How Do We Know When God Speaks?
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1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
2nd Scripture:
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Introduction
Introduction
Peter is speaking of when Jesus took him, James and John to the mountain, he sees Moses and Elijah with Jesus and says “lets build three tabernacles”
5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Hear Ye Him
I don’t want His law. It puts me in jail. I don’t want His justice. It condemns me. I want mercy. God knows we all need mercy. I want His mercy. What did Jesus represent? His mercy, His love.
If you’re without love, hear ye Him. If the barrel’s empty at home, hear ye Him. If the cruse has run dry, hear ye Him. If you’ve got a broken heart, hear ye Him. If you need joy in your soul, hear ye Him. If you need forgiveness of your sins, hear ye Him. If you need healing for your body, hear ye Him.
He represents all that God was. The Fulness of the Godhead bodily dwelled in Him. Hear ye Him. Justice, mercy met and paid the debt. God said, “This is My beloved Son; hear ye Him.”
Methodist, your church is all right, but hear ye Him. Pentecost, your church is all right, hear ye Him. You’re shouting, wonderful, but hear ye Him. There’s speaking in tongues, wonderful, but hear ye Him. Your denomination? Wonderful, but hear ye Him.
You can have all those things and still turn a deaf ear to Him: Hear ye Him. 58-0324 - "Hear Ye Him"
If someone came to you today and said “God told me to do…” or “God wants you to do…”, how would you know that it was God speaking?
Growing up under uncertainty.
(Examples: Pillar of fire and predestination)
Uncertainty breeds inaction.
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
There never was a time that things was so uncertain as today. And anything that’s uncertain cannot be trusted. Just remember that. Anything that’s uncertain cannot be trusted. If there’s a question, don’t do it at all. 62-0714 - "The Uncertain Sound"
Is this the Sign of the End, Sir?
And, now, I do not believe that there’s anything that He has spoken, all these years of my life, that I have spoke to the people, but what come to pass.
And many people has come with dreams, that He’s let me, by His grace, interpret for the people. And many has come with dreams and with problems that I was unable to interpret.
But I haven’t tried to introduce to you people a gimmick that has all the answers. I’ve tried to be honest and to tell you what was Truth, and I could only tell you as He told me. And then as it come to me, then I could tell you.
And I want to warn you. In this day that we’re living in, there’s many…Not saying anything against people. But when you see a person that’s got the answer to everything, that’s contrary to the Word.
(Many lepers, many widows)
And we find out that there’s many things that God does, and that He doesn’t reveal to His servants. And no servant is greater than his Lord.
And, then, God will not share His glory with nobody. He is God. And when a servant becomes a place that he tries to take the place of God, then God takes his life and moves him away somewhere, or something. We must remember that.
Now, in those visions and interpretations, I cannot tell the interpretation of a dream until I see exactly, by vision, what the dream was.
(He told them what they left out of the dream)
But all these impressions, we mustn’t take them and say, “THUS SAITH THE LORD.” We mustn’t do that. We must have a direct voice, an answer from God, before we can say it’s God.
Not an impression, not a sensation, no matter how much it’s pulsating. You might say, “I believe it could be this way.” But when you speak, “THUS SAITH THE LORD,” it’s not you.
Watch on the platform. Have you ever seen it fail? THUS SAITH THE LORD is perfect, never has failed. And as long as it is THUS SAITH THE LORD, it can’t fail.
But, so far, He’s protected me, ’cause I’ve waited on Him. I haven’t tried to seek popularity, or vain glory of men. I’ve tried my best to live humble, and live the kind of a life that I think a Christian should live.
And I haven’t been able to do that within myself, but He has done it until this day. As I say, that He is the One that’s led me. 62-1230E - "Is This The Sign Of The End, Sir?"
How do you know when God speaks?
1. Does it come to pass?
1. Does it come to pass?
God told Moses that He would raise up a prophet like him. In other words, He would come in the form of Son of Man.
21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
I am seeking the Lord now, to find out a real straight Message from God. See? And I, by God’s help, I just aim to hold on till He comes, that’s till He makes some statement to me.
There is something that’s fixing to happen around here, and I want to know what it is. I want to know directly from God, so that I can say it’s THUS SAITH THE LORD. See? And then you can, you, the people, then will know that it isn’t me. So, I want to try to make it so, that, or, hear from Him first.
Cause, if He puts His Words in a person, well, then it’s not the person anymore; it’s Him. Then if the man is saying it, in himself, then it won’t amount to anything anyhow. But if He’s, the Word of the Lord, is in the man, It’ll come forth, and then it’ll be just exactly right.
(Quotes the scripture we read in Deuteronomy)
That’s how God has. He’s got His regular program laid out here in the Bible. We know how to read that out. But there’s certain things, that to the Church and to the time and things, that He hasn’t got written here in the Bible, so He puts His Voice into a person and they speak It forward, see, speak It forth.
So, then, the way to judge that person is find out whether it happens the way they say it. Then, if it does, then keeps happening that way, well, then we know that comes from the Lord. Then we have confidence, then, to make ready for the things that’s coming. 61-1112 - "A True Sign That's Overlooked"
2. Will it stand the Word test?
2. Will it stand the Word test?
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
The Word only comes to the prophet, and a prophet’s credentials is that he stays with the Word.
Then Its believers watch for the fulfillment of what their prophet said, and that’s identification that they are God’s prophets. Because, first, they’re inspired. Next, they stay exactly with the Word of the hour. Then that’s his credentials. 65-0801E - "Events Made Clear By Prophecy"
If it isn’t in Bible order it can’t be received as God speaking, because you don’t know if it’s God or not. If it isn’t in order it’s not with the Word.
One of the ways God speak is by gifts. Because gifts are speaking something not written in the Word, they have to be judged. How do you give a gift the Word test? Check and see if it comes in the order of the Word. If it won’t come in order, it wasn’t the Lord.
29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
We don’t have to wonder how Paul would apply that in a church like ours, a Word prophet showed us how to apply it.
This also applies to tongues, because tongues interpreted is prophecy.
Now watch what Paul said, “If one speaks with tongues and the other one interpret, and whatever he said, let it be judged first before church can receive it.” 53-0609A - "Demonology, Religious Realm"
In First Corinthians 14:29 we find out that any gift in the church has got to be judged first. See? You have to watch, ’cause evil spirits slip in. Because remember, the rain falls on the just and the unjust. The same rain that was sent to ripen the wheat also ripens the weed, the same water.
God has a law. Now, on this, in this law of the Spirit of Life you have to watch, because Satan slips in.
And Paul, when something was revealed to somebody, it had to have at least two or three judges before it could be told before the church. 64-0823E - "Questions And Answers #2"
If it isn’t judged by two or three with a gift of wisdom or discernment of spirits, it isn’t right with the Word and you shouldn’t receive it as Thus Saith the Lord.
The only gift that isn’t judged is a seer, a prophet who the Word comes to, and the one we were promised has already come. All others are impersonators.
3. Is it specific?
3. Is it specific?
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Now, I believe in speaking in tongues. I believe in interpretation, but it must be something directly to the church, not, “The Lord is coming soon,” or something—which is all right. But, “Don’t use vain repetitions,” Jesus said, “as heathens do.” 64-0823E - "Questions And Answers #2"
Now, but, you see, many times in our churches, we permit people just to raise up even when you’re preaching, and speak in tongues, and making an altar call, somebody speak in tongues, and somebody to, and give interpretations.
Merely, one of them, I believe, I believe the person is genuinely speaking in tongues. But I believe the other is, more or less, prophesying, ’cause, some will speak in tongues, maybe for five minutes, and the other one give four words of interpretation. See? It has to be at the same sound, the same raise and fall of voice.
And then, again, if they say it, and it doesn’t come to pass, then get that evil spirit away from you. You don’t want that. In my tabernacle, when one speaks like that, he better have it. It’s wrote down. If it doesn’t come to pass, they get that evil spirit out of them.
(We have confirmed they actually did this in the Tabernacle)
It’s got to be exact, not some repeating. Jesus said, “Don’t use vain repetitions as heathens do.” It’s got to be something directly to somebody, or to help the church, or to help the cause.
That’s wrote right down. And the people who speak with tongues, and them great gifts to help the body of Christ, they meet hours before we ever get there, and the Holy Spirit works through them.
Then it’s put on the desk, and we tell out what they’ve said, here. And if doesn’t happen right as it said it did happen, then they cannot do that no more till that evil spirit is out of them. 63-0608 - "Conferences"
Non-specific prophecy is dangerous because it could be interpreted by different people in different ways.
It needs to be a specific prophecy to a specific person.
(Two girls both thought they had to marry a preacher)
4. Does it glorify God or the person speaking?
What is the purpose of the prophecy? To build a church? To promote a ministry?
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
We must consider what the thing you are saying in the name of the Lord might do to the person who hears it.
Think before you tell someone to do something in the name of the Lord.
There are many things Jesus couldn’t tell His disciples.
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Bro. Branham waited until the Lord told Him to say it.
And I see things that’s coming up, and you can’t tell the people. You see different things, and you are forbidden. Them visions that they call on, and sometimes they’d be sorry if you did tell them, and you know better than to do it.
And you find out things about people that you wish you didn’t know. The people that desires these things, to know these things, they don’t realize what that type of ministry cost. You don’t know what goes with it. Then it throws into desperation, “Lord God, I know I’m going to have to answer.” 63-0901E - "Desperations"
5. Does it edify the body?
5. Does it edify the body?
Paul says “I’d rather you use gifts that edify the body”
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
What we are saying must edify the body, therefore we must be sure, because false prophecies destroy confidence.
And now, “God has set, in the Church…” “God,” not the organization, not the achievement of man, to make bishops and so forth, presbyters. But, “God set, in the Church, first apostles,” that’s missionaries, “secondarily prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists.”
God set them in the Church, and every bugle will blow the same, the same Gospel. See? If he’s a prophet, he blows the bugle of a prophet. He foretells the things that is to come, and hits every time.
(12 year old little girl wondering why Bro. Branham didn’t interpret her dream)
And I said, “Look, you’re going to meet a lot things out here, honey, in the name of Christianity.” I said, “When you find a man that’s got every interpretation, just like this, [Brother Branham snaps his fingers several times—Ed.] got every, just like that, in the Name of the Lord,” I said, “you be careful about that. That’s contrary to the Scripture.”
Those gimmicks that’s got every answer, be careful. When somebody stands up and speaks in the Name of the Lord, that must be true. It must be exactly the truth.
You might, in your mind, be impressed. I said, “Now, honey, I believe I could tell you what I think your dream is. But to tell you, in the Name of the Lord, no, sir.”
I said, “Have I ever spoke to you in the Name of the Lord but what it happened?” I said, “Thousands has come, and said this, that.” I said, “I cannot tell you what your dream is till I see it over again, and then He tells me, then I can say, ‘The Lord told me.’
Until then, I don’t know. I don’t want to take my own influence and my own opinion. I can’t say THUS SAITH THE LORD, because that’s me thinking it; that’s best, to my opinion.”
We must be sincere, because we’ve got the greatest thing in the world. The greatest treasure of Heaven is Christ among us. Why do we want a substitute of some little influence, to try to make ourselves somebody big among somebody here? Why not be a humble servant to Christ?
(Example: Crippled woman, water-head baby and dead man at meeting, little brother at home)
Now I said, “Then if that taken place, what if you went out there then, and that woman, arthritic or whatever it was, paralyzed woman, wasn’t there? What if the waterhead baby wasn’t there?
Then you’re all mixed up in your mind. You don’t know. And I spoke to you and told you, ‘THUS SAITH THE LORD.’” I said, “Then my influence is lost. You might need me sometime, real bad.”
I said, “But what if the woman is there? What if the waterhead baby is healed? What if the man is raised from the dead? Then, your little brother gets killed, you wouldn’t even cry. You’d say, ‘Daddy, let me have him. I’m going to show you the glory of God.’
Why? It was right, here. It was right, there. It was right, there. It was right, there. Every time, it’s right, then you know it’s right.” I said, “That’s the reason we want to believe the Word of God.”
And everything the Bible has ever spoke of, the Bible says it here; history says it happened. The Bible said here, history says it happened.
(Bible prophets were historically accurate)
Now, we’re at the time of the Rapture. It’s going to happen. Because it’s been perfect, every other time, it’s got to be perfect this time. God is calling out a people, see, and it’s the time. We got to be sincere.
Sometimes we find that someone spoke in tongues. The other wants to imitate him; he’ll speak in tongues, too. One sees one give an interpretation; the other one say, “I got it, too.”
And you go by impressions, and then say, “THUS SAITH THE LORD.” Well, that’s wrong. And God will never move you any further, what you are right now, just an organization, until you get out of that.
Be sure. Don’t you say it unless God says so, and you know that it is the truth, that God said so. Not your opinion, but not some impression; because, you can be impressed any way. 63-0112 - "Influence"
Paul ends his teaching on gifts with this:
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
This is the age of the fulness of maturity.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Bro. Branham always interprets this as love until after the opening of the seals. The thing is, it is perfect love, the capstone.
After the seals he tells us “that which is perfect” is the perfect Word, the Opening of the Seals.
First Corinthians 13 says this: “When that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away with.” So all these little things of jumping up and down like a kid, trying to talk in tongues, and all these other things, when that which is perfect…
And we do have today, by God’s help, the perfect interpretation of the Word with Divine vindication! Then that which is in part is done away with. “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child; but when I become a man, I put away childish things.” 64-0823E - "Questions And Answers #2"
Then he said, “That which is in part will be done away with when that which is perfect is come,” or, “when that which is perfect is made known.”
Now, I’ve got a question on that. I hope I get to it tonight, about what happened when the Seals opened. 64-0823E - "Questions And Answers #2"
302. Please explain First Corinthians 13:8-12. Now that the perfect Word is restored to the Church are these verses fulfilled?
Now, I think I just went through that, didn’t I? “And when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away with.” Paul said, “Though I speak with tongue of man and angels, and I do all these things here…But when that which is perfect is come…”
Now, is there anything perfect but God? No, sir! Is God the perfect? In the beginning was the [Congregation says, “Word.”—Ed.] and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word’s still God. See? All right. When that which is perfect is come, that which is in part is done away with. 64-0823E - "Questions And Answers #2"
I have the opening of the Word, I don’t have to manufacture gifts. I believe they are there, but God has given us something else to fight with. As great as the 2nd pull (discernment) was, the 3rd pull, the Open Book is greater.
(David and Saul’s armor)
You can’t manufacture salvation. You can’t manufacture the gifts. You got to bear the gifts. Certainly. See? The sheep doesn’t, he doesn’t manufacture wool. He has wool because he’s a sheep. He just bears wool. The cherry tree doesn’t manufacture cherries. It just bears cherries, because the life of it’s that way.
And the Church of the living God doesn’t inject This, to try to make themselves look like something. They’re already what they are, by the grace of God.
And the Word of God is joined with them, and they’re joined with the Word. And the works that was brought forth in that perfect one, Jesus Christ, God manifested in flesh, will produce itself through every born-again believer. He said so. Amen. Nothing else. Now, that’s something certain. 63-0114 - "A Trumpet Gives An Uncertain Sound"
Conclusion
Conclusion
We have a certain sound, prepare yourself for rapture! Now God speak through His Word, getting you ready to leave this world. If you are not ready, would you do that today?
Let the Church Say Amen
