Why I Believe in the Ministry of Brother William Marrion Branham
This is a question that requires special attention, in the sense that, in the face of public opinion, it is important to produce something tangible with irrefutable proof, not to argue or seek to overturn the opinions of others, for we all have this freedom of expression.
There is also another reality that we all must face. It is the responsibility that accompanies what we put forward and upon what basis we rely to produce a given statement. People are listening to us.
And what we say could undeniably influence people to take certain directions, which makes it very serious. Serious in the sense that we will have to give an account for every word we speak.
Matthew 12:36-37 tells us: 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
This is the reason why, upon the basis I am going to use, I will tell you why I believe the ministry of Brother Branham.
This basis rests on the foundation of the Word of God.
Matthew 11:4-6: 4 Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me." Jesus said: "Go and tell John what you have seen. Tell him what you have heard. Mention to him all these miracles that God has accomplished before your eyes."
I wonder what Jesus meant when He said: "Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me!"
Matthew 13:57 And they took offense at him [He was a stumbling block to them]. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home."
The answer is found in this very verse. Despite the mighty works that accompanied His ministry, Jesus was still the object of contempt from those around Him.
These people did not believe in Him, and that is the reason why He could not do many miracles in His own hometown.
How sad, isn't it! For all the people there, He was the son of a carpenter. But for a certain group of people, He was more than a carpenter's son. He was a Prophet.
And I am not inventing this title. I am not saying He was a Prophet just because it's my personal idea, but because the Bible says so.
And not only does the Bible say so, but it even gives the meaning of what characterizes a Prophet, what a Prophet is capable of accomplishing. Take, for example, an undeniable fact.
After speaking to the Samaritan woman right by Jacob's Well, He knew everything about her; He even told her that she was with a sixth man in her life, and it is special to see her reaction, which is far from the reaction of the religious leaders of the time.
John 4:19 "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet." Because only a Prophet could do that kind of thing.
Something had to take place to characterize the ministry of Jesus. When He saw Nathanael coming toward Him, how did He know that he was a man in whose heart there was no deceit?
How did He know the name of Simon Peter's father? Do you think these people all understood the ministry of Jesus? Certainly not, but one thing is certain: without understanding anything, they believed to the point that just because of these characteristics, one said: "I can see that You are a Prophet." Another said: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel." Another said: "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"
But as bizarre as it may seem, the religious leaders of the time said: "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."
Quite a stumbling block, isn't it!.. Others believed too, not just because of the Messianic sign that characterized Jesus, but because of the words He spoke.
John 4:41 And because of his words many more became believers. If you asked John the Baptist why he believed in Jesus' ministry, he would tell you: "I saw the Spirit descend on Him like a dove; the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor."
If you asked that Samaritan woman why she believed in His ministry, she would tell you: "He depicted my life, He told me the things concerning me, this Man is truly a Prophet." John 4:29 "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?"
If you asked Nathanael why he believed the ministry of Jesus, he would tell you: John 1:48-49 "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you praying to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And when I went with Philip to see what this Man was about, He told me that I was a man in whose heart there was no deceit. And when I asked Him how He knew these things, He told me that He had seen me when I was under the fig tree. This Man is truly the Son of God, He is the King of Israel."
So if you ask me why I believe the ministry of Brother Branham, well, here are the reasons.
They do not differ in any way from the reasons cited above. When Brother Branham was born, a Supernatural Light was seen over his cradle. It was Brother Branham's parents who told him this. Around the age of seven, an Angel appeared to him and announced that he would have a work to accomplish when he grew older. Brother Billy Paul even saw with his own eyes this Angel that followed the ministry of his father, Brother Branham.
Just listening to Brother Billy Paul's testimony is enough for me. While Brother Billy Paul was sleeping, the Angel said to Brother Branham: "You can wake Billy up so he can see me."
While Brother Branham was baptizing people in the Ohio River, a Supernatural Light appeared above him and the person he was baptizing, and this Voice was heard before hundreds of people: "As John the Baptist was sent with a Message to prepare the First Coming of Christ, I send you with a Message to prepare the Second Coming of Christ."
Local newspapers even published this event, being on the scene to witness it. When Brother Branham began his ministry, he could discern the thoughts of hearts; he knew people's lives and what concerned them.
No matter where Brother Branham was, or in what country the people were, God revealed to him the problems people had, just like that little Samaritan woman to whom Jesus had performed that same sign.
And it never failed once. The blind saw, the lame walked, lepers were cleansed, the deaf heard, the dead were raised, and the good news was proclaimed to the poor.
That is why I believe the ministry of Brother Branham. Not just because of all these signs that were accomplished, but also because of the words he spoke throughout his ministry.
And also, because all the religious leaders of this hour have rejected his ministry and have crucified anew the Word that God had sent for our hour. Stiff-necked men, uncircumcised in heart and ears! They always oppose the Holy Spirit.
What their fathers were, they are too. It has not been given to them to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. And for the same reasons as in Jesus' time, the ministry of Brother Branham has also been a great stumbling block for the denominational system of our hour and still is today for many who have abandoned this message which had nevertheless brought them out of this denominational confusion.
To all of you who have turned back, I say this: Galatians 5:7-8 7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.
For all these reasons, which are in fact only a tiny fraction of why I believe, well, there it is; THAT IS WHY I BELIEVE THE MINISTRY OF BROTHER BRANHAM!
So if you have any questions, you know how to reach me.