Convinced Then Concerned

1 Thank you, very much, Brother Parker.

Good evening, friends. It's good to be here tonight again. And I guess you're tired of sitting, listening at me. And I got--I got so tired, hoarse, a little hoarse from preaching so hard.

2I just talking to Brother Parker there, and telling him that I believe this is one of the best meetings that the Lord has let me be in for a long time. It's hasn't been big, you know what I mean, but it's not too big. There hasn't been too many attending it, but the--the--the quality of it, been wonderful. Faith, my, looks like anything could happen. I like that kind of a meeting where you just feel like that just anything can happen at any time. And I--I like that. And I'm sure there'll be a lasting results, and it'll show itself up.

3I certainly admire your all's patience, sitting, listening at me preach for hours, and then come back the next night. You sure can stand a lot of punishment. See? So I'm... I know you got lot of good patience. So we're...

4 I want to say, for all of us, that we're grateful to you, to that Brother Thomas. I just can't express my feelings for Brother Thomas. He, I thought I knew him, but I had him mixed up with someone else. I got to shake hands with his precious, little wife. And are really servants of Christ. And I certainly hope that, God willing, that our paths will cross, many more times, in life.

5If I was you people, and lived around here, his church would be the place that I'd be going. So I--I like them, a man that's...

6[Brother Thomas Parker says, "I hate to interrupt Brother Branham like this, but I think it'll be all right on this occasion. I thank him for those compliments and those nice thing he said. I just wondered if the people around here, and all attending this convention, would like to have him to come back again. What about that? Everybody want it?" Congregation applauds--Ed.] Thank you. [In fact, would you like for him to come back next June and--and just sit with us? If you do, stand to your feet. Come on."--Ed.] Thank you. ["All right. Be seated."] Thank you, very much. That's really nice. Thank you, Brother Parker. I'm so very...

7 [Someone speaks to Brother Branham--Ed.]

8He said all expenses was paid, and everything. We appreciate you all's fine cooperation, help, 'cause, you know, it does cost to have these conventions. And so everything is paid up. That's very fine. We're just thankful. Everything, in and above.

9The Lord has saved, healed, and everything has taken place, so we're just happy to be what... seeing this. Hate to see this meeting go into history. But it'll come up again at the... Way back, in the times to come, we'll see the results.

10Now we want to thank everybody again for, I want to, for little gifts that you sent to me during this time. I appreciate that very, very much.

11 And now, we're going now down to visit Brother Bigbee at South Carolina, Columbia, Columbus, South Carolina. And we're to be there tomorrow night and Tuesday night, with Brother Bigbee. Then we're going over to the West Coast.

12I want to ask you, and then, from there, I suppose, after we finish up this campaign up there, I want to go to Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and through there. Can I solicit your prayers for me, that God will help me? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] And thank you very much.

13 And we are very grateful for all things. I say that for myself and for the people that's here from the tabernacle. I've got our... or some of our trustees here, and deacons, and some of my friends from down there.

14Our pastor is here. I've never been able to see Brother Neville. I guess he's been introduced. Has he? [Brother Parker says, "Yeah."--Ed.] Yeah. Brother Neville. Where are you, Brother Orman. I just can't make you out. And, oh, my! Back there, just as big. Come up here a minute.

15This man, I know to be a true servant of Christ. He was a dyed-in-the-wool Methodist, and then received the Holy Ghost. Now he's a Holy Ghost Methodist. This is our precious pastor.

16Want to shake your hand, Brother Neville. [Brother Neville says, "Thank you. God bless you. Good to see you."--Ed.] Thank you. Got seats...?...

17I've knowed Brother Neville for years, and his lovely, little wife, even before they were married. And the years that I've knowed him, he's never changed one bit, only just went higher in God. That's all. But he's dependable. We love him now as the pastor. He's been in there for years, and we hope he stays till Jesus comes, if it be the will of the Lord.

18And would you just like to say a word to the people, Brother Neville?

19 [Brother Neville says, "Well, I am certainly delighted to be here in company with this good man of God, that's been my privilege to associate with for this ten years. I don't know whether I've made a good Gehazi, or not, but I've tried to carry the staff for this man of God. He is more than a friend to me. He's been, as it were, a father in the Gospel, for me, also, even though I exceed him a few years in age.]

20 ["But, yet, I'm so delighted, also, to be in this meeting. Something got a hold of me down here in Southern Pines, that I like this place real well. And I've enjoyed it immensely. I know that God had a hand in my being able to come here and be with Brother Branham in this meeting. So, I've been delighted so much in being here, that things have just worked out so convenient and so wonderful, that I just can't praise the Lord enough, tonight, for all this.]

21 ["But, above all, I said, when I came here, there is one thing that highlights the whole meeting for me, and that's this Word of God. Amen. I wouldn't... If I never see a person healed, if I never see anybody pray for the sick, if God just continues to give me His Word, there is delight that fills my soul, and comes from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head, this Word of the Lord. And, amen.]

22 ["I've delighted that God has blessed this hour of God's servant and prophet. And I have felt the Blessing come off of him unto me, so I'm glad I got to be here. I hope you all felt the same thing that I have, in these services. God has really blessed His servant down here at this place. The reason I know that, he expressed it a while ago. And great and mighty things that we have in Faith, tonight!]

23["Rather, the Bible teaches us, we don't need to have things visible. All we need is, when we pray, believe, and we've already got it. Amen. I have them now, because that's the way the Bible says it is. And I'm delighted in that, because God is doing these wonderful things through this, our pastor, God's servant and prophet, Brother Branham. And may the Lord ever bless him and continue to keep him in this Way. Praise the Lord!"--Ed.]

God bless you, Brother Neville, from all our heart.

24Now, you know, when you go on a picnic, if somebody stuck out a little tree somewhere, well, you can't, you don't know whether it's still there or not, see, 'cause it's just set out, stuck out, or something. But when you know there's an old oak that's just stayed steady, you pretty well can think about getting under that tree and resting. That's Brother Neville, just the same every day, just going right on. So I'm so glad for that.

25 We have--have another brother here, a little pastor, one of the sister churches of our church down there. If he doesn't come up, I would like him to stand up, Brother Junior Jackson, another Methodist filled with the Holy Ghost. Junior Jackson, where are you? Brother Junior Jackson, a Methodist, filled with the Holy Ghost. Here he is, right here, Brother Jackson. You want to say something, or anything you want to say? All right.

26Another one here is Brother Palmer, another one of our brothers here. Would you just stand up, Brother Palmer? A pastor from down in Macon, Georgia, is one of our friends.

27And Brother Fred Sothmann, I know he is here. He is one of our trustees at the church. Where are you, Fred? Somewhere in here, setting back in the back.

28 Brother Banks Wood, where you at, Brother Banks? He's one of our other trustees, over here.

29Brother Banks was a Jehovah Witness, you know. And he come into the meeting, and he had a crippled boy, David, his leg drawed up, from polio. And I was in a tent meeting, and first he had saw the... He was there at--at Dallas, the night... or, Houston, when the Holy Spirit came down in that form of that Light, and they took the picture of It. Brother Wood was there. So, I didn't know him then. And so he got enough money together. He's a contractor. He come up to the next meeting. I went overseas, from there, and went to the next meeting. He had his crippled boy, and polio. And while we were... I was standing there under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, goes back across the crowd, spoke to him. Told him all about it. Told him to stand up.

30 David, where you at? Are you here, tonight? Yeah. The boy that was crippled, that's him. David, if the people don't believe that God can heal a man that's got his leg twisted up with polio, and things, I wish you'd just walk out there, just a minute, show them how you can walk. Yeah. Yeah. Here, just not to make a public show, but just a testimony. There, see, not even a limp or nothing else, perfectly normal and whole See? It's really, really wonderful, what our Lord can do. Now, if He will do that for him, why, He will do it for someone else. See? So, sure, it's just if we can get that type of faith.

31 Now, course, all of you are acquainted, to know Brother Ben down here. He just... you know, this man that you can hear above everybody, saying, "Amen." I'll tell you a little. I hate to say this on him; his wife sitting there. We all love Ben. And it was before he was married. I was out on the West Coast. And that boy is from southern Indiana.

32I was out there on the West Coast, just preaching away, up in the one night, San Fernando Valley, valley, with the Baptist people, big tent full of people. Now, they're kind of refined people, you know. And I was just preaching away. Directly I heard a squall; black shock of hair, shaking, like--like--like--like a Mexican; two big feet sticking up in the air; his hands like that. I stopped. I said, "Ben, where in the world did you get out here?" There he was.

33God bless you, Ben. You no more than just stand up, just stand up, you and your wife. We'd just like for the people to... Brother Ben, that's who has been making all the "amens" down here in this corner here. God bless you. [Brother Ben Bryant says, "Covet all your prayers. We trust to be going back in the missionary field, 'fore too long, into the mountains, Brother Branham."--Ed.] Amen. God bless you.

34 Brother Way, another missionary, trying to get his way over into the mission fields. He is with us, tonight. We know him. He has been sojourning down our way for a while. Where are you, Brother Way? Are you in the meeting? Right here, and his wife. And now, I tell you, the war between England and Norway is settled. He's an Englishman, and she's a Norwegian. It's all over. Lovely people. Yes, sir. The war is all over.

35 Brother Boze was down, the other night, showing his picture, and saying, "Oh, well," he said, "there's a woman..." That's Sister Sothmann. And wish I'd had her to stand up, with Fred, in here somewhere. Lovely people. And she's a Norwegian. Course, Brother Boze is a--is a Swede. And he said, "Hum! Hum!" You know how Joseph does. Said, "There's a lady here, a sister," said, "she's a Norwegian." Said, "Course, if you cannot be a Swede, it's good to be a Norwegian."

36Got outside, he looked over at me. And I said, "Course, Joseph, it's too bad that they all can't be Irish, Irishmen." So we all have the sense of humor down there.

37 Brother Higginbotham, where are you? Around here somewhere, well, another godly man from down our way. One who was a trustee at the church down there, for years and years. And his friend, Sister Arganbright, Sister Ruth Arganbright, right here. I believe she is sitting out here in the aisle. Stand up. How many knows Miner Arganbright? One of the vice-presidents of the Full Gospel Business Men, a cousin to him.

38 Oh, my! If I miss any of you folks! I, I am proud of you, every one. I'm glad you're up here with us. We don't know, going in and out.

39Brother and Sister Dauch sitting there, too, and Sister Brown, Brother Brown.

40Brother McKinney, another Methodist preacher with the Holy Ghost. Where are you, Brother McKinney? Where are you, around here? He is from up in Ohio. Here, way back here, another full-fledged, born in this Word, shook-out Methodist. That's right. Now, baptism of the Holy Ghost, moving on for God.

41Pat Tyler, another bosom friend of mine sitting over here. Brother Pat, stand up. You all might know Pat Tyler. Thank you, Brother Pat. God bless you. He was an outlaw, a gunman, killer. God saved him and made a saint out of him. Hitchhiking across the country, to follow the meetings and things.

42You know what I think of these people, that where they come from? I think of Hebrews, the 11th chapter, "Were sawed asunder, and wandered about in goat skin and sheep skin, of whom the world is not worthy of." They all bear their testimony.

43Tom Simpson, where is Tom? Did he come up? I thought I seen his car out here. Him and his family, I thought he was here. Maybe I was mistaken. Yes. Bob up-and-down like a bite on a fishing line out there, "bump-bump," like that. All right.

44 The Lord bless you all. We're happy to be here. Here is others from Georgia, different places. And we're happy you're all here, and to meet, of our old friends.

45Am I looking at Sister Peckinpaugh from Chicago? I thought I was. And Sister Little, and next to her, and--and Sister D'amico, precious, darling people from Chicago, that group of women that's been very dear to me.

46And others sitting here. The brother, I can't even call his name, and from down in Georgia somewhere. I... All that, oh, my, they've just like all stuck around here. We are glad to be in this fellowship.

47Old Brother Bosworth used to tell me, he said, "Brother Branham, you know what fellowship is?"

I said, "I think so."

48Said, "It's two fellows in just one ship." So there we are, but we have fellowship. The Lord be gracious unto you.

49 Thank you for all that you've done. And I'll put one of these, this meeting, down on my list, as one of the red marks of my days of ministry, for your fine cooperation, these fine brothers and sisters, and everybody so welcoming. Feeling so just at home, till I've preached myself hoarse.

50Now, Brother Ned Iverson is going to continue the services after me, down at--at Columbia's, down with Brother Bigbee. Brother Ned, are you in, tonight? I don't know whether... Yes, back in the back. A Presbyterian, filled with the Holy Ghost. Uh-huh.

51And Dr. Lee Vayle and his wife, precious, darling friends of mine. Brother Vayle has worked with me in the meeting, a precious friend. I guess these men has been all introduced and things. Are you here, Brother Vayle? Are you in the building, tonight? Back at the back. The Lord bless you. Sister Vayle, where you at? I no more than got to wave at you. God bless you, sister. We're so happy to have them all here.

52 And you all pray for me now. And I'm just moving on by faith, believing that, most any time, we might see the Coming of the Lord. I don't know just how, when, where, but I want to be ready when He comes. And sometimes I might think it might be this a way, and might be the other way. But, anyhow, I want to be there when He comes. I want to go with Him. Now, that's my ambition. And not only do I want to go; I want all my friends, and I want all my enemies, to go, too. I want everybody to go.

53 I had the little vision, or, I don't want to call it a translation. I never had a vision like that. I was standing up there looking at it, looking back at myself, here recently. Many of you read it in the magazines and things. Friends, you--you can't afford to miss that. Just don't do it.

54Now, there is somewhere there. I was there just as I am here, looking back at myself. I've had visions. I know what visions are. If that was a vision, it was the strangest one I ever had. And I seen the people, ones that's gone on. I seen them there. The old was young. And they were standing there, human beings just like I am, only without sin. It was beyond perfection. Sublime! You--you just couldn't mention what it was.

55And when I knew that I had to return back, there was only one thing, that, I would return, to try to persuade people. Whatever you do, don't miss it. Don't miss it. Don't miss it. You can't afford to miss it. Everything else, let everything else go, but make ready for that, see, whatever you do.

56 I'll be going in the mission fields now, if the Lord willing, this winter, when I get back off these trips, so be in prayer for me. Because, here it's easy, once in a while you see a foul spirit come into a meeting and try to disturb. But in them places, that's witch doctors and devils. You better know what you're talking about. Certainly had. Cause, they're demons, and they'll challenge you right down. But, oh, how, not one time... I say it with my hand here at my Bible. Not one time, and you know you can imagine how many times around the world it's been challenged, but what God moved in on the scene and tore the curtains back, and showed Himself, God, just the same as He was in Elijah's time. He is still God. Yeah. Not one time. That's the reason I...

57 Some of you, some ministers, come and ask me to come to their places. I wait till I feel led to go. Then if I come, I'm just coming in my own name, if I come like that, just to be your friend. But when I feel led to come, then I can come in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Set your feet off that plane, she belongs to me. Amen. I take it all over, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Then you're to meet Him out there then, because you are God's ambassador then. But now, when some church sends you, or, some friend calls for you, something, you're just going, presuming again. My, presuming! I guess you're tired listening to that one.

58 Now let's turn in the gracious old Bible. And before we do that, let's pray. See, we're talking, and--and so forth, and now let's center our minds around Him now for the next few minutes.

59Our Heavenly Father, we were thanking the people for their kindness, and their great, generous feelings towards us, and how we appreciate them. And now, Father, we want to thank You, above all, for it's You, Lord, that's did this. It's You that's blessed us and let us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ. Satan would have disturbed and--and ruined our meeting. But You just loved us so good, till You just let us all gather together and have fellowship around the Word. And we so appreciate it, God. Even though being a little hoarse from strain of voice, Lord, I just had such a wonderful time, feeling Your Spirit blessing my soul. The Word, just not waiting for a thing, just flowing like rivers, till I just have to sit down. God, I'm so grateful for that.

60 And may our Brother Parker, and all of his staff, and this place that invited us, Lord, may they be blessed. Give them thousands of souls. Hear, when they pray for the sick. Hear their prayers, Lord, and heal the sick. And when they are trying to do something in Your Name, honor it, Lord. Give to them the fruit of the Spirit. And the... And give them the great desire of their heart, Lord, souls for their hire. Then, on that Day when we stand there before You, may the souls come from everywhere, throwing their arms around this precious, godly man and his staff, "If you hadn't have stayed on the field, Brother Parker, we wouldn't be here." O God, we know that's the sincere desire of any true servant of Christ, know that they can lead poor, lost human beings to a saving Christ. Thank You for it all.

61 And now, Lord, we pray now that You'll bless each one. And bless the meetings coming up, everywhere. Go with every home. Be with them as we leave, tonight, to go to our different homes. Be with us on the road. Stay on the wheel. Keep the enemy away from us, Lord. And I pray that You'll grant these things.

62Now give us the desire of our hearts, every request, tonight. And mine is, Lord, that You'll break the Bread of Life to us again, tonight. There's any here not saved, save them. Any needing the Holy Spirit in the baptism, may It come tonight. Any sick; heal them. Any weary; give them joy. Grant it, Lord. Bless Your Word now as we read It, and may the Author give us the context. We ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

63 Saint John, 1st chapter, 35 to 41, like to read these precious Words.

And again the next day after Jesus stood, and two of his disciples;... (Pardon me.)... after John stood, and two of his disciples;

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God!

And two disciples, the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

He said unto them, Come and see. And they came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

One of the two which heard Jesus or... John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

He first finds his own brother Simon, and said unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

64 Now may God add His blessings to this Word. Now, want to draw, tonight, if the Lord willing, for a little, for a--a word, two words I want to use out of there. The two words I want to use is "concerned" and "convinced."

65Now, as we know, and we all do, that we are now seeing a great cooling off, around the nations. I first started out, there was a lot of tinsel on the meeting. People were in prayer meetings, everywhere. Criticized, papers criticized me. One woman drove three thousand miles in a taxicab, just to get to the meeting in Canada. They're not that concerned anymore. It seems like that there has become a falling away. And seems like there's not much concern, not too much, anyhow, as not as much as they should be. Very little concern.

66 Now, about the only concern that we have, is not them all-night meetings. When, I--I stayed at the platform once for eight days and nights, without leaving, trying to pray for all of the people. And at the end, there were forty-something thousand people waiting to be prayed for. See? Couldn't do it. But they would take a group this way, and go into the woods; they'd take a group this way, go to the woods; ministers praying the people through to the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Just couldn't rest until they received the Holy Ghost.

67Beg your pardon. I said forty-two thousand. I believe, you'd look up in the magazine, there was twenty-eight thousand, it was, that were still waiting. For miles around Jonesburg, there wasn't even a place that you could rent. And tent cities up, and everything. They're not that concerned anymore. See? The revival fires are dying down.

68 Concerned, is now, "Just come and join the church." Or, a great concern is, "Support some radio mission, or some television affair, and making it some kind of a show," and for--for the good, course, sure. Big buildings, building great schools, and so forth, like that. It seems to be that is the--the concern now. Kind of lost the vision of that prayer and constraining, and like they used to have. There is something has happened. I would just like to know what it was. And now they don't seem to be concerned about.

69 You can visit this church, or call for people to come to the altar, and it used to be they would just run to the altar. And I've seen the time while I was preaching, before I could even get my sermon finished, the altar and up-and-down the aisles would be lined with people. I've seen the time that the Holy Spirit would move out into the audience, and--and predict and tell somebody something, and the people would marvel and just faint right in their seat.

There is something wrong somewhere.

70 Still doing the same thing. Still the same Gospel. I've never changed a bit since I started. I just started with the naked, bare Word of God, and I stayed right on It, ever since. Thirty-two years I've been behind the pulpit, and never taken anything back or changed anything; state it just the way I started. I can't take it back. It's God's Word. And--and if I say It just like It's said here, the next time I have to say the same thing, 'cause Here is the way It's wrote here. See? So, just can't do nothing else about It. And the Holy Spirit is still doing the same thing.

71 So, but it looks like there's not enough concern. Now I'm... wonder why, why isn't there a concern like there used to be? It's, I believe the reason that if there's not as much concern as there used to be, they're not as convinced as they used to be. You have to be convinced before you can be concerned.

72Not concerned, you take the time now, instead of evangelizing and trying to do something, everybody wants a great big school, or a great big something that they can teach, and--and make ministers have better pulpit manners and so forth.

73You know what I believe? I believe that the people is not convinced that Jesus is coming soon. I don't believe that they're convinced that He's coming in this age. And I believe that's the reason that they're not concerned, because they're not fully convinced. Right. They're not convinced that He's with them. If they were, they would come back to the Word. That's right. And now many people might misunderstand it.

74 Love, love is--is discipline. You must dicipline people, if you love them. If your little girl was sitting out in the road, as I said this morning, making mud cakes; if you really love her, you'd get her off that road.

75What if your wife said... John somebody, whatever your name is, you know, you just let her run out with some other man, because you said, "Bless her little heart! She wants to do it. And I just love her so much, I'm going to let her do it." You would be a poor excuse of a husband. She ought to get rid of you, and get somebody that loves her, that will take care of her. I didn't mean it that way, 'cause you can't do that.

76 But what am I trying to get at? Is this, that, what if God would said to Eve, "Poor little Eve. You know, you're My child. I--I--I... You didn't mean to do that"? Course, she didn't mean to do it. Certainly, she didn't. But she did it. And we know she did it. We see the results of it yet. But, you see, He--He loved her, and He--He had to keep His Word to her.

77And God has got to keep His Word to us, so we must obey His Word. And when we obey His Word, and see Him then vindicate what He said He would do, then we're convinced, right, that the Word is right. Now, when we find out, we bring...

78 Here not long ago, this great evangelist to a Mohammedan, you read it in the paper, like I did. This Mohammedan challenged that evangelist, that, "Jesus Christ was a man worship; that people were following a man." He believed in the same God that the evangelist did, but said, "Jesus is not His Son. It's just a man-made worship." And the evan-... He challenged the evangelist, said, "The--the Bible said that the works that He did, Christ, His followers will do the same." He said, "Now, I'll bring in thirty sick people, and you bring in thirty sick people, and I'll heal every one you do." See? And the evangelist run. He took air.

79And if I would have been the evangelist, I believe, if I didn't have enough faith to do it, I'd have never let that unbeliever stand there. I'd said, "I know somebody in our realms has got faith to do it."

80 Why? You've got to be convinced, first, that it is God, then you know where you're standing. It's true. Convinced, first, then you get your concern. Although people claim God is with them, but they're... It's not all... Mother used to say, "Actions speaks louder than words." Certainly, it does. You must act it, believe it, be convinced, and then you'll be concerned.

81Jesus said, "If you love Me, feed My sheep." Now, that's where I think we've failed a lot, is feeding His sheep. "If you love Me, feed My sheep." Today, it's almost, "Shear my sheep." Get them into a place and take everything they got, and make them pledge their home, and all of their old age pensions, and everything else. Talk about a shearing! Jesus never said that.

Brother Parker said, this morning, "God loves His people."

82 He loves His sheep. He said, "Feed them." And sheep must have sheep Food. And He never said, "Educate My sheep." He said, "Feed them," not educate them. "Feed them. Give them, give them sheep Food."

83What is sheep Food? The Bread of Life. Jesus is the Bread of Life, Gospel, Truth. Preach It without compromising. Then you know that when you have to answer at the Day of the Judgment for their soul, as a minister of the Gospel, you can stand and say, "That's what was wrote in the Word."

"Feed them the Truth. Feed My sheep."

84 When John was so concerned, that he knew that the Messiah was coming in his age. John the Baptist knew it, so he knowed that the Messiah would come in the age that he lived in. But when he come out of the wilderness, he never started no schools. He never started no colleges. He never started no organizations. Why? He was convinced that the Messiah would come in his time. His Food, his Message, his action, gave witness to it.

85And we believe that He is Coming in this age. Why do we want to hoard up big thing? Why would we want to do, build millions of dollars in schools and buildings, and then saying Jesus is coming? Why, the public knows better than that. They know you're talking about something that you don't believe. Practice what we preach. Right. Now we must do that.

86 John was so positive. When he was born, he knowed he was born an odd birth.

87We all know how Zachariah saw the Angel. And that must have been a strain on the old couple. Zachariah was an aged man, and Elisabeth was an aged woman, but they had believed that--that God would some day give them a baby. She was barren. And we know when John was born, the peculiar birth, and knowing that he would be God's servant, must have been hard on the old couple. For they know, according to the time of life, they would never live to see that boy come into his ministry.

88And John's father was a priest. But instead of him, with that calling, going down to the seminary where his father come out of, he couldn't go down there. He could not take a chance on it. He just couldn't get mixed up with it. Because, he seen that, in the Scripture, he was to be, "the voice of one crying in the wilderness." He saw that he was to be, "The messenger that would go before the Messiah." And he must be certain of it. And he waited in the wilderness until he was convinced, and then he was concerned. He was convinced. He wanted to, He wanted to stay. He was so certain of it, that he would see Jesus, until he said this, "There, He is standing among you now. There is One among you, Who you don't know." Oh, I like that!

89 There is One among us, tonight, but I'm glad we know Him. And I believe He's the One that's bearing record. The great Holy Spirit is bearing record that Jesus is coming soon, for it's according to the Word, and all the signs are being fulfilled. We are at the end time.

90He didn't want to state of Him, make any mistake, so he stayed in the wilderness until he was convinced that he would know what the Messiah was. And God told him what kind of a sign to look for, when he saw the Messiah. So when he saw Him, and saw the sign that was supposed to follow Him, he was convinced that that was He. He said, "I bare record that that's Him." For, God, Who had told him, and foretold him by the prophet, seven hundred and twelve years before he was born, "He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, and make His path straight.'" And the God that had foreordained him, and predestinated him to the job, he waited on that God till he heard from that God. Amen. When that God told him what was going to take place, he was convinced. When he saw that sign, said, "There He is." Amen.

91 If we would just be that sincere! If we would wait at the altar, not get some kind of a little feeling and jump up and run away, but stay there. No matter what happens, stay there until you are perfectly convinced by the power of His resurrection, that the Holy Ghost has took a hold of you and holding you, and you're a new creature in Christ. Stay there till you're dead and raised up again, then you won't go to water a hypocrite. You'll go there, and you know that He--He died for you, and you died with Him. Now you're going down, to be raised with Him again; show the world that you believe that He died and rose again, and you're dead with Him, and is already raised again. And now you're going to sit in Heavenly places, eating sheep Food. Right.

92 Andrew, this great one that we're speaking of, the brother of Simon, he stayed all night, until he was convinced. As he was going along the bank, John, this great prophet kept saying, "There is One! The time is at hand. All you generations of snakes in the grass, don't think to say, 'I belong to this, and I belong to that. We have Abraham to our father.' I'll tell you, God is able of these stones to rise children to Abraham." Oh, he was just laying through, an ax to the root of the tree.

93See, John was a wilderness man. Look what he talked of: axes, trees, snakes. See? That's what he was used to, out there in the wilderness. And he said, "The ax is laid to the root of the tree, and every tree that don't bring good fruit is going to be cast down and burned." Hitting the ax against the tree; cutting off snakes' heads, and everything. He was a wilderness man.

94 No wonder Jesus said, "What'd you go out to see?" In that Forgotten Beatitude, as I preached on it. When He went across the hill, disciples of John said. "What did you go out to see, a man dressed in fine clothes?" He said, "That's the kind that they'll call, 'Doctor, holy father.' And they wear soft clothes. They kiss the babies, and marry the--the young, and bury the old. He handles a pen knife." What would a man like that know about a two-handed Sword out on the battle front? "Did you go out to see one?"

95Some said, "Then did you go to see a reed shaken with any wind, or any little group can come along, change you from this to that, and this to that?" Not John. He was convinced. He--he knowed where he stayed. He knowed his position. Wasn't shaking John around. No, no.

96Said, "What did you go to see then, a prophet?" He said, "And I say to you, greater than a prophet. He's more than a prophet."

97 So John was convinced, and he begin to preach. And Andrew had been attending the meetings. And so when Jesus passed by, and Andrew and another disciple was there, and John pointed out, and said, "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." And they followed Him.

98I like that. I wish I could have that much force in my preaching. When I say, "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world," and every person would take out after Him. My! Let me...

"Where do I find Him, Brother Branham?" I can show you.

99 Not long ago, I was in a Business Men's meeting. And I was preaching out on the West Coast. And there was some fellow walked up to me, and he said, "Say, aren't you a preacher?"

I said, "Yes, sir."

He said, "What are you doing with these businessmen?"

I said, "I am a businessman."

And he said, "What kind of a business are you in?"

I said, "Assurance business."

He said, "What kind of insurance?"

I said, "Assurance."

Said, "What kind is it?"

100I said, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine." I said, "If you're interested in a policy, I'd like to talk it over with you."

101 A friend of mine, Mr. Snyder, precious boy, he come up to my house. And I knew him when I was a little fellow, and we went to school together. He said, "Billy, I would like to sell you some insurance."

102Well, I had a little deal pulled on me one time, on insurance, and I never did take it any more. So he said... I said, "Wilmer, I--I sure would, like him, but," I said, "I--I already got assurance."

He said, "Oh, you have?"

103My wife looked at me as if I was a hypocrite. She knowed I didn't have any insurance, but I said, "assurance." See?

104He said, "Oh, I'm sorry, Billy." He said, "What company is it with?"

I said, "The Eternal Life."

Said, "I don't believe I ever heard of that company?"

I said, "You should." Oh, I'm convinced that it's right. It's right.

105 So, John preached and said, "There He is, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world."

106When I see Him move across an audience, pull a sinner, or a sick person, and speak to them, and know that That's the very God. And anybody, would know anything, would know that I couldn't do that. I'd like to say, "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world."

107I like for people, say, "I believe it. I now repent of my sins. I believe on Jesus Christ." Oh, I like to see them do that.

108 And these disciples took right off after Jesus. And He looked around. He found them. And He said, "What seek ye?"

109They said, "Rabbi," being interpreted, "Master, where dwellest Thou?"

110He said, "Come and see." Now that's a wonderful invitation. "Come and see." I like that.

111That's what Philip said to Nathanael, when Nathanael said, "Could there be any good thing come out of Nazareth?" He said, "Come and see."

112So we come, find out. Don't sit at home and criticize. Come, find out. See? "Come, see for yourself."

113Now, they said it was evening time, so Andrew stayed all night. Oh! That's a good way. He stayed until he was convinced. What that Man had told him that night, what He had said to him, or what He did, there was something that completely convinced Andrew that He was the Messiah.

114 The next day real early, I imagine, he grabbed his coat and hat, and took down, 'cause Peter was going to be fishing down on the river. And he said, "Come, see Who we found. It's the Messiah." He was convinced. When he was perfectly convinced that it was the Messiah, he was concerned about his brother.

115That's what's the matter, tonight. People are not convinced of the Message. People are not convinced about the Holy Ghost. If you really get convinced, then you're concerned. You'll do everything you can, to do ever what you got to do with. Say, "Well, Brother Branham, I'm not a preacher." Well, you can do something, too.

116 Remember one time I had a meeting. There was a farmer got saved and filled with the Holy Ghost. And he only had nothing but his experience, and a truck. But he hauled so many to the meeting, he got thirty more filled with the Holy Ghost, before it...?... Why? He was convinced. And when he was convinced, he was concerned. Little daughter got healed. We had sick people every night, a truck full of them, bringing them from everywhere. Thirty got the Holy Ghost. See? He was convinced that It was right, so he was concerned about somebody else. And we're... If we are convinced that Jesus is coming soon, we'll be concerned about our lost ones. We'll be doing all we can to get the Gospel out.

117 Jacob stayed all night, one night, wrestling. That wrestling prince, he wrestled all night. He had been dodging Esau here and there. He was scared to death, of him. And he heard Esau was coming. He put his wife across the brook. Went over on the other side and knelt down. You know, God come down and got a hold of Jacob, and they wrestled all night. So he--he wasn't completely convinced, to start with. But time God got through with him, he was convinced. Yes. He stayed and held on until he was convinced that it was God.

118Brother, he wasn't scared of Esau then. Crossed the river, and he was weak and limping. The worse time that he could be in, looked like. He--he was--he was the weakest he ever was. He had been crippled and everything. But Esau said to him, "Will you let me send an army along to help you?"

119Said, "I don't even need the help." Why? He was convinced that the God, that he had a hold of, could take care of him. Hallelujah! If people would just do that.

120 If you can be convinced that the God that takes a hold of you, shakes your heart, makes you a new creature in Christ Jesus. Let sickness, death, or anything else come along, you're convinced He can take good care of you. Sure. Amen. I like that.

121Shamgar, the little fellow we talked about the other night, he was concerned about his family. Yes, he knowed they were hungry. And the Philistines came up, a thousand of them, I believe, six hundred and something. I believe, six hundred of them come up the road, armed men. He was concerned about his family, 'cause they had starved to death that winter. But he stayed there, thinking and studying. What could he do? He stayed there until he was convinced that God keeps His promise.

122 Now, look what he could have thought. "Now, here, my father Abraham, of whom I bear in my body the mark of circumcision, because that I believe Abraham was a man of God. He was convinced. He left his home. He left everything he had, to serve God. And upon the mount that day, when he offered up the ram instead of Isaac, God told Abraham, 'Because you did this, your seed shall possess the gate of the enemy.'" That's right. "'Your seed, Abraham, I promise you. I swear by it.'" Hallelujah! Oh, my! Now I feel religious. "'I swear by it. Abraham, your seed shall possess the gate of his enemy.'"

Now Shamgar could say, "I am the seed of Abraham." Amen.

123 And if Shamgar could think that, being the natural seed of Abraham, what about tonight, and we're the Royal Seed of Abraham? Oh! Whew! You think I'm crazy. Maybe I am. Leave me alone. I feel better this way than I did when I had the other mind. Yeah. Royal Seed of Abraham! The Church is the Royal, promised Seed. And if the natural seed could take that much courage, what ought the Royal Seed to do, with the--with the Presence of the Holy Ghost just anointing around, showing Himself? Whew! Glory! Sure.

124Shamgar said, "I'm a seed of Abraham." As he begin to think of it, "God told Abraham, I believe it, that his seed shall possess his enemy's gates. And there they are, marching through my gate." Just reached up, got a ox goad. Now, he didn't stop.

125 He never waited to learn how to duel, or said, "Now wait a minute. I'm the Royal Seed. I'm the seed of Abraham. I'm circumcised. So, you know, all these Philistines are good warriors. They been practicing a long time. I'll go down to the seminary and get my Ph.D. and L.L.D., and I'll learn how to duel. I'll learn the catechism, all the church rules."

126If he had done that, that's all he would have knowed anything about!...?... [Congregation says, "Sure."--Ed.] He'd have only knowed that, and he couldn't have whipped it. Then he couldn't have matched the enemy.

127You can't match the enemy. I can't match it. But I remember I'm living under a promise, hallelujah, that's already his powers has been more than matched, and conquered, and cast down. "I'm more than a conqueror, right now." Not myself, but I'm in Him Who conquered him for me, see, and that lives forth. I'm part of the Royal Seed of Abraham. Think of it a minute, then get your ox goad. Run that devil of doubt away from you. Yes.

128Said, "I'm... I can't learn to duel." If he does, that's all he knows how to do, is just duel. That's all he could have talked about.

129 Today, that's the way we try to do it today. Men said, "I got a call in my life to be a minister."

130"Well, now, son, I'll call up the bishop, and I'll find out if I can't let you go over to school, and you can learn psychology, and learn all these things. And about ten years in the seminary might fix you up." That will, sure enough. It'll fix him up so he can't never get up no more.

131 What a difference than it is, sending a minister today, than there was at the first Church. They didn't wait ten years. They waited ten days. If it takes you ten years to be convinced... They was convinced in ten days. Amen. He might be convinced about psychology, but you have to get kneeology. Just ten days, they were convinced, and then they were concerned about others. Some of them couldn't even sign their own name. The Bible said they were ignorant and unlearned, but they were convinced. Hallelujah!

132I don't care about the education. I'm convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I'm convinced This is the Holy Ghost. I'm convinced He's a Healer. I'm convinced He's a Saviour. I'm convinced He's coming. I'm convinced This is That. I'm convinced. I believe it.

133They said they're convinced. Something happened. They were convinced, then they were concerned after they were convinced. They were concerned about getting His Word out to the rest of them. That was a good sign that they were convinced: they was concerned.

134 They wasn't concerned about an education, concerned about whether they could say "amen" just right. They wasn't concerned about what organization they belonged to, or whether they had a fellowship card, or not. They were convinced that all they needed was Him.

135And I'm the same way tonight. I'm convinced that all we need is Christ. Don't need a new mayor. We don't need new presidents. We don't need a new army. We don't need a new bomb. We need Jesus.

136That's all that they--that they was convinced about. And they also believed that He would... They were convinced that He--He would meet everything that they had need of.

Are you that convinced, tonight?

137 Say, "I'm convinced. No matter what comes before me, He will match it. No matter what comes before me, I'm convinced He will take care of me. He said He would do it."

138"I'll be with you, even in you, to the end of the age. Take no thought for tomorrow, it'll take thought for itself." That's right, just think of today. "If God so clothed the field, and the grass of the field, which today is, tomorrow isn't; and if He thought enough that not even a sparrow could drop in the street without Him knowing about it," how much more does He know about our needs?

139I'm convinced. That's the reason you don't see me begging for offerings, and this, that. I'm convinced. If I stay with this Word, God will stay with me. I'm convinced. Don't have to be given. It'll come some way. I, I'm--I'm just--just convinced. I believe it. I believe every Word He said. I'm convinced of It. I'm convinced He will meet all the needs that I have need of. I won't have to worry about it.

140 And he was also convinced that they didn't need a bunch of psychology, and all this other stuff, to take. They were convinced that those that were... they--they preached to, was all they needed, would be what they had.

141That's the trouble of it today. They're trying to poke other stuff into them, creeds, and things like that. You've never been quietly convinced that the Holy Ghost is right. That's all that I have need of. That's all you have need of. That's all anybody else has need of.

142 Was in Africa not long ago. They were trying to educate those people down there, and the tribes. And when you bring them into the white man, he takes a white man's sin. Got his own sin out there in the tribe. Bring him in, he takes a white man's sin, then he's twofold child more of hell than he was, to start with. Only one thing he needs. He needs Christ. Amen.

143 Hudson Taylor, one time. You have never heard of Hudson Taylor, the great missionary, China? There was a young Indian boy. He got saved, said he had a call to the ministry. He come and said to Mr. Taylor, said, "Mr. Taylor, should I take four years of psychology," and different things that he should do, "and how long will it take me, get my Bachelor of Art?"

144Mr. Taylor said to him, said, "Son, don't never burn the--the candle half down before you start out." No.

145That's what I think, too. Don't wait till the candle is half burnt down, and some kind of a schooling knocked into you, some kind of embalming fluid. Don't do that. But I say, as soon as the candle is lit, start. I'm not trying to support ignorance, but here is what I mean. If you don't know nothing else, tell them how the candle got lit. That's all they have to know. Tell them what lit the candle. Tell them what is burning in there. Just tell them how it got lit. Let them get lit, they'll--they'll take care of the rest of it. Certainly.

146You don't have to tell, go through all kind of great words that you know not to begin with, and don't mean nothing after you know them. See? Just tell them, "Glory to God! The Holy Spirit struck me, and I'm a different man." Tell them how the candle got lit. Don't wait till it burns up; then it's smoke in that time. Too many of them today. Just tell them how it got lit.

147 The blind man that Jesus gave his sight to up there, they were was such a fuss about. You remember when he passed by, the disciples said, "Who sinned, him or his mother, his father?"

148Jesus said, "Neither. But that the works of God could be made manifest." And He give him his sight.

149Here come all of the scribes and Pharisees up. And his father and mother was scared to death, because they had already said, "If anybody listens to that Jesus of Nazareth, that Prophet, he'll just give you a letter from the church. You're excommunicated."

150They haven't changed it a bit. See, the same! "Anybody listens to Him, or goes to His meeting, you're just right off the church, right to begin with." They rub your name right off the book.

151 So they went and got his father and mother, said, "Is this your son?"

152Said, "Yes, it is." Said, "We know this is our son, and know he was born blind."

"Well," said, "how did he get his sight?"

Said, "You ask him. He's of age."

Said, "Give glory to God. This Man is a sinner."

153Why, he couldn't argue theology with them. Certainly not. But there's one thing he did know. He was convinced that he could see. Said, "Whether He's a sinner or not, I don't know. I don't know what school He come from, or nothing about it. But this is one good arguing point I got: wherein I was once blind, I'm convinced that I can see; 'cause He told me I could, and I listened to Him." Hallelujah!

154Same thing with me. I once was blind, but now I see. I once couldn't see This. I was a sinner. He opened my eyes. Where I was once blind, I now see.

155He had a good arguing point, sure did, so much till they couldn't argue him down. Why? He was convinced he could see. And he was convinced. "That," he said, "it's a strange thing now. You put up, you fellows here, are the religious leaders of the nation. And you say you don't know from whence this Man come, and here He performs a miracle on me, that's never been done in the world. That's a strange thing."

156Brother, I believe he's a pretty good theologian, at that. Why? He was convinced. He had something that convinced him. He was blind; he could see.

157 David, when he come up to Saul's army, Goliath on the other side, David was the smallest man in the bunch. Goliath was the biggest. Saul would have been more of a match. Saul was about seven foot, I guess, or better, maybe eight, "Head and shoulders above every man in his army." And David was the smallest man there, and he was the only untrained man there. But, brother, he was convinced. Glory! See? "I'd like the look I am."

158Notice. He wasn't trained. He had no spears. He knowed nothing about it. And he was just a little ruddy guy. But he was convinced, and he was concerned about an army that called themselves "the army of the living God." And he was convinced that God, Who had helped him with that slingshot, to kill a lion and a bear, could certainly take that uncircumcised Philistine out. He was convinced, then he gets concerned about the army. No matter how much he got... If you're convinced then you're concerned, but you got to be convinced, first. So, he was convinced.

159 I remember one night, real hot night, spooky all around, going to war. Oh, the odds was way against him. And he prayed. He was laying out there under a mulberry tree. The army was already ready, out there to meet him. He laid under this mulberry tree. And after while he heard something coming, and went on through the mulberry bushes, and went on out the other way. He was convinced, brother. No matter what the odds were, he was convinced that God went on in, before him.

160Men, if you can stand here, tonight, no matter what's wrong with you; if you can feel that rushing wind of the Holy Spirit coming through you, and saying, "I am the Lord that heals all your diseases. I heal you now." If you can be convinced, brother, you don't care what the contact is out there, you already know it's going to happen. Certainly.

He was convinced and then he was concerned.

161 Samson standing before the Philistines, with just a jawbone of a mule in his hand, he wasn't--he wasn't even armed. But he was convinced that the God that raised him up, was able, with that jawbone of a mule, to kill these Philistines. And he slew a thousand.

162The runaway prophet, Moses, when Moses got convinced that it was God in that bush. You know, Moses never had an experience with God. He had a lot of theology. But he had run away. But when... He was convinced that That was God in the bush. Because, the Voice spoke from the bush, quoting Scripture to him, and he was convinced that That was God. And God said, "I'll be with you." You know, he had lost all concern about the burden in Egypt. He had been out there forty years, and them slave away. But when he was convinced that it was God's will to deliver them, he got concerned right the next day.

163Here he goes down the road. Could you imagine what a sight? With Zipporah sitting on a mule, little Gershom on her hip. Beard is hanging down like this, eighty years old; bald head shining through the sun; a crooked stick in his hand; shouting, "Hallelujah!" Going down to Egypt, to take over. Yes.

It may make you act strange.

164It might have made him act strange, but he was convinced. Why? "I'm going with you, Moses. I'm going to take this stick that's in your hand, and I'm going to deliver My people." Now, a little old crooked stick didn't look very much, but, brother, he was convinced because the Word of God was with it.

165You know God's Word is with you, and in you, you can be convinced.

166 The Hebrew children, they were convinced that He was able to keep His Word, yes, as long as they would stand on It. God told them not to bow to idols. That's just exactly what God meant. And they knew that if they did not bow down to that idol, that God was able to keep His Word. They were convinced that He was. And then when they were convinced about standing with His Word, God was concerned about standing with them.

167When you're convinced that This is the Word of God, God is concerned to take care of you with It. Tried It, through the foreign fields and everywhere, when you're convinced that It's right. But, you've got to be convinced, then God will be concerned with you. But, first, you must be convinced that It's Him, and He keeps His promise, then God is concerned.

168 Martha was convinced that if Jesus asked God, it would happen. She said, "I don't care what any of the rest of them says. I don't care even if my sister Mary don't believe in it. I don't believe, don't care what the rabbi says. But, Lord, if You'd have been here, my brother would not died." And he said... "Even now, I'm convinced, if You ask God, God will give it to You. It'll happen. I'm going right down and roll away the stone away. I'm going to make ready for it. I'm convinced." Sure.

169 Remember my father, down in Kentucky, years ago. The crops was all burning up. And the old circuit preacher come through, and he was a dandy old man. When he went on his knees, he stayed there till something happened. That day, they was all want to pray for the rain to come. Pop said, when that old man went on his knees, and he seen them old shriveled-up hands went up in the air, he said, "O God, I have served You. These people are Yours, and their crops are burning." Pop said he slipped right out of the church, and went out there and took the saddle off his mule, throwed it under the church, 'cause he knowed the rain was coming. Convinced, yes, sir, then he was concerned about his saddle. After you get convinced!

170 Martha said, "If You'd have been here, my brother would not died. But even now, whatever You ask God, God will give it to You. That's right. It's going to happen, if You'll ask God." Isn't that wonderful?

171Jairus, with a corpse in his house, his only child, twelve years old, a little girl. The message come, "Don't trouble the Master, because she is already dead." And Jesus said...

172First, he said to Jesus, "My little girl is even now dead, but I'm convinced." Hallelujah! "Come, lay Your hands on her, she'll be all right." Convinced!

173 He had heard of Jesus. He knowed His works. He was a secret believer. Down in his heart, he believed that that was the Son of God. He was thoroughly convinced it was. You know, isn't that strange? God forced him to the issue.

174God knows how to force you. Right. Sometimes He gives you sickness, everything else, just to force you to it, show your color, what you are.

175Forced him. Jairus was forced to believe it. So then he showed what he was. Said, "If You'll come, lay Your hands on my girl, though she's dead, she'll live." Oh, my! I like that.

I think, Martha said the same thing.

Jesus was convinced of It, too.

176 The Roman soldier, the centurion, he was convinced, if he could only get Jesus to say the Word. Listen to that soldier, a Roman, Gentile, heathen. He said, "I'm a man under authority. I say to this man, this soldier, 'You go here,' and he goes. And I say to this one, 'Come,' and he comes." Why? He was over him. What was he testifying? "Jesus, You are over all diseases. You're over it all. If I can just hear You say the Word, my servant will live. I'm thoroughly convinced."

And then, after all of that, we still don't be convinced. See?

177What was it? Jesus said that was great faith. He didn't find that in Israel. "Just speak the Word."

178 Here It is, right Here. "When thou prayest, believe that you receive what you asked for, and you shall have it. If you say to this mountain, 'Be moved,' and don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you've said will come to pass, you can have what you've said."

179Then confess. What? "By His stripes I'm healed. By His grace I'm saved. By His promise I'll obey, and I shall be filled with the Holy Ghost." There you are, if you're convinced that He keeps His Word. But first you've got to be convinced.

180The woman with the blood issue, she was convinced; no matter what the rabbi said, and what the priest said, and what her husband said, and what anybody else said. She said, "That's a Holy Man. He's the Son of God. And if I can touch the border of His garment, that's all I have to do. I'm convinced I'll get well." Though the doctor says she can't get well, but she said, "I can get well if I can just touch the border of His garment." She was convinced.

181 The woman at the well was convinced that He was the Messiah, when she had seen that scriptural sign, that she knowed what Messiah was going to be. As I said this morning, that predestinated life laying there. And as soon as she... It, warm waters poured... The cool waters, rather, poured down upon that Word of life that God had predestinated from the foundation of the world, she seen It [Brother Branham snaps his finger--Ed.] quickly as that. When, there was ministers there, didn't see It; priests that didn't see It; high priests didn't see It; great clergymen didn't see It; called It "devil." And that poor, little harlot out there, God had predestinated that from the foundation of the world. If you're ever there, you were, too.

182 Now, the Bible said, "In the last days, the antichrist would be so religious, and so much like the real thing, till it would deceive the very Elected if it was possible." But, it's not. That's right. And, "All." "He would deceive all, upon the earth, whose names were not written in the Lamb's Book of Life." Since the last revival? That don't sound like the Bible, does it? [Congregation says, "No."--Ed.] "From the foundation of the world." You ain't going to deceive them, 'cause they're laying right in that Word. When they see those things appearing, [Brother Branham snaps his fingers.] It's Life, they catch It right now.

183Others will walk around, say, "Ah, there's nothing to That. Huh!" See? They're not convinced. There's nothing there to convince them. Nothing in them, to believe with.

184Mother used to say, "How can you get blood from a turnip when there's no blood in it?" Right.

185 "My sheep hear My Voice." They know the Word. What is His Voice? Here It is. These creeds they don't follow. "But, they hear My Voice, they follow It."

186Woman at the well was thoroughly convinced. Then she was concerned that her people would also see that sign and believe It, after she was convinced that That was the Messiah. Because, He told her where her trouble was. She said, "Sir, we know when Messiah cometh, He'll do that."

187He said, "I am Him." She knowed a man that could do that thing would certainly be telling the Truth. Glory to God! Yes, a man that God would use in that manner wouldn't lie. Right. He'll tell you the Truth. Said, "I am He."

188And she was so thrilled when that Light broke through on that Word, she ran into the city. She was thoroughly convinced. Whether she was supposed to, or not, she run in the city and told them rabbis and priests, and all the men in the streets, the market men, and up in every grocery. And up-and-down the street she went, testifying, "Come, see a Man Who told me the things I've done. Take your Bible. Look in the scroll. Isn't that the Truth, that That's the very Messiah?" She was convinced. She'll rise up in the judgment and condemn thousands of people out of the United States here. She sure will.

189You know, Jesus said, "The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment, condemn them, 'cause she come to hear a gift of wisdom, what Solomon had, a discernment." And said, "A greater than Solomon is here." Sure. But still the people wouldn't believe Him. Sure.

190 She was convinced, and she wanted her people to be convinced. See? After she was convinced, then she got concerned about her people. She knew that That was Messiah. She knew that's what the Bible said would happen when Messiah come.

191She said, "We know that Messiah, which is called the Christ, when He comes, He'll tell us them things. But You must be a prophet."

Jesus said, "I'm Him."

192There she was convinced. Because, she knowed the Scripture said so, and here It was. She was convinced, then she was concerned. She went and tell somebody else.

193 Now, Jesus was convinced that He would raise up on the third day. He was so convinced, He said, "You destroy This temple, and I'll raise it up the third day."

194Why? David, in the Scriptures, under the inspiration, a prophet. David was a prophet, you know. David, under inspiration, prophesied, and said, "I'll not leave His soul in hell, neither will I suffer my Holy One to see corruption."

195And He knew that some time within seventy-two hours, before corruption set in that body, He would raise up. Seventy-two hours is three days and nights. He said, "Destroy it, and I'll raise it up again," thoroughly convinced, that's right, that He would raise it up again. He knowed the Scriptures can't fail. Hallelujah!

196 I'm convinced that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. I'm convinced, in the ministry and the Message, I'm preaching, I am convinced that It's the Truth. I am convinced that these visions come from God. I am convinced we're living in the last days. I'm convinced that this very Spirit that's on me now is the Holy Ghost. Glory!

197I'm thoroughly convinced. I'm convinced that the Holy Ghost way is right. I'm convinced that the Bible way is the Truth. I'm convinced that This is Jesus Christ here now. I'm convinced. If we believed Him at this minute, I'm convinced that He would heal every sick person in a moment, a twinkling of an eye. I'm convinced He would pour out the Holy Ghost upon here, till there would be such a shout, till hard to tell what would take place.

198 I'm convinced. I believe it with all my heart, not because I'm an old man. I preached this when I was a kid, not over twenty years old. I've been convinced since that day He met me on the river. Hallelujah! I'm convinced that He is here now. I'm convinced. And that Pillar of Fire is the same Pillar of Fire that was with Israel in the wilderness, is the same Pillar of Fire with the Church today. Glory! I'm convinced It's right. I've give my life for It. I've left home and everything else, give my everything for It. I'm convinced It's the Truth.

199I'm convinced He's here now. I'm convinced that this Spirit that's here now is the Holy Spirit. I'm convinced that we're baptized into His Spirit right now. I know It's the Truth. I'm thoroughly convinced that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I'm convinced, perfectly convinced.

200 That Angel met me up there and told me what He did. I stood before heathens by the thousands, and tens of thousands. You say, "Aren't you afraid?" No, sir. I'm convinced that It come from God. I'm convinced because It was Scriptural. I'm convinced that It's the Angel of the Lord. I believe it with all that's in my heart. Amen. I'm convinced, if we would ask God for anything, He'd give it to us. You just scared. Don't be scared. He's here.

201I'm convinced that that very Spirit that you feel, the Holy Spirit that's moving in us, I'm convinced that That's Christ. Amen. I'm convinced that right now, that, This is what I'm look at, this circle of Light before me, I'm convinced that's the Holy Spirit. I'm convinced that vision is over my eyes. I know He is. Amen. I challenge every devil in the world, this hour. Right! He is God. Christ is not just a prophet, He is God, nothing short of it.

202 Let's bow our heads just a moment. Just can't preach no more. Hum! Such an anointing! [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]

203Blessed be the Name of the Lord! Thoroughly convinced that He's Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever!

204Heavenly Father, I'm convinced It's You. I pray, God, that as I leave this platform, tonight, that You'll do something special. Prove to the people, once more, that It's You. I commit this audience to You. Lord, we're in Your hands. Do with us as You see fit. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Something happened. I'm convinced that God is here.

205 Did he give out prayer cards, any prayer cards? [Someone says, "No."--Ed.] No. We don't need them. I'm convinced that He's here. You believe it? [Congregation says, "Yes."]

206If you are thoroughly convinced, say, "Jesus, I touch You, with the feeling of my infirmities. I believe that Brother Branham has told the Truth. He's just a man. You're God. But I believe he told the Truth, 'cause It's the Word. Let it happen, Lord. Let him speak to me and tell me. Make me convinced."

207Here It is, already in the meeting. That lady sitting there, she is praying for a nervous condition. Her little girl, with her, retarded. Going to believe it? Sick mother at home. Have faith. Don't doubt. You can have what you ask for.

208 I'm convinced that the same Angel that come down in the form of a Man and talked to Abraham, with His back turned to the tent, is the same One here tonight. He promised it would be. I believe that that same Angel anoints us, because It was God. Do you believe it? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] All right, Sarah, in here somewhere, you speak to God. I'm convinced, sister. I'm convinced brother, I know it's the Truth. Certainly is.

209There's a lady set behind me. She got a heart trouble. She is sitting right behind me. I don't know her. She stand in front of me. She is a middle-aged woman. She is not from here. She is from Virginia. Mrs. Fox, Jesus Christ makes you well. She is sitting right in here. Let's see. This is her, right here. Believe.

210Do you believe? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] "If thou canst believe, all things are possible."

211 What do you think about it, lady? Are you and I strangers, one another? You believe me to be His prophet? You do? You have a head trouble. That's right. You're name is Mrs. Moore. If that's right, raise your hand. Go home. Be healed.

Are you believing?

212Now someone up here, before me here. Here it is, someone. It's a woman. She's got cancer on the breast. Mrs. Rhodes, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't know the woman. God knows her. "Thou canst believe, all things are possible." Right.

213A man sitting yonder, praying, from Tulsa. Mr. Harwood, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Go, be made well. Have faith. That's all you got. I don't know the man, never seen him in my life. We're strangers. But that's right. Why? He touched Something.

214Are you convinced? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Are you convinced that God keeps His Word? ["Amen."] If you are convinced, how many of you have a need?

215Now, surely, as the woman thought at the well... Ask these people. Go, talk to them, wherever they...

216 I see another one. Yes, another one. Listen, see if it's right or not. Now It's circling the building. The whole building is anointed, the whole place. I'm convinced that the Presence of Jesus Christ will heal every person here.

217Are you convinced the same? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] You convinced I tell you the Truth? ["Amen."] God vindicates I'm telling you the Truth. Then, I command that you stand to your feet and accept your healing, in the Name of Jesus Christ. If you are convinced, raise your hands up to Him, and give Him praise.

218Heavenly Father, the Holy Ghost, fill this building. They are convinced that Satan is defeated.

219In Jesus Christ's Name, Satan, come out of this place here. We are convinced that this is Jesus Christ's Presence here. And it shall be done. Amen.