Experience

Romans 5:1 KJV 1900

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 5:2 KJV 1900

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:3 KJV 1900

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Romans 5:4 KJV 1900

And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Romans 5:5 KJV 1900

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Introduction

Paul is talking about the experience that comes from going through trials. Experience is a vital part of who we are as human beings.

EXPE'RIENCE, noun [Latin experientia, from experior, to try; ex and ant. perior; Gr. to attempt, whence pirate. Eng. to fare.The Latin periculum, Eng. peril, are from the same root. We see the root of these words is to go, to fare, to drive, urge or press, to strain or stretch forward.

EXPE'RIENCE, verb transitive To try by use, by suffering or by enjoyment. Thus we all experience pain, sorrow and pleasure; we experience good and evil; we often experience a change of sentiments and views.

1. To know by practice or trial; to gain knowledge or skill by practice or by a series of observations.

Webster 1828

Experience is vital to the human being. We are made up of our nature, plus what we have been taught, plus what we have experienced.

Nature

Teaching

Experience

Cows will follow the same path to food or water, day after day year after year until they create a “cow path”.

That’s the same way your brain works. As you experience things, it literally creates paths that you travel down that make you feel a certain way.

(Smell of fresh pavement after a rain reminds me of Silver Dollar City)

Hearing music will do the same thing. That’s why it is so necessary to watch what we feed on.

Experience makes us prejudiced. Don’t preach your experience, preach the Word.

1. Experience is not the Standard.

Even a true experience with God is not the standard. The Word is the standard.

You aren’t saved because you felt a certain way, you are saved because you obeyed the Word, and God vindicated that fact in your life, by giving you the quickening power. There was a seed there before the foundation of the world.

52 But yet all at once I looked up, and I said, “I’m not the son of Charles and Ella Branham. There’s Something calling.” Like my little eagle, “I’m not a chicken.

There’s Something up yonder, somewhere. O Great Jehovah, Whoever You are, open up! I want to come home. There’s Something in me, calling.”

53 Then I was born again. That little Life was laying there, the life of water was poured upon It, then It begin to grow.

Now, that old life was forgiven, put in the sea of God’s forgetfulness, to never be remembered against me no more. See? Now we stand justified (as though we never had sinned) in the Presence of God. 65-1212 - Communion

Acts 2:38 KJV 1900

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Experience will follow your obedience.

1 Peter 1:23 KJV 1900

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Experience is not the standard, because experience can be true or misleading.

Matthew 24:35 KJV 1900

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

You might experience loss, or pleasure, or love, or hate, but the Word remains the same.

Give it the Word test.

Bro. Branham deals with the doctrine that receiving the Holy Ghost is not the same as the new birth. He corrects that in the church age book.

He says “Now before we leave this subject I want to make myself very clear on what the Baptism with the Holy Ghost is according to the Word.

he talks about how “in my meetings when I have finished preaching ... I cast the net and invite a response from the people. I ask them to come forward and receive the Holy Spirit.

The Pentecostals thought he was asking people to come forward to be baptized with the Holy Ghost because they are already born again.

“This has caused a great deal of confusion and I want to tell you exactly what I mean. I mean for the sinner to come forward and be born again,

which is to be baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Ghost which is exactly what took place at Pentecost when the church was launched.

In other words, to be born of the Spirit is to be truly baptized with the Holy Ghost. It is one and the same. CAB 04 - Smyrnaen

What is it that caused this misunderstanding? The answer is, “EXPERIENCE.” We have gone by experience and not the Word.

Away with experience as your measuring line. There is only one plumb line, only one rod, and that is the WORD.     CAB 04 - Smyrnaen

He’s talking about those who think the Holy Ghost was different from the new birth. the Holy Ghost is the New Birth. That doesn’t mean if you feel the Holy Ghost you are born again, but if that quickening power falls on a seed it comes to life.

Both the weed and the wheat receive the same rain. The rain is the Holy Spirit. It even quickens both seeds, but to different purposes.

102 Remember, “The rain falls on the just and the unjust.” The same rain that’ll make a grain of wheat grow makes a cocklebur grow too.

See? What is it? At the inside of that seed is a nature, and that nature display, displays itself. It can stand in the same field, right there with the weed.

The weed and the wheat stand together, rejoice just as much. Its head is down. It’s starving for a drink.

When a rain comes, the cocklebur can shout just as loud as the wheat can. “But by their fruits you shall know them.” See? 65-1205 - Things That Are To Be

Away with experience as the measuring line. Not away with experience because you can’t have the Holy Ghost without experiencing the presence of God.

You don’t reject the rain because it makes the weeds grow.

The rain is not the standard, but the fruit that matches what the farmer had in His mind, expressed in His Word.

2. Experience vs. Sensation

SENSA'TION, noun [from Latin sensus, sentio, to perceive. See Sense.] The perception of external objects by means of the senses.

Sensation is an exertion or charge of the central parts of the sensorium, or of the whole of it, beginning at some of those extreme parts of it which reside in the muscles or organs of sense. The secretion of tears in grief is caused by the sensation of pain. Efforts of the will are frequently accompanied by painful or pleasurable sensations. Webster 1828

Bro. Branham talking about the nominal church members starting to speak with tongues (beginning of the charismatic movement)

“Don’t you rely on sensations. It’s the Word of God that don’t pass. 63-0804A - Once More

Bro. Branham speaks of the Baptism without sensation being a mystery.

260 The mystery of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, without sensation, but the Person of Christ performing in you the same works that He did. 62-1230E - Is This The Sign Of The End, Sir?

He said “without sensation” not “without experience”. You can’t judge a sensation by the Word, but an experience can be judged by the Word because it produces something.

Mary had no sensation but she had an experience with the angel, and said “Be it unto Me”

3. A Matching Experience.

Our experience must match the Word.

You can have any kind of an experience. But it must be THUS SAITH THE LORD.     57-0821 - Hebrews, Chapter One

Bro. Branham makes the point over and over again that Paul went into Arabia to compare his experience with the Old Testament Scriptures.

“I believe that he took the Old Testament, and searched through the Old Testament, and found that That was really the absolute Messiah. He had to prove his experience by the Bible. 57-0821 - Hebrews, Chapter One

So, Paul goes down there, first, to see if his experience matched God’s Bible.

Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful, today, if people only done that again, if we made our experience match God’s Bible? If it doesn’t, then our experience is wrong; it don’t flash in the Urim Thummim. 57-0821 - Hebrews, Chapter One

230 Now, and we find out, as soon as Paul had a great experience…I want to ask you. Is it an experience to come to Christ?

Does everybody have an experience? [Congregation says, “Yes.”—Ed.] Yes, sir. Yes, sir. It’s a Birth. It’s an experience.    57-0828 - Hebrews, Chapter Two #3

79 Now, he knew that he had an experience. So here is another good lesson for us, that, experience alone isn’t enough. It’s got to be experience according to the Word of the Lord.    63-0717 - A Prisoner

(Dovetail your experience. Chinese Laundry.)

Did your experience give you a Christ centered life?

4. We Must Have this Experience.

40 So, Paul had an experience. How many believes experience comes by conversion? Sure. If it hasn’t, I would doubt the conversion. A conversion brings experience.

And you can’t lot it to anything now. Sometimes it might be shouting. Sometimes it might be speaking with tongues.

Sometimes it might be weeping. Sometimes it might be groaning. You don’t know what it is, so don’t try to lot it.

Because, every one of you has proved to be wrong in it, you Methodists, and you Baptists, and you Nazarenes, and Pentecostals.

I seen people shout just as hard as they could shout, and steal the gold out of your teeth, if they could.

Yes, sir. I seen people speak with tongues like pouring peas on a dry cowhide, and honest to goodness, with a chew tobacco on other side of the mouth, and cut your throat if they could do it.

There’s no evidence that you can prove it, only by the life the person lives. “By their fruit, you shall know them.”

So, that’s all up to God. He makes a choice. He brings the things together, and that’s the way it is. So if your life is comparing with the fruits of the Bible, you got a pretty good conception.

Galatians 2:20 KJV 1900

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

If your spirit is bearing record with His Spirit, that you’re sons and daughters of God,

All the old evil has dropped away, and everything has become new, and you’re living in love, and you got peace, and grace, and so forth, you’re getting pretty close to the Kingdom then.

Because, the Life that’s in you is producing that kind of a life. See? 57-0901M - Hebrews, Chapter Three

Paul had a seminary experience, but He needed a supernatural Word experience.

It’s all right to belong to church, we should do that, but, O brother, just don’t accept that, you must be borned again.

That’s what the Great Prophet-Shepherd said, “You must be borned again.” He said that to a theologian, “You’ve got to be borned again.”

227 And when you’re borned again, it just isn’t because you believe. They say, “You’re borned when you believe.”

228 But the Bible said, “The devil believes, also.” Now, notice, it’s not that, it’s an experience. 64-1221 - Why It Had To Be Shepherd

“Seeing the Message” is not equivalent to having an experience with God.

354. Do your children have to have an experience to have the Holy Spirit? If they see the end-time Message, do they have the Holy Spirit?

218 Every one must have an experience! Your children cannot go in on no other way but the same way you do. See? They’ve got to be borned again.

There’s no grandchildren in the Kingdom of God; they’re all children. They must have it, must have an experience with God to go in, just the same as you. 64-0830M - Questions And Answers #3

Being baptized is not equivalent to having an experience.

281. Dear Brother Branham, I have been baptized in Jesus’ Name. The Word says you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Does this mean the baptism, the Holy Spirit, or does it mean I should receive the gift…definite…I should receive a definite experience with the baptism? I am anxious to be filled with the Spirit.

40 Now, there’s a good question. Now, the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a definite experience that a person must receive. 64-0823E - Questions And Answers #2

Living a moral life is not equivalent to having an experience.

Luke 18:21 KJV 1900

And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

Luke 18:22 KJV 1900

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

71 But we can be a church member, and morally right, still not obtained Eternal Life.

Not to know the Word; some of them are theologians, and scholars, and Sunday school teachers, Bible expositors, but that doesn’t mean anything. Satan knows that Bible better than any of us.

The Bible said, “To know Him is Life,” not know the Word. “Know Him is Life.” Satan also believes and trembles.

But we’ve got to have an experience of a death, burial, and resurrection, from our old life, to the new Life which comes in Christ. It comes only by the Holy Spirit, the new Life.    64-0314 - The Investments

What would that Bible Experience be like?

Acts 2 experience.

Rushing Mighty Wind.

Cloven Tongues of Fire

Speaking in other Tongues.

People thought they were drunk.

Acts 8 experience.

Acts 8:14 KJV 1900

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

Acts 8:15 KJV 1900

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

Acts 8:16 KJV 1900

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Acts 8:17 KJV 1900

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

(No emotion that we know of.)

Paul’s experience.

Pillar of Fire.

Knocked off his horse.

Blinded eyes.

Heard directly from Jesus Christ.

After all that:

Acts 9:17 KJV 1900

And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Acts 9:18 KJV 1900

And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Cornelius’ House (Acts 10)

Acts 10:44 KJV 1900

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

Acts 10:45 KJV 1900

And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 10:46 KJV 1900

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

Acts 10:47 KJV 1900

Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

Acts 10:48 KJV 1900

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

John’s disciples

Acts 19:4 KJV 1900

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

Acts 19:5 KJV 1900

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 19:6 KJV 1900

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Your Experience.

138 But if you believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, God is under obligation, if your testimony is true, to give you the baptism of the Holy Ghost, to seal you into the Kingdom till the Day of your Redemption. That’s right.

139 And if you say, “Well, I got the Holy Ghost! Glory to God! I know I got It; I fell under the Spirit.” Oh, that ain’t no sign that you got the Holy Ghost, not a bit.

Friends, I’ve seen all kinds of things fall under the spirits. That’s right. That don’t make you have the Holy Ghost.

140 But when you’ve got the love of Jesus Christ in your heart, when God makes a Christian out of you, when he seals you into His Kingdom!

You might fall under the Spirit, too. You might do this, that, or the other, whatever it is. But your life will tally, too, in your testimony.

141 Your life testifies so loud, till, no matter what you say, people don’t believe it if you don’t live it.

They ain’t going to believe you. And you don’t believe it, yourself, and the public don’t believe it, so you’re just making yourself miserable.

Why don’t you come with a true heart, and say, “God, I confess my wrongs, and I believe on Jesus Christ with all my heart.

Now, God, give me the Holy Ghost.” He’ll do it. That’s right. He’ll do it. Then, the fruit of that, because you believe! 54-1024 - The Unpardonable Sin

Conclusion.

Paul’s Experience was meeting Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:8 KJV 1900

And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

He had a personal experience, not with a doctrine, but with the person of the Word.