MESSAGE ON FAITH
JOHN MICHAEL MCGAHEE
Truly, we are standing on holy ground, because we have a holy God in our midst. Otherwise, it would be just like any other place, but we are standing in heavenly places with Christ Jesus.
I want to read a Scripture, Hebrews chapter 11—the faith chapter. I thought I might speak a little bit on faith—just touch on it briefly, a little exhortation, in consideration of the past meetings and the prayers that have gone up. Faith is a big subject.
Hebrews 11:1-3 <Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.>
I really appreciate the efforts of Bro. Bruce: all of his waiting on the Lord, bringing those sermons, and raising the peoples’ faith to a greater level and a greater expectation.
Now what is Faith? Paul gives us a description of faith—we just read about it. Brother Branham gives a description of faith. He called it “a super sense”—just like we have five senses in the natural body. That is a good description, because you have your natural senses of see, taste, feel, smell, and hear, plus all your reasoning and conscience. Now faith is a sixth sense. It goes beyond all of that. It is greater than all those senses put together. All those senses are subject to a natural carnal law, a law of natural sinful man. All you can think and reason is what you see around you: what you see, hear, smell, and feel. That is what science is based on. It is based on natural basic reality. But to the real Christian believer, faith is a reality.
Faith is not something that everybody has. Faith is something that you receive when you become a born again Christian. Someone else out in the world would say, “You can’t be healed; you can’t be blessed of God; you can’t receive an Outpouring. What are you talking about?” But we know what we are talking about, because we have that faith. That faith overrides all the other senses.
By faith, the worlds were framed. Now try to imagine how powerful that faith would be. Not only were they framed, but they were framed by things that you could not see. They were spoken into existence by the Word of God. That is something very powerful. That is more powerful than we can even understand. How can you understand that there was nothing, and then a great God, a great being, an Elohim which always existed and always will exist, (which our normal thinking cannot comprehend either), could create the earth? The Scripture says, “All the worlds were created through faith by God.” The Scripture says in II Corinthians:
II Corinthians 10:5 <Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.>
So our very thoughts are to be led captive. We are supposed to captivate our thoughts unto the obedience of Christ. Your normal reasoning is going to try to make sense out of normal phenomenon, but it must come under subjection unto faith. Faith is given to override all of our other senses. Otherwise, your unbelief is going to override your thinking—your unbelief at your situation, at the world around you, the chaos, and the religious world. Without faith, you will not believe how God could have sent a prophet. You’ll think that the days of the prophets are gone, that the days of the apostles are gone.
Well, we had a prophet come in our age. He was prophesied to come for hundreds and hundreds of years. There are many Scriptures in the Bible that we could point to that refer to Brother Branham, who was sent to return the true revealed Word back to God’s people to perfect a Bride by that revelation of the Word.
Malachi 4:5 <Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:>
Revelation 10:7 <But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.>
Revelation 3:14 <And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;>
Thoughts of unbelief would tell you that you cannot walk the straight and narrow way as a Christian. Thoughts of unbelief would tell you that the Promise of the hour is not for you. Thoughts of unbelief would tell you that there would not be an Outpouring of the Holy Ghost upon the true Christian Church. Thoughts of unbelief would tell you that there is no return of Pentecost, that there is nothing more for the Bride, that it is all over, that everything was tied up in Brother Branham and we are just waiting for the rapture. That is expressing unbelief, which is not Faith. Thoughts of unbelief would tell you that the prayers of the righteous are to no avail. The Scripture says that the prayers of a righteous man availeth much. We believe that by faith.
James 5:16 <Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.>
The Bible says to bring every thought into subjection, unto the obedience of Christ. Therefore, by faith, all things are possible; nothing is impossible with God. Through faith in God, anything is possible. By faith, we can receive our healing. By faith, we can receive the Outpouring of the Holy Ghost.
I recall a story we heard once, told by Brother Bruce. He had a dream where he was standing before his congregation, and he asked the question, “How many will be ready to receive the Outpouring when it comes?” He had a little response. Then the angel of the Lord came and gave him a thought in his mind. Then he asked “How many will be ready by faith?” And the response was tremendous! That is the way it is going to be—by faith! We cannot be ready in our own selves. We see ourselves as full of faults, full of blemishes, and we are. We are nothing. We are just carnal human beings—sinners saved by grace. But God can take those stones and turn them into lively stones, and make something out of us—something that the world would never think possible. Just like Noah taking those pieces of gopher wood. Who would have thought that would float, that it would have become anything? But when he put that certain pitch to it, it filled all the holes, and then it became something. Without Christ in us we are nothing.
We can come into a situation that overwhelms us. Whatever it is—your financial problem, your health problems—whatever situation you are in, it could overwhelm you. We could become full of fear and trembling, but we have to learn to let faith take over. God could put us in that situation so that you would have that faith.
Faith without works is dead. You have to exercise that faith. That faith can become stronger than everything else can. Everything else is vanity, lying vanities. Whatever anyone would say, it is a lying vanity, because God’s Word is true.
If you have faith in the Promise for the hour, another Outpouring of the Holy Ghost, then you will order your life accordingly. You will clean up your life to receive God’s Promise for the hour.
Now I would like to look at a little story of the disciples. One time they were out in a boat, with the Lord.
Matthew 8:23-25 <And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.>
Now put yourself in that picture. They are in a situation. These are disciples; these are big rugged men. I can visualize how these people grew up on the water and on the boats. If you see a good boatman, they are rugged solid men. They are used to being thrown around by the waves. Just being on a boat with the constant rocking is exercise. These are men who are not fearful.
When we think of Peter, a big rugged solid man, he cut off the ear of the man that was coming for the Lord. That was not a man that was full of fear. The whole army was there and he was trying to stand in his own strength.
These were real men, and they were trembling in fear saying, “Lord, we are going to perish.” They had been on the water all their lives. What kind of waves were those that they were covering the boat? They were afraid that they would perish, saying, “If the boat capsized, we would drown. We are in an overwhelming situation; there is nothing we can do.” What does the Lord say?
Matthew 8:26 <And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful…>
What if someone said that to you? “Why are you fearful?” “Well look at my situation; look at this—this is overwhelming! Everything is going to crash on my head; I don’t know what to do!” He is looking beyond all of that. He is not even seeing that. He knows that there is something there.
Matthew 8:26 <…Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.>
If you put all your trust in the Lord, that is what happens. When they went and they turned to the Lord, when they spoke to Him, then He arose and calmed the sea. As He did for the disciples, He can speak to your storm of life. He can calm the seas of unbelief in your life. Oh yes, there will be another Outpouring of the Holy Ghost.
Matthew 8:27 <But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!>
What manner of man is He? There are many examples. That was one example where they were fearful, and they turned to the Lord.
Now that centurion was exercising faith. He knew that he could speak to the Lord, and all he would need is a word. He did not even feel that he was worthy for the Lord to come into his house, but just a word from the Lord and his servant would be healed. Now that is exercising faith.
He spoke the word for this centurion. The Bride will have to do the same thing, for Jesus said,
John 14:12 <Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.>
MANIFESTED SONS OF GOD SPEAK THE WORD
Quote W.M.B.: And when Jesus came, being the one God without sin, He proved it. When the winds blowed, He said, ‘Peace, be still.’ Amen. And when the tree, He said, ‘No man eat from thee.’
‘Verily, I say unto you, you, that’s little gods, if you’ll say to this mountain, ‘be moved,’ and don’t doubt in your heart, but believe that what you’ve said will come to pass, you can have what you’ve said.’
Go right back to Genesis, to the original; what is it? Now, the world and nature is groaning, crying; everything’s a moving what? For the manifestation of the sons of God, when true sons, born sons, filled sons speak and their word is backed. I believe we’re on the border of it right now. Yes, sir. Say to this mountain, let it be so.
’Brother, I desire so-and-so, a certain thing done. I’m a believer in Jesus Christ.’
“’I give it to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Amen. There’s a manifestation.
“’Oh, brother, my crops are burning up out yonder. I haven’t had any rain.’
“’I’ll send you a rain in the Name of the Lord God...?... bless your crop.’ Oh, waiting, groaning, all nature, waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God. God ordained it at the beginning. He gave man the domain.
“He gave Jesus Christ, and Jesus gave it in His Name, with this assurance, ‘Ask the Father anything in My Name, and I’ll do it.’ Adoption 60-0522E.
Quote: Placing of a son... Take him out in a certain place, have a ceremony before Angels, and place him positionally what he is in the body of Christ. Then that person has the authority. Let me say this, if you count me a fanatic from this night on. That very same thing that I’m speaking of will be done. There’ll be a power put into the Church, and now is coming in, that the Holy Spirit will so anoint the people, till they’ll speak the Word and It’ll create Itself right there. We haven’t seen powers like’s coming into the Church now. I know it for a fact.
‘Say unto this mountain be moved. Don’t doubt in your
heart, but believe that what you’ve said shall come to pass, you can have what
you have said.’: the placing of the Church in position, where the Fullness
of the Power of the Holy Ghost comes into the Church. Then critics’
mouths will be shut. It’ll be a short time. Jesus come right off the mountain,
went straight to
Let us look at the Syrophenician woman. Now here is a real exercise in faith.
Matthew 15:22-23 <And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.>
When He would not answer her, she tried talking to the other ministers, saying “Come, I have a problem here, this is serious.”
Matthew 15:24-26 <But he answered and said, I am
not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of
Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.>
Now this is going even further. That could be a serious insult. Imagine someone coming though a prayer line, and imagine Brother Branham up there just ignoring the person. Then they come back through again and he says, “Well this is not for you; this is for these people, this is not for you.” At that point, what would a typical person’s response be? Boy, you would get all fluffed up and say, “Well, who does he think he is?” This was the second time around now. Let us look at her attitude.
Matthew 15:27-28 <And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.>
God wants our attitudes to be right, as we look for this Promise of God. Now look at what having the right attitude did for that woman. She came and it was not until the third time that He answered her prayer. When we come before the Lord, we have to keep coming. We were taught to keep knocking; keep bringing your petition before the Lord. Do not give up, just like a baby crying.
You would think a baby could not speak. (We just had a little baby girl, and there are a lot of babies around here.) You know what I am talking about—the baby carries on and you are trying to sleep—you don’t feel like dealing with a baby—it’s the middle of the night. You think, “Let her cry, let her sleep,” but she keeps crying, she keeps going and going. It starts getting under your skin. It starts getting on your nerves until you have to take care of the baby. And all that baby is doing is crying because she wants something..
We have been taught that that is how we ought to behave. We need to cry out to God for something that He promised, something He wants to give us. He wants to give us this promised Outpouring. How much more if we cry out to Him will He want to give it to us? The Lord taught us to pray,
Mathew 6:10 <Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.>
THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY
The
Luke 11:20 <But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.>
Luke 17:21 <Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo
there! for, behold the
The one hundred and twenty received the
Look at these young people growing up. How many people need to be born again here? You can say, “I’m all set, I am saved.” Well, what about the other people; what about Him sending His servants out, sending that sickle out into the field? The fields are white to be harvested. We should be on fire for God. I should be on fire for God.
It is easy to get wrapped up in this natural life. There are so many cares, so many things to take care of. You could start to let the things of God grow dim. You do not want that to happen. You want to reverse that and let the things of this natural life fade away. We have to realize that we are in a battle here.
We see the churches are crying and hungering for this. Some of these people are sitting under dogmas and heresies—It’s just sickening the things that you hear about. You can’t even believe that someone could propagate some of the lies and the things that are going on out there.
Many of us, about half of the church, have grown up in this church atmosphere. We have grown up under the truth, the true Word of God. We have become accustomed to it. We forget that it is not like that everywhere else. We have grown up under a certain atmosphere, a certain environment under the Holy Ghost anointing; being trained in a certain way that we can live the Word, and be the Word, breathe the Word, so that we can be a witness and be part of that sickle, to be part of that Bride that would go forth and reap the harvest. I want to see millions saved around the world. I believe that there will be. We want to be prepared for that.
HARVEST TIME
Quote W.M.B.: 44-1 I believe it is near the harvest time. Don't you believe it? You all agree with that. We are near the harvest time. Now, the seeds has been planted. That's what's the matter with us. The seeds has been planted. Oh, God, I wish you could see what passed before me then. The seeds has been planted. Remember, there's a planting time; then a harvest time. They know they said so. Spoken Word Original Seed 62-0318.
Quote: Jesus said there'd be fearful signs, sights in the heavens, man's hearts failing, fear, perplexity of times, distress between nations. Don't you see that seed time is here now, the harvest time, the things the Bible said would come to pass? That seed that's been planted, don't you see it's taken life and living? That's what's the matter. Spoken Word Original Seed 62-0318m.
TOOLS FOR HARVEST
Quote: 187 Listen. We're at the end time. And I would say this with reverence and respect, as the last couple minutes is floating by. Look. What God, to my opinion, will do and must do, and will do in this last day, is to find a tool for the harvest. He's got to find a tool, to thrash the floor. Any farmer, when he goes to his harvest, he has to have a tool to do it with; certainly, he's got to have a sharp sickle or something, some instrument, to thrash out the grain. And the harvest is ripe.
188 God, take us in Your hand. Make us bond-servants of Your love. Use us for tool, to bring the realization to this sinful, cursed earth that we're living in today, that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. A Prisoner V-2 N-8 63-0717.
Look at the Hebrew children exercising faith in the fiery furnace. They would not bow down to that image that the king had prepared. They knew what they believed in. They said “We pray to our God; you pray to your God. We are not going to pray to your God.” So the King said, “Well, okay, we’ll throw you into the fiery furnace. Can your God deliver you? How great is your God?” The king was making a sarcastic comment saying, “If your God is that great, what can He do for you? Can he deliver you from the fiery furnace?” They said, “Sure He could. We won’t tempt Him, but if He wants to deliver us, He will. You do what ever you want to do.” The king said, “Well, okay. Fire up the furnace seven times hotter!”
Can you imagine the spectacle that they set up? This is going to be a great thing! Now the king has to make an example. He is going to get these Hebrew children—these renegades (he feels)—and make an example for the rest of his kingdom so that no one will disagree with or insult the King. So they fire up the furnace seven times hotter and throw the men in. The two men that were standing by the door of the furnace burned up and died right there. And when they looked in, they saw four men. And what did he say? “There is one like unto the son of God.” Now he knew—his conscience had to know—that there was something going on there. So he called them back out and you know the story. They walked out without the smell of fire upon them because of that Fourth Man; and that is what the church needs today—that Fourth Man amongst us, just as He was amongst the Church in the Book of Acts.
Look at Daniel in the lions’ den. It is the same thing. The king even witnessed, “Thy God is able to deliver thee.” Because of the chain of circumstances and the laws at that time, the king had to throw him in the lions’ den; he could not change the law. Can you imagine how terrible that looked? Can you imagine going in, your heart pounding, all these big lions in this den? They have been starved to get them good and hungry so that when they throw you in there you won’t even hit the floor—they are going to tear you to pieces! Can you imagine, there is nothing between Daniel and those lions? But faith was there. Faith. It was invisible, but it was there. You could not see it, but it was greater than anything. If they had sent a bunch of men in there to help them or their family, that is not going to help them; they would get tore up too. But look what faith did. The angel went in and held shut the mouth of the lions. Daniel slept in there all night. He probably slept like a baby. He probably felt that Presence of the Lord all around him. There is nothing that can stand between you and God.
Hebrews 11:32-40 < And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.>
They are all looking this way. They are waiting for us to receive this great Promise, this Outpouring of the Holy Ghost in Power. The Bride here in the end time will have to exercise the greatest faith. We must receive this Outpouring to bring up the rest of the saints from the Seven Church Ages.
HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS RAIN, RESURRECTION, PERFECTION, FULLNESS, ADOPTION, RAPTURING GRACE
Quote W.M.B.:
We're nearing something. You'll hear a sound of abundance of rain. For one
of these days the curtains will be drawed back from the heavens, and God will pour
out His Spirit without measure upon that group of people that's
fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas. And what a meeting
we'll have. Yes, sir. Maniac of
Quote: Same Holy Spirit that saved the Lutherans, that sanctified the Methodists, that baptized the Pentecostals, is now setting in order the coming of the Lord Jesus. When it’ll be so powerful, that Body will come into this group of church that’ll draw the rest of them from the grave. There’ll be a resurrection. That’s what the Holy Ghost is for. What the Holy Ghost Was Given For 59-1217.
Quote: What is the Holy Ghost? Without us they cannot be made perfect. “They lived in one day under that; we live in another day. “When the enemy comes in like a flood, I’ll—the Spirit of God will raise a standard against it.” See? What the Holy Ghost Was Given For 59-1217.
Quote: ...But now, when we need it, the Spirit of God raises a standard. What is it? He's pouring in His Spirit. Then those who are resting out yonder in the grave, or under the altar of God as the Scripture says, are crying, "How long, Lord? How long? How much longer?" God's waiting on me and you. The church is waiting on me and you: adoption time, when God can pour into us His Fullness, His Power, His Resurrection, that when the church and Christ become so close together till Christ becomes visible among us, and raises the dead, and we go into the rapture. What the Holy Ghost Was Given For 59-1217.
Quote: What is the Holy Ghost? God in you. What's It for? To continue His work among His people; to bring His church together; to bring a church to a place in this day, far beyond the Lutheran, Methodist, and Pentecostal, into a place to a adoption and a rapturing grace, that when this part of the church, when the Spirit moves into this church here, it'll just raise. And it'll bring forth, bring forth all of the redeemed that's touched that Spirit. What the Holy Ghost Was Given For 59-1217.
Quote: And that church will have to have the same Spirit that was in that body, or it won't dovetail with It in the resurrection. Those two pieces must come perfectly together; and if this church isn't perfectly, just exactly the same Spirit that was in Christ, you'll never go in the rapture. Hebrews Chapter 7 Part 2 Church Order 57-0922.
Time would fail for me to tell of Brother Branham and Brother Lambert. Brother Branham preached a return to Pentecost. He preached a message that would return the hearts of the children back to receive what the early Church received at Pentecost. Our pastor, Brother Lambert preached the same message in the same fashion as Brother Branham, with the same faith, and he did not deviate from that one iota. Where Brother Branham preached the Holy Ghost Outpouring, so did Brother Lambert. And though our precious pastor has gone on to his rewards with the Lord, the vision that he brought to us has now been placed into the hearts of God’s children and God’s ministers around the world. Though the vision tarry, it will surely come to pass.
Hebrew 12:1-2 <Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us…
(Sin is unbelief; faith is belief. We need to forget the unbelief and believe in faith.)
…and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.>
Amen.