The Negative Confession

The Negative Confession

Bro. Lee Vayle ?? - ?? 1963

... a faith this is one of the most important messages of the whole series. Actually it concludes the basic teaching of the series which when it continues has to do with textual messages of which Friday night will be 'Faith that Controls', Saturday night the 'Faith of Sarah', and Sunday night in conclusion the 'Greatest Faith in the Bible'. But tomorrow night is a very, very important message, 'The Trial of Our Faith'. We'll explain the process of the application of faith to the Word of God in such a way that you'll understand many things about the Christian walk that perhaps you saw, but did not thoroughly understand.

I can't tell you how important this message is to every Christian. You'd have to hear it to under-stand. And of course by the time you hear it, it'll be too late to invite someone. So, I wish you'd get on the phone, now this is nothing to do with me, and we'll even not bother taking an offering tomorrow night as far as that's concerned. I'm here for one thing, and that's as many people as possible that could hear this message, cuts across all lines. It's not a Pentecostal message, it's not a Baptist message, it's not a Presbyterian message, nor a Nazarene. But I can assure you that whatever brand people may feel they have upon themselves would appreciate knowing the truth as it is found. I doubt very much that if you like, you may read tomorrow, you may study all day long Romans 5: the first 5 verses.

And if you can come up with what God showed me, and you're the only person I know of who has known about it outside of myself. I've seen nothing written on this subject, I've heard of nothing, it's what God showed me after reading it hundreds of times. I kept going back and back, and back and back. And He showed me something that only the Spirit of God can show you. So, it's all sitting in front of you, but you'll never know what it's all about. I use that as part of the message connecting there it up with many, many Scriptures. And I know that tomorrow night, not because I'm preaching, but simply because this is the Word of God, and I've spent years of study on this subject. And I do not know where you will ever get a more complete understanding of the trial of your faith than tomorrow night.

And I'm not one who is like a friend of mine, they said when he gets through advertising his sermons, he gets so interested he has to come and hear himself preach. And I'm not that way. I'm not modest, but I'm sort of introverted and I feel foolish talking about, even what God's given me. But you will not be disappointed, nor will anybody be disappointed in tomorrow night's message.

So, you tell people and persuade them to come and you'll be doing them a great service, because many questions will be answered right from the Word of God. Up to this tape we have had nothing of our own presented to you. Everything I have mentioned has been the Word of God and has been laid down in the laws of God.

Now, for two nights we have been talking about 'Faith in the Mind', and 'Faith in Confession'. and in there I have brought to your attention how important it is to think faith thoughts, and then be careful of how you speak, because your words confirm and enlarge what you are thinking. If you don't express it, it is not confirmed. Even as God took counsel with Himself to bless man, and His Words were not confirmed until He Spoke that Word. After He had Spoken that Word, the Word was confirmed. You'll find that in Hebrews 6.

And tonight, we're going to continue along the thought of the 'Negative Confession', or words of unbelief. And this message, although offset in its presentation to last night will bring out the other two nights is such a way that I don't believe that you'll ever forget it as long as you live.

Let's bow our heads in prayer. Our Father, we come to You again tonight knowing that we are thy children that we can say with John, "truly we know that we are of God." Not only do we love You whom we have not seen, and yet believing we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, but we love the brethren and rejoice in each other. We're here for the one purpose tonight, O God, that Your people be taught, that is my stand, that is why I am here. That Your people be edified to the teaching of the Word.

And therefore, I pray that the words I say will be Your Words, O Lord, and shall not be mine. And shall be said in exactly the right way to convey exactly the right truth, that these dear ones be edified. May they in turn, Lord, bring fruit into their lives, giving us all eternal rewards for this truth, and also giving You great glory, because men have hearkened to the Word of God, and believe It as It is indeed the Word of God and obeyed It, as indeed as though God were present. Actually in figure, and therefore, Lord, we know great glory will accrue into that Holy Name.

Now, Father, we commit ourselves into Your hands now at this time as dear children, to learn and to learn for obedience sake in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

1. Now, you can turn with me to the Book of Genesis 25: we'll read 27-34

(27) And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

(28) And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

I want to go back over that first verse at this time, before we get into the message. And the Scripture says that Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man.

I wish that the King James version was consistent in its translation of the Word of God. Because they have made a tragic mistake in interpreting this word concerning Jacob as a plain man. As though he were very common and of the earth, earthy. You'll be surprised tonight to learn that in the Hebrew that this word that called Jacob 'plain', is the identical word that describes Abraham and Job as 'perfect'. And so the translation should read: "That Jacob was a perfect man, dwelling in tents."

2. I know that is not according to your vision of this man Jacob. Because I don't know any preacher who doesn't say that Jacob was a bit of a shyster. A bit of a supplanter. But I want you to notice according to Scripture that Jacob came from his mother's womb with his hands upon the heel of Esau. And it so happened that as people in those days named their children from the occurrences that took place around the birthday, and automatically called him Jacob, which means to grasp by the heel. But, in the vernacular of that day it also meant 'a man who was trickery'. Who believed in trickery, a supplanter. A man who wasn't really right in his dealings. And you'll notice that his brother Esau called him a supplanter, but God did not call him a supplanter.

I want to present to you tonight that Jacob was more honorable than his father, or his grand-father. Because his father went down to Egypt against the will of God. And his father went down to Egypt against the will of God. But, Jacob starving would not go down to Egypt till God said, "I have raised up Joseph as your deliverer, go down to Egypt." Jacob was not a man who supplanted. He was a man who honored God. I do admit he listened to his mother when he should not have done it. But had he been a true supplanter, when the hands of his father was upon his head, the Holy Spirit speaking to Isaac would not have conferred the blessing. And you understand that is true when you realize that Esau came to his father to get what really belonged to him, his father said, "Is this not Esau?"

And he said, "Yes, it's Esau."

"I thought I'd already blessed you."

And then his father said, "I have blessed him, and he shall stay blessed."

You think for one minute the Holy Ghost would put His seal of blessing upon a man who'd indulge in trickery? No! Jacob was a perfect man, dwelling in tents. A tremendous one, let's not... we'll understand as we go along in truth.

3. Now, It says here:

(29) And Jacob sod pottage: ...

Because he was a man who dwelt in tents, he was a humble man raising a little bit of food taking care of the flock. And It says here:

(29) ... (that) Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

(30) And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

(31) And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

(32) And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

(33) And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

(34) Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: (and) thus Esau despised his birthright.

This evening, these words which I have read to you in the speech of Esau are the perfect example of a negative confession, or the confession of unbelief. I want you to notice here that the condition in which Esau was literally forced to sell his birthright were very, very real. The reason you did not notice it, is because you stopped at chapter 25, the Word of God originally was not in chapters. And so the next verse would say, explain what took place in the above passage, and It says: [Genesis 26:]

(1) ... there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. (And so on.)

You will notice here there were very, very real conditions. There was a famine in the land. And this man came home and he said, "I am faint, and I am at the point of death." Now, I know that our conception of this little illustration is one when we think, Esau was out hunting. And the hunting was not very good. And being a man of ...hey... a man who would not meditate before he made an action. He came in, in a sort of a hurried way and it greatly exaggerated his condition. And like we'd say, "My I'm starving, give me something to eat." And we think Esau said that, and he did say he was starving, but the truth of the matter is that he was a hunter. There was no rain in the land, consequently the animals had moved to higher land attempting to find grass and attempting to find water.

4. Now, he didn’t have cars like we have today. He didn't have means of access to these animals like I understand Bro. Earl is going to go on a hunting trip if the Lord leads, he'll be way out in Colorado. Let me assure you if Bro. Mark had to go to Colorado to hunt some meat he'd he dead before he got there. And so we hastily say, "Well, here..." (You don't mind me using a little illustration do you brother?) Here we look at Esau we say, "Well now, look at this man, I think he was a real dope, a type of a buffoon, a shallow thinker." A man who would run in and say, "Quick give me something to eat, I'm starving and sell his birthright." Believe me he was tired, because he hunted for days, and you get tired when you walk and you hunt, and there was no water. And when you do add water to empty stomach all it does is rumble and churn, and you're hungrier than ever.

And so, he came in this literal fashion of being famished. And he was grim, and it was desperate. But, I want you to notice something here. In spite of these grim and desperate conditions there was something very, very, very real. Something that you might call intangible, but I'd call spiritual. Because I believe in a Scripture that says, "The things which are seen are not made of things which do appear." [Heb 11:3b] There was something always behind the situation. There is always a right way, and there is always a wrong way. If there's a devil, there's a God. And if there's a curse, there's a blessing.

5. I believe in the two mountains, a blessing and a cursing. And I see on one side those who belong to the lie, because they compiled yes, they were the ones that brought forth the son there upon the mount of blessing, but the concubines brought those upon the mount of cursing. And I believe there's something real here and the Scripture calls it a 'birthright'.

And Esau said, "What does this birthright profit me?" Believe me there is profit in serving the most High God. There was something real in what God wanted to do for Esau. God had not made an idle promise concerning Eternal Life. God had not made an idle promise concerning rewarding the righteous. God has not made an idle promise concerning what He had in His heart for mankind. But the Scripture says that Esau despised the birthright. And the birthright was the realest thing that Esau could put his hands on, because it not only contained the promise of life which now is, but the life which is to come. But he said... I'll just let it go.

6. In Hebrews 12:16-17 describing the situation the apostle Paul said,

(16) Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, (notice, profane person) who for a morsel of (bread) sold his birthright.

(17) For (you) know that (how) afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, ...

It was his, and he turned it down, because the birthright originally went to the first born, and the father divided the kingdom, or whatever he had, exactly in two. That's why they said when Jesus was called the Son of God, He made Himself equal with God, because according to birth-right the father must divide the inheritance right down the middle. So, this man Esau, despised the birthright which he could have inherited, and the blessing that went with it. And now he comes back to God. And because he had rejected God in this incident, (are you listening to me? every word tonight I'm weighing carefully, I'll play the tape back,) I said that God weighed Esau in this incident. This case of starvation of grim and trying circumstance, and in rejecting God, God rejected Esau. Because the Scripture says,

(17) ... (afterwards, he tried to find a) place of repentance, (and) he sought it carefully with tears. (But he could not find it.)

God had said there was a blessing to being a son of God, not a curse. God had given His righteous promises, and yet Esau in this trying condition, not fully realizing what he was doing, too tempted as he sought. Two sorry tribes, now turns his back on the promises of the Living God. And he judges the situation in such a way he ought not to have judged it, and God rejected him.

7. So, now we come to the conclusion as to what the 'negative confession' is, or what it means to confess in unbelief. It is to admit to a condition. He said, "is a famine, there is no game, there is nothing to eat, I am starving." It was true, that was the condition.

It is to admit to a condition considering and believing in its natural conclusion, rather than to confess what God has already said about the conclusion of that condition. Esau said, "There is a famine. I have hunted and found nothing. There is no food, I am faint, I will die." And believe me, that is all exactly true. Because if there is no food, you cannot eat. And if you cannot eat you will starve. And if you starve you will die. And the logical thing is this, and if I'm going to die, what is the use of a birthright, why fool with God? You're right back to the question: "Is God a good God? Is He doing good things?" Everything I told you is just like this.

8. Now, why does God not want us to think and reason and speak that way? The reason is found over here in Genesis 15:1-6

(1) After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram:...

That's the first thing that God says. Why did He say it? Because He knows He is going to put us in a place where fear can readily be born and be manifested. Did you hear me? Didn't get it, did you? Don't feel bad, because I don't get it either. This is our tragedy. He said, "Fear not." Because he knew he was going to God, was going to put us in a place where fear should be the natural outcome of those circumstances, unless we look beyond them to God. You get it now? Can you put it in practice don't shake your heads yet. Let's put it this way, say, "I hope so by the grace of God."

(1) (He said,) ... Fear not,... I am thy shield,...

Not through ingenuity, not your bank account, not your friends. Not your civic rights. Not even the Bill of Rights, the 'Magna Carta', or any humanities the world tries to give you. He said, "

(1) ... I am (your) shield, and (I am) thy exceeding great reward.

(2) And Abram said, LORD God,...

Notice what he said? He said, "Lord God." He called God, Lord. That means he bowed himself to the will of God. He said, "Yes, yes, yes, whatever You say, I'm just a bond slave.

(2) ... what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

(3) And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

(4) And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

(5) And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

(6) And he believed in the LORD; and (God) counted it to him for righteousness.

Now, I want you to notice something here in this verse of Scripture. But, let's go to 18 first, then 21

(18) In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

(19) The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and (so on, and so on, and so on.)

9. Now, listen to me, you will notice that there were very, very real promises of God at stake in Esau rejecting what God had said. Because God said to Abraham, "Thy seed is going to live and not die, and you're going to have two kinds of seed, they're going to be like the stars in the heaven, and that's the redeemed, the Elect after the spirit, and there are going to be those who are like the sands of the seashore innumerable, they are not going to be elect as a spirit, they are going to be the elect after the flesh that do not inherit the Kingdom of God."

Now, Esau was not going to die. He simply couldn't die, because God said he was going to live. And he shall deliberately with all the promises of God, knowing that the life of his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac, deliberately turned away from the promises of God in a sign of feeling usual disaster. To him the consequence of his condition was death. God was not going to do anything about it, but God had not said so. God had made a very real promise, and God cannot lie. And because he deliberately dared to impugn the integrity of God making him a liar, the Scripture says that God had to reject him. And that's exactly what God did.

10. But, Jacob was not such a confessor. He said, "Esau, I've got a little food on hand, I've got enough to live on. (I think I have) I've got just enough of these dried peas here, and a little bit of bread I've made up on a bit of corn and I've been saving it during this famine. But, he said, "I heard from God, through my father Isaac, and I believe what my father Isaac told me was true, about the living God. It seems that God would have more care for us. if we are really the Elect that he says we are, but I'm not looking at conditions, I'm looking at the promise of God. And I am willing to risk my life on God's Word. I'll give you, that you may live, but you give me your birth-right." If you're not going to trust God then you surely don't want what God's got for you. Right?

Are you listening? Right. You don't trust God, you evidently don't want what God said He got for you. He said, "You give it to me, and I'll take my chance that God will take me through because of the birthright." And so he gave him the food that he needed to live on, and they both lived. But one man went down in history as a perfect man, and one man went down in history as a profane and fornicating man.

Now, let's go over it once more: The negative confession: God does not want us to talk about, and evaluate the conditions the conditions of life, and ponder their end. Are you getting it? Shall I read it again? God does not want us to talk about, and evaluate the conditions of life, and ponder their end. Shall I read it again? Haven't got it? Think you've got it, you haven't got it have you? Now, don't feel bad, work at it. God does not want it. He literally forbids us. He does not want us to talk about and evaluate (to reason) the conditions of life, and ponder their end. Where are they meeting? (See?) He wants us to look at His promises and where they lead, to look for the good and not for the bad, because God is a good God doing good things. "Thou are good and doeth good, and all things work together for good to them who love the Lord, to those who are being called according to His purpose." [Rom 8:28] You see It now?

11. All right, lesson number one: We'll now consider the case of the twelve presbyters of Israel. Turn with me to Numbers 13:30-33

(30) And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; (Canaanites) for we are well able to over- come it.

(3)1 But the men that went up with him said, (We're) not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

(32) And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the in- habitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

(33) And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were (as grasshoppers) in their sight.

Continuing in chapter 14:

(1) And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

(2) And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! ...would God we had died in this wilderness!

(3) ... wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

(4) And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, (let us make our own captain. That's what they were saying. and) let us return into Egypt (with the captain.)

(5) (And) Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

(6) And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

(7) And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

(8) If the LORD delight in us, (God's on our side) then he will bring us into this land, (we won't do it ourselves, He'll) give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. (Rich beyond compare.)

In other words, everything they wanted just lying there to pick it up.

(9) Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: (was can eat them up) their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: (not with them, don't) fear... (the people, fear God.)

Now, here again we find a very real and trying circumstances. But with it there is a very real promise which I read to you in Genesis chapter 15.

12. Going back again to Genesis 15: back now to verse 13, starting there. This is when Abraham fell into a deep trance and God gave him this prophecy.

(13) And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, (Egypt) and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; (exactly right.)

(14) ... also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and after- ward they come out with great substance. (And they did.)

(15) And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; (and) thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

(16) But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

(17) And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

(18) In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, (Canaan land) from the river of Egypt (which is true, and) the river Euphrates:

(19) The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,

(20) ...Hittites, and the Perizzites, ...Rephaim,

(21) ...Amorites, Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

He said, "I've given it." And that was the promise of God, but Israel did not believe the promise of God.

13. Turn now to Joshua, 23: 8-11, we'll get ahead of ourselves, but it's alright.

(8) But cleave unto the LORD your God, as (you) have done unto this day.

(9) For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.

(10) One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

(11) Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.

These verses could have been said before this chapter. Actually because this is the truth of God according to the love of Israel when He sent them in to take Canaan land.

Now, I want you to notice again, and I want to keep impressing upon you that these are very real and trying conditions. It is too easy for you and me to sit here tonight and read our Bibles, and say, "My, if I had been in Esau's shoes, I'd wouldn't have done that." Wouldn't you?

We say, "Oh my, isn't it something that the children of Israel fell like carcasses?" They were carcasses, ...?... How come those people with the blessing of God, had I been there in Egypt and seen the death that ..., and if I'd been there and seen the blood, the lice, the frogs, had I been there and seen the cataclysms of nature, had I been there and passed through the Red Sea, had I seen the mountain and the lightening and thundering, I would have not done that. Wouldn't you? Easy to sit back and condemn. And read It as though a favor, or a bedtime story.

14. I want you to know something brother/sister, these people when they rebelled and they brought forth their negative confession, their words of unbelief in the face of Almighty God, I want to tell you something, they were tried and sorely tried. They were told by God to go into Canaan's land and posses a country which was too big for them. And when the country's too big it's like Napoleon invading Russia. When he took all of Europe, he thought I'll take Russia. And he got swallowed up in Russia, because his logistic experts could not keep the food and clothing abreast with the army, and they died. Hitler did the same thing, and the land can swallow you up. Here's the experts, the people who knew, at least much realized that it was truth.

I want you to notice something else, the people in Canaan land were greater than the Israelites. The Israelites were not known for their great stature. There were more on the finer bone smaller race of men. But these were giants in the land.

15. I want you to notice something else, these Israelites had to come up against a walled city. Tell me, what can you do against a walled city when you don't have the implements of warfare to knock the walls down? How are you going to get into a city and fight a nation who are warriors, when you yourselves are not only separate people, but you are kept down for at least two hundred years, so you couldn't even have a knife in your possession. Pretty helpless isn't it?

What do you think about telling God telling you to go into a place and all the face of it with your wives and your children whom you love? And if anything we'd still have missed the day that the true Jew loves his family. They don't have juvenile delinquents as we have. The conditions were very, very real, and they were very, very grim. And one cannot sit back tonight and say, "

Well, had I been there, I would have done somewhat different." Because all this is true what they said. But you see what they did, they looked at conditions. And from looking at those conditions and reasoning, they followed those conditions to their logical conclusion. And the logical conclusion is always this: It's absolutely impossible for a nomadic, separate people without being trained in warfare, without having the skills and implements, without having anything as an asset, all liability to go toward a bunch of people in a walled city who are trained in war and come up and say, "Alright, we're going to take you over." That's the most ridiculous thing in the world as Bro. Branham often says. Here comes Moses as a one man army invading Egypt and says "Here I am, I'm going to take over."

16. And it's just as silly for Israel, because believe me, you can take a machine gun today upon a ferret ice and let the armies advance as fast as they can advance. If they swing that machine gun, every man will be mowed down just piled up.

I want to impress upon you tonight, that these conditions are real. And when Israel rebelled, humanly speaking there was a might good reason for it. I believe that's why the Scripture says, "Who art thou O man, to judge another man's servant?" [Rom 14:4a] And so, Israel rebelled against Almighty God, because they had forgotten the promises which were in their behalf.

If they had not looked at circumstances and reasons where those circumstances were going and confess it, but had turned around like Joshua and Caleb and said, "Yes we know the giants are there, we understand all of that, we know that believing God is always a calculated risk, it's to step out on upon water as it were. But God has said, "He was going to get it."

17. So therefore, somewhere in the chain of circumstances there will be a miracle. God will once more turn the flood tides back, open the Red Sea, and confound those in the walled city. You see, they were right, the others were wrong? Why were they right? Because God has said, "I'm going to give you the land." Now, He didn't say there wouldn't be war to be fought. He didn't say there weren't conflict to be made. He didn’t say great battles to perform. He said, "I'm going to give it to you, no matter what it looks like, I can't lie." You see, there's the test. You believe what God said, in spite of conditions?

Two people believed, outside of Moses, he couldn't get in. Aaron also must have believed a little bit. But roughly out of three million people; two million nine hundred and ninety-nine doubted, and nine hundred and ninety-eight did not believe God. Do you realize what I'm driving at now?

18. Listen, when the Son of man cometh shall He find faith upon you? How many Christians do you know counting yourselves that really know what it is from living a positive confession? How many do you know that really believe God when the chips are down? When they realize the things that are not made of things which do appear.

They realize that what they look at is not what you go by. It's what God said, we go by. We as Christians ought to know that. If our logical conclusions could not save us from sin, neither can our logical conclusions keep us from sin. If our logical conclusions cannot bring us into victory, then when God gives the victory our logical conclusions cannot keep the victory.

But Israel stepped aside from believing God, and then when they were shamed they attempted now to go up the land and they were confused, because God would not let them come in. And they feel as carcasses in the wilderness.

19. Turn to Hebrews 3: let us read It: beginning at verse 7,

(7) Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart.

How do you get a hard heart? By looking at conditions instead of looking to God and His Word. Stop and think a moment now, come on. Has your heart been hardened and in the period of years you served God? Oh has it? Are you as tender as when you were born again? No you're not? Why are you not? Because your heart's got hardened by getting your eyes on conditions. Had you got your eyes off conditions your heart would not have been hardened. Right? Well, we know the answer is it true, because this is from history, we read the history tonight we know what took place.

(8) Harden not your hearts, as in the (day of provocation)...

When you were what? Provoked! Offended! Stumbled! Smacked on the teeth! Misunderstood! Fought or simply as a truth of it is getting a place to see whether you'd believe God in spite of conditions. Isn't that when we get provoked? (Uh?) At the day of provocation. When they were provoked at God, and then God was provoked at them. Right? If we esteem God lightly, He esteems us lightly, right? The day of provocation they were provoked and ...?...

(8) ...in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

God tempted them, and then they turned around and tempted God. Right?

(9) When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

20. Let me stop right here. Have all the miracles that you and I have seen done had any real lasting impression upon ius? Now, think carefully before you answer. because you're here in the Presence of God, not Lee Vayle, I'm just His ambassador, but I stand for Him, and I'm here to teach you. Now, come on now, it hasn't has it? Miracles, you'll never understand the ...?...

Now, you people are all looking for miracles aren't you, a short cut, it'll never work. This is it. See it? He said,

(9) ...(they) saw my works...

(10) Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; they have not known my ways.

(11) So I sware in my wrath, (I was angry said God) They shall not enter into my rest. (They didn't.)

(12) Take heed, brethren, (this is for you and me now) lest there be in any of (us) an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Here's why, you have an evil heart and depart from God. You look at conditions wherein God has placed us and we draw our own conclusions, we say what we think about it and we refuse to say what God has said about it.

Supposing you're sick tonight, what is it you say? Somebody tell me! Make a guess, come on, please. "By His stripes I have been healed." [Isa 53:5b] If you're broke, owe everybody money what do you say? "He provides all my needs, by ...?..." (Uh?)

21. All right:

(13) But exhort one another daily, ...

How much? (Oh, I got to quit, I'm might getting... I'm jus ... just ask the Lord to keep me sweet now, because I know human nature so well, I could just really cut everybody's throats and mine too, and I don't want to do it. And that's my biggest trouble. I'm going to tell something about myself, because God knows anyway.

I let the tares hurt me when I pastored. I didn't know they were tares. They said they were wheat, and I thought they were. Everyone that names the Lord doesn't belong to Jesus, remember that. You can make miracles, tell you all about yourself and raise the dead, you can be a child of hell just like Judas. Because Judas had a ministry and wasn't even a minister. He was the son of perdition and belonged to the devil. Jesus said, "One of you is a devil." [Jn 6:70b] And he had a ministry, evidently even the Holy Ghost worked through him. And I saw the tares, and when I saw their rotten works, I said, "If these are Christians, and cut their throats." And in doing I hurt everybody in the church plus myself, and I have to watch myself, lest I lash out. And if I lash out forgive me, it's not anything to do with you, and I'm ashamed to even lash out. Because it has nothing to do with you, why should I come and beat you over the head when somebody else can beat you over the head? Well, let's get back now. You understand me a little more now see? For me to keep this calm it says something for Lee Vayle, believe it. It is.

22. Now, listen again:

(13) But exhort one another daily, ...

How much time do we ever take out to encourage each other in the circumstances say, "Get your eyes off of it, brother/sister, get them on God. Well, pray, do something."

No, I can't do a thing, I'm just holding your hands up. Don't get your eyes off God. Why, doesn't that? Stop questioning brothers. Don't question sisters, get your eyes on God, leave it to Jesus, it'll work out. Just leave it, don't question. Tell me, has anybody ever come to you and said that, when you've in trouble anybody had it done? I got my hands in my pocket too. What miserable failures we are. And the funny things... [blank spot] ...all looking for someone to come and do something, when all they need to do is come and say something. (Uh?)

23. All right, I got over that little hurdle didn't I?

(13) But exhort one another (today), while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened ... (Uh? And get it hard? By the) the deceit- fulness of sin.

The devil coming around and saying like he said to Eve, "God doesn't what you to have the best. Oh, the Lord is holding something back." The Devil tempting Jesus, "Now, if you really were the Son of God, it shouldn't happen, you know." ...?... Now,

(14) For we are made (not) partakers...

Now, there's a violent error in the King James. It is not partakers at all, it's companion. Look it up, don't believe me, look it up.

(14) ...we are made (companions) of Christ, ...

You aren't made a partaker by suffering, you're made a partaker. How? By the Life of God, ...?... the same as in Jesus. Right? (Uh?) Well, you know that, you're Bible students. But you're made companions in suffering. You say, "Fellowship in suffering?" Yes, isn't this the glorious thing you ever heard of? It's crazy, who ever heard of companions if it's suffering? That's really real Christianity. Right? Real fellowship. You don't get to depart from it. You didn't like that, did you? (Uh?) Well, come on, never mind who comes and goes I'm helping you.

24. You say, "I'm sixty years old Bro. Vayle, I'll be dead." Yeah, you won't have any rewards either kidoo! (Uh?) Ask God to give you ten more years. It says:

(14) ...(we're) made (companions) of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence (we're faithful together) stedfast unto the end;

(15) While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, ...

Notice, It repeats and repeats, and repeats. And that's what I'm doing. Yeah, I got... I got my laws from God to repeat and repeat, and repeat, because if you don’t repeat you'll never get it. He said, "Your heart gets hardened," when you look at the logical conclusion instead of what God said about it.

(16) For some, when they had heard, (what? The Word of God concerning the situation, they) did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

(17) ... with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

What was the sin? They used their own reasoning and decided where the events were going to go, when God had said, "No, this is where they're going."

Now, listen to me tonight: Are you prepared tonight, prepared to head directly south, and suddenly God says you're not going south, you're going east, and you say, "Thank you Lord, I'm going east." Nobody? You better be. Okay. Because south and north, and east and west, are ...?... We may think we're going due south, or north, we may be traveling east and not even know. So, you see he says,

(19) ... they could not enter in because of unbelief.

25. What does Proverbs 6:2 say?

(2) Thou art snared (thou art snared) with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken (it's all over) with the words of thy mouth.

I want to bring another illustration tonight and that's in 2 Kings 7: Oh, say listen, I've got a little contract to make with you. How many believe God's a good God? All right listen, don't raise your hands unless you honestly know. Now, let's put it this way, then you can raise your hands. How many have not come to the place yet in your lives though, if they know that they know, that they know God's a good God and it's that good real rich feeling yet? Haven't got it, let me see your hands haven't got there? Well, I've got my hand up. Oh, you preach to me bless God, I'm sitting down, I'm going home.

I want to say it again, Look you know He's a good God. You know it's true, you agree, I do too. But it's not in your heart in all its richness while you're ...?... And you just know that He's a good God. Trouble comes to me, while He's a good God, hallelujah. You see, you haven't got that far, raise your hands, put them up. All right, good. The rest of you folk ...?... They're good, I'm going to pull a fast one. Now, you folk are going to have to pray for us from now on. I don't have to bother to pray for you.

26. I say once more now, because I mean it. I'm ful of tricks to really wake you up. Look, I'm serious. If you tonight you know theoretically He is a good God, it's true. But you haven't reached the depth of that implicit faith in Christ that He is a good God, your love ones go, cruel depression comes, you're ready to face the enemy, when the Catholic church predominates on one side, the commies on the other. You see your churches taken from you, no doubt this will be as time goes on. And you can say, "Praise God, He's a good God." You haven't got that far.

Now, you raise your hands now, because this is the last time. I'm not fooling. I'm going to hold you up in prayer everyday in agreement, because the Lord said, "If two agree on anything that's touching the kingdom of heaven, it shall be done unto them." [Mt 18:19] Every day the rest of my life God help me, and I'll never forget, I'll remember this church and say, "Lord, I remember my covenant with the people in ...?... the vow be to them and all the fullness of Thy goodness, that good God I have fought in the battle." Put your hand up. You remember me? Don't forget now, don't everyday don't, don't you forget. Before you roll out of bed say, "God, I remember my covenant." Because you're the third group now.

And I'm going to tell you something, it's doing something for me. Agree, agree, it didn't say struggle, work and fuss and everything else, it says, "agree." I agree this day, O Lord, that Thou Who art perfect goodness, and You are, will be manifested in my thoughts and mind as exactly what You are in Your goodness." In other words, You'll accept Him in everything, it'll be your first nature, He's a good God. He wouldn't hurt me, this is God. See what I mean? Okay fine.

27. Now, 2 Kings 7:1-2

(1) Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

(2) Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?... (and so on.)

Now, you all know the story, the condition set forth here are that in Samaria they were surrounded by the Syrians. It was a walled city, all they had was a bit of water from the spring. Now, It said there was no food in the city. They were picking up a few little herbs out of the ground. Dove dung, acid heads, which are little herbs in the ground, the roots thereof, nothing to eat.

One day a woman cried to the king and said, "Oh, king avenge me."

He said, "What's the matter with you?"

She said, "My neighbor and I made an agreement that I would take my son today and eat him, and tomorrow we'd roast her son and eat him. So, I took my son we roasted him and ate him, and now today she's hidden her son."

And the king opened up his vesture, with sack cloth and ashes upon his body. It was a grim condition. It was absolutely so grim that people turned cannibal. There was no hope from without. There was no hope within. There was absolutely no way out of this predicament, except abject surrender or death. Now believe it, because that's exactly what it was.

28. But God, had said something. He had made a promise [to] His children, and the prophet came by and he said some more. There is going to be an amplitude [largeness] in exact proportion to the scarcity. In other words, as there was such a scarcity you couldn't beg, borrow, buy or steal a nickel's worth of food. Tomorrow you could hardly give it away it was that much.

And a man said, "Haw, any fool can see that. That's a just a big pipe dream of that prophet trying to save his own skin." If anybody thinks that even now the way things have gone, God is going to do something. Well, that's too rich and rare entirely. What's God going to do? Open a window in heaven and let the bodies fall ...?.....? I don't know if there's any wheat fields up there. I never heard that. We get sarcastic don't we? I'm a very sarcastic person. Well, I should be sarcasm at all. Doves don’t have any gallbladder, they've no bile. (Uh?) Sheep, just follow. Don't even question. (Uh?) I kind of warned you, times up. Getting mixed up, "be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves," [Mt 10:16b] you get sort of harmless as serpents and wise as doves. "Yes," He said. What's God going to do? Open windows and drop it down? He said, "You'll see it, you'll be there, but because of that you won't get any."

29. Didn't I read to you in Jeremiah, "Thou will not see when good cometh." [Jer 17:6b] Good will come, but it won't do you any good. Have I not read, "Where he that lightly esteems God. God lightly esteems him." When a man sows with God, God sows with the man. When a man confesses unbelief, or on his lips there's a negative confession, God cannot, God will not give that man a promise.

Come and say, "Lord, I've got that measure of faith."

He said, "Yes, but you didn't use it."

"How would I use it Lord?"

"I laid down the laws and My Word how to use it. I told you, get your eyes off of conditions, never mind where they're leading, get your eyes on me and remember what I said about those conditions." And so the man destroyed himself.

30. Now, tonight we accuse, or excuse these illustrations I've given you. Mostly we accuse them, rather than excuse them. Why in these trying conditions, (now listen carefully) why is it in these conditions are so severe, why is God so severe? Because He told us there is no temptation, or testing and taking you but is common to all men. And He'll not test you but what you're able to bear. But will with the testing make a way of escape and you can bear it. The very integrity of Almighty God is at stake. Did God mean what He says? Did He? Yes, He did mean what He said. And He meant what He said with such an extent He put His Word above His Name, and that's the only thing God backs up is His Word! Not His Name!

Too long you've been reading and thinking, "anything in My name. Anything in My name." No! Not anything is His Name. Only what you believe with your heart and say with your lips. Put it in the past tense, call the work done then watch for the good. That's when the Name of Jesus' works, and It will not work otherwise. If the Name of Jesus works every other time except for those conditions my brother, my sister, there wouldn't be one of us who wouldn't he in king's palaces tonight and riding in Cadillac's. Right? Preach it Bro. Vayle, that's good thinking.

31. You know I'm telling you the truth. (Uh?) I said, you know I'm telling... Don't tell me you'd sooner have a old mule to ride out there in the ...?... Ha, boy I sure hate mosquitoes down here, you should have your mosquitoes prayed for, for having prayers answered, goodness. (Uh?) Sure.

God is a jealous God. And He's jealous of His Word and how people react to It. He will not suffer fools to fight with His Word. I don’t use that word irreverently, I mean foolish people. God demands obedience.

32. In Psalms 50:21-22

(21) These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

(22) Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

The Word of God emphatically declares in the Book of Romans, that when the Gentiles that are called of God to be His Bride, turned their backs on the commands of God, God is going to forsake them. That's exactly true, He's doing it right now. He's just two minutes away from bring the Jews back. I mean the true Jew. And I hate that word 'Jew', because nobody knows what it really means, use Israel, whatever you want to call. God is turning back to the former olive tree right now. Because He's duty bound, because of His Name and because of His Word. We don't need any further illustrations, I'm convinced of that.

The negative confession of what the negative confession is, we've illustrated it thoroughly. We know how God's people responded, and the Scripture says, "These are written for our example that we may learn by admonition be delivered." [I Cor 10:11a]

33. God has set before us a beautiful Psalm. It's called Psalm 91. I know we all know It, but we can go back at look at it for a moment or two. And in there It says:

(1) He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High abide(s) under the shadow of the Almighty.

That's the day in the Book of Ephesians [2:6b] is, "We're seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

(2) I will say of the LORD,...

Did you hear it? Take your Bibles, listen to It again, come on. Here's what the Man seated in Christ Jesus in heavenly places said. Here is how He talks.

(2) I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge (when you need a refuge, when the hunter's pursuit) and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Now you're going to say this:

(3) Surely he shall deliver (me) from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

(4) He shall cover (me) with his feathers, under his wings ( I will) trust: his truth shall be (my) shield and buckler.

(5) (I will) not be afraid for the terror (when it comes) by night; (it'll come) nor (by) the arrow that flieth by day; (when it comes.)

(6) Nor for the pestilence that (walks) in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

(7) A thousand shall fall at (my) side, ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh (me.)

(8) Only with (mine) eyes shalt (I) behold and see the reward of the wicked.

(9) Because (I) hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, (my) habitation;

(10) There shall no evil befall (me), neither shall any plague come nigh (to my) dwelling.

(11) For he shall give his angels charge over (me), to keep (me) in all thy ways.

(12) They shall bear (me) up in their hands, lest (I) dash thy foot against a stone.

(13) (I) shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon (also I'll) trample under feet.

(14) Because (I have) set (my) love upon (him), therefore (He will ) deliver (me): (He) will set (me) on high, because (I have) known (His) name.

(15) (I) shall call upon (Him), and (He) will answer (me): (He) will be with (me) in trouble; (He) will deliver (me), (He will) honour (me).

(16) With long life will (He) satisfy (me), ...(that's the way men of God talk.)

"I will sing," said the Psalmist. Okay, let's talk like the Psalmist shall we?

34. If we as Christians will learn to go to the Word of God in every trouble, and find out what God has already said about the solitary. Now, listen to me, I am convinced that this is the Word of God. I believe this to be the Word of God. And because It is the Word of God to mankind I do not believe that there is this one single solitary condition that can befall man, but it's already in this Book, telling you how to act and what you're going to get. I'm convinced that in every trial we can go to the Word of God, look up our situation, meditate upon it, and confess not what our eyes see, what our ears hear, but confess what God has said and we will come out as conquerors.

In weakness we confess what? He is my strength. In sickness, we confess He is my Healer. In need, we confess He is my supply. When we're out of work, we say, He will care for us and provide; no matter what, we are to think faith thoughts, and confirm our thoughts with those same words, that God has uttered. We are to keep it up and not let it down, no matter how thick the arrows fly, we raise the shield of faith by thinking upon what God said, and saying what God said. That's what it is, to raise your shield of faith. And as you do, the Sword of the Spirit in your mouth is more than powerful enough to destroy all the works of the enemy. He who murmurs will be like Israel, destroyed. But he who praises God will see the hand of God.

35. Now, finally we must never forget this: think we must, everybody thinks. So, it's an impossibility not to. Talk we must, everybody has to talk to communicate, talk we will. But will we not think and talk faith, because life and death are in the power of the tongue and of the mind. A wise choice will bring us into the fullness of the Kingdom of God. A wrong choice will keep us outside God's lips.

Now, shall I stay six more weeks and preach this same sermon every night? You're going to ...?... take it home. I think I want that faith, and I certainly won't pray for myself. But there's truth here tonight. It's not the truth we've been hearing for years, that there's some mysterious mystical way, that somehow God will just reach it out, and do something is spite of how we act. Brother/sister that's a lie from the pit of hell.

36. And I want to disabuse you young and old tonight if you have never been disabused, and I trust you have not been let down. Because brother/sister, it's better now even in old age to learn error, and correct our ways rather than to bring our gray hairs down to the dust and be wrong. (Right?) I know you're wise Christians. I speak unto you as wise children, or I would not be here. But, let us from now on as I say, work out something in our homes.

I know, that this is one time you women get out of subjection, please. If your husband gets negative take the frying pan and bang it on a stove, not on his head, please. And if you got to say, "Shut up!" Listen to me, do it and I'll forgive you, I'll pray for you. And say, "Don't talk negatively " And gentlemen, if your wives are negative ...?.. don't beat them. Just beat them to it. And say, "Ah ha, caught you!" No negative thinking and talking around here.

And you know what you ought to do? And bless God, I think it's time we got doing it. The minute we do wrong, it's get on our knees and confess right then and say, "From this moment on. Lord, no more talking negatively about this subject. We trust me, O God, because You are worthy of trust.

37. Listen, if we're trusting our spirits and souls to God, how much more this day. Learn to commend your business to God. Everything to God. No matter what it is, immediately get the habit of swinging right into, 'Thou art a good God'. Thinking what God said on it. And then confirming it, see, making a stand. (See?) And keep it up!

Remember what I said a while back when I first came here? It's a while back now, almost two weeks. I said, "How many of you folk when you testify to healing the devil made you feel sick again till you got about where you didn't want to testify in case you got sick and ...?... And I would, I've see it happen in my own life too. Do it anyway. Don't let him bluff you.

Because look, here's the point, can God lie? Can He? You really mean that? Can God lie? No, He can't lie. The thing is, God can't lie. Let's say it: "God can't lie." Let's mean it, "God can't lie." Say, "I mean it." The devil's a liar! Amen, the devil's a liar. That's good, hey, that really helps. I say that a lot and that, and that just makes the atmosphere clear. As you see, God can't lie. He swore by two irrevocable things, Himself and His Word! Why can't God's Word change? Well, anybody can change word. No, because God is the Word and the Word is God! Right?

38. Look at the Word change, and God change. Right? And if God changes, Word changes. But the thing is, God is the Word, and He can't change. That's why it is so many folk don't appreciate Bro. Branham. They don't believe he's bringing them back to the original Word. It's all over America, people that should believe that he's done the most ...?... heals all the sick. The Pentecostal's repudiate him, they say, "Well this man Branham can't be right, because he's not like our head-quarters in Springfield, or St. Louis, or Cleveland." That's right, he's got it from head-quarters in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Right? By the Pillar of Fire. Hallelujah.

Don't you feel good? My, listen to me folks: The Pillar of Fire didn't avail in Moses' day, because they didn't believe, and put into practice what God said, the simple rules. And even though William Branham without a doubt, I don’t want to be quoted as though I'm a fool, quote me as an earnest sincere man. I believe he's the greatest prophet since the apostle Paul, and will rank right with the apostle Paul, without a doubt, and John. That is the greatest prophets in that area, apostolic, prophetic.

And I want... and I say this: that Pillar of Fire is here right today in this day and age. And I believe it will be visible to multitudes in the days to come, without a doubt. But I still have to say this one thing: brother/sister, unless we put into practice from the Word of God the very things that I have taught tonight the ministry of Bro. Branham, or any man, and our lives will be just as true as it was in those day. Isn't that true? (Uh?) You know it's true brother/sister.

39. You say, "Well, I believe what Bro. Branham says." That's not the answer. That's no answer. Because let me tell you right now, most people will listen to him on the Seals and they'll believe. They cannot, because it's been taught for generations, except for a few points here and there, just as Bro. Branham believed. Except he opened a few things that have been closed for all these years. The majority of thought brought out have been taught by most Bible students for a long time. You see, you got to obey. Right? Obedience, obedience. From now on are we going to confess positively? Yes!

All right, let us say:

From now on I will not think my own thoughts about any situation.

[Congregation repeats]

"From now on I will not think my own thoughts about any situation."

Nor will I draw any conclusions as to their end.

[Congregation repeats]

"Nor will I draw any conclusions as to their end."

But I will think God's thoughts upon the subject.

[Congregation repeats]

"But I will think God's thoughts upon the subject."

And I will say what God has said concerning them.

[Congregation repeats]

"And I will say what God has said concerning them."

You believe, you do that? Look it, if you do that I want to tell you something, something is going to happen. And you're going to say, "Bro. Vayle, I wouldn't trade that for millions and millions and millions of dollars. I wouldn't trade this experience for a million experiences, because I've got it now. We sing, "In my heart there rings a jubilee." What? For five minutes or ten? This will bring a jubilee all the time, because He's always a good God. Always thinking His thoughts. Always saying what He says. Right? Amen. You're dismissed. Let us rise and be dismissed.

Father, once more we thank You for Your work tonight. And I know, Lord God, Your Word is true. Now, Lord, Your Word is simple. I only pray tonight that we are as simple, even as Your prophet preached a whole sermon the simplicity of it. It's what confusing people they're looking for a gimmick or something, and they're missing it. God I'm guilty, forgive me tonight, Lord Jesus Christ, to take my own preaching that You gave me through the anointing of the Holy Ghost, to show me this thing under divine inspiration which You did. And I know You did.

To take this simplicity of this message and these dear people with me to stand before the world, to prove God. Somebody's got to do it, let it be us tonight, Jesus. Please let it be us, hallelujah. Oh, You're a good God, Lord, and You're going to work it all out, praise Your Name.

Father, help these dear people to grow and grow in grace. Line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little until the abundance of the overflow of God manifests us,for the true Christian that they really are. O God, no longer an embryo, no longer just a fetus, no longer a germ, but manifested sons of God. Help them, Lord, tonight bring them out full force tomorrow night, give us the liberty tomorrow, my God, it'll crown this series with glory, Lord, and change lives.

We're looking, Lord, for rapturing faith. We're looking, Lord, for this change. Father, You didn't say one man was going to do it all. You said, we're all, the five-fold ministry we're going to have a part. Let's have a part here today. Let's this little church that believes the full ministry, let it have its portion. Let it start. God grant it. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.