William Marrion Branham
Rev. William Marrion Branham (we call him Brother Branham) began his life in the Spring of 1909. He was born into the poorest of families, deep in the hills of southern Kentucky. Within minutes of his birth in a tiny one-room cabin, a strange Light entered the room and hovered over the bed where he was laying. It was the beginning of a supernatural life that would change the face of the modern Christian world.
With an alcoholic father and little to no religion at home, he didn’t have much of a chance. Yet, against all odds, Brother Branham grew up to be a mighty man of God.
The Lord Jesus commissioned all that believe Him: “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18). Is this Scripture true today? If it is not true, when did the Words of the Lord expire? Throughout the Bible, the prophets were able to heal the sick, cast out devils, and perform miracles. Moses set the brass serpent before the people of Israel to heal them from the bite of venomous snakes (Numbers 21:9). Naaman, a powerful Syrian, came to Elisha to be healed of leprosy (II Kings 5:9). When a young man fell to his death from the upper window, the apostle Paul embraced him and brought life back into the dead body (Acts 20:10). We only have record of about 3½ years of our Lord Jesus’ life, but during those few years, He continually healed the sick. The blind were made to see. Lepers were healed. The deaf received their hearing. The lame walked. Every manner of disease was healed (Matt 4:23).
God also vindicated His prophets in other ways besides healings. Even the most guarded secrets of the heart were made known to these men of God. King Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream, but he could not remember what it was about. The prophet Daniel told the king both the dream and the prophecy that followed (Dan 2:28). Nothing was hidden from Solomon when the Queen of Sheba came before him. He was so filled with the Spirit that he told her the questions of her heart before she asked them (I Kings 10:3). Elisha told the King of Israel all the plans of the King of Syria, even to the private words spoken in his bedroom (II Kings 6:12).
Through His own actions, the Lord Jesus showed that this Spirit of discernment is the Spirit of Christ. He discerned Nathanael’s nature when He said, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” And Jesus went on to tell Nathanael where he was when Phillip told him about the Messiah (John 1:48). When he saw that Jesus knew his heart, Nathanael immediately recognized Him as the Christ. The first time Jesus saw Peter, He told him the name of his father, Jona (John 1:42). Peter then forsook all and followed Jesus for the rest of his life. Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well and told her of her past sins. Her first words were, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet” (John 4:19). All three of these people were from different walks of life, yet they immediately recognized Jesus when He showed the gift of discernment.
Did this gift disappear when the last page of the Bible was written? If these miracles are so plainly written in the Bible, where are they today? A modern-day prophet would surely be vindicated by miracles.
At about 38 years old, Bro Branham was praying in a small trapping cabin just north of his home in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It was then, late into the night, that the Angel of the Lord visited him and gave him the commission to pray for the sick.
With an alcoholic father and little to no religion at home, he didn’t have much of a chance. Yet, against all odds, Brother Branham grew up to be a mighty man of God.
The Lord Jesus commissioned all that believe Him: “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18). Is this Scripture true today? If it is not true, when did the Words of the Lord expire? Throughout the Bible, the prophets were able to heal the sick, cast out devils, and perform miracles. Moses set the brass serpent before the people of Israel to heal them from the bite of venomous snakes (Numbers 21:9). Naaman, a powerful Syrian, came to Elisha to be healed of leprosy (II Kings 5:9). When a young man fell to his death from the upper window, the apostle Paul embraced him and brought life back into the dead body (Acts 20:10). We only have record of about 3½ years of our Lord Jesus’ life, but during those few years, He continually healed the sick. The blind were made to see. Lepers were healed. The deaf received their hearing. The lame walked. Every manner of disease was healed (Matt 4:23).
God also vindicated His prophets in other ways besides healings. Even the most guarded secrets of the heart were made known to these men of God. King Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream, but he could not remember what it was about. The prophet Daniel told the king both the dream and the prophecy that followed (Dan 2:28). Nothing was hidden from Solomon when the Queen of Sheba came before him. He was so filled with the Spirit that he told her the questions of her heart before she asked them (I Kings 10:3). Elisha told the King of Israel all the plans of the King of Syria, even to the private words spoken in his bedroom (II Kings 6:12).
Through His own actions, the Lord Jesus showed that this Spirit of discernment is the Spirit of Christ. He discerned Nathanael’s nature when He said, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” And Jesus went on to tell Nathanael where he was when Phillip told him about the Messiah (John 1:48). When he saw that Jesus knew his heart, Nathanael immediately recognized Him as the Christ. The first time Jesus saw Peter, He told him the name of his father, Jona (John 1:42). Peter then forsook all and followed Jesus for the rest of his life. Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well and told her of her past sins. Her first words were, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet” (John 4:19). All three of these people were from different walks of life, yet they immediately recognized Jesus when He showed the gift of discernment.
Did this gift disappear when the last page of the Bible was written? If these miracles are so plainly written in the Bible, where are they today? A modern-day prophet would surely be vindicated by miracles.
At about 38 years old, Bro Branham was praying in a small trapping cabin just north of his home in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It was then, late into the night, that the Angel of the Lord visited him and gave him the commission to pray for the sick.
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Among other things, the Angel told him:
If you get the people to believe you, and be sincere when you pray, nothing shall stand before your prayers, not even cancer.” All the doubts were gone. Brother Branham now had his commission and boldly stepped forward. A world-wide healing revival had begun.
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Brother Branham’s ministry marked the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit since the day of Pentecost. Hundreds of thousands attended the Branham campaigns. Thousands were healed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Other evangelists such as Oral Roberts, T.L. Osborne, and A.A. Allen soon followed Brother Branham and started their own healing revivals. The Lord rained down His blessings like never before. The healing hand of Jesus Christ had once again touched His people.
Brother Branham’s ministry had no equal. He proved that Jesus Christ is as alive today as He was when He walked the shores of Galilee. Like the apostle Paul, Brother Branham showed that the Gospel is not in word only, but also in power! Revelation of the hidden mysteries and the manifested power of God had come together in one, very special ministry. Notably, as the scribes recorded the sermons of the biblical prophets, his sermons were recorded onto magnetic tape. Today, we cherish those recordings.
Brother Branham passed away as a result of a tragic car crash in December, 1965. God took His servant home, but He left us with those precious recordings that we hold so dear to our hearts.
Brother Branham’s ministry had no equal. He proved that Jesus Christ is as alive today as He was when He walked the shores of Galilee. Like the apostle Paul, Brother Branham showed that the Gospel is not in word only, but also in power! Revelation of the hidden mysteries and the manifested power of God had come together in one, very special ministry. Notably, as the scribes recorded the sermons of the biblical prophets, his sermons were recorded onto magnetic tape. Today, we cherish those recordings.
Brother Branham passed away as a result of a tragic car crash in December, 1965. God took His servant home, but He left us with those precious recordings that we hold so dear to our hearts.
You can read and listen more about Brother Branham’s life at this link: WHO IS WILLIAM BRANHAM (click here)?
Or, you can listen to him give his own life story by downloading this sermon: LIFE STORY (click here).
Or, you can listen to him give his own life story by downloading this sermon: LIFE STORY (click here).