How can I overcome?

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Let's bow our heads for prayer.
Our Father, we thank Thee this morning for this grand time of coming together again and the opening up the Word of the Lord and laying it here before us. And with prayer now that the Holy Spirit will take that which is God and will deliver it to us, that we might leave this place of worship today with happy hearts full of joy, and see your great power of deliverance, Lord, how it delivers the captive and sets them free, makes known to us the things that was, and which is, and shall come. And we just thank Thee for these things.
We pray that You'll bless us as we study thy Word now together. And when we leave, may it be said in our hearts as we go along the way, "Our hearts burned within us as He, the Holy Ghost, talked to us while we were in the way."

2 Bless every minister today everywhere, thy servants that's standing for this thy truth. Answer their prayers for the sick. Heal the sick bodies of those that are suffering.
Lord, we would ask that You'd go out among the people and seek out that predestined seed out there, Lord, and bring it around in some way that the light will fall across the path, Lord, for we believe that the hour is getting late, the sun is swiftly sinking in the west. Then it'll soon be that time shall be no more. And time and eternity will blend together when God and His people blends together. And we pray, God, that at that time that we will be numbered among those that'll be blended into Christ, that's called His bride. Help us today as we prepare, knowing not what tomorrow will hold, but we are ready to receive anything, Lord, as far as we know that Thou has for us; we are ready to receive it. We ask this blessing for the glory of God in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. You may be seated.

3 I was sure happy this morning when I walked in and saw that the people gathered together for the service of the Lord. And we are giving announcement now for tonight. There will be healing service tonight. We'll be praying for the sick tonight.
Just a few moments ago as I come in, Billy, my son, told me, said, "There's a gentleman here that's just a poor man that's drove from a long distance," and said; "I put him in the room, Dad."

4 I got in late last night and didn't get to study much on the Sunday school subject that I was going to talk on this morning, so I picked up some little notes that I picked from what I heard some brother say, and took from that a text to kind of have the Sunday school lesson this morning, and while we prepare, make ready, for the evening service.
And Billy said, "There's a man in there that's sick,' said, "I wish you'd go by and see him." So I went into the room just now, and a brother about my age and his wife sitting in there, and the Holy Spirit came down among us in the room just now.
Just think, just making mention of healing service, and there He was. See? And He told this brother all about what he had done, and what he had been doing, and what caused his trouble, and where he come from, and all about him. And there's a great dark shadow hung in the room; then it started getting lighter, lighter, lighter and lighter; then the Holy Spirit took ahold.

5 Now, I think the man is in the ... somewhere back here now. He and his wife, maybe, can't get into the building, but they said they were going to stay anyhow for the services. They come from up around near Yakima, Washington, and drove in. And he's a minister of the gospel. But just to see the grace of God there, where the man had been in a institution and had treatments and everything, the Holy Spirit revealing all of this. When the doctors trying hard to do everything that they could, perhaps, for the man, but it just took that certain little touch from God to turn the tide. Shock treatments is all right, but it's kind of like we call "a shot in the dark," you know. It might make you worse (see?), ' cause you forget everything you ever knew, when they put that medicine in you. But the Lord God, how His grace and mercy ... And even before I ever offered a word of prayer for him, he was already over it. See? It just took that certain something of God, that certain touch to do it. I oughtn't to say this ... Yeah, I'd look over and see the man now. What? I didn't know whether you'd make it today or not.

6 Down in the country where I've been staying this week ... I love my friends down there. It's a little vacation before these big meetings. You see? And I come home to go down there and go out squirrel hunting with these brethren. And this family, families, rather, that I stay with down there are certainly lovely people. And the man's a real brother, friends, they are. And one of them is a great lover of hunting dogs. And he has a pen full of them up there. And I seen the prettiest little hound down there; a little fellow was what I call about that---half a dog high and two dogs long, you know. They was running around the house there, and I thought, "My, that---wouldn't Joe like to have something like that.

7 And of course out in Arizona I couldn't use him. He'd get in the cactus, and that'd be the end of him. So then I said, "You can't have the... They don't use dogs in there in that part of the country, 'cause they would... Well, they just couldn't use them, they'd ... the weather, the condition of the country with cactus, and they'd get killed. And then, true, a hound out there, a wolf or something would kill him perhaps anyhow if he'd get out."
So then this man said to me, "You can just have him." But I couldn't take him. I appreciated it. Come to find out, it's one of his favorite dogs.

8 And this man's got a lovely little wife and some little kiddies. And the other day she started to back out with his car (and she had this Oldsmobile car)--- and the little dog's only about that long, just a puppy---and she run right straight over him. That Oldsmobile going right across the little dog in its back here and mashed it down where the rocks on the driveway had just pinched across its little tummy down here, you know. And the little wife, instead of running the little dog over to the veterinary... Course the veterinary would just put it to sleep right then and killed it... And there was another young man with me, and soon as he got up there, says, "If that was my dog I'd shoot it," said; "that's all, let it suffer like that."
I said, "Well, let's not shoot it. Let's wait a little bit." Got everybody away and went and prayed for it, and the little dog followed me up on the porch. "Whatsoever thing that you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive it; you shall have it, it'll be given to you." Whatsoever things! That's our God, isn't it? He's marvelous and wonderful; and we certainly love Him this morning, and expecting Him, knowing...

9 Seeing the other day an old couple, the mother and father of a very fine member of this congregation of believers. And the mother is, oh, I guess she's close to a hundred, and the dad is too. And for around twelve years this man's never moved, on his back, just laying straight on his back. Can't lay on his side or nothing, laid there for twelve years, just old age. And the mother she's now about his age, I guess, somewhere close to a hundred, and the poor old thing is just about lost her mental control. She's thinking somebody's taking all she has. And now, I looked at the---across the table at all of us, young and old was setting there, and I said, "Where are we going? What are we doing?" And the lady that I was staying with then, that was her mother and dad. And I said, "You're headed that way too." It's exactly, every one of us. See?

10 Just think of it just a moment before we start our lesson. That's where you're headed. What are you struggling for? So you can live. What are you living for? So you can die. Wouldn't it be most foolish if we didn't accept God's provision for eternal life? What could we think about? What could be on our mind that would attract our attention from---to anything? What if you owned a hundred million dollars, and you owned the state of Indiana or any other state, or even the nation, or as far as that's concerned, the entire world? You live long enough, you've got to come to that too. See? And constantly, day by day, every time your heart beats, you're going right straight to that. See, there's no winning for you. You're on the losing side, and you've got to lose. But remember the promise said, "He that'll lose his life for my sake shall find it." Now, what would be any more of a treasure to find than life? Though you found the whole world to be yours, but if you find life, you've found the greatest thing that could be found.
I want to

11 look to my lesson. Saw again just now another trophy of the grace of the Lord. About a few weeks ago I was called to the phone, and a lovely member of this church, or this body... I don't want to call this so much as a church; I want to call this that... Like I was talking to some people they said, "Well, what church do you belong to?"
I said, "I don't belong."
"To what denomination do you belong to?"
I said, "None."
Said, "Well, what do you belong to?"
I said, "A kingdom, a kingdom!" And by one spirit we are baptized into that kingdom, by one Spirit, all into this kingdom. Jesus said, "Pray: thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Now, He stood before Mount Transfiguration; He said, "Verily, I say unto you that some stand here shall not taste death until they see the kingdom come in power." And it was foreshowed as we've been through it, Mount Transfiguration. And the Bible said, "The kingdom of God is within you." So this is a kingdom people that professes that this is not their home. This is not our home. We are looking for the coming of the King to set up the kingdom.

12 I was called on an emergency case of an old brother that's been like a daddy to me, and he... I haven't knowed him very long, but I remember the day that I took him in here for water baptism. And the man is, soon be ninety-one years old. And his lovely wife called me, and her being a nurse, and said he had a complete heart failure; besides that he had a (oh, I can't call the name---heart attack, coronary heart attack, thank you) coronary heart attack and a complete heart failure. Doctor give no hopes at all. And the man was dying, and he called for me.

13 And I got in my little old Ford and started up the road to Ohio as hard as I could. And I didn't know one of my wheels was out of line; ripped the tire off it. And so then I, getting up there, coming out of a filling station about eleven o'clock, I was worried about him, I love him, and I know if the ... if it continues on, the Lord tarries, why, sooner or later we're going to have to give each other up.
But that won't hurt the rapture now. See? No. They come first then. Them are privileged that's gone on. They come first. See, we which are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord will not hinder or prevent those that are asleep. The trumpet of God shall sound, the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then when our eyes behold our loved ones, then we'll be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye, and with them shall be caught up together. See, the ones that goes first are privileged above those that are living.

14 And as I stepped out of the station just at eleven o'clock, the Holy Spirit said to me, "Don't worry about him. You'll shake his hand on the street again, and he'll come in the church," a man ninety-one years old dying. When I met his wife and his loved ones in the hospital at Lima, they told me about his condition, went in, looked at him in there. And he said, "But he's... Something's strange." Said, "He started changing for the better at eleven o'clock." Well, it... The Lord had showed them people so many things; they know that I just didn't say that, because they said it to me first. He started changing; they knowed that I would, I'd tell them the truth.
So last Sunday as I was going into the Blue Boar Cafeteria in Louisville where I think about eighty percent of this congregation gathers on Sunday afternoon to eat, who did I see coming down the street? I tell you, my heart quivered when I seen our Brother Dauch coming down the street, exactly what He told me. And I shook his hand on the street.

15 Then I come back here for last Sunday night and spoke on the subject of the unity of---The Uniting of the Time Sign. So... And then that brought that to pass, just what He said, and here he sets in the church today, right here by us, as a trophy of the grace of God. When shaking his hand under the tent, oxygen tent he was under, I said, "Brother Dauch, you'll be all right. I'll see you in church again. That's thus saith the Lord." See? Here he sets in the church right here now---Brother Dauch.

16 If I'm not mistaken, the minister I was talking about a few moments ago---the Holy Spirit came in and revealed all these things, told him how it happened and told him what he done, how it happened, how it come to pass, all that's been taking place since then, even to the character of his family and all about that, and told him that it's over and the minister's setting right over here at the right hand. Would you just raise up your hand, sir? There, he and his wife. Exactly. Just now. And here sets Brother Dauch right here now.
Oh my, isn't He wonderful? Those things which was, which is, and shall come to pass. One, two, three witnesses---the things which was, what you have done; the things that's going on now; and the things that will come to pass. And every time exactly, exactly in line with the Word. That's only God can do that. Oh, aren't we most happy for these things?

17 Now, reason I was taking just a little bit extra time, Billy had to go get his wife and baby, and he said, "Daddy, don't start preaching till I get back." So I think he's back now, and I ought to have that much time anyhow. And I'm trying to get away from these four hours of strain that I put you all under here and make it thirty-five, forty minutes (you see?) and trying to keep it...
Now, I was commended one time in Chicago, I got it to a thirty minute or something, thirty-five minutes, and last Sunday night it was only forty-five minutes. Billy said, "You're really improving, Dad. I'm kind of proud of you for that."
Well, maybe this morning to make a little Sunday school type... I won't keep you too long; then you can go out and have your lunch, and pray, and come back tonight for healing services. We're going to form a prayer line tonight and pray for the sick.

18 Now, if you know any peoples around anywhere that's sick and wants to be prayed for, you bring them here tonight. See? Now, if you have to bring them any way, get them here. See? That's the main thing is bring them here tonight. We can all meet together. That way, it's hard to make calls going place after place; then you leave off somebody and there's a hard feeling. But if I can get them all in one place, then I can pray for them. Now, if the people wants to be prayed for... You say, "Will they?" Oh, certainly. They'll be prayed for. Bring them on in. Lord willing we'll be here praying for everybody, 'cause I feel that that third pull is beginning to move. You see? It's within me now. I want to pray for everybody.

19 Now, let us turn this morning to a familiar old Scripture where I kind of picked up in a hurry last night, being real sleepy and wrote out a few more Scriptures to go with it. And taking kind of complementary, that I heard some brother once use this text, and I thought... I jotted it down; I thought, "Well, I believe I'll jot that down, 'cause it might come in handy." Lot of times we do that. I noticed many of you here has a piece of paper. And a minister could be saying something, and then you'll hit that point, something will strike within you. And then if the Holy Spirit's doing that, then you'll start building from that very point right there a message for the Lord. And that's all right; I notice in meetings wherever I go, just preachers and people jotting down. That's all right. We are here---that's what we're here for, is to try to help one another along these roads.

20 And now, let's turn to Revelation the 3rd chapter at the church ages, repeating a church age. But now, we are---we... I could take this one text, and with the Holy Spirit, preach on it a hundred years and never get what's in it out, because in this one text, like all other texts of the Bible, it's all tied together. And I want to take my subject this morning about this, How Can I Overcome? Now, I chose this, because that I think that it's a time that we should never let the Spirit of revival die. We've got to keep in revival, constantly revive every day. Paul said he had to die daily that Christ could live. And we must never let that revival die within us.
Now, Revelation the 3rd chapter and beginning with the 21st verse we read this:
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I ... overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

21 Did you notice the arrangement of that? See, "Sit with me in my throne," not on my throne, in my throne. That's in His domain, see. And now, as Christ is the ruler, throne ruler at this time of the complete domain of God, so will the church be with Him, the bride be with Him in His throne in the entire domain, see. Not "on my throne," but "in my throne" (see), where His domain reaches. A throne is over a domain. And a domain reaches just as far as its boundaries does, and this is from eternity to eternity. Just think of it.

22 Now, as we study this, my purpose of this is just not to come here to fellowship with you people, which I love to do that. But if I had a chance to do that I would come to your home, and shake your hand, and talk with you, and set down, eat dinner with you, and set out under the shade tree, and talk, and fellowship awhile. But when we come here, we are here for one specific purpose. This is the house of correction. This is the throne. This is the throne of God, and judgment goes forth from the house of God. And here's where we come together, gather in love with one another as only Christians can love, but in here we are under a leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost is among us. And we're here to be---to take reckoning among us, to see where our short places are, our shortcomings, and how can we catch from where we should be over to where we ought to be now---where we are to where we ought to be. And that's what we study. Ministers study those places for their people. When they see the people, the lack, then they begin on that.

23 Now, soon I think that the church maybe should be taking just a little step higher at this time. I don't plan on doing it this morning of showing these things, but I think shortly, the Lord willing, before we preach on those trumpets, I want to bring the church just something that you should know, I believe, now.

24 And now, we're speaking on this overcoming. The word overcome, of course, you know what it means. You've got to have something to overcome. And this church age that the Holy Spirit was speaking about here at the Laodicea church age (as we have just been through it) needed a rebuking. Laodicea had to be rebuked, because of it's difference towards Christ, it's---that put Christ outside in their age; and Christ was on the outside trying to get back on the inside. That's love. After He had been put out of His own house, was trying to come back in, and said, "He that'll open the door, I'll come in to him." See?
The church itself in whole had put Him out. But now notice, His call here is not to just the church: "He that overcometh. See? Not the church, that would be she (see?) the church body, but it's he that overcometh, the individual that will overcome. Now,

25 and Laodicea had it coming to her.
Now we see then, knowing that this is the Laodicea age, and knowing that this age needs a sharp rebuke from God... It needs a sharp rebuke. And when our clergy get so soft and doty, like some aged grandfather to his grandchildren, ever what they do is perfect in their...
It's been said so much that God is such a good God until they try to make God just a big doty grandfather. You see? But He is not. He is a Father, and a Father of righteousness, of correction. And love is always corrective. See? Love corrects. No matter how bad it hurts, it still corrects. A real mother will correct her children; a real dad will correct. See, if you just get soft and doty and let it...

26 I was crossing an old log the other day down a wash or what is called a hollow. And I jumped up on this log. On the outside it looked good, looked like a big old beech log, but when I jumped on it, oh, a great chunk of it fell off; it was real rotten and doty. I said, "That's the way the Christians are becoming." They've been dead in sin and trespasses so long to become doty. They can hold no weight at all. They don't know what to overcoming means. Then I begin to think of this text then: Overcome, keep life in you. When life went out, that's what brought that log to that condition. See? And it made it worse than ever when it laid in the branch where the water was.

27 And then, there you take a Christian that's supposed to be a Christian, let the life of God go from him and experience the joy of serving Christ, and living in the church where such is going on, he rottens twice as quick (see? Right!), living right under it.
So if we are trying to follow the message of the hour, or at least this part of the message, we should live constantly in the life of Christ. See? Cause if it don't, you lay around, and know that these things that you're supposed to do and don't do it, the Bible said, "He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it's sin." And he becomes doty, rotten when you're separated from the life of God. So strive with all that's in you to stay in the life of Christ, that you'd be fruit-bearing.

28 We see this age that we're living in. It's one of the grandest ages of all ages. This Laodicea church age is the grandest of all the church ages, because it's the ending of time and the blending of eternity. And then, it's the greatest sinful age. There's more sin in this age than there's ever been. And the powers of Satan is many times harder to fight against than it was in any age. See?
Here, back there in the early ages a Christian for his profession of being a church---of belonging to Christ could be beheaded for it. He could be killed and put out of his misery, and go to meet God quickly. But now, the enemy has come in in the name of the church; and it's so deceiving. This is a great age of deception when... Christ said so, the two spirits would be so close in the last days till it would deceive the very elected if it was possible. See, see, see? Remember Christ spoke of a elected people for the last day. See? It would deceive the very elected if it were possible, so close.
The people so live---people can live a clean, holy life, not be sinful, adulterers, and drinkers, and liars, gamblers; they can live above that, and still not with it.

29 This is a---the age of life, personal life of Christ, where the chemicals of His body, what was in Him; first, under justification, the water baptism; second, under the new birth of Wesley, sanctification which cleanses; and thirdly, under the baptism of the Holy Spirit, putting that sanctified vessel into service... See? The word sanctify means---it's a compound Greek word which means "cleaned and set aside for service." Set aside for service, now the Holy spirit puts it in service. See?

30 And we'll notice when the unclean spirit's gone from a man, he walks in dry places. That's exactly what the church has done, Baptists, Methodists, those who believed in sanctification. Then, Jesus said, the unclean spirit that went out returns back to this church body and finds the house garnished, swept clean, living pure, clean lives, all right. But then if that house isn't filled, occupied, then he comes in with seven other evil demons worse than he was, and the last stage of this place is seven times worse than it was at the first place. They'd been better to stay Lutherans than it would be to receive that light and fail to follow it. So it will the Pentecostals. You know what I mean. The house is garnished.

31 As I was talking to someone the other day, said, "They're very careful, even many of the holiness groups, not to call the Holy Ghost, 'Holy Ghost,' 'cause they identify themselves with Pentecostals when they do that." They say, "Holy Spirit." See? Keep from saying Holy Ghost, because the Pentecostal, common people, just call it what the Bible says, "Holy Ghost," which "Holy Spirit" and Holy Ghost" is the same thing. But they're very careful about... They don't want to be identified with them tongues speaking people, and that's the Holy Spirit itself. See? What happened then? When the enemy that went out under sanctification, that was washed out, returned back and found the house not filled with the Holy Spirit, now the state of the church has joined with the league of churches, with the World Council of Churches; and it's a state now that connects it with Roman Catholicism and all the rest of it; and now it's seven times worse than it was when it come out of Lutheranism. That's where man takes it.

32 And then look at the Laodicea church age after it has received the Holy Ghost. And with the knowledge of, and the Spirit of God within it, and then the works of God is denied by it, and called it an evil work, then what about that? There's where Christ was put out of His own church. See, it never showed Him in the church until it come to Laodicea. And when He got to Laodicea, He'd been put out of His church, trying to get back in.
Now, see, justification never put Him in. Sanctification just cleaned the place for Him. But when the Baptism of the Holy Spirit come, it put Him in the people. And now, they've turned Him out when He begin to show Himself that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. They turned Him out, because they had denominated and the Spirit of the Lord don't agree with their denomination. You understand now? That they put Him out: "We don't want nothing to do with this telepathy; it's of the devil. It's fortune-telling, or..." See? They don't understand. Eyes and can't see, ears and can't hear. See, God only opens eyes as He will. He hardens who He hardens, He wishes to, and gives life to those who He desires to. That's what the Scripture says.

33 Now, we see these hours that we're in, this stage, and we see what it was. And the Holy Ghost is rebuking the age that put Him out. But in all that, did you notice, "To him that overcometh"? Even in that worldly, wicked church age, "Him that overcometh."
We find here that God has always had overcomers. He's had overcomers in every age. There's always, every time in every age that there's been on the earth, God has always had somebody He could put His hands on as a witness in the earth. He's never been without a witness, though sometimes just one, but somebody overcome.
Now, like the saints of old.

34 And a very fine man, a scholar, was saying after the seven seals, he said, "Brother Branham, you being a typist," typologist, rather, said, "how in the world are you going to put that church in the rapture without the tribulation period in a type?" He said... You see, if it's a type, there's got to be a... If there's an antitype, there's got to be a type for that antitype to come from. And everything I say that is true has a type. It has a type. You have a shadow. And the Bible said the old things was a shadow of the new things to come. He said, "But now, you took the Old Testament as a shadow, and now," he said, "what are you going to do with this church?"

35 This man comes from a... A great man, a great teacher that's a bosom friend of mine, very good man, and he's a lovely brother. And I'd be daresn't to say one word against the brother; I wouldn't anyhow as a Christian. I wouldn't say nothing against him. He don't agree with me on that one subject, but he's my precious brother; we eat together and oh, he's just a dandy fellow. I take his magazine, read his articles; and he writes some of mine, and so forth. And I've took a many a text out of what I've read of his articles, hear him say. He's a great man, but he just can't agree with me. I appreciate that, of his sincerity though he don't just one of these pushovers, just has to agree with everything you say. He's got his own convictions, and he stands for it. I appreciate that. And he's a good man. Oh, I am not a teacher or scholar at all, and this man's both teacher and scholar.

36 But I can't agree with him, 'cause I don't see it, but it doesn't pertain to salvation; it's pertaining to the coming of the Lord.
He sees that the church has to go through the tribulation period for purification. I say the blood of Jesus Christ purifies the church. It needs no... I believe that the church goes through the tribulation period, church organization, but the bride does not. Would you choose a woman you had to purify before you married her? Christ's bride is chosen, and she is elected, and she's God's bride, the bride of Jesus Christ.

37 And now, he said, "How you going to type that? If that bride goes forth, goes up before she goes through the tribulation period..." Said, "I got Scripture that shows you that the church is in the tribulation period." I said..." "Just read the sixth seal. That's all. She's right there under the tribulation period." But find out just before that, the bride's done gone. She's in glory at that time; she has no purification. See? "He that believeth on Me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation or the judgment, but has passed from death unto life." Christ gave the promise that we would not even stand at the judgment. So freely did He take my place until I'm absolutely free. When I'm pardoned, I'm pardoned. How can He take me out of the pawn shop and got a clear receipt of... How can He be my redeemer and take me from the pawn shop, and the broker still say I belong to him? I've got a written receipt, wrote by the blood of Jesus Christ. See?
Now, in that, here's where we come. He said, "Now, how are you going to get---separate that elected bride you talk about, now, how you going to put that under a type?"

38 I said, "Very good." I said, "Here it is. Now, in Matthew the 27th chapter and the 51st verse..." If we... Let me just read it and then we got it good. Then we find out whether it was typed or not, whether it was the elected bride. Matthew the 27th chapter and the 51st verse. All right. We read this at the crucifixion of our Lord:
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; ...

39 Now, that was the law. The law ended right there, because the veil kept the congregation from the holy articles of God. Only an anointed priest went in there, and that, once a year. You remember? Now, God with His own hand, notice, from the top to the bottom, not from the bottom to the top---it's some forty feet high---notice, not from the bottom to the top, but from the top to the bottom---showed it was done by God---rent the veil in two. Then anyone, whosoever will may come and partake of His holiness. See? All right.
... from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, ... went into the holy city, and appeared to many.

40 There's that elected, that bride; not all of the Jewish church come forth at that time. All of them made the same sacrifice. All of them was under the shed blood of the lamb, but there was an elected group. And that elected group, as soon as the event come, that really believed in it, and was sincere ...cerity. Now, I'm coming to the word overcome; now, hold that. These that had really overcome, sincerely making the same offering that the rest of them made, but in sincerity, overcome the things of the world, when the propitiation correctly was made for them---they were in paradise until that place---that time, when that time was made, they had overcome and was resting, sleeping (see?)--- many bodies of those that slept in the dust (see?) slept...

41 Now, if we had time we could go on back to Daniel. When Daniel, that elected one that had overcome... And He said "Close up the book, Daniel, for thou shall rest in thy lot. But when the Prince shall come which will stand for the people, thou shall stand in thy lot. Here it is! Daniel, this prophet of God, saw the end time coming. And He said, "Daniel, you'll stand in your lot at that day." And here he was, come forth, not all of Israel, but the bride type of Israel.
Now, the rest of Israel don't come forth until the general resurrection.

42 And now, at the coming of the Lord Jesus, those who are really loving His coming, that's living for it, when He appears in the sky, the church that's dead in Christ shall rise and those will be changed in a moment. The rest of them know nothing about it. Remember, appeared to those in the city. See, the rapture will be like that. We'll see each other, and we'll see them. The rest of the world won't see them. It will be caught away as a secret going, waiting for that time, then returning back to the earth for that glorious millennium, then the thousand years. The rest of the dead live not for a thousand years,

43 and then come forth the general resurrection where all Israel...
And also looky there, the twelve apostles, the twelve patriarchs, all represented. And we ain't never got to that yet, maybe the Lord willing we'll get to it in the testament, how that those walls of jasper and twelve stones, twelve gates, twelve foundations, all that's represented. Here they are on twelve thrones, the angel messengers of those days to pass judgment upon those who rejected their message. Amen! There comes forth that great hour.
Yeah, what a day, what a time that we're living. How that we should check up, church! Now, we talk about these things coming, that's going to come; now today let's drop back here, and see---check ourselves and see if we're right in the faith.

44 Now, let's talk of a few overcomers for a few minutes. In the days of Noah's time, which was typed by Jesus Christ of being like today. I was supposed to have ten minutes; now it'll be a half hour. I'm just getting started on the first page. I'll skip a few of them if I can and get...
Watch! In Noah's time, type of today, Jesus referred to it and said, "As it was in Noah's time, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man." In Noah's time so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man. Notice, there were all that antediluvian world, perhaps of millions of people, there was eight overcomers. Eight people overcome, that was real, genuine overcomers. There was Noah's three sons, and their wives, and Noah and his wife. Eight overcome that entered the ark at the appropriate time. How did they do it? They listened to the Word of God. They wasn't caught outside the door. They were caught inside the door.

45 Oh, my beloved friends, don't let that door shut. Jesus said, "As it was in that day so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man (thank you, Brother)--- so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man." Now, if somebody's going to get caught outside that door... Many of them might've had good intentions, that "someday, if such things happen, we'll go in with Brother Noah, 'cause he's a fine fellow." But you see, it caught just eight inside.
Now, think hard now, if you are laying around getting doty, get in, hurry, quick, 'cause the door might close at anytime.

46 And there's always been an ark in God's economy. There was a ark in the days of Noah for the saving of His people. There was an ark in the days of the law, the ark of testimony in the days of the law. They followed the ark, and there is a third dispensation now, like Noah's time, Lot's time, and now this time. There's a ark now, and that ark is not a denomination, neither is it a good works that you do; it's by one Spirit. Roman's 8:1: We are all baptized into one body in the domain of that kingdom, one spiritual baptism. No matter how good, how bad, whatever, you're in that kingdom by Holy Ghost baptism. See? That's the only way you'll overcome. It's all that is under the shed blood is overcomers, 'cause you cannot overcome yourself, it's He that overcome for you. You're resting...
"How do I know then, Brother Branham, that I'm in there?" Watch what kind of a life you're living. Just look around. See if it's just lived out of you automatically. Or do you have to strain and pull (see?), then you're doing it. But don't try to do it.

47 Just how, just like putting a little baby's arm in a sleevehole (you see?) he's just up, down, over, and everything else. See? He can't do it. "Put on your coat, Honey." He can't do it. His little arm's up, down, and around. It takes your steady hand. And oh, how glad I am that I can just yield my hand to Father, say, "Lord Jesus, I can't get in there. You help me; put the coat on me. I quit trying." Just let Him do it.

48 See, if the little baby keeps trying, "Oh, I can do it; I can do it." And he's just everywhere; He can't do it. Neither can you; neither can I. But if we just hold still and let Him do it, just yield to Him. "Here, Lord, here I am. Just let me be nothing. I yield; You put my hand in the right place." That's the victory; that's overcoming.
The thing you have to overcome is yourself, your ideas, your things, and surrender yourself to Him. He overcome for you. He knows the way; we don't.

49 But in Noah's time there was eight overcomers, and that's what went in. They were caught inside. Now look, friends, I believe they're taping this, and if it's on television or not television, pardon me, tape, whatever you do who's listening now, or who will listen hereafter, the hour is very late, and you do have good intentions, but be caught inside! Now, don't struggle. Not him that willeth or him that runneth, but God ---just let God. Just yield yourself to Him and walk on with a perfect, satisfied faith that what God has promised He's able to perform. Not joining one denomination or another denomination, and running this, that, or the other, and trying this, just yield yourself to God and walk with Him. Peaceful, quiet, not interrupted, just keep on walking with Him. That's right.
That's what I told our brother that just had the breakdown. See? "Just yield to Him. He's here, He who knowed what you have done, and what caused your being and doing this way, and all that, He knows all about you; and now He just told you back just what do to. Now," I said, "only thing you have to do is just go do it, that is, forget all about the past, walk, live for the future in the glory and presence of God.
Eight overcomers.

50 In the days of Daniel's time there was four overcomers that could stand the test of fire and lions. Now, we're expected to be tested. That's a good lesson for my brother back there also. He that cometh to God must first be tested! Tested what? With the Word. That's God's test. Do you believe it? He that cometh to God must be tested. That only shows a true child (see?)--- be tested. And when the test comes on, you can't overcome 'less there's a test give to you. And when a test is given, it's to see whether you can overcome or not. And Jesus said, "To him that overcometh." The test, the test is the greatest thing that ever happened to you. And I believe it's written in the Scripture, Peter said that our trials are worth more to us than precious gold. It's a testing time; it's... And one good evidence to us that God is with us, when we're tested, for all children of God are tested and tried.

51 And Daniel, a man, a prophet; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego ---Daniel was the prophet, and that was the size of the church in that day, I mean, the bride. There's lots of church, about two million of them went down there. But there was---that was the size of the overcomers. And them overcomers was put to the test. And every overcomer has to be put to the test! And when they said, "You take back what the Word says or either be throwed in the fiery furnace," they refused anything but the Word.

52 And when Daniel was given a test that he should take back what the Word said, that they should lean towards the temple, that Solomon prayed and He would deliver them from all things, God would hear from heaven if they'd look towards the temple and prayed. And said, "If any many prays within these amount of days---and we're Medo-Persians who cannot change or alter our laws---that man will be throwed into the lion's den."
They set a trap for him. I believe that prophet knew that. But they set a trap for him. He walked humbly. When it come time for him to pray, when he knowed at the home place in Jerusalem there was a burning sacrifice on the altar. Daniel wasn't afraid of them spies. He raised up the shades, and threw back the shutters, and knelt down on his knees, and throwed his hands up to God, and prayed. Why? Live or die, he had the victory; and therefore there's so much victory till the lions couldn't eat it. See? He overcome.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego had so much victory until the lion---till the fire couldn't burn them. You know victory's a hard thing to burn out, or eat up, or anything. See? So they had it.

53 I might mention another character. In the days of Lot---Jesus referred to it---there were only three that overcome: Lot and his two daughters. Not even his wife didn't overcome. She started out; she's a type... (Wish we had time; my thirty minutes is up right now. See?) She done all right; she left. Now, I've got to give this to you just a moment.
Many of you has left too. Many of you left these things to take your stand, after you searched it through the Scripture and find it's right. You seen the vindication of Almighty God, but not by some---what somebody said was the vindication, what the Bible said would be, and here it is doing it. He saw it was the truth. So you set out to leave Sodom, leave the denominations, leave the things that bind you to a creed, and to follow Christ by the Holy Spirit vindicating Himself by the written Word of God. In other words, you took the Bible instead of the creed. You set out to follow.

54 Well, Lot's wife did the same thing, you know. She set out to go with Lot, follow her husband, her children, her loved ones, but it wasn't in her heart. She still loved the world. So it's possible you can make a start and still be the world in you. See, she never overcome. And even though she was well on the road, it finally overthrowed her. She had to take that one big, long, last look. There's where she got caught. Don't even look back! Don't have no desires! Keep going! Put your mind on Calvary and keep moving towards Christ!
See,

55 she started out as an overcomer, but she never did overcome. Oh, she left the denomination, she did. She walked out of Sodom with Lot, but she wanted to go back and have her hair cut. You know, she had to go back. She just couldn't stand the test. She had to look back again to see what the rest of them was doing. "Oh, you know, I have some good friends down there after all. And after all, this might be just a little move, I don't know whether it could be right or not. I've only got this man's word for it. Though he's my husband, but yet (your pastor is your husband spiritually speaking. You see?) " now, whether it could be right or not. I don't know, maybe his revelation wasn't right." Then, if you're not perfectly satisfied, you're not perfectly know that it's the Word of God, then you can't go. See? You've got to be really sold out. You've got to know it, not just say, "Well, I see others doing it. I see a sign."

56 You know Israel started out... I could say the same thing and bring it in here. They started out two million strong and ended up with two men. That's right. They saw the works of God; they saw the manifestation of the Spirit; they saw great, mighty miracles being done there in Egypt and everything, and started out, but it wasn't in their heart. They didn't overcome; they just come out. And Jesus said, "And they perished in the wilderness and are eternally dead." Every one of them is dead; that means "eternal separation." Every one of them rotted in the wilderness.

57 But there was two men, Joshua and Caleb. And when it come to the showdown---the obstacles was so great till they looked like grasshoppers side of them---Joshua screamed out with Caleb and said, "We're more than able to do it!" Why? God said so. And they were overcomers. They overcome. They was the ones that was privileged out of that whole great organization of people to take the real elected bride into the promised land. Joshua and Caleb in the front lines out there as the two generals lead them right down to the river and crossed the river over into the promised land. Why? They believed the Word.
No matter what

58 Nathan raised---Dathan, rather, raised up, and so did Korah, and they tried to say, "This man's trying to make himself above all the rest of us; he's more holy than the rest of them," after God had thoroughly vindicated the man. They said, "We'll just start a group of people. We'll make this, that, or the other. And we'll make our organizations; we'll do..." And they died and perished. But those men had that Word of the Lord, and they stayed with it. And they went over. Not he that starts; he that finishes. Many start the race, but there's one finishes. There'll be many churches start, many groups of people. There'll be one group finish. That's the overcomers.

59 Lot's day. Yes, she had to have that one great, long look back. "Oh, I'm leaving So-and-so down there. Them fine times we used to have, I'll never forget it," ah, shut out, like it was in the days of Noah. She was shut out without mercy and she perished. And the lump still stands there today. They claim---I don't know---you can break a piece off of it, and it'll grow back, a salt pillar. If you ever see that picture of "Sodom and Gomorrah," you'll see the original pillar of salt that stood there.
Now, there's difference between a pillar of salt and a pillar of fire. Yeah.

60 Notice in John the Baptist's time. In John the Baptist's time there was found six that had overcome. All ages they've had overcomers. In John's time they had six; that was Joseph, and Mary, Zacharias, and Elizabeth, Simeon, and Anna, a man and a woman, a man and a woman, a man and a woman. See? Type of Christ---the church, Christ church, Christ the church, Christ the church. See?
Notice, it starts from a natural man. No, Joseph. The natural man Joseph, what was he? A carpenter. Then the priest, what was he? See? A minister in the house of the Lord, Zacharias. And from that to Simeon, a prophet, and a prophetess. See, "Justification, sanctification, Baptism of the Holy Ghost." Amen! Don't you see it? Perfectly. Six overcome. All the rest of them, they offered their sacrifice and everything, but these were elected. They overcome.

61 Notice, each church age, the same overcome when they, each---some out of each church age overcome the temptation of that age. I got the Scriptures here; I don't think we really have time to make it. But we know... Each one of the church ages. Same now, it's just like someone who is...
See, as I said at the beginning, you are born defeated. And that birth can never bring you to life, because you're born defeated. And you're in a defeated world amongst defeated people that got---amongst defeated creeds, defeated denominations. You've got to come to victory some way.

62 It's just like a lily. Whereas a lily I think is one of the most prettiest flowers that there is. I'm very fond of those great calla lilies and pond lilies. I think there's nothing hardly as pretty as a great big pond lily, call it water lily. How it's radiance, and where does it come from? It's a little seed down in the bottom of a muddy, mucky pond. And that little seed, yet all the radiance that'll ever shine in it, is in it right then when it's in that mud. But it has to strive daily, knowing that there's something... It's black; it's dirty; it's mucky; it's slimy in that slime that it's living in, yet it presses its way through the mud, the muck, and the waters, and the stagnant places until it sticks its head above in the light and expresses what's been hid in it all the time.
I think that's an overcomer that once in sin, once did things that was wrong---don't worry about it now---once did things that was wrong. Then... Now, why look back into the pond again? See, look, you have...

63 God by His predestination (see?) has brought this seed to life, and expressing itself (see?), coming to life. And now, on top of all of that, it has overcome. See, it doesn't express itself down there. It's getting up to express itself. Neither did you in your sin, and adultery, and everything that you lived in. You didn't express nothing, but there was a seed in there. And it got a chance to press itself into life, and now you're in the presence of Jesus Christ with the sunlight. It brought out what you really was in the beginning. You see what I mean? You saw the light. You believed God. You laid your heart open, and now you're a lily.

64 You remember my sermon on the lily: Rev. Lily, how he toiled. Yet does he not spin, and yet Solomon in all of his glory is not arrayed like one of these---he... Look at him. He's raised to... He takes nothing for himself. The lily don't care nothing about himself. What does he do. He throws his beauty out, his life, that others might see. His life is expressed out that others might see the glory, what's in him, that was in him in that mud. Now he's on top; that's the overcomer. He overcome the mud. He overcome the things of the world, and now he freely gives himself out. Everybody can look at him, his life, you can't put a finger on him See, he's a real overcomer. You can't say nothing about him now, you say, "He come out of the mud." But he's not in the mud now; he's on top of it. Amen! You can't pinpoint back what he was. What is he now? He's on top.
Then the bee comes by and says, "That's wonderful perfume. I believe I'll go and get my part."
He just opens up his heart, "Come on; I'm all right." Everything takes from him. See? He's a real pastor. He expresses the glory of God, and look where he come from. He had to overcome to do that.

65 One time he or she was young, and fair, beautiful. They had a lot of temptations to go through, but they overcome them. See? They overcome; now they're expressing the real beauty of Christ in their life.
Notice, expressing through the mud. Jesus gave us the example how to do it. Now, we want to know how to overcome. Jesus told us how to do it. See, humility---girded Himself, took a towel, and washed the disciple's feet, and wiped them. The very God of heaven humiliating Himself.
We don't want to be humiliated. That's the reason women don't want their hair to grow. The reason they don't want to dress like ladies should dress, like men don't want to... See, it's the same thing. They don't... They get humiliated. But Jesus constantly... Look who He was. Greatness (I'm going to say something)--- greatness humiliates itself. Grace humbles itself---greatness.

66 I've had the privilege of getting---of meeting some great men. And it's these guy's that's got a change of clothes and fifty cents in their pocket to rattle, that's the guy that thinks he's something when he's nothing. But I stood with great men, I mean, great men, with ragged sleeves, cuffs; and they make you think you're the great person. See, greatness is humility. Don't forget that, church! Greatness is expressed in humility, not how fine you can be... I don't mean dirty now; I mean humble in spirit. See? I don't mean just didn't get out and go wash and clean up. That...You should do that, you know that. See? But I'm talking about humility, genuine humility, not something that's put-on, something that is, that's real humility.

67 Jesus told us how to do it. He overcome. Mean... Overcome means "to stand the test," (that's right!) like all the old saints did, like Jesus did. In the midst of all of His enemies He stood the test. Everything He was tested against He stood it. In the very face of sickness, and Him being Messiah, He healed them. In the face of death He brought it back to life. In the face of Calvary, His own death, He defeated it by surrendering Himself. Why? By the Word. Said, "If you destroy this temple, and I'll raise up in three days." The Word said so. See? And in the presence of death He defeated it; He overcome death. In the presence of hell He defeated hell and overcome hell. Yes! In the presence of the grave He overcome the grave. Why? All by the Word and humility. Oh, my! There's the real man. There's the one to make your example. See? He defeated everything, overcome it.

68 Look. Temptation was for Him. You know that? The Bible said He was tempted in all points like we are yet without sin. He was tempted by drinking; He was tempted by women; He was tempted by everything that could be tempted by. He was tempted by everything that we are; He was a man. And yet you couldn't put a mark on Him. Yes, sir!
Overcome means "to recognize the devil at every one of his tricks." Lot of people says there is no devil; it's just a thought. Don't you believe that. There's a real devil. He's just as real as you are, anybody, a real devil. And you must recognize him real! You must know he's a devil! And then, the same time that you recognize him and know that he's a devil, and he's against you, then, to overcome you must recognize that the God in you is greater and mightier than he is, that the one that's in you has already overcome him, and it's by His grace you're more than a match for him. Amen! There's real overcoming.
When you recognize...

69 You look back and say, "I'm doing this, and I'm doing that." Then oh, oh, you're defeated. But there's no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Then you realize that you've overcome, and you know that he's a devil. You can't say, "I got a sickness and I don't believe it is a sickness." Oh, yeah, it is a sickness. You got cancer; you don't believe it is cancer; it is a cancer. It is a cancer. But remember, greater is He that's in you than he that's in the world. You must realize that the Holy Spirit that's in you has already overcome this thing. And He's in you, and you can overcome by Him. That's exactly sensible. That's exactly the way the Scripture's written. Overcoming.
I got to hurry. I done got forty-five minutes now. I'm really running overtime now.

70 Notice, overcome. The God that's in you is greater than the one that's in him. The god of the world is not as great as the God of heaven which is in you.
No more than darkness can stand in the presence of light... Now, darkness cannot stand in the presence of light... I don't care how dark it is, light will put it out. It can't stand. Glory! But you take as much darkness as you want to, and try to stand against light one time, and see what happens. That's the one that's in you is light. And the one that's in the world is darkness. So the light has proved to overcome the darkness. And a man that's in Christ and knows that he's overcome the things of the world (amen!), it has no more ties to you at all, you're free. "Walk in the light as He is in the light, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin, and we have fellowship one with another." There you are.

71 He that's in you is greater than he that's in the world. Now, if you look back, you're condemned, then you're still in the world. But if you're living above that, then He that's in you has led you above the darkness. Like the lily, he's above the darkness of the mud. He's above the darkness of the muddy waters. He's in the light, reflecting the beauty that was put in him before he left the mud. Amen!
Now, I feel like a shouting Christian. What was in there by God at the beginning, and it pressed its way through, overcome. It overcome the shell; it overcome the mud; it overcome the waters. It overcome everything and was an overcomer and reflected the beauty and glory of God.

72 That's the way every believer does. That's the way Noah did. That's the way Lot did. That's the way... Look what a mess he was in. That's the way Moses did. That's the way Joshua did. That's the way Daniel did. That's the way Shadrach, Meshach did. That's the way John the Baptist did, Zacharias, Elizabeth. That's the way that Simeon, that's the way that Anna, every one of them did. They overcome the mud that there was around them and packed into them, stuck their head above the thing, and shined forth the glory of God. That's what a real Christian does.

73 Remember, Jesus showed us how it's done. Forty days of temptation, He was tempted above any man that ever could be that was tempted, in the temptation of Jesus Christ. Now, watch. He showed us how it's done. (Now, I will close just in a few minutes.)
Look, He showed us how it's done. How did He do it? By the Word. That's how He done it, for He was the Word. And Jesus said, "If ye abide in me, and my word's in you..." you're back to the Word again, the Word of promise. What is the Word of promise to every Christian? "Greater is He that's in you than he that's in the world." Then how do I overcome? Not me, but the Word that's in me. The Word is God. Then I overcome the things of the world, because it's the Word in me. "If ye abide in Me, my Word's in you, then just ask what you will." Just keep pressing up. You're coming to the top as sure as anything. See? You got to come to the top.

74 In forty days of temptation, by God's Word He overcome. I want to stress something here just for a few minutes. Satan made three major assaults upon Him in that temptation. Watch, it's always in them three's. Don't forget these. He made three major assaults from the highest to the lowest. He tried his best to conquer Him, but He was the Word. Amen! What did He use? Himself, the Word. Satan's three major attacks, or assaults upon Him, but He met it with the Word. Every attack, he could make it with the Word (watch this now!) from the highest to the lowest.

75 The first he made his attack upon, to use his great power. Which He knowed He was the Word; He knowed His position. You believe He did? "I am the Son of man." He knowed His position. And Satan come and wanted Him to use His own power on Himself, to feed Him. He wanted Him to feed Himself; He was hungry. A man gets hungry, he can do almost anything. He'll steal, rob, beg, borrow, anything. See, He had that appetite. And Satan used his first great major assault upon Him to take His power that He had been given to overcome with and use it on Himself. He didn't use it on Himself. No, He used it on others. That's right. He used it on others, not Himself; it wasn't for Him. Though He could've done it, He certainly could've done it.

76 But see how the devil gets? The devil wants you to mind him. He minded only what the Father said do. That's right. He said... Why, Satan said, "It's written he'll give the angels charge to..."
He said, "Yes, but it's also written." There you are. See, He knew who He was. Satan did... The thought runs deeper than what is wrote. See, it's inspiration. The kernel is on the inside of it (you see?), what it really is.
Though He could've done it, He didn't do it. But He never paid heed to Satan's proposition. Now, here's a good thing. See, sometimes Satan can take you, and when you think that you're doing the will of God, and can make you a proposition, you'll fall for it. Yes, sir! He sure can.

77 Now, let's just take for instance like our sisters. They're pretty, and he can get you to a place that you let your hair grow out and you didn't realize it looked so nice on you, and the first thing you know you get kind of feeling a little stuck-up, a little above something else. Some of you men, you know what I mean. See, and he can take that same thing and proposition it with you. That's right. See? You got to overcome that. Just remember, you're living for God. You have one objective, and that's Jesus Christ. Outside of that, there's nothing else counts, that's Him. Then secondly, for your family; then thirdly, for yourself; but first, for God, next, for your family, next, for you. You're number three that's the end of the road. Put yourself last; He did.

78 Look what He could've done. Said, "I could call my Father, speak to Him, and straightway He'd send Me twelve legions of angels, when one of them could destroy the world." Said, "If my kingdom was of this world then my subjects could fight, but my kingdom is of above." There you are. See, He could've done that, but He didn't. Though He could've done it, He never listened to Satan's proposition.
Now, have you heard people say, "If you believe there's a divine healer... If you're a divine healer... Go get your divine healer; I got a man over here sick; I'd like to see him heal him." See that same devil? He's trying to proposition with you. He's trying to make you listen to him instead of God. But a real, true servant of God will listen and see what Father says first.

79 Like the little Stadsklev baby, when they sent over here to... Mrs. Stadsklev said, "Brother Branham, I called from Germany." There was an American army, with one of their jet planes setting out here at the field, would fly me to Germany and back in a day. He was a chaplain. And the baby was laying dead. And that little mother screaming, she said, "Listen!" Said, "I know; I stood right there and seen that woman hold that dead baby in her arms that died that morning. And I seen Brother Branham walk right out there and lay hands on that dead baby, and it come to life." Said, "This is my baby, Brother Branham." Never been a death in their family. See? And this little thing took sick one morning and died that afternoon.
Here was all of them standing around and giving prophecies and things, "The baby was going to raise up!" and all like that.
I said, "Well that's mighty nice, Sister Stadsklev, but let me see what Father says." And I went out to the woods, and I prayed. Come back in, she had done called two or three times 'fore I got back the next morning. Nothing.
The doctor said, "All right," said, "if that's... If you have faith like that, lady, we'll never let the baby leave the hospital. Let it lay right here. You stay right here with it. That's all right."
Brother Stadsklev went and seen the army and major, and they said, "Sure, we'll fly him over and bring him back."

80 And there was a plane setting waiting to take me over that morning and bring me back that night to Germany, to Heidelberg, Germany, for the resurrection of this baby. I said, "Sure God can do it, but let's see what His will is."
Then I went out and prayed all night; nothing happened. Come back the next morning; nothing happened. And I started into the room. Just then I looked there, and there stood that light hanging near the door, said, "Don't put your hand on that. Don't rebuke that. That's the hand of God."
I got her on the phone; I said, "Sister Stadsklev, bury your baby. It's the hand of the Lord. It's God's will. Something would happen to that baby down along the line. You let it go right where God knows where it's at. You can't go to it now. If it lives, you won't. You leave it right like that."
That great Lutheran preacher in Germany wrote a letter and said, "How I can appreciate what Brother Branham, waiting for that clear-cut decision of God before he said anything." That's it! Hold to God's decision! No matter what others say, or whatever it is, don't proposition with Satan at all.

81 If Satan says, "Now, water baptism in the name of the Father, Son..." If that---if he propositions, you leave it alone. God said otherwise. If he said, "You're a good man, you don't have to be... You're a good woman, you don't have to do..." Don't you proposition. If the Word says something different, you stay with the Word, regardless of what it is. That's the example Jesus give you, and there's that major assault (you see?) that he made on Him.

82 Then, the second assault. I'll hurry. (It just looks like the time just goes so fast.) The next great assault was that he made upon Him, that He would be a show-off. And how that does hit God's servants, to be a show-off, to show what you can do. "Glory to God. Hallelujah, I'm a deliverer. I'm something." See?
"Come up here on top of the temple and set down here." He tempted Him to do it. Now remember, He was tempted to do it. It was hard. Said, "Now, if you want to be something before the people, stand up here on this temple and jump off." See? "I'll give you the Scripture for it, because it's written, 'He'd give the angels charge over thee lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone; they'd bear thee up.'" To make Him a show off, to show His authority.
No true servant of God ever does that. You see a man showing off, his chest out, and all like that, just remember, there's something wrong there. No, God don't want that. Jesus set the example. He could've done it. He certainly could've done it, but He didn't do it. No servant of God is a show-off of himself, to try to take God's power and show himself above somebody else.

83 You remember when Moses did that? You remember it? God give him power to do whatever he wanted to, made him a prophet. He walked down to that rock, and he smote the rock the second time. That was against God's will. God said, "Speak to that rock! Don't smite it again! You break all the type here. The rock's only going to be smitten once." But he spoke of the weakness of the Word when he did that, that wasn't sufficient. Yeah, the Word was what was going on; that rock was the Word. See?
He, first time he smote the rock, and the waters come forth. And then they got thirsty again, He said, "Now, go back and speak to the rock." It was only smitten once. See, the insufficiency of the Word, Moses testified to it, the Word wasn't right. It had to be smitten again.
So Moses went down there and smote the rock like that; he said, "Come forth!" It didn't come forth, so he smote it again, and said, "Come forth! I command you to come forth." And the waters come.
God said, "Come up here. Come here. You glorified yourself. You took my power; instead of sanctifying Me, you sanctified yourself. Now, you're not going over in the land. Look over and see what it looked like, but here, you're going to leave right here." Oh, my! There never has been one like Moses, you know. Oh, no!

84 When he come to that show-off with Jesus, he said, "Get up on the temple here and jump off."
He said, "It's written (amen!); ' Don't tempt the Lord, thy God.'" See? He met him with the Word in every major assault.
No true servant ever tries to show himself off with God's power. If he does he loses right then.

85 Third great assault: Satan offered to forfeit this kingdom to Him. He did. Satan said, "See these kingdoms of the world? These are mine. I do with them whatever I want to. I'll forfeit them to you." But you remember, he was trying to get Him to forfeit it without the cross. If He did we'd be lost. He could've got the kingdom, but He must follow the... He must come back. He was tempted to do it now. That's a hard thing. He was tempted to take His liberty and be the king of the earth without the cross. But if He did, His subjects would've died. Satan would've gladly made that proposition with Him. But He said, "Get behind Me, Satan."
He didn't do it.

86 He come, and suffered, and took the hard rugged route. He took the route of persecution; He took the route of death. Are we this morning willing to do---take that same route that he taken? Are we willing to die? Are we willing to give ourselves up to God, forfeit all the world and the things to serve for Him? See?
Now, He failed to do it. Willingly to forfeit it, Satan was to Him, but He didn't do it. Though Jesus was tempted, He overcome for us. He endured all temptations for me and for you. See, He could've took it right then. But what did He take the other route for? So that we could come be with Him. And if He paid such a price as that, then how little would we be not to take it, when remember, there's nothing here anyhow.

87 If you live a hundred years, what are you going to come to? Mental, and your mind gone, and all crippled up, and old, and shaky. That's where you're going. And that's the end of it. You come now. Overcome the thing. How do you do it? By the Word. What the Word says, you do it. Walk humble; live before Jesus.
He endured all things for you and I. He is our example how to overcome our evil generation as He overcome His evil generation.
Remember, when He come to the earth there was just as much unbelief or more than there is at any time. It didn't bother Him a bit. When they called Him a devil instead of God, when they called Him everything that could be done, it didn't bother Him a bit. He had one objective: mind the Father; keep the Word. The Word is God. He had one mind.

88 We're sometimes tempted to go back. Many of you, tempted to go back to the denominations, go back and take up, 'cause all the world's saying, "What denomination you belong to? What church are you affiliated with?" We're tempted to do that. All of us are. Our sisters are tempted to go back, go back and join up with some of the rest of the churches, with some of the Assemblies, or Churches of God, or some of them, still be Pentecostal and let your hair cut off and dress just about any way you want to. See, you're tempted to do that, go back and be popular with this wicked generation that we're living with, when this is a major sin of our day, the major sin among our people, worldliness. As the Bible said the Laodicea age was, she's worldly, rich, have need of nothing, and don't know that she's naked, miserable, wretched, blind! That's the sin of our day. When you hear the Word of God call out against it, and then you take the other route, you're unpopular with the world.
You're tempted to go back.

89 I know you keep saying to me. I know you're saying all the time ... I know you get tired of me harping on these things. I get tired seeing you do it too. This sin that I'm trying to tell you about... Say, "What are you harping on it for?" Stop doing it then! Trying to save your life by the Word. I get tired also. So just straighten up. This is a sin, shouldn't be done. Yes, sir!
If we are to overcome these things, we're expected to be tempted by them, the world. "If you love the world, the things of the world, the love of God's not in you," said Jesus.

90 Now, we'll just close in saying this: There's a reward for the overcomer.
Let me read something here to you. Turn in your Bibles. Let's go back to Revelation the 3rd---the 2nd chapter. Watch here now. All these things I been talking about to overcome... Now, just look at yourself and see; examine yourself in the spiritual looking glass. See if you've overcome.

91 Now, the first message to the angel of Ephesus, I want you to listen to what He said in Revelation the 2nd chapter, the 7th verse. This is to that church age, when He told them all what they'd done, left their first love. Seventh verse:
He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him ... [The person, not the church]. To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. [See, the overcomers in Ephesus.]
Now, the next was Smyrna. Now, to overcomers in that, we listen to this. Now, at the 11th verse:
To He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. [See, the overcomer.]
To Pergamos, we'll find out what the overcomer had left for him in this. We'll read the 17th verse, to the Pergamos church.
He that has an ear [That's the individual, not the whole group, the individual. That's the bride coming out, you see, of the church.] let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receives it. [That's to the overcomer of the church age.]

92 Now, the next is the Thyatira. Let's find out what the overcomer had in that day. Let's take the 26 verse.
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give the power over the nations: [That's right.]
And ... shall rule them with a rod of iron; and as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken into shivers: even as I received of my Father.
See, with Him in His throne. Christ is to rule the nations with a rod of iron, and here is the church that overcome setting in there with Him to break the nations with a rod of iron.
Now, let's take then to the Sardis church. Now, the 5th verse of the 3rd chapter:
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and ... the holy angels. [That's to the overcomer in Sardis.]

93 Now, let's take now the 12th verse. Now, this is to the church of Philadelphia, in the 12th verse.
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him my name---the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from ... God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Watch what the overcomer's promised. See? Now, now Laodicea, that's the last church age; there's going to be some overcomers in that. Watch there! They... Remember each church age, the one preceding it, inherits all that the other ones was offered. Watch up here. Now, here's after they done received all these powers and these new names and everything written that He promised, to eat the hidden manna and all down through. Watch this last church age, Revelation 3:21:
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, [Amen!] even as I also overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
There's a reward for overcomers. Press on, lily! If it's in you, lay aside the mud and everything else, and press towards the top. Yes, sir! "To sit with me on my throne."

94 You know, one time the mother of James and John---we won't have time to read it---the mother of James and John came and asked for this place. Do you know that? You remember that? "Lord, let my son sit on one side, and my other son sit on the other." There's a mother's desire for her sons. But watch? But that place, Jesus said, was predestinated. This position was not in existence at that time. Why? Notice, it will be granted to them who it is meant for. Watch! The one that set at the right hand and the other closest to Him was yet an overcomer. See, it was still... He said, "I don't grant this... I can't grant this, but it will be given after the trial comes." Amen! See? "I can't give this, but after the trial comes they'll set on the right hand and on the left." There's a predestinated seed waiting out yonder for that. It will be given to the ones that it is promised to. It'll be given there, but the test hasn't come yet. He hasn't overcome yet.
See,

95 the person that was to take this place on one side, and the other one to take it on the other side next to Him in the kingdom, it wasn't yet given. See? It hadn't been overcome. The test hadn't fell yet. It will fall in the future. If we suffer for Christ and His Word, we will reign with Him; for He is the Word. Remember, if we suffer for Him and His Word, we'll reign with Him in His Word.
Notice, He, our example, overcome and then ascended up after He conquered death, hell, sickness, grave, everything He conquered, then He ascended up, and led captivity captive, give gifts unto men. That was the Old Testament with the Old Testament saints that had overcome. They looked for such a person, and they died before it got there. But when this person come, it didn't prevent them which were asleep. Amen! Can't lose any way. Live or die, what difference does it make? Won't prevent. See, they looked for that...

96 Even Job back there, he looked for it. He said, "I know my redeemer liveth, and at the last days He'll stand upon the earth." There was a just man, a perfect man. He offered sacrifice; he done everything that God told him to do. He did it with reverence and respect to the prophets. And then Satan come around to tempt him, just like he comes to tempt you. What did he do? He kept standing there.
His wife even come out and said, "Why don't you curse God and die the death. You look so miserable setting there..."
He said, "Thou speakest like a foolish woman." Now, he never said she was foolish, but she talked like one. See? Said, "Thou speakest like a foolish woman." Said, "The Lord gave, and the Lord taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." He overcome.

97 He overcome what the neighbors had to say. He overcome what all the church members, Bildad, and all them had to say. He overcome the bishop and what he had to say. He overcome the cardinal and what he had to say. He overcome the denomination and what they had to say. And he stayed with the justification of the Word. Amen! Yet it cost him everything he had, even his children. He scraped the boils with a piece of crock setting on ashes, yet he overcome. And when that great hour of temptation had finally succeeded, then the clouds rolled back.

98 He looked at every reasonable thing. He said, "There's a hope in the tree if it dies, it lives again. And a seed falls in the ground; it rots away; it lives again. But a man layeth down; he giveth up the ghost; he wasteth away, and his children come, his sons, to honor and to mourn over him; he perceives it not. He don't raise no more. Oh, there it is. What's the matter? I'm a seed too. I'm something that as a seed, and I'll go to the ground. I can't rise no more; I'll lay there. Oh, hide me in the grave, keep me in the secret place till thy wrath be passed. Appoint me a time and judge me. As the rocks wear away, water wears away the stone..." Oh, he went on saying all these things. He could see all the examples out there, what it was. Oh, he just couldn't see it.

99 Sister Rodgers, remember, when I preached that at Busty's funeral? See, how that he'd wear away the stone and how these things.
"Oh that thou wilt, hide me in the grave. Keep me in the secret place." He kept on pressing. He said, "I wished I knowed; I wished I knowed where I could go to a man that could put his hands on me, a sinful man, and a holy God, and talk to Him for me." Oh, my! "He's there. I know He's there. There's someone there that can do that. There's someone somewhere. Where can I find that person? Where can I find Him? I'll knock on His door and talk to Him. If somebody can only put his hand on me and on God and bridge the way for me." Talk... "If I could only find that person. Oh, where is He at?"

100 He searched through his church; he searched through his organization; he couldn't find such a person. And all at once the clouds rolled back, and he saw that person coming. Oh, his old heart beat for joy. Then something happened. "I know my redeemer liveth."
There is such a person. Amen! There's still such a person! "I know my redeemer liveth. And though after the skin worms destroys this body, yet in my flesh I'll see God, whom I shall see for myself. He'll stand on the earth in the last days."

101 On that Easter morning when He arose out yonder, and Job's body no more than a spoonful of ashes, he was waiting; he was that elected group. He rose from the grave and entered into the city with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job. Oh my! Glory! Amen! For they looked for such a person...
And to those who look for Christ the second time, that can overcome the things of this world by His grace, to come into Him and shut your eyes to anything else but Him and His Word, He will appear the second time in glory. "When the trumpet of God shall sound, the dead in Christ shall rise, those which are alive and remain shall be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye and be caught up together to meet Him in the air."

102 Whether I'm a spoonful of ashes or whether I'm living when He comes, it matters me no difference. Amen! Doesn't matter, because I've caught the vision. The veil rolled back, and I see Him, one that could stand and put His hand upon me, a sinful man, and upon a holy God; and He's my propitiation. He is the Word that I stand for. In the beginning was the Word; He's that Word, and He represents me there. Amen! And I'll scream as long as I have breath. He is my resurrection and my life. Even all other grounds are sinking sand, all other grounds are sinking sand.

103 As He caught them who looked for that, so will He come to each New Testament saint that's overcome every denominational critic, who's ever overcome all the popular sins of this day, of this age that we live in now, like He did in all the other church ages. Those who overcome in that church age, those who overcome what? "I am rich. I have need of nothing. I have... Oh, I'm all this, and all this, and I'm the bride. I'm this; I have need of nothing," and don't know that you are naked, blind.
See that deceiving age that I said? It's not like them that had their heads cut off back yonder to get the white stone, not those who died under martyrdoms and burnt by the stakes and things like that, who won the crown, but it's this deceiving age now, that think that they're everything, "Well, I'm a church member. I'm a good man. I'm a good woman. I do this; I don't have to do that."

104 But he that overcometh!
He that overcomes all those worldly things of this age, what will they do? All will set with Him in His throne, will go in the rapture when He comes. Oh, my! What do I care then, what should we care what the world says? What should we care what anybody else says? The great Holy Spirit is among us. His pillar of fire leads us and guides us. His Word's vindicated before us. His love is in our heart. The world is in the back. We've passed from death unto life. The world thinks you're crazy, but:
Must Jesus bear this cross alone,
And all the world go free?
There's a cross for every one,
And there's a cross for me.
Thirty-three years in the field, and,
This consecrated cross I'll bear
Till death shall set me free, ...
Let my brothers turn me down and say whatever they want to, what, turn me down, but on this Word I stand and this alone.
This consecrated cross I'll bear
Until death shall set me free,
And then go home in the rapture
a crown to wear, .....
That's what we all want, isn't it? That's what we want. That's our ---that's our hope and plea. No other thoughts have we, but that one upon Jesus Christ. And upon His righteousness we stand alone, in His righteousness in His Word, "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." And the Word is still vindicating itself.

105 Overcome how? By taking the Word, the promise, in humility, humbly walking,
This consecrated cross I'll bear
Until death shall set me free,
Then go home a crown to wear, ...
For when the trumpet sounds, you can bury me in the sea, but the trumpet will wake me. I'm going home one day. Amen! Until then I'll struggle on (amen!) bearing His cross, keeping my eyes not on people, but upon Calvary yonder; for He was my example; He showed how to do it. And His example we'll gladly follow day by day.
I'm following Jesus each step of the way,
I'm following Jesus each step of the way...

106 Don't you like that? Oh, how I think: Follow Him day by day each step of the way. Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, hour and fifteen minutes now, standing here trying to take your Word and explain to the people how to overcome. You told us how it's done. You didn't only tell us, but You showed how it was done. You led us. You showed us how to do it: receive the Word inside of us and be sure to hold to that Word, "It is written," in every temptation, but be humble, walk humbly. Then we have conquered through You, through your power, which has already conquered our enemy. And the only thing we have to do is just walk humble with faith believing that and our badge of identification of the Holy Ghost, and Satan has to move.
There's handkerchiefs laying here, they represent sick people. They're needy, Lord. And they read in this infallible Word where they took from the body of St. Paul handkerchiefs and aprons. They were laid upon the sick people; evil spirits went out of them, and great miracles were done. Now, You're the same Lord Jesus today.

107 Paul preached this Word and wrote this Word, the same Word that we're trying to follow, because he took the Old Testament, and patterned it, and showed that it was a type, that all of the Old Testament was a perfect type of the New. O Lord, may we follow that example.
We see our Lord, what He did, and we realize that those Old Testament saints, this morning, we find out that they did go. When Jesus raised, they went with Him. And Lord, we believe that we'll go when He sounds the trumpet. We believe it, that the bride will go forth at that day, and will join with the Hebrew group of it, and together there'll be a wedding supper in glory. Those are waiting. We pray now your mercy and grace upon us.
Overcomers, Lord, overcomers we long to be, overcomers. Lord Jesus, You overcome the world. Now, I pray that You'll let every person here this morning lay every sin aside, lay aside the weight that does so easily beset us, that we might run with patience the race that's set before us.
Paul spoke to us, our heavenly Father, over there in the book of the Hebrews, that we should lay aside every weight, in that 12th chapter, that he spoke this after he'd already showed by example back there, those who did go on, those who did not go on, those who lukewarmly followed, those who followed up in the front, those who lingered behind, all, he showed the examples. Then he turned and said, "Let us lay aside every weight, every little teeny thing that besets us, that we might run with patience the race that's set before us, looking to Him, the author and the finisher of our faith, who gave us the example." We do that this morning, Father.

108 Now, with our heads bowed, now check real close, real real close, and then be real deeply sincere. It just---it just takes... That's all it takes, your check and your sincerity. Be real prayerful as you're checking now. "Search me, Lord; try me. Is there an evil in me? If there is, Lord, let me lay it down right here now. This place where I'm bowed is your altar. And I lay it down, right here now. Put my feet upon it, when I walk away. It's going to lay there. The power of your blood will consume it. I want to be an overcomer. I have something that's bothering me, Lord. I want to overcome this morning. I can by You; I've been told that by your Word. I lay it down now, Lord, and I lay my feet on it as I pass by this building this morning, go to know that it's put in the tub of God's bleach. It'll never be remembered no more. I will now confess it and ask for mercy."
With our heads bowed, our eyes closed, our hearts thinking; that's the door to the soul. Is there something that you want to lay aside this morning, something that you want to overcome, and you've tried so hard, but this morning you're just going to quit trying, you're just going to accept what He did? I want you to just raise your hand. Say, "Lord, I want to overcome. A certain thing bothers me."

109 Lord Jesus, You see those hands. Now, as your servant standing between the living and dead, I condemn everything that's bothering these people and myself, and I ask that in the name of Jesus Christ we can leave it laying here on the altar of God and walk away this morning free as overcomers.
If our sisters hasn't had the grace before, may it be granted now, Lord. If our brothers hasn't had the grace, may it be granted now. And may in humility... Mother with her children, instead of being arrogant, she knows she's setting... She's a preacher to them little children; her life is an example. Dad is an example to mother, for he is the head of the house. And mother's been trying to boss him around; she'll never do it no more. If he's been using her for a floor mat, it'll never be done no more; she's a helpmate. Grant it, Lord. May all these things that hinders Lord, be taken away.

110 We are consecrating ourself, Father, for the---what time of life we have ahead of us, knowing this, that we've got to come to the end of it, and that right away. So this morning we take this opportunity after this message, we take the opportunity, Lord, to come, because we are bidden to come: "Cast your cares upon Him, for He careth for You." I know You care, Lord. You cared enough to die for us. And we surely can care enough to come and accept what You died for.
Sanctify us, Lord. Fill us anew with the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Ghost just reign in our hearts supremely that we'll walk, forgetting the things that are in the past, the muck and mire that we once lived in, we'll press towards the mark of the high calling, where our light can so shine in sweetness and humility, till every passerby can say, "There's a Christian lives there on that hill. That person, that woman, that man is a real consecrated flower of God. They're so sweet and so kind, always loving, and sweet, and understanding." Grant it Father. Let us be salty, that the earth might thirst. Grant it, Father, and overcome the things of this world and the cares of this life. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
I can hear (Let's just raise our hands.)
Saviour calling,
Calling what? "Come up out of the mud." A higher life, something's in you pulling you that way. What is it? It's Him. Down in the mud, little flowers, you've got life in there pressing to you.
I can hear my Saviour calling, (That's what
calls you. Come up out of the mud!)
............ follow, follow Me.

111 Now, do you mean it? Now, close your eyes.
Where He leads me I will follow, (Now,
surrender yourself; mean that now.)
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way.
Where He leads me I (Just sweetly now.
Remember, lay yourself there.)
Where He leads me ("I lay it here, Lord.
I'm going to follow You from now on.
I accept it; I believe it.")
Where He leads (Remember, your life will
testify louder than your mouth. What
you live will prove to people more than
what you say.) ... go with Him, with Him,
(Where?) all the way.
Just consecrate yourself, deeply, sincerely, all your heart. What if this was the last time you'd ever be permitted to pray? It might be! I hope not. It may be. And be sure now, real sure, real sure. Remember, the door will close one day; it's all over. "Ask, you shall receive it."
Just think of all the glories that He's offered to you, everything that He's done. "I believe, Lord, I believe. I believe that You're my overcomer. I just walk with You, Lord. I want to stay close to You, that where You are, there I want to be."

112 And remember, You told us, Father, that we would forever be with the Lord when we'd be caught up. We just got a glimpse of Him now, as He walks with us now, but then we'll..." What a great thing it is just to know that He's in our midst. What will it be when we'll be with Him forever? We so love all of our activities. We can go out riding. We can go shopping. We can go hunting, fishing, or whatever we might do in pleasures, but oh, when the church opens, we want to meet our Lord. That's greatest of all things, them things you promised us: "And forever be with the Lord, set with Him in His throne, and be with Him forever." O, God, we humbly with bowed heads, we accept it, Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ.

113 Do you feel you can just leave, now, everything, every burden, you can just walk over above it now. If you do raise up your hand, say, "By God's grace I lay this trial down. I won't fight it any more. I'm just going to take hold of His hand, start walking on. I've fought, Brother Branham; I tried to quit smoking. I've tried to let my hair grow out. I've tried to do this. I've done... I've tried so hard, Brother Branham, I just can't do it." Don't try it anymore. Just take hold of His hand. Say, "Father, You put my hand in the sleeve." See. "I'm just going to give You my hand; I'm going to walk on, Lord, looking to You." It'll happen. He'll press you like a real Christian. You'll be a real Christian.
Until I see you tonight, God love you and be with you. You're my children of the gospel. You're the purchase. Now, I give you your pastor back. Brother Neville.