it." Why? The living Ensign is in the Church: the Ensign, the infallible, the perfect proof, something you can put your hands on, something that you could look at.

136 To see here, this young man, young Williams here, stood up and testified how his father and mother had prayed for him, and all at once he saw the ensign. Something happened. He seen. He bid farewell to the old house of clay, and then he went to running around the Milky White Way, as the brother said.

137When men can see that! "If I be lifted up from this earth, I'll draw all men unto Me. Ye are My witnesses. You shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. These signs shall follow them that believe. In My Name they shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, drink deadly things, it shall not harm them, lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover." The ensign. Let me get another one on top of that, to seal it with. "This will all men know you're My disciples, when you have love one for another." See? You can't take part of it. You got to take all of it. And it cannot be sealed until that all of It has come. That's right.

138 In the old country, old times, the seal was usually a ring. A man that couldn't sign his name, he just had a ring, and he sealed it. His, ever what he wrote, why, he'd just, instead of sign his name, he put the seal on it. It was a penitentiary offense to ever copy that seal.

139Now, today, God has a Seal, and it's a penalty of death to copy that Seal. Listen, you Lutheran, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterian and Pentecostals, don't try to copy It.

140Hold still, and God will put It on you. And then you'll be an ensign, example of Christianity, and manhood and womanhood. The seal of the Holy Spirit, God's Ensign, pressed into you till you're look, act, walk, talk the Gospel everywhere you go. No finger can be put on you. That's right.

141God has achieved that by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, "Through the washing of the water by the Word." Through His Blood today we are washed and made clean, given this great privilege of...

142See, we wonder what Jesus was, if we say He was the same yesterday, today, and forever. Now, what He was yesterday, He is today, and will be forever, that same Ensign.

143 We find what the Ensign was then to them people, to know whether He was the right Ensign that was looking to be come. We see in the Scriptures, where in There He never claimed to do anything. He never claimed. He said, "It's not Me that doeth the works. It's My Father that dwelleth in Me. He doeth the works. Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing, but what He sees the Father doing, that doeth the Son likewise." It's what He saw the Father doing. Other words, He saw it by vision, what happened.

144 We find, a woman touched His garment. He turned and looked at her, and told her. She had the blood issue, and it stopped. Her faith had saved her.

The woman at the well. Said, "Go, get your husband."

She said, "I have none." Said, "Well, we..."

"You said right, because you've had five."

145When He said that, said, "Sir, we know that Messiah is coming, Who is called the Christ. When He comes, He will tell us these things." See?

There was the Ensign. He said, "I am He that speaks to you."

146Oh, brother, the water pot was left. She'd found a Fountain filled with Blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins. She had found a Fountain of salvation. She'd found a Fountain. She run into the city. See? She was gladly pointing men. She said, "Come, see Who we have found. See a Man that told me all the things that I done."

147 Look at Andrew, that I preached on last night over there. How, as soon as he stayed all night with Jesus, and found out that That really was God's witness, That was the Messiah, he didn't go, say, "Simon, come, help me figure it out." He knew that He was Messiah.

148And as soon as he come up before Him, He told him who he was, and what his father's name was, and Peter knew that was what was going to happen.

149Philip did the same thing. And, oh, on, and on, and on, the Ensign.

150Jesus said, in Saint John 14:12, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also."

151 Now look. We are sent. Listen here, friends, all of you. I'm talking to you people now, that's right now, to the people that's going to be prayed for. Listen to this.

152You are a witness. If you've been saved, and you know what the power of God is, you've touched that Ensign. You've got a hold of something, something that's not a Nimrod's tower. Neither is it a--a Adam's fig-leaf apron. But it is a promise of God, that, "Heavens and earth will pass away, but My Word shall not pass away." It's something you can lay your hands on. "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." It's an Ensign, a real Ensign.

153 And to you people, there be one here, that hasn't never accepted this Ensign, that don't know what makes these people cry, and shout, and dance; and how it makes these women let their hair grow out, and quit wearing them old dirty clothes, and--and looking sexy out before men, and things like that, that old evil spirit gone out of them.

154Don't tell me. You might be as pure as a lily to your husband; but when you come to the Judgment Bar, you're going to answer for committing adultery. That's right. The Bible said. Jesus said, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart." And if you dress yourself to present yourself before men, you are guilty, if a man never touches you. When that sinner answers for his adultery, you're the one that committed it. You've presented yourself. Yes, sir. Brother, sister, you might think this is old fashion.

155 I had a minister not long ago, said, "You're going to hurt your ministry, Brother Branham."

156I said, "It isn't mine. It's His. That's His Word, and that's what He said." I believe It. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Right.

157So when you see one of them women get straight with God, you'll see her come out like a saint. You'll see her act different. There'll--there'll be a difference in her life. Holiness will speak everywhere. She'll be a lady.

158Watch that man, that drunkard out there on the street, staggering, a bar fly, and his mouth blowed with flyblows, from vomiting, from whiskey and beer and stuff like that. Let him get down at the altar and catch a hold of that Ensign one day, and I'm telling you he'll be an ensign to God, and a memorial to the saving power of Jesus Christ. Yes, sir. He certainly will.

159 I stood down, the other day, here on the streets of Phoenix and seen a little, colored boy standing out there. Little guy, was nobody paying any attention to him. Had his Bible under his arm, and ever who was coming by, he was pointing the Gospel to them, as hard as he could. I said, "Thank the Lord God. Oh, my! Scream it out, brother. Just keep it going. That's all right, lifting up Jesus Christ."

160 Oh, if you don't know Him tonight, friends, receive Him. Won't you do it, while we bow our heads just a moment for prayer? I'm sorry, the time is getting so quickly away.

161I want to ask, just a moment, is there a sinner here tonight that doesn't know Christ and you've never accepted this Ensign?

162If you tried to achieve, say, "Now, Brother Branham, now just a moment. I keep the golden rule." Brother, if that would have stood, Jesus would have not had to die. Say, "Brother Branham, I become a member of a very prominent church."

163That's all right, my brother. I appreciate that, and I appreciate you keeping the golden rule. I appreciate you keeping the ten commandments. But if the golden rule, a church-joining, or any of those things, would have saved you, Jesus died in vain. Jesus said, Himself, in Saint John, 3rd chapter, "Except a man be born again, he will in no wise enter in."

164 Life is like a leaf hanging on a tree. After while the life leaves the leaf, and goes back to its roots. The leaf drops off. That life is buried in the roots till the winter has passed. In springtime it brings back another life, another leaf.

165That's the way of a Christian that's on the Tree of Life. This old hull here might drop off. That is true. But the life goes back to the God Who gave it. See? If God give you your life, you're born again, there's only one life that can ever live, and that's God's Life in you. And if that life is in you, then it will only go to where it come from, back to God, to come back in that great Millennium, with a new leaf, or new life, or new--or new body that will never fade and fall away.

166 Our seasons denote that God is with us, that God is here. He commanded nature. Now, if you have never received that life, if that little leaf would drop off tonight, this little leaf that you are here on earth, you know it would never raise again; if you're not born again, haven't received the Ensign in your heart, the evidence, the Holy Spirit. Not just imaginary. You can't imagine it.

167I spoke somewhere the other night, and said, "What if the disciples had waited nine days, and said, 'We'll accept It by faith, that we got the Holy Ghost, and go on'?" They wouldn't have had It. See? They stayed there until they knew It was there. Something had happened, something that they could put their hands on, say, "This is it." Just like Noah could say, "This is it." Just like Moses could say, with a stick in his hand, "This is it."

"How you going to conquer, Moses?"

"With this stick I'll conquer. That's how I'll do it."

168And by Jesus Christ, by the Holy Ghost, I have conquered. I have, 'cause He conquered for me. And now I... My life is dead, and hid in Him, and sealed by the Holy Ghost. It's there.

169If you haven't that experience tonight, sinner friend, would you come while we bow our heads just a moment?

170 Our Heavenly Father, now I commit the audience to You. There might be a wayward person here that may never have the opportunity again. We just hear it on the telephone, a few moments ago, or while ago, Brother Tommy Hicks, a precious servant of Yours. His brother, that he had cried to, begged to, just a few weeks ago, even sent him a letter, and said, "Brother, receive Christ."

171But he was making so much money, to buy him a hundred-thousand-dollar home, a new Cadillac, he didn't have time to do it. "Think I'll do that later on, Tommy." But it's too late now. It caught up with him, down in Mexico.

172O God, be merciful. Let people know that there's no more coming back to try again. This is the only opportunity. And death does not change the soul; it only changes its dwelling place.

173Now, Father, I pray that if there's a soul here that knows that they are made up of this triune being, of both soul, body, and spirit, that inside of the pulp that they live in is a spirit. Inside the soul that controls them is a spirit. Inside of the five senses is a spirit. And if that spirit isn't the Spirit of God, when this other drops away, it can never rise again. But, God, I pray Thee, that they will receive You now, and catch this beautiful Ensign of the Holy Spirit in their heart and be saved tonight.

174 And while we have our heads bowed, if there's anybody like to be remembered, raise your hand now, say, "Pray for me, brother, preacher." God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you, you, sister. That's very fine. Someone else? Now, don't be ashamed.

175Just keep praying, all Christians. These people raising their hands, say...

176God bless you, little lady. God bless you, sister. Someone else? Say, "Remember me, Brother Branham. I, now I believe. I--I just believe it, somehow. I just believe it." Someone else? God bless you. God bless you, over here. Bless you, back there. That's good.

177Now, that's people that's raised their hands. They believe it. The altar is standing full of children. They're all over, everywhere. You don't necessarily have to have the altar. Your heart is the altar. Your heart is where God comes.

178 I was reading, other day, in history, Broadbent's Pilgrim Church, Nicene Fathers, that where, in the early church, they never even had any ornaments, never even had an altar. Because, the pagans, being converted, they used to fall prostrate at the altar. They just had a plain little old building where they set on slab of rocks. They raised up their hands after some godly man gave a message. And they raised up their hands and praised God. They loved that aftereffects of the Holy Spirit bathing through them. That was the early church in the times of Irenaeus and Martin, so forth, right after the death of the Lord Jesus, when the church going on, before it went into Catholicism. Oh, that's what we love.

179 Now, you in here make that altar your heart now, and say, "Come in, Lord Jesus." I'm going to pray for you.

180Lord Jesus, I trust that, hurrying up real quick, throwing these words together, getting ready now, and we're waiting to see what You're going to do in the prayer line, not knowing exactly what You will do. But, yet, there's been at least a dozen hands went up, of young and old, that's longing to know You, Father, longing to have that Eternal Life. Let it be a reality to them just now. Grant it, Lord. May the precious Spirit of God bathe down into their souls just now and make them new creations in Christ.

181 And now, Father, I pray that in the prayer line that You'll show Yourself so visible before this audience tonight by healing the sick, that they'll walk away from here saying like those who came from Emmaus, "Did not our hearts burn within us?" Because, they seen something done, those people at Emmaus, those brethren. They had walked all day, Cleopas and them, talking to Him, but yet they didn't know who He was. But when He did something just the way He did it before His crucifixion and burial, they knew that He had raised from the dead. Will You do it again tonight, Father? Grant it, we pray.

182 Now we pray that You'll take these precious souls, give them Eternal Life. May, if they've never been baptized, may they find their way to the rectory or somewhere and be baptized, calling upon the Name of the Lord. And may You fill them with the Holy Ghost. And may we meet them in Glory, in a better land, where this night's meeting will be brought into judgment. We commit it to You now, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

I love Him, I...

Now, after the hard-cutting Message, let's just worship now.

Because He first loved me

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

183Don't you love that? All that... You that were Methodist, raise up your hands; Baptists, Presbyterian, Catholic. Now, all that's born again of the Spirit of God, raise up your hands, whether you're Methodist, Baptist, or Catholic, or what. Isn't that right? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]

184Now, while we sing it again, real sweetly, as sister give us the chord now. Don't you love that? Oh, my!

185You know, when you get over in Heaven, and get in your big mansion and look down there, you'll see my little place down there. One of these mornings, you hear me come out, singing it, you know I got Home. Amen. I just love that. All right.

186 All together now. Just you don't put... Just be yourself. I love good pentecostal singing. Don't you? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] I don't like an overtrained voice, you know, that squeaks, and holds their breath, and blue in the face, and you're just trying to put on something. I--I like good singing, just real, free singing. Now everybody, together, with the little choir, together now. All together now.

I love Him...

Let's close our eyes.

... I love Him,

Because He first loved me

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

187 Now, real sweetly, while we sing again. Let's turn and shake hands with somebody by your side, in front and back, now. "I..." All you pilgrims, pilgrims, strangers to the world. Catholic, shake hands with the Protestant. Protestant, shake hands with Methodists. Methodists, with Baptists, Pentecostals. "Loved..." Church of God, with Assemblies. Assemblies, with the Oneness. Oh!

Purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Now with our hands up to Him.

I love Him, I love Him

Because He first loved me

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Now, humbly, let's bow our heads and hum it.

188Father, we confess our sins. While the Word is still sowed over the people's hearts, that Ensign. Many of them have learned it long ago. Move among us now, Father. You've saved the lost. Now heal the sick, that it might be known that Your Word shall not return to You void. It'll accomplish that what it is promised. [Brother Branham begins humming I Love Him--Ed.]

189 Prayer cards now, beginning with number one, start standing right alongside the altar like this, here. Prayer... Wait. So I better call them, one at a time, so there won't be no confusion. Prayer card number one.

If you'll keep playing the song, sister.

190Who has prayer card number one? Right here. Number two, number three. All right. Three. Number four, number five, number six, number seven. Just move right out, and come right out here, just stand right out in this way.

191[Brother Branham begins humming I Love Him--Ed.] "I..." Just keep in the spirit of prayer now, sweetly, quietly.

Because He first...

192Eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen.

Purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

[Brother Branham begins humming I Love Him--Ed.]

Now all of the rest of you that's got prayer cards.

He first loved me

And purchased my salvation

On... tree.

193[Brother Billy Paul Branham speaks to Brother Branham--Ed.] Yes, son.

194Oh, isn't He wonderful? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Hum that. [Brother Branham begins humming I Love Him.]

Love Him, I...

You hear that? Sounds like anthems of Angels, see.

... first loved me

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

195 That sound pretty? [Congregation says, "Amen." Brother Branham hums I Love Him--Ed.]

Don't you hear the bells now ringing?

Don't you hear the Angels singing?

Tis a glory hallelujah Jubilee.

In that far-off sweet forever, (bless God!)

Just beyond the shining river,

When they ring those golden bells for you and me.

196Now, I just can't get away from that. Oh, I love that. I remember my son, Billy, when his mama died. Few hours, his little sister died. I put them both together, up on the hill, and buried them. Went up there, and sat down. An old turtledove used to set out there and coo. I honestly thought it might could be the immortal soul of them coming back, talking to me. I was so brokenhearted. And seemed like, coming down through those pines, there was a whispering, like.

There's a Land beyond the river,

That they call the sweet forever,

And we only reach that shore by faith's...

Isn't that right, friends? Hum! My!

One by one we'll gain the portal,

There to dwell with the immortal,

Won't it be grand when they do this?

When they ring those golden bells for you and me.

197 Now, friends, on Divine healing, there is--there is no man that can heal you, no more than any man can save you; because both healing and salvation are past tense. When Jesus Christ died at Calvary, "He was wounded for our transgressions. With His stripes we were healed." It is a finished work. Now, the only thing that you have to do, to receive either your salvation or your healing, is to accept what Christ did for you.

198As I said, the other night, let's look at God just a moment, way back there in Eternity, when His... when a hundred billion suns would look black to Him, when Angels looked dirty in His sight. That's Jehovah. And then He become a little Baby, over a manure pile, in a manger. That's still Jehovah. And here He is tonight. Through His grace and through His Blood, He cleanses His Church and puts us in position to receive all these blessings that He paid for for us.

199 Now here stands a line of people. I never seen any of them in life, as I know of.

200Now, many of you has been in my meetings and know what discernment is. All of you know that. Don't you? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] We know that. I've had it over and over, and over and over. That is a gift. That doesn't make the Holy Spirit in me any greater than anybody else. That's just a gift, to work with the Holy Spirit. See?

201No matter if it's the little housewife, or the little boy, or the drunkard out there that's just got saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, he's got the same Holy Spirit that any of us has got. Yes. But God gives gifts, with this Holy Spirit, to work. It's a confirmation, to lift up an Ensign. Who, the preacher? No. To lift up Christ.

202 Now, I don't know what ever happened. When I was a little boy... You know my story. I've just prayed for people. There's not a thing I'd do but just pray, lay hands on them, they'd get well. See? So what could I do? Not only me praying, but look at the others are praying. Everybody is praying. See? And, just, I believe it. That's all I know to do. I believe it.

203Now, I'm uneducated, have not any education. And I think the Lord just give me a little gift to work by. And--and now, when Jesus said, when He was here on earth, the things that He did, we would do also. And if that is so...

204And He was God's Ensign, by doing that: by being able to tell Philip where he was at; tell a woman about her blood issue, and whatmore; and--and where the coin was, in the fish's mouth; or something like that, something; that, the woman, that she was living in adultery, or anything like that. That sure was a confirmation He was the Messiah.

205 Now look at that staunch Jew, Philip, when Philip or... Nathanael came. Nathanael was a scholar, a real orthodox. And when he seen Jesus, he couldn't hardly believe Him. And He said, "Behold an Israelite in whom is no guile."

He said, "When did You know me, Master?"

Said, "Before Philip called you."

Said, "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, the King of Israel."

The woman at the well said, "I have no husband."

He said, "Yes, you have five."

206She said, "We know, when Messiah cometh, He will tell us those things. But Who are You?"

He said, "I am He."

"We know that that's going to be the Ensign."

207And if Jesus Christ is the same Ensign yesterday, today, and forever, He will do the same thing if He can get a hold of the human heart. Is that right? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]

208 Now, this lady standing here, I don't know her, never seen her. We're strangers to one another. Aren't we? [The sister says, "Yes."--Ed.] That's right. If God will tell me what your trouble is, will you believe me? You know whether it's right or not, won't you? ["Yes."] Would you accept your healing then? It's in your back. It's finished. You're healed. That's how it's...?... Now go, and God bless you. Go.

209[The sister says, "Pray for my son."--Ed] See? God bless you. ["He's the one that has cancer in his...?..."] If you'll believe, all your heart. Yes. You believe with all your heart? See? Just have faith. Don't doubt. Believe.

210Now you see how simple it is. Now, if we just pray... Now, see, He knows what, every one of you, is wrong with you. You believe that, don't you? You know that's right. Now, if I just take this lady here, and say I won't say a thing about it, but just pray and lay hands on you, you believe you'd get healed? You believe you will be healed? [The sister says, "I do."--Ed.] All right. Bow your head, just a moment.

211Heavenly Father, I pray that You will heal our sister. May she go now. We see the Ensign lifted up. We know that He will draw all. I lay hands upon my sister, in the Name of Jesus Christ, for her healing. Amen.

Don't doubt. Just believe with all your heart.

212 I say, if I wouldn't say one thing, just pray for you, you still would believe it. Wouldn't you? [The sister says, "Yes."--Ed.] You'd believe it, anyhow. But if I tell you, would it help you? Your heart trouble? That's right. Go on.

213Would it help you if I told you what was wrong with you? Yeah. You don't know whether it would help you or not. Well, perhaps I'll just pray for you.

214Heavenly Father, I pray that You will help the woman. Give her faith and strength, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Believe now with all your heart.

215What do you think, sister? I'm a stranger to you. If Jesus would tell me what's wrong with you... [The sister says, "You're not."--Ed.] I'm not? You know me, now? ["No. I seen you when you first come."] You saw me when I first come. That's good. ["First time."] I mean, I don't know you. ["First time, though."] The first time? ["Yes. You prayed for me."] Been about fifteen years ago. ["Yes. It's just about fifteen."] Fifteen years ago. My, it's been a long time. ["Yes, it has."] Lot of--lot of things has happened since then. ["Yes, it has."] Well, you would have to be operated on. ["Yes."] But if you'll believe Christ, that tumor will leave you, and you won't have to be operated on. ["Amen."] You believe it? ["Yes, sir. I believe."] Then go, believe it...?...

216 How do you do? [The sister says, "You've seen me before."--Ed.] I have seen you. But do you believe, if I ask God, He will heal you? ["I do."]

217Our Heavenly Father, I pray that You will heal her and make her well, Father. I lay hands upon her, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

218If you... [The sister says, "It's my nerves. It's...?..."--Ed.] Uh-huh. Believe with all your heart, and you--you...?... All right.

Come right ahead, sister.

219Now, you see, I cannot heal people. And God cannot heal people unless they believe that Christ has already did it. And now you say... I preached tonight on something you could put your hands on. He'll say, "Here it is."

220Now, see, if Jesus was standing here Himself, wearing this suit that He put upon Brother Williams' heart to give me... But, He, if He--if He was standing here wearing this suit... Do you know, I believe he gave it to the Lord when he did that?

221 How many ever read the life of Saint Martin? He was a pagan, and he was a soldier. His father wanted him to be a soldier. And he didn't want to be. He, something call him, about God.

222And one night, passing down, a real cold winter night, there was an old, poor old bum laying in the street, freezing to death. And people passed by who could have helped him. They didn't do it. Martin had give everything he had away. So he said, "There's only one thing to do. I got one coat." So he just took his sword, cut the coat half, in two, wrapped the bum up in it, like that, and he went on with the other half.

223The people laughed at him, said, "How ignorant! Isn't he a handsome-looking soldier now, with a half a coat on?" He never paid any attention, went on, 'cause he knowed it was what he was to do.

224That night in the barracks, he woke up. And when he did, he seen Jesus standing there, wrapped in that piece of coat that he had wrapped the bum in.

225And He looked around to the Angels. He said, "Do you know who wrapped Me in this?"

They said, "No."

Said, "Martin did."

226There you are. He become a saint, speaking in tongues, and casting out devils, seeing visions, a mighty prophet of God. Yes, sir. Why? When he wrapped that old beggar up in the street, he wrapped up Jesus Christ. "Insomuch as you have done unto the least of these My little ones, you have done it unto Me."

227 And to be sure that you wrap in the righteousness of Christ, I'm trying to tell you tonight. If I had power to heal you, I'd heal every one of you. See? But I'm trying to show you by a gift, of what I preached, that God is vindicating it to be so, see, that I cannot heal people, but to let you know that He's here.

228You believe that, lady? Then your arthritis will leave you. Do you believe it will? Then go on your road and shout, and say, "Praise the Lord. I believe with all my heart."

229That was a funny thing, that I said arthritis to her, and you had the same thing. Just keep going on, say, "I believe with all my heart," and just go. It shall be done.

230 Now do you believe God will heal your stomach, and you go home and eat like you ought to? [The sister says, "Praise the Lord."--Ed.] Then go right ahead home and eat like you ought to.

231Believe now. You believe with all your heart? "If I--if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me."

232Now, do you believe the Holy Spirit is here? If I just laid hands on you, you--you would be healed? [The sister says, "Sure do."--Ed.]

In the Name of Jesus, may she be healed. (See?)

233"These signs shall follow them that believe in My Name." Now, just believe now as you pass by.

Come right ahead, sister.

In the Name of Jesus Christ!

234Everybody pray now. See, too many of them visions break me down, you see. See?

In the Name of Jesus, I pray that You'll heal our sister.

235I seen you raise your hand there, that you believe. [The sister says, "I do."--Ed.] Believe now. ["Yes."]

In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray that You'll heal her.

Come, sister.

236 Father, God, nothing in my arms I bring. Simply to Thy cross I cling. I ask for her healing, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

237Father, God, in the Name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed. Amen.

Come, my precious brother.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may my brother be healed.

238 Believe that God will heal and make him well? [The sister says, "Sure do."--Ed.]

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may this child be healed.

Now just watch, as he's been prayed for now.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed.

In the Name of the Lord Jesus, may our sister be healed.

In the Name of the Lord Jesus, may our sister be healed.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may our brother be healed.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may my sister be healed.

Now, keep in prayer, everybody, real quiet, in prayer now.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed. Little girl?

O God, give back to this little girl what Satan took away.

Come out of her, Satan!...?...

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may our brother be healed.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may our sister be healed.

In the Name of the Lord Jesus, may our sister...?...

In the Name of the Lord Jesus, may our sister...?...

In the Name of Jesus Christ, may our...?...

239 Now, in the audience, everyone. I know he never got enough prayer cards out there. I want you to bow your head, just a moment. I want to ask you a question.

240Two thousand years ago there was a Man. Four thousand, yeah, about twenty-five hundred years ago, there was a... God came down, represented in a Man, and set at the--the oak tree of Abraham. Turned His back to the wall, or to the tent, told Sarah what was the trouble, on the inside. Jesus said, "As it was in that day, so will it be in the coming of the Son of man."

241Jesus was God's Ensign. "The works that I do shall you also." We see it. It's true, without a doubt.

242 Now, the reason I didn't go no farther, I got so many meetings. I'll be back to Phoenix someday, with a great meeting, the Lord willing.

243Now, to you here tonight that's sick and needy, and didn't get a prayer card, to come to the altar, up here to be prayed for, I'm going to pray for you now. I want you to be real reverent.

244I want each one of you believers to lay your hands over on one another, as a--as a sign. Now, the Bible said, now, this same God that made this promise, said this, "These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." Any believer, any believer that's got the Holy Spirit, you have the power of God within you, or the authority, to pray the prayer of faith. I want you to pray while I pray for these people.

245 Our Heavenly Father, we are happy tonight. Preach the Word, and then see God come down and confirm the Word, then that's--that's the ensign You promised.

246One day, a long time ago, there was a little boy named David. He was taking care of his father's sheep. He was given a charge to watch these sheep, to keep the enemy from them. He had very little to protect himself with, just a little slingshot. But one day a lion came into the camp, and it took out one of the lambs. David, being a true shepherd, he wanted to hold that father's sheep. He knew that lion was stealing that sheep, and he would devour the sheep, and the sheep belonged to his father. He went after the lion with bold courage. He slang a little rock, and it knocked the lion down. And he slew the lion, and he brought back the sheep to the fold.

247 Now, God, we are Your shepherds. We are not men of knife operations or of--of medicine cures. We have a very humble little thing, a slingshot. But that's what You've put in our hand, a slingshot of prayer. The enemy has come in and grabbed a hold of God's sheep. It's grabbed fathers, and mothers, and children, dragging on out through the bushes; retarded minds, and blind, and cancer-eaten, and devils.

248Satan, this little slingshot of prayer seems very simple, but I know what it'll do. I'm coming after that sheep tonight, to bring it back. Come out. Let him alone. Come out of that person, thou evil spirit of sickness, and leave them. I adjure thee, in the Name of Jesus Christ, leave, and don't come back to them any more. May God of Heaven rebuke thee, Satan.

249Jesus of Nazareth said, "If you say to this mountain, 'Be moved,' and don't doubt in your heart, but believe what you said, you shall have what you've said." Therefore, in the Name of Jesus Christ, I speak deliverance to every one here. By the...

250Satan, you might say we have not the authority to do this. We're holding up to you the Ensign tonight, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is here, proving that this is God's Ensign, and you've lost the battle. Come out, in the Name of Jesus Christ.