- GIFTS, SIGNS & WONDERS >>>Continued
I would also like to bring to your memory, that Bro.Branham lashed out at the Pentecostals, not because they speak in tongues etc (note that), but because:
- They refuse to receive the true Word (which only proves that it is not the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues in them);
- They are not living right - with women wearing shorts, cutting their hair, painting their faces etc (since the Holy Ghost in a person cannot make him do such things);
- They give out creeds and dogmas (contrary to the Word), by getting the people to receive tongues rather than the Holy Spirit; by saying that tongues is the evidence of the Holy Ghost; by making tongues the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost; though there is no Scripture for it; by saying that everyone must speak in tongues, despite 1 Cor. 12:30; by also trying to teach people how to speak in tongues, which is gross error and counterfeit; and by making the whole congregation to speak with tongues, despite 1 Cor. 14:23; amongst many other creeds and dogmas - of women preachers; of false water baptism, of trinity doctrine etc. And moreover, we know the devils too speak in tongues. However, the evidence of the Holy Ghost is the Word. But the Holy Ghost speaks with tongues, interprets etc. Hence, even in Bro. Branham's Tabernacle, people prophesied, spoke with tongues, interpreted tongues etc. He even allows a sister, for it is Scriptural, to pray for healing, if so gifted. See? We can't deny these things happened in his church.
WHAT DOES THE SCRIPTURE SAY:
The paramount question we ought to ask ourselves at any given point is: What does the Scripture actually say? Mk. 16:15-18 is forever settled in heaven. Except the Gospel has stopped being preached, and also except there are no more believers! For it succinctly guarantees that "these Signs SHALL FOLLOW (who?) THEM THAT B-E-L-I-E-V-E..." Bro., are we not believers? Candidly: Are we unbelievers? If it doesn't follow us, then we ought to check ourselves. The fault is ours, never God's. It is either faithlessness, or that we are living in sin. We then must take away unbelief, and also pray for the power to consecrate ourselves to the Lord in holy living.
Again, Jesus Christ our Lord says: "Verily, Verily, I say unto you, HE THAT B-E-L-I-E-V-E-T-H- ON (Who?) ME (Christ), THE WORKS THAT I DO S-H-A-L-L HE DO ALSO (period!) And greater (more) works than these SHALL HE DO; because I go unto my Father" - John 14: 12. These words need no explanation. It is settled, clear, and categorical - it stands firm. The question I feel like asking, but which I am getting bored of asking is: Aren't we believers? Is it not on the Lord Jesus Christ (who gave this promise) that we believe? The fault is never the Lord's. The Lord is still confirming His Word. He cannot fail, for He is God. It is not to say that everybody will be a miracle worker or have the gift of healing etc. But the body of Christ on earth, cannot fail to manifest the nine gifts of the Spirit stated in 1Cor. 12, as long as she is on earth. We can't all be eye, or all mouth. Nor can the mouth say he doesn't need the eye! (1 Cor.12). And please note that we cannot use John 6:28, 29 to nullify John 14:12. Just as we cannot use the case of the 10 lepers to nullify the promise - Word of God in Mk. 16:17, 18.
The last Scripture I would like to review is Joel 2:28-30. Notice that it talks of Gifts -Visions, dreams, prophecy, signs and wonders. And it's a promise Word of God for us also. It is interesting to note that the church at Pentecost, seeing the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in their midst, could refer back to Joel's prophecy as a direct fulfillment of God's promise (Isaiah 8:20). Candidly Speaking, in our local church, can we, without lying, say like Peter: "THIS IS THAT which was spoken by the prophet Joel" - Acts 2: 16-19. I'm afraid, NO. Then our restoration is with a difference. Brother, I frankly don't believe that is how the Holy Spirit intended it to be, for Jesus cannot change (Heb. 13:8).
WHAT DOES ELIJAH THE PROPHET SAY:
On Signs of a believer:
"And the same Son of God, is the same yesterday, today, and forever, the same in power, the same in love, the same in signs. He said, "These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues. If they take up serpents, or drink deadly things, it'll not harm them. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover. If God be with us, where is His sign? Sure, get back to His Word, signs will take care of itself as soon as we get back to the Word. "And how can you expect God, today, to work in amongst people who doesn't believe in miracles? How can it be?
Now there is a good way to trust whether the messenger is right or not. If he has a form of godliness, he will deny that power to do those miracles. IF HE IS A MESSENGER FROM GOD, HE'LL NOT ONLY SPEAK IT, BUT HE'LL HAVE IT: TO PRODUCE IT, AND TO SHOW THAT THE GOD THAT HE TALKS ABOUT IS WITH HIM AND IN HIM". "God knows His church. He said," These signs shall follow them." Not "they'll belong to the Methodists, Baptists, or Pentecostals." But, "These signs shall follow them that believe." He knows believers." (If God be with us, then where is all the miracles, by William Branham).
On signs of God:
"He knowed this, that, God is a Supernatural being, and wherever a Supernatural being is, He'll do Supernatural signs, because the Supernatural is in Him. You JUST CAN'T GET OUT OF IT.
How can you stand in the face of wind, without having wind blowing? How can you get in water, without being wet? Water is wet. That's the chemical of it. It's wet! And when you get in water, you're going to get wet. Right! And when you get in the presence of God, the Supernatural, there is going to be Supernatural signs and Supernatural workings of a Supernatural God. Therefore, he said," Where is the working, where is the miracles, if God be with us?" Glory! [Brother Branham claps his hands together, four times -Ed.] That's it! SEE, WHERE GOD IS, MIRACLES ARE. WHERE GOD IS, THE SIGN OF GOD IS THERE. SEE?
"Now, if God is with us, where is his miracle at? We want to see them." How Scriptural that is! For, where the supernatural is, God and His sign would be with Him. Where God is, the sign of God is with God. We know that. If He is in His people, they will do His signs. Just exactlyAnd He said, "God is with you." He said, "Then where is His miracle? If the Supernatural God is here, where is the Supernatural works of God? That could be easily said tonight amongst our churches. "Where is that God that once lived? Did He die? Is He gone? Is He pursuing? Is He off on a trip?" No Sir. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And if we say we are of God, then let's see where God is, let's see the signs of God. If this Tabernacle stands for God, let's see God moving among us. Let's see souls being born in the kingdom. Let's see lives be straightened up. Let's see the sick, and the blind, the deaf. Let's see His mighty works being performed. God in our midst!
He asked the question, Now, if God is with His people, and in His people, he cannot that person cannot help but do the same thing that God did. Because, it's not the person anymore, it's God in the man. If that man sins, then God is not in therewhat is it, brethren? If God be for us, where is His miracle? If God be in us, what's the matter with us then? Something wrong somewhere! YesBut, look, if the clouds are hanging over the sun, the sun is always shining. The only thing that keeps it from shining on you, is clouds. And if you'd get rid of the clouds, the sun will be shining. Amen.
Brother, get away from all of our sin and our doubts, and our frustrations, the sun has been shining since the day of Pentecost! The Holy Ghost is just as great today as it ever was. But our denomination has smothered over the Word of GodNow, Gideon and those people there, before they could see, or could ever go, see these miracles of God, there was a condition that had to be met. To meet, to see the power of miracles they had to believe. They also had to believe and obey the prophet's word, to see the miracles of God. Now, remember, before that they could see the miracles, they had to obey what the prophet said. And before we can see the miracles of God, we've got to obey what the prophet say. The Bible is the prophet, to us. That's right! (If God be with us, then where is all the miracles, by William Branham).
On True Restoration:
"The church was established on the day of Pentecost, and if God is infinite and cannot change, His church must remain as it was at the beginning. Do you admit that? The church must ever remain the same as it was. But man has cankered with it, has put their own interpretations in it. Don't you ever try to interpret the Word of God! Just say what it says! I don't care what is. Just line up with it. That's all. Don't change the Word! The Bible says that the Scripture is not of any private interpretation. You have no right to say these things. We just have to read it and say exactly what it says and believe it the same way I want you to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. Don't ever let that faith drop! And the faith of the saints was not in creeds, not in demonstrations, not in church buildings, not in associations, but it was in the presence of the living God. They had faith to heal the sick, cast out devils, do miracles, all the great promises that Jesus made, the first church held on to that, it was the life line.
LISTEN HERE! LISTEN CLOSE TO WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU! THE EVER PRESENCE OF THE LIVING GOD IS THE LIFELINE OF ANY CHURCH OR ANY BUNCH OF PEOPLE; THE EVER PRESENCE OF THE LIVING GOD TO PREFORM AND TO DO AND TO ACT AND TO LIVE WITH THE PEOPLE, AS HE DID AT THE BEGINNING. If the presence of the living God brought the Pentecost' with power, with signs, with wonders, brought a people so full of the Glory of God, they shouted and spoke with other languages, and went as martyrs for the faith, Let's earnestly contend for that faith, until death shall set us freethat's what the church is. If it's going to be a white church, born again without spot, without wrinkle, it's got to be woven with the same kind of fibre that is started off with on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Ghost experience burning within them.
Now we take our churches today. Look at us! Look at our Pentecostal people! Look at our Baptist people, our Presbyterians, Nazarenes, Pilgrim Holiness and the Branham Tabernacle! All of us, we are guilty of not earnestly contending for The Faith: A little fuss can come up in the church, in the Branham Tabernacle - I am home, I can talk about you now - and they will form a little clique.
I believe there is a real genuine gift of the Holy Ghost, and we earnestly contend for that. Right! We believe it. Saints speak with tongues. You say, "I don't believe in divine healing". I don't believe in a bunch of fanaticism, but we do believe there is a God that heals the sick and He is the same yesterday, today and forever. I have seen a lot called discernment I don't believe in, but I know that there is truly a discerning Spirit of God; the gift of knowledge, that calls and speaks and it's perfect every time. We're earnestly contending for that faith that was once delivered to the saints" (Restoration, by William Branham).
What Elijah believes:
"We believe in an apostolic church, teaching apostolic Blessing for (who?) people of this day. We believe in the full Gospel, and believe that all of the signs and the wonders that was spoken of, by our Lord Jesus Christ, would accompany His church until He returned. We believe in those things, and believe that they are to be set in order the gifts of tongues, and the nine spiritual gifts according to First Corinthians 12. NOW, WE BELIEVE THAT THESE GIFTS ARE IN OPERATION TODAY, AND THEY S-H-O-U-L-D BE IN E-V-E-R-Y LOCAL CHURCH
Now, we believe that the spiritual gifts, among the believers, Is the order of the day. WE CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A MAN CAN PREACH UNDER INSPIRATION AND (THEN) BE AN INSPIRED TEACHER, AND THEN DENY THE GIFT OF HEALING, OR THE GIFT OF PROPHECY, OR SPEAKING WITH TONGUES, OR INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES, OR ANY OF THESE OTHER GIFTS."(C.O.D., by William Branham).
I ADD: HE'LL NOT ONLY BE A PROFESSOR BUT ALSO A POSSESSOR OF HIS PROFESSION. AMEN.
CONCLUSION:
We know that signs and wonders don't save. Miracles don't save. We know that. We are not carried away by signs and wonders -WE WATCH (Mind) THE WORD. Yes! But the true gifts and signs will be with the true vine. The Revealed Word of God calls for total separation from E-V-E-R-Y unbelief. We just cannot afford to sit in complacency. We can't be playing church. The hour is too late.
I would like you to please realize that I write this memo with the best of intents, as I pray and hope to see God move in a mighty way in our midst. PENTECOST IS THE BLUEPRINT. That is the life line. May the Lord have His way, and may God bless you. Amen.
Bro. Segun Omoboriowo
