8 i) A spiritual light appears at Branham’s birth: [I’m viewing these things purely from a scriptural and analytical
point of view here, we can all pray for discernment as well but that remains
a personal thing and cannot really be transferred to others]. Branham had
many spiritual experiences before he found “faith” in Christ.
He was told by his parents that a spiritual light had appeared at his birth.
Liardon, (whose book “Gods Generals” I am using again for quotes),
retells the storey of what happened using Branham’s own words; “Suddenly,
a light come whirling through the window, about the size of a pillow, and
circled around where I was, and went down on the bed,” (p. 312). This
occurred after his grandmother “decided to open the window so the
Branham’s could better see their new son,” (p. 312). Whether
or not this really was a spiritual light or a natural one which was interpreted
as spiritual this storey became almost foundational to Branham’s identity.
This led to him viewing himself as especially called of God and an exalted
prophet. This storey in many ways parallels the appearance of the star of
Bethlehem. Branham’s birth in great poverty in a shack likewise parallels
the birth of Jesus in a manger. This must surely have contributed to Branham
developing the Messianic complex he certainly suffered from towards the
end of his life. Branham believed that he alone was the end time’s
messenger to the Laodicean church and that only he was able to open the
seventh seal of the Book of Revelation, something which the bible states
that Jesus Christ alone is able to do, (Rev Ch 5). There is evidence that
Branham may even have seen himself as the Christ towards the end of his
life. Branham believed that “the spoken word from his mouth would
change physical bodies into glorified bodies for the rapture,” (p.
340). His family also appeared to believe these things about him and refused
to bury him for many days after he died in the belief that he was about
to be raised from the dead, “Although the funeral was held December
29, 1965, Branham’s body was not buried until Easter of 1966,” (p.
343). A large cult following also grew around Branham, “Branham’s
followers refuse to see him as a human being and rumours of his return continue
to circulate,” “the Branhamites have never accepted his death,” (p.
343). There is no doubt that Branham emerged as a false prophet and false
teacher towards the end of his life. It appears to me that the light at
Branham’s birth was either caused by Satan or that false reports of
this were used by Satan to influence the identity of Branham from childhood.
This then paved the way for Branham to be raised up and used as a false
prophet later on once his ministry was established. I believe that Branham
was targeted by the devil from his birth in 1909, just five years after
the Welsh revival had started, in order to infiltrate the rapidly growing
Pentecostal Movement with deception.
8 ii) A spiritual
wind terrifies Branham: Aged seven Branham then experienced
a terrifying spiritual wind. A voice from within this ministered legalistic
rules to him about never drinking or smoking. For years after this Branham
would be scared by a manifestation of this wind and a “fear would sweep
over him, (p. 316), every time he was about to break those rules. This would
result in Branham running away in fear. Liardon reports that, “As result
of his strange behaviour, Branham had very few friends as he was growing up,” (p.
316). Branham was already suffering from extreme poverty, he often didn’t
even have a shirt to wear to school, and appears to have already been emotionally
deprived as well. It does not seem likely that the Lord would add to his childhood
sufferings by terrifying Branham in this way for no apparent reason. These
experiences did not lead Branham to Christ or to salvation but could have
given Branham a very false and harsh view of the Lord for the rest of his
life. Here’s Liardon’s full account of Branham’s first experience
of this wind, “Suddenly, he heard the sound of a wind blowing in the
top of the tree. He jumped up to look, and he noticed that the wind was not
blowing in any other place. Stepping back, he looked up into the tree, and
a voice came saying, “Never drink, smoke, or defile your body in any
way, for I have a work for you to do when you get older”... Startled
by the voice and shaking, the little boy ran home crying into the arms of
his mother. Wondering if he had been bitten by a snake, she tried to calm
him. Failing to sooth him, she put him to bed and called the doctor, fearful
he was suffering from some strange form of nervous disorder... For the rest
of his childhood, Branham did everything he could to avoid passing that tree,” (p.
315). Liardon believes that this is further evidence that Branham was especially
chosen and called of God. However, if this experience of the wind, and the
later reoccurrences of it, were really from the Holy Spirit then why didn’t
Branham develop any faith in Christ until fourteen years later? Surely God
would have first saved Branham from hell by telling him that Jesus had died
on the cross for his sins instead of scaring and disturbing him, whilst he
was still an unbeliever, whenever he was about to smoke or drink? What occurred
was very legalistic and Old Covenant. Christians are called to live according
to the New Covenant within which the gifts and callings of God come by grace.
Seven years later, aged 14, Branham had still not found faith in Christ. As
Liardon recalls, “Although Branham had received supernatural manifestations
in his life, he was not yet born again,” (p. 316). Something doesn’t
therefore add up concerning the interpretation of events that Liardon offers
in his book. It appears to me far more likely that Branham’s experiences
of this wind were occult in nature, sent to influence Branham from early on,
setting him on a course to be used as a false prophet, as happened later on.
8 iii) The same spiritual
light and wind infiltrate Branham’s early
ministry: The same deceptive light and wind infiltrated Branham’s “Christian” ministry
later on in life. As this light and wind were both seen and experienced by
others at Branham’s first crusade they cannot have simply been products
of his imagination or the result of mental illness. Liardon reports how “In
1933, at the age of twenty-four, Branham held his first major tent revival
in Jeffersonville. As many as three thousand people attended in one night.” During
that meeting Branham claimed “A whirl came... here come that light,
shining down... it hung right over where I was at... and it like to scared
me to death,” (p. 319). So the spirit behind this manifestation created
the same fear response in Branham that had terrified him in childhood and
continued to confuse him thereafter. Thousands in the crowd also ran away
in fear when they saw that light which is not how we would expect Gods Holy
Spirit to interact with a crowd gathered to hear the gospel. I believe that
this was another occult manifestation therefore.
8 vi) The light and wind lie at the heart of Branham’s ministry: Those
that remained at that Jeffersonville meeting were greatly impressed by the
display of power associated with the spiritual light and wind. As a result
they built “Branham’s Tabernacle,” for him which became
the base for his ministry thereafter. So the light and wind were foundational
to Branham’s ministry. After this initial meeting though Branham’s
popularity started to go downhill and his own congregation began to doubt
whether his spiritual experiences were really of God. Liardon; “His
Baptist church seemed to grow impatient with him, calling his visions demonic.
They even suggested that the light which appeared at his birth probably indicated
the presence of a demon on his life,” (p. 324). [Note that although
Branham and his church were still Baptist at this time they did believe in
divine healing]. So whilst the spiritual power initially impressed his congregation
they soon started to doubt Branham as they got to know him better and changed
their views and considered these spiritual manifestations to be occult in
nature.
8 vii) Further evidence that these manifestations were of the occult: Branham
still didn’t understand this wind even after he had been in ministry
many years. “On May 7, 1946... Branham... and a friend... were outside
under a large maple tree when, according to Branham, “It seemed that
the whole top of the tree let loose... it seemed like something came down
from that tree like a great rushing wind.” Branham’s second wife
then came running out of the house and Branham, “Trying to get control
of his emotion... told her the storey of the past twenty years. At that point
he made a decision that he was going to find out, once and for all, what was
behind this “wind,” (p. 324). As God is not the author of confusion
and this wind was still terrifying and confusing Branham long into his “Christian” life
it surely cannot have been from God.
8 viii) Branham’s encounter with a (fallen) angel: It was the intolerable
experience of the wind that finally led to Branham to seeking answers about
it. Liardon records Branham saying, “I told her (his wife) and my child
good- bye and warned her that if I didn’t come back in a few days, perhaps
I might never return,” (p. 324). This is very odd in itself, Branham
was in ministry at this point, why didn’t he ask God, as his Father,
about the wind decades earlier, why did he think doing so could kill him?
This suggests to me that Branham had a very distant relationship with God,
and was still influenced by the unhealthy fear of the wind from his childhood
which terrified him so much. These spiritual experiences were therefore bearing
a very negative fruit in Branham’s life and relationship with God. As
Branham started praying from this perspective about the wind either an angel
or a fallen angel then appeared to him. First a “light” manifest,
(which again reflects back to the storey of a light at his birth), “Then
he heard someone walking. As he looked, he saw the feet of a man coming toward
him... dressed in a white robe.” I believe in angels myself and I see
no reason why this couldn’t have been a genuine angel from God. However,
this angel went on to tell a terrified Branham “I am sent... to tell
you that your peculiar life and your misunderstood ways have been to indicate
that God has sent you to take a gift of divine healing to the people of the
world,” (p. 324). As I am convinced that Branham’s strange and
unpleasant spiritual experiences from childhood were occult in nature the
fact that this angel said they were of God indicates, in my opinion, that
this was a fallen angel sent to deceive Branham. There is in logic to its
message here either, as Branham’s earlier spiritual experiences did
him nothing but harm and did not lead to his salvation. This would therefore
have been another deceptive experience sent to reinforce the previous ones,
to buttress Branham’s confidence before propelling him into the lime
light.
8 ix) Questions about
Branham’s healing gift: Since this angel led Branham
into his healing gift as well this must also have been occult in nature. The
whole thing appears to me to be a strategy of deception with Branham being
prepared for ministry by his earlier spiritual experiences without him finding
faith, then receiving a healing gift that helped promote his ministry as a
false prophet. Even Liardon, who believes the healings were of God makes the
following comments, Branham’s healing gift “was misleading people,
causing them to follow Branham’s doctrine,” (p. 343). I believe
therefore that Branham had an encounter with a fallen angel and this provided
him with a healing gift to elevate him within the body of Christ for use as
a false prophet later on. Why would God have raised up someone like Branham
in this way, who was so open to deception that he believed the pyramids and
signs of the zodiac carried as much spiritual authority as the bible? This
doesn’t appear very likely it is surely far more likely that he was
being raised up as a healer by the enemy to attract a following.
8 x) This is not straight
forward though: During prayer I felt the Lord show
me that things concerning Branham and his ministry were not as straight forward
as I had expected though. I don’t therefore feel able to say where the
line falls in detail. Branham appears to have found faith in Christ in his
early twenties and is said to have had a genuine concern for those he prayed
for. As God shows no partiality some of Branham’s prayers may therefore
have been answered if they were made in faith. Some of the Christians at his
meetings may also have trusted in God for healing and received this from the
Lord. It is also very likely that Branham may have suffered from some form
of mental illness which could have marred his judgement and led to some of
his more extreme teachings, false prophecies and beliefs about himself. He
did have a break down during ministry and it is possible he never fully recovered
from it. Indeed he may have been psychologically disturbed since childhood
due to the strange and terrifying spiritual phenomena that occurred around
him. I don’t think we are capable of judging whether another person
died in the faith or not. However, Branham was so deceived toward the end
of his life that even Liardon reports that many saw his death as “an
act of mercy on God’s behalf. It is believed that He saved Branham from
hell,” (p. 343). Concerning the healings another problem is that we
don’t know whether most of them survived the test of time or not. It
is very hard to assess the source of them after the event, so many years later.
According to the bible, however, signs and wonders, which includes healing,
follow the preaching of the gospel. Once he was established in ministry Branham
rarely preached, instead he left this to others and came on stage afterwards
to move in his healing and other gifts. So instead of promoting the gospel
Branham’s healings promoted his false prophecies. We need to be careful
about judging Branham though. Most people, if subject to such a concerted
effort of deception by the devil would believe they were being raised up by
God. It may well have been in the devils interests for Branham to actually
have found a form of faith in God too as this would have made him that much
more believable. We cannot judge but we also know that Satan can sow people
into the body of Christ as tare’s. I haven’t found any evidence
that Branham was a con man though, he was probably well intentioned. However,
for a whole variety of reasons I believe that Branham’s main spiritual
experiences, his gifting and most of his healing power were demonic in origin
and came from a fallen angelic source. Branham’s legacy is one of sowing
deception and this is bad fruit.
8 xi) Relying on angels
instead of God: Another unusual thing about Branham’s
ministry was that he was unable to do anything spiritual, including moving
in his gift of healing, without the presence of “his angel” by
his side. The other healing ministries of that era, and all the Christians
in the New Testament times, trusted directly in Gods Holy Spirit to be able
to move in the spiritual gifts, not in angels. This practice is being resurrected
by people like Rick Joyner and Todd Bentley today and can open someone to
the power of fallen angels. I believe that this is yet another indication
that Branham was moving in occult power to heal most of the time.
8 xii) Two other strange
gifts that accompanied Branham’s healing ministry: The same (fallen) angel that birthed Branham healing ministry also told him
that “he would receive two gifts as signs to vindicate his ministry.
First Branham would be able to detect diseases by a physical vibration in
his left hand... Some have... labelled it demonic... Gordon Lindsey witnessed
this supernatural phenomenon. He said that the “electric, like current” was
so strong at times, it would instantly stop Branham’s wristwatch.” This,
however, is nothing like the gift of discernment of spirits described in 1
Cor 12; 10 but is instead very similar to the type of manifestation those
moving in witchcraft experience. Branham could also supposedly discern and
cast out spirits after which “Branham’s red and swollen hand would
return to normal,” (p. 325). There are no examples of people’s
hands swelling like this as a sign to cast out spirits according to the bible.
Both signs/gifts are very sensational, though, and probably enhanced Branham’s
popularity amongst those willing to receive him. All these gifts came from
the (fallen) angel that claimed that Branham’s occult spiritual experiences
in childhood were of God. This casts further doubt on Branham’s healing
gift being from God as it came from the same experience of this angel, (fallen
angel).
8 xiii) Counterfeit words of knowledge: During the same experience of a (fallen)
angel and still lacking in confidence “Branham responded to the angel, “Sir,
I’m afraid they won’t receive me. The angel responded: “then
it will come to pass that you’ll know the very secret of their heart.
This they will hear... Any sin in a person life that was under the blood was
never revealed. But if the sin was unconfessed or covered, it would be brought
to light through this spiritual gift, the word of knowledge” (p. 325).
This, however, is not how other Christians gift of the word of knowledge operates
and is not the gift described in the bible. Instead this promotes a false
teaching that William. J. Seymour was ensnared by at Azusa St. In his earnestness
Seymour used to constantly analyse himself and repent of every little sin
he accidentally committed during the day in the fear that he would not be
forgiven otherwise and would, therefore, be cast into hell. Seymour’s
ministry never recovered from this error as his church left him and followed
the leader who exposed this who had taken his meetings whilst he was away.
Almost all of Seymour’s congregation left and continued the revival
without him at another church across the road. Nowhere is Branham’s
practice of using words of knowledge to expose sins that are not covered by
Jesus death taught in scripture. It is, of course, totally impractical and
impossible to repent of every sin during the day in order for it to be covered.
As Christians we operate so much of the time in the flesh that we are not
even aware of most of our sins or sinful attitudes let alone able to repent
of every single one of them in order for them to be forgiven in this way.
As we can only enter heaven if we have been completely forgiven of every sin
those that adhere to this teaching can never really believe they are fully
forgiven by Christ or ready for the afterlife. Branham had a habit of receiving
most of the deceptive teachings that came across his path so it would not
be surprising if he received this one as well. As a result Branham must have
confused the faith of thousands of the people as he ministered to then in
this way, as he claimed their sins were not covered by Jesus death. Occult
spirits of divination will know what sins, small or great, deliberate or accidental,
a person has committed and could easily pass such information onto someone
psychically gifted in this way, as Branham appears to have been. Branham was
clearly moving in a counterfeit form of “word of knowledge.” Once
again this is evidence that the devil was providing Branham with occult gifting’s
in order to promote his ministry and help raises him up as a false teacher
and false prophet.
8 xiv) Multiple healings took place but by what power? Many healings appear
to have taken place in Branham’s meetings but by what power? There have
been recent cases of witchdoctors, or others open to the occult in Africa,
becoming Christian’s, (or considering themselves to be Christians, it
is sometimes hard to tell), continuing to move in witchcraft power, in error,
instead of the Holy Spirit. John Obiri Yeboah, a Catholic priest turned prophet,
who came across from Ghana and wreaked havoc in Uganda up until his death
in 1987, is one such example. At the time many in Uganda’s young Pentecostal
Movement assumed that Yeboah was moving in the power of the Holy Spirit. This
was despite Yeboah’s false teachings, witchcraft practices and habit
of cursing other Christians, particularly those that wouldn’t accept
his ministry. Whether it was true or not he was reputed to be moving in more
healing power than the other Christian healing ministries at that time. However,
most Christians today, in both Africa and the western world, now recognise
that Yeboah had moved in a powerful occult anointing. This power was capable
of healing people just as many of the traditional witchdoctors could. Yeboah’s
fruit and legacy today are several false ministries, who see themselves as
his disciples, moving in the same witchcraft spirit and causing considerable
harm in Uganda’s church today, including the use of black magic to curse
other Christian leaders. They also promote many other forms of witchcraft,
used by traditional witchdoctors, to heal and financially bless people. Thankfully
these false healing ministries are gradually being exposed and loosing followers
and influence in Uganda. It appears that something similar took place in the
life of William Branham who has also left behind him a host of false teachings
and occult spiritual practices as his fruit. He was also raised up not long
after the rapid expansion of Pentecostalism in the western world and has sown
deception and confusion into this in very much the same way as Yeboah did
later on in Uganda.
8 xv) The Halo picture: The following is further evidence that spiritual
influences from the enemy were attempting to exalt Branham within the church.
A well known photographic picture was taken of Branham along with several
of the other well known healing ministries of that day. When this was printed
it showed a halo over Branham’s head but not over any of the others.
Halos are typically used in paintings to denote saints, and the bible tells
us that all believers are saints. This manifestation was therefore making
quite a derogatory comment about those other Christian healing ministries,
most of whom were far more bible based than Branham’s ever was, whilst
at the same time exalting Branham. The bible tells us that God shows no partiality
so even if Branham had been more routed into the truth than he was I don’t
believe God would have singled him out in public like this at the expense
of the other healing ministries. There had to, therefore, be some form of
occult interference with that picture, (unless it was doctored by one of Branham’s
followers, without him realising this himself). Either way the enemy was at
work using this to promote Branham as superior to all the other major healing
revivalists of his day.
8 xvi) Branham exalted
over a man who was humiliated before him: Another example
of Branham being exalted occurred during one of his meetings. Someone challenged
Branham as they made their way from the audience to the front platform where
Branham was ministering, claiming loudly that Branham was “deceiving
the people...an imposter, a snake in the grass, a fake.” Branham then
said quietly, “Satan because you have challenged the servant of God
before this great congregation, you must now bow before me.... you shall fall
at my feet,” (p. 311). The man then “gave an awful groan and slumped
to the floor sobbing hysterically... the man lay there writhing in the dust,” (p.
311). Now once again this brought glory to Branham rather than the Lord and
the other man was tormented and humiliated before him in front of that large
crowd. Notice that Branham claimed that it was because he, not the Lord, was
challenged that this happened, and that the man must bow before him, Branham.
I don’t know of this happening to any other person who interrupted a
meeting, God may have arrested their movements but not humiliated and tortured
them like this. This reflects so badly on the nature of the spirit causing
this. It is also more than likely that this man was a Christian believer,
(although clearly moving in self effort). What unbeliever would challenge
a Christian in this particular way? I expect that the man was probably a cessationist
Christian who didn’t believe in the gifts or healing, who knew Branham
was spreading false teachings that contradicted scripture and assumed these
healings must therefore be con tricks. He can’t have realised that Branham
had a powerful occult anointing to heal. Even if he wasn’t a Christian
there was good cause for him to claim that Branham was a deceiver because
Branham was in fact moving in extreme false prophecy and false teaching. Why
would the Lord honour Branham when he was the cause of so much deception?
I believe that this was yet another example of Satan exalting Branham in the
eyes of the people in order to help promote his ministry as a false prophet.
The power no doubt came from the fallen angel that was always present at Branham’s
side whenever he ministered.
8 xvii) Branham’s
healing gift promoted his ministry as a false teacher and false prophet: Branham
emerged as the leading figure within the “Latter
Day Rain Movement” from within which many false teachings infiltrated
Pentecostalism and then charismatic Christianity later on. The Kansas City
prophets drew many of their errors from Branham and this previous Movement.
The most notably false teaching is perhaps is the “Manifest Sons Of
God” doctrine which is where Joyner draws his belief that an elite group
of prophet judges will emerge to rule the church, bind up Satan themselves
and govern the world without any need for the Second Coming or physical return
of Jesus Christ to earth. Some of Branham’s worst false prophecies concerned
himself and his being a Messianic type figure, the angel/Messenger to the
last Days Laodicean church, (visit the website which reveals some of these
teachings). These resulted in Branham acquiring a cult like following who
refuse to see him as human today and expect his imminent return. Rick Joyner
expects deceased saints to return to earth as the great white eagles in our
day. It appears that Joyner believes that these will be the healing revivalists
of the last century. Because Joyner calls us back to Branham’s ministry
in particular he must surely believe that Branham will be the leading white
eagle. Joyner is therefore a “Branhamite” himself. As Liardon
reports Branham was responsible for “doctrinal
confusion,” (p.
343). It was the power displayed in his healing ministry that seems
to have impressed people in his day and given him the platform from which
to operate
as a false prophet. That same power appears to be what attracts people like
Joyner today and has led to them responding to Branhams teachings even though
it is obvious that Branham went astray into deception. Joyner claims that
one of the first things that the Lord told him when he was saved was to find
and help “the Messengers.”* Joyner
would have been well aware that this was a term that referred to the “Branhamite’s,” the
followers of Branham’s teachings, because Joyner had listened received
from Branham’s ministry when he was a child. This is just one example
of how Branham’s ministry can send “Christians” astray.
Since Branham taught that the pyramids and signs of the zodiac carry as much
spiritual authority as the bible his followers must be open to the occult
although they may not realise that this is what it is. They will also be open
to the same New Age spiritual practices as Branham such as relying on angels,
(really fallen angels), instead of God to move in the supernatural. Branham
also emphasised seeking after new mystical knowledge through visionary experiences
which we have seen reflected in Joyner’s and the other Kansas City prophet
type’s ministries since the 1980’s. Other examples of the deceptions
passed on by Branham include “the destruction
of the United States would begin in 1977,” (p. 340), “that animals
were a higher rank of species than women”,” (p.339), “he
often changed his salvation doctrine,” (p. 341), and sometimes
taught that “Trinitarians weren’t
born again,” (p. 341). As mentioned even Liardon reports that
Branham was so deceived by the end of his life that even those who previously
trusted
him thought his death “was an act of mercy on
Gods behalf. It is believed that He saved Branham from hell,” (p. 343).
I find it amazing how much false teaching people were willing to overlook
because Branham had power.
I disagree with Liardon’s view that Branham was a reliable healing minister
who went off the rails towards the end of his life. All the evidence suggest
to me that he was having occult spiritual experiences before he was a Christian,
that these continued into his “Christian” ministry and that even
his healing gift appears to have come from an occult source. The fruit of
this appears to have become more evident later on towards the end of Branham’s
life once he became confident enough to teach his beliefs more openly. Joyner’s
claim that he saw Branham exalted on a throne in heaven is clearly based on
a deceptive spiritual experience as is his call for us to return to the ministry
and message of Branham. Nothing could be more dangerous than drawing from
Branham’s ministry as we head into the end times season.
*Taken from the featured video on Joyner’s Morning Star website dated
Oct 2012.
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