Questions & Answers
Questions 328 (COD Page 1070)
Dear Brother Branham, is it possible for one to have the baptism of the Holy Ghost and not to have the signs following, at–at least not until the...some future time and conditions appointed by the Spirit?
38 Now, that might sound like a mixed-up question, but that’s a good one, very good. See? Now, here gives me a little chance, that I find that’s working with my–my family here now (see?), I mean you, my family, and the family out in the world where we...where our tapes go.
39 Now, a great part of my congregation is made up of Pentecostal people, and because Pentecost is the latest message that we have in the denominational ranks. And to me, I certainly agree with them more than any other denominational church. I hang towards the Pentecostal, because it is a...the later message. And all my converts that I bring to Christ, I try to direct them to some Pentecostal church. But I have condemned them in every way that I knowed how, that they were wrong in the Scripture by being a denomination and not willing to walk in Light when Light’s presented to them. But yet, if I had to take my choice today to take any church in the world, I’d take Pentecostal when it come to denomination. But when it comes to individuals, as men and
women, there’s genuine Christians in all them denominations: Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutherans, and so forth. But I’m talking about the systems that these people are in, not never the individual, but the system that these people has been caught into in their denomination. They clearly understand that now (see?),
that I–I think the people...If they’re Roman Catholic, Jehovah Witness, Orthodox Jew, whatever they are, that doesn’t matter to me; but they are individuals to which Christ died to save.
40 And now, I...And agreeing with their systems that they’re in...I believe there’s just as many Christians out there in the Baptist, as there is in the Methodists, or the Presbyterian, or whatever more. They’re Christians, real believers. And right out in the Roman Catholic church there’s genuine people in there that’s real men and women that love the Lord. And they don’t join that church to be wrong, they join that to be right. But it’s a system in there that directs their mind the wrong way. And if ever comes to a time that I’d make a denomination, I have deceived you and have brought you into a system; far be it from me. And may God keep me in my right mind to direct you to Jesus Christ, the Word. Stay with That. See?
41 But now, this person here is asking the question about the possibility of having the baptism of the Holy Ghost without signs following them. Now, it would...If you are born again, you are...If you are born first as a human being and a normal human being...Now, I’m answering this in a–in a–a real juvenile way of doing it. But if you’re born a normal human being, you will actually do the things that a normal human being would do. Is that right?
42 When you’re born as a human, the natural traits of a human being will follow you. You won’t live in a tree, and try to fly with your wings like a bird, or–or–or something like that. That isn’t–that wouldn’t be a normal human being, the normal actions of a human being. The normal action of a human being would be to work, have...marry, have family, and do these things. That’s natural, norman...normal human beings, because you’re born that. Then when you’re borned a Christian, borned of the Spirit of God, you naturally take up the attributes of Christ. You see?
43 Now, if we took here this morning in this congregation where you people set here and listen day after day and so forth to the teaching, you’ll find out you’d be different one from another, because you–you’re different. You’re–you’re make up different; your–your appetites are different; you–you eat different; but you all eat food. But now, just from...With one individual being just like the other one, you’re different one from another. Christians do the same thing. You can’t say, “Now all...” Do all speak with tongues, do all prophesy, do all...? See?
44 You have to watch these things, because a Christian takes up the–the habits of a Christian; and they live like a Christian. Jesus said, “These signs shall follow them that believe.” Notice: “In My Name they shall cast out devils; they shall take up serpents or...drink deadly things; and they’ll speak with new tongues.” And–and them things just actually follow Christians.
45 Now, the person has a very good thing here: “...or do we wait until the future time or the conditions appointed by the Holy Spirit?” I like that. See? Now you get the idea? When it’s appointed by the Holy Spirit! God appoints things. And there, I think if the Pentecostal people would try (that listens to this tape), you’ll understand me if you will get here why I different with you pressing that idea that they must all speak with tongues. I–I cannot see that right, because it’d be...I like cherry pie, but there’s no need–and I’m a human being–but there’s no need of me trying to tell you, “If you don’t eat cherry pie, you’re not a human being.” See? But eating cherry pie is just one of the habits of a human being. See? You might disagree with me upon that, but–but it–it’s true. Now, one will eat this, and one will do something else.
46 Now, the Holy Spirit appoints these offices, but when you try to force yourself into it...If I said you had to eat cherry pie, what if cherry pie made you vomit? And yet, you’d vomit and try to eat cherry pie and vomit, and...?...See? You’re–you’re–you’re hurting yourself, and that’s the way you try to do when you try to force yourself to do something that’s contrary to the Spirit. He’s got your life lotted for a certain thing. Do you understand that? See?
47 And you, when you’re filled with the Spirit, here’s one of the best signs I know: you’re so in love with Christ and believe every Word that He says to be the Truth. See? That’s the evidence that you have the Holy Spirit. And your life’s full of joy, and–and oh my, everything’s different (see?) than what it used to be. That’s the Holy Spirit.
48 Now, these gifts are in the Holy Spirit. Now, if this congregation this morning, this...just a nice snug church full with...(The overflow rooms, course, is filled up.) But in the...Just a...(Not announcing we was going to answer these questions, but these people have just come in.) Notice, if every person in here was in perfectly harmony with the Holy Spirit, every one of you was filled with the Holy Ghost and in harmony with the Holy Ghost, these signs would be just multiplying among you all the time (see?); it’d just be constantly going. But where there’s confusion, where there’s difference, and where we set up, the Holy Spirit can’t move itself. You see? It can’t operate through the people. See?
49 And there, if I said, “Now you, each one of you, did you speak in tongues?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, you got It.” “Did you speak in tongues?”
“No.”
50 “You haven’t got It.” Now, I’m making myself a judge. God is the Judge of these things.
51 But watch, Jesus said, “These signs shall follow them.” See? The groups that believe, the whole nature of the Holy Spirit flows through them, and they all are full of love, and joy, and–and just a great bundle of–of–of–of real godly-filled people. See, that’s the Holy Spirit. And in–in there, they speak with tongues on the occasion that tongues arise (why), or necessary for that, they speak with tongues. And if there’s a prophecy, it speaks. And oh, it’s just exactly perfect every time.
52 Ask those fifteen or twenty people that went in there on interview this morning if there was one word any way, missed in any way, and perfect strangers. What...The Holy Spirit dig right down in there, and get them things, and bring them right out, and tell it to them. See, see? There’s not no mistakes in it. Tell them just exactly what this, and what this was, and what that is, and what this is to be done, and things like that, and what they done, and what they should do. See? That’s just...Set it right in order. Now, they’ve got to act on that.
53 The other night I was talking to a couple, and I was at a–a home where we was having a meeting, or just–was just setting around a table talking. And all at once, the Holy Spirit dropped among us, and I said to someone there, “I seen a certain man, and they...he was confused in his mind about some things,” and I said, “like in the confusion in the–in the–the discernment.” I said, “Now, it’s right here now.” I said, “I know what you’re thinking.” And I went right back and just took a roundabout way and answered every question that man had in his mind to him, that he...Nobody knowed even what I was talking about but him. See? But he got it. He knowed what it was all about. You see? And that was what to him? Showing him, confirming to him that the Holy Spirit was revealing to me what was on his mind. You see? And I didn’t have to tell it to the rest of them. The man’s listening at me right now. Now, that’s right. Now, you see how that is? That’s a confirmation.
54 Now, if the whole church would work in harmony like that, then among us we’d be casting out devils, taking up serpents, drinking deadly things, all kinds of things going on. But when you try to force that to individuals, then you get yourself...That’s Pentecostal again. Then you get Babylon, confusion. You can’t judge that. See? Our hearts are full of joy and happiness, and oh my, the birds are singing, the...Everything’s wonderful, my, just full of the Spirit of God, and we’re so in love with Jesus, we want to pray all night.
55 Now, I wouldn’t embarrass this crowd, or even myself to you. But I wonder, if I could ask this morning which one in this crowd, or this people that had the Holy Ghost, it’d probably be ninety-five percent of you raise your hands that you had the Holy Ghost. Then I turn around and give you a Bible evidence, just one, a Bible evidence; and I doubt whether there would be one or two hands go up. See, see? Just could...just tie it in such a place, but when you do that (see?), you’re also hurting your congregation. But you’ve got to get them out of that babyhood and get them into manhood. See?
56 Like someone wrote the question the other day, was up here, said about...said something about Brother Junior Jackson. Somebody went down there, and they said, “You’re going down to the ‘dead beans,’” or something or other like that. Brother Jackson...Because Brother Jackson’s congregation, they let them speak with tongues just in the church. Wherever they feel the Spirit and want to speak in tongues, they go ahead and do it. Well, that’s Brother Jackson’s church. That’s perfectly all right. I haven’t got nothing against that, not a thing. Junior Jackson’s one of my best friends, and a real godly man, filled with the Spirit of God, and we’re brothers. Now, he don’t have to eat my cherry pie, I can...Or I don’t have to eat his apple pie (see?), but we’re both eating pie. We both believe this Message exactly. That’s the order of the church. I said, “I want my church to try to come together.” I said...When we begin to break out here, the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues and so forth, I said...Somebody asked me, and said, “Now, Brother Branham, is all that genuine?”
57 I said, “I’m no judge.” I said, “Tell you what, let’s bring it to a spot. Let it go awhile and bring it to the spot until the Word is presented on it. Then watch it. If It’s the Holy Spirit, It copes right with the Word; if it doesn’t, it won’t.” See? That’s just the only way that you can tell it; then it–it judges itself. You see? Well, it–it’ll fly up if it isn’t the Holy Spirit, it’ll fly loose. See? But if It is the Holy Spirit, It’ll just meekly follow right in line, ’cause that’s what It is; It’s the Holy Spirit going right to It’s own order.
58 Now, in this speaking in tongues and so forth, I wished every one of you spoke in tongues. I sure do. And many times, good Christians...
59 You see, if I tell you that was on the program...I found someone...Not program, excuse me, on the interviews this morning. A person (I guess they’re still here in the building) that they...About speaking with tongues...The person is a genuine person, a real person, and they’ve lived right. And they’ve heard me say the evidence of the Holy Ghost wasn’t speaking in tongues, and it isn’t, but I advised that person to ask God to let them either speak in tongues or prophesy, because it’s the nature.
60 The first thing, I went to that person and found their birthplace, and what sign that they were borned under, and could tell what their birth was. Which way it set in their natural nature sets them in a certain line. Then, when they’re reborned again, they’re over here in another nature. And then, when you find into this nature, that’s the inside, inconscience, inside conscience...The outside conscience moves you in one way; that’s your natural birth. Then, they’ll make up something and it puts them what? Under a four, and puts them in a split condition. They don’t know what to do. They’ll say, “The Lord wants me to do this.”
61 The inside, “Oh, I–I just know it’s–it’s–it–it lines up with the Scripture.” And they’ll start to do it, and the first thing you know, Satan on this outside will show them all kinds of defects in it. And then they say, “Well, I guess I...” See, see? They listen to Satan. See? You’ve got to take that inside something, that what’s on the inside of you that’s Scriptural. And don’t let Satan stand anywhere. It’s...That’s his duty to stand there and pound at you like that. But don’t you listen to him.
62 But, that person, I told them. They said, “Well now, if I could just be sure of having the Holy Ghost.” See? A dandy person, real loyal person with the Holy Ghost, but it would be good for her to say, “Father, just give me this for something to stand on.”
63 Now, if I taught it like that, people would reach out and get ahold of that without having what that person’s got. See? The Holy Ghost does speak with tongues, but you got to have the Holy Ghost first before It can speak with tongues. Now you get it? So, if you reach out and get ahold of a gift of speaking in tongues without...
64 Now remember, that can be a genuine gift; that could be the Holy Ghost speaking in you with unknown tongues, and you’d be lost and go to hell. The Bible said so. You believe that? Would you like to have Scripture on it? You want Scripture, raise your hand. “Though I speak with tongues as men and Angels...” Is that right? Both, the one can be interpreted and that cannot be interpreted, genuine Holy Ghost tongues. “I am nothing,” see, unless that other goes with it. You can have this (see?), so don’t reach after that without this. Get this first, and then that’ll actually follow it.
65 Now, the rain falls on the just and the unjust. The sun shines on the wicked and the good. The rain falls to ripen the crop; it ripens the weed also, the same rain. The Holy Spirit can fall in a group of people, and speak in tongues, and make it exactly true, sprawl in amongst the people, and make it prophesy, and be exactly true. That’s exactly right!
66 Sometimes you can go to a–a witch or a medium, and they can say something that’s exactly right. Look at the witch of Endor. Saul...It could be exactly true; that still isn’t it. They’re witches. Speaking in tongues, I’ve seen devils speak in tongues, and write in unknown tongues. That don’t mean anything. But the real thing is that Word again. Back to that Word!
67 So, you can do these things without the Word. But when you get the Word, and It does it, then watch it just exactly come to pass, exactly the right thing. See? Then you’re exactly in line.
68 Yes, the Holy Spirit uses these people as it’s appointed by His own Divine wisdom. But the first thing...
69 Now what? Let me just give you a little twister here just a minute. I’d say, “How many has the Holy Ghost?” All of you raise up your hand. I’d say, “All right, I’ll see if you have.” The Bible said that they that had the Holy Ghost sighed and cried day and night for the abominations done in the city. Now, how many hand would go up? How many of you can’t rest at night, so full of joy, the power of God, and so sad for the people that’s lost, that day and night you weep and cry for the abominations? You won’t...See? Who would be that in the
city? How many is, that’s in the church? That’s what the Bible said the Holy Spirit evidence was.
70 He told the sealing Angel (Ezechiel 9, that’s right), He said, “Take...Go through the city and set a mark upon those who sigh and cry for the abominations did in the city. The rest of them, let the destroying Angel destroy them.” No matter how much members they was and how many of the things they done, said, “Put a...” And a man with a ink horn writer, dressed in white (which represented the Holy Spirit) came forth and put a mark upon all them that sighed and cried for the abominations done in the city. Now, you say...And watch what He said in there also. “Slay utterly, little children, old women, babies, kill them all!” Little children? Yes!
71 When Joshua entered the land of Canaan, he, said, “Don’t you let one of them live. If it’s a cute little baby, a little Amalekite, or a Amorite, kill it! You remember, he’ll grow up to be an Amalekite; he’ll pollute the camp.” And when those little things come back like that disagreeing with the Word of God, get rid of that thing. I don’t care what denomination it belongs to.
72 You say, “Well, they’re good...” I don’t care how good a people they are! If they’re contrary to that Word, get the thing out of you. It’s a growing little Amalekite. Looks cute, looks innocent; it looks like it’s all right, but don’t you have anything to do with. You stay away from it.
73 “Well, Brother Branham, I–I go down here, because... Well, I don’t...” You just remember, any Amalekite, anything that denies the Word, stay away from it; have nothing to do with it at all! How many believes that’s the Truth? Sure it is. See? Stay away from it!
74 Who sigh and cry for the abominations that’s did in the
city...Where do you see that? I can show you ten thousand speaking in tongues to one that’s really burdened for sin... that can’t even pray a hour. But did you know the Bible said that...mark only those who sighed and cried for the abominations in the city? How many ever read it? Sure! That was the Holy Spirit come forth to mark the people, and said to the destroying Angel, “Go forth and destroy everything that doesn’t have that mark upon them.” And the mark of God is the Holy Ghost, is the Seal of God.
75 Now, where is them people that’s that interested? I can hear you people that jump up and down and cry in the church; I can show you people that shout and run all over the building; I can show you people that prophesy, and it comes to pass; I can show you those who speak in tongues, and–and run up and down the buildings, and say things that actually interpret and it comes to pass; but where is that person that sighs and cries for the abominations that’s did in the city? Where’s that burdened soul? You could turn some new leaves on that. See what I mean?
76 Now, I’ve tried my best to–to–to tell you people and lead you like a daddy would lead his children. You are my children; I have begotten you to Christ through this Gospel that I preach. See? And I–I–I want you to raise up fully matured kids, or–or children. And I want to present you to Christ that day, as Paul said, “A chaste virgin.” There isn’t a thing in that Word but what your heart will punctuate “amen” to it.
77 Sin don’t have...Course you’ll do things wrong, but when the other, the very first thing condemns you, “Father, forgive me.”
78 I’m going to say this. Just looked at a person a few minutes ago. It was asked me by a fine boy the other day. We was hunting squirrels. That morning I got five; I left one of them for that afternoon. You only get six in the state of Kentucky; that’s the limit. So this certain person said, “I got nine.” Christian boy, fine kid.
I said, “You done wrong. You did wrong!”
He said, “Well...”
79 I said, “I had five that morning, saved one for that afternoon. And when I got that one squirrel, looked in a tree, and counted five or six setting right there where I could look at them, walked out and left them.” I said, “I walked up in through here not long ago, and there was about fifteen or twenty setting there. I just took the limit, and walked away, and left the rest of them there.” I said, “If I come to this country, preach to you boys and you people here the thing that’s right, I’ve got to live that example.” Christianity ain’t what you say, it’s what you live, what you do; it’s an example. You’re the salt of the earth. I said, “Then, the law says...Jesus said, ‘You give Caesar them things that belong to Caesar.’ You break that speed law out there, what are you doing? You’re doing wrong; you sin. Give Caesar what’s Caesar’s, and God’s what’s God’s.”
80 Say, “Well, the law’s wrong.” I can’t help what wrong it is; it’s wrong to break Jesus’ commandment. And if you don’t give Caesar the things that’s Caesar, then you did what Jesus told you not to do, and the transgression of the law is sin. That right?
81 We’re all guilty; we do it. But when you see yourself wrong, stop it! People are watching you; people won’t go to church, but they’ll read you, see what you do.
82 So, get Christ in your heart; that’s a real...Christ and the Holy Spirit’s the same thing. Holy Spirit, Christ means “the anointed One.” And the Holy Spirit is that Anointing, and you are the one that’s anointed. See? And it’s Christ in you anointing you. See what I mean?
83 Then you’ve got the right thing. Then He can use you to anything He wants to use you in, ’cause you’re in the Body and subject to any of those gifts. But see, to have one of the gifts outside of the Body, it would do you no good. “Though I speak with tongues of men and Angels, have not charity, it profit me nothing. Though I have faith and can understand all the mysteries of God, profit me nothing. Though I give my body to be burnt as a sacrifice, give all my goods to the poor, though I have faith to move a mountain, I am nothing.” See? Don’t depend on those things. The Holy Spirit is a Being; It’s God, God in you, the Person, God, that’s lit your whole entire being. You’re changed; you’re a new creature. Any little thing that’s wrong, He’ll tell you that’s wrong, then quit; don’t do it. “Father, I didn’t mean to do that, You forgive me.” See? And that’s–that’s the Holy Spirit.
84 I don’t care how much you spoke in tongues, how much you run, how much you jumped, how much you did this, that, or the other. See? Whatever you done, it wouldn’t mean a thing if the Holy Spirit wasn’t in there to condemn you on the things that’s right and wrong.
85 Now, that’s the reason that this person here is right. Let the Holy Spirit do it. But now (you see?), now, what’s causing this...Let me say it with love, sprinkled with love and–and anointed with the Word. See? If the genuine Holy Spirit was in you, you wouldn’t question that. You know it yourself, it’s an individual thing between you and God. See? You know that something’s happened. You know that there’s a change, whether there’s any–anything else, you yourself, you’re the change. See? You’re the one that’s done the changing, inside of you, and you know you have It. Whether you spoke with tongues, whether you jumped, shouted, or anything else, you know that God lives in you, that you don’t walk with your own mind, it’s the mind of Christ that leads you with that Word, just exactly the way It goes.
86 Now! But I would...If people say, “Well then, Brother Branham, you don’t believe we ought to speak with tongues?” See? Then you get exactly backwards what I’ve just said. Sure, I believe you should speak with tongues. And some of you people...See? But you get these, and...I get these, like back here this fifteen hundred miles (you see?), being here at the tabernacle. Just, if you don’t understand it, then ask me. See? Write it back to me if you don’t understand. Just say what I say here. See? And I...And you...As Paul said, “You follow me as I follow Christ.” You see? Then you see I’m wrong, then get away from me, see, that’s all, ’cause I’d–I’d be the wrong person. See?