Liardon,
(whose book “Gods Generals” I am using for quotes), believes
that the spiritual phenomena that took place in Branham’s childhood
is evidence that he had been especially chosen and called by God to
ministry. Branham was told by his parents that a spiritual light had
appeared at his birth. Aged seven a terrifying spiritual wind then blew
and a voice from within this gave Branham legalistic rules to live by
concerning never drinking or smoking. Whenever Branham was about to
break these rules he would hear the same fearsome wind blowing causing
him to run away in fear. Because of this other children viewed Branham
as an oddball and he had a lonely life growing up as a result. These
experiences continued into Branham’s adult life and were foundational
to his ministry. Since these experiences weren’t linked to him
gaining an understanding of the gospel or finding salvation and instead
only terrified and confused him I don’t see how they can have
been from the Lord. Branham had fourteen years of these spiritual experiences
before he found faith in Christ and even then the wind remained a mystery
to him for many years. All the evidence suggests to me, therefore, that
these were occult spiritual experiences sent to deceive Branham, to
prepare him for ministry and pave the way for his emergence as a false
prophet later on. Towards the end of his life Branham appears to have
viewed himself as a Messianic type figure and even claimed that “the
spoken word from his mouth would change physical bodies into glorified
bodies for the rapture,” (p. 340). His family and cult like following
refused to bury him after he died believing he was about to be raised
from the dead and they still await his return today. During his ministry
Branham also had an angelic encounter which provided him with spiritual
gifts that do not appear scriptural but instead seem occult in nature
to me. This appears to have been a fallen angel, therefore, sent to
deceive Branham further. Since this (fallen) angelic encounter also
launched Branham into his healing ministry it appears to me that his
healing gift was also from an occult source. The fact he couldn’t
move in this or any other gift without an “angel” by his
side suggests the same. The Christians in the New Testament and other
healing ministries in Branham’s day all trusted in God to move
in the gifts of the Spirit not in angels. Even Liardon acknowledges
that, “That gift was misleading people, causing them to follow
Branham’s doctrine,” (God Generals, p. 343). I believe
Satan targeted Branham from his birth, in 1909, in order to raise him
up to
spread deception into the rapidly growing Pentecostal movement which
had started just six years earlier during the Welsh revival of 1903-4.
During prayer, though, I felt the Lord show me that things were not
straight forward concerning Branham, he appears to have had integrity
and I see him as a well intentioned victim of deception himself.
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