It’s the closing of the meetings in Birmingham, and Brother Branham preaches a familiar sermon: “A Court Trial.”
The prosecuting attorney is Satan
The Defendant is the Almighty God
The Defense Witness is the Holy Ghost
The prosecuting witnesses are: Mr. Unbeliever, Mr. Skeptic, and Mr. Impatient (all of these claim to be believers)
You are the judge and jury.
The Case:
Prosecution testimony
Mr. Unbeliever claims that the Word of God is not altogether true.
He uses examples of laying on of hands to be filled with the Holy Ghost, but nothing happened, therefor the promise is not true.
Mr. Skeptic
Was anointed with oil to be healed according to the Scripture. That was two months ago, and he is still as sick as he was when he was anointed.
Mr. Impatient
Claims that he was reading the Bible and came across a passage in Mark where Jesus, Himself, made the promise that “If you say to this mountain, ‘be moved,’ and don’t doubt in your heart, but believe what you’ve said will come to pass, you can have what you said.” Mr. Impatient testifies that he has been crippled for some 30 years. He accepted the promise five years ago, and nothing has happened since.
The prosecution claims that God does not back up His Word.
Defense testimony
A number of witnesses come to the stand, including Noah, Abraham, Isaiah, Moses, Joshua, and Brother Branham.
Noah
God told him that it would rain. All of the prosecution’s witnesses laughed at him. It was a long time, over a hundred years, but God did honor His promise and it rained. Not only did it rain, but it destroyed all of the prosecution’s witnesses.
Abraham
God told Abraham that he would have a child with his wife, Sarah. Abraham testifies, “He didn't tell me when I was going to have that baby, but He said I would have it.” It was not until 25 years later, but they did have the child.
There are many more testimonies from believers in this sermon, and you will be the judge on who is telling the truth.
In fact, Mr. Unbeliever, Skeptic, and Impatient are still accusing the Word today, even though the prophet proved without a doubt that God’s Words are true. You are still the judge and the trial is still going on.
Mr. Believer, what is your verdict?
Here are a few quotes from “A Court Trial,” preached in Birmingham, Alabama, 50 years ago.
But, course, it's got to look shady. It has to be that way. So did it in His day, and so forth. Even His birth, and everything else, looked shady. God does that just to test the faith of His people.
Now you are both judge and jury, this afternoon. You, your mind, is the jury. And your actions is the judge. You, you're whatever your jury's verdict is. You'll act out what your verdict is.
Your actions will go louder than your words.
Like we claim to be saved. They say, "Well, show me how you're saved." My life proves I'm saved. The way I act, proves whether I'm saved or not.
And every time that you look at your symptoms, testify about them, complain about them, God can never heal you. You commit it to God and believe His Word. He'll bring it to pass.
If you let some unbeliever come to your house, or--or some unbelieving person tell you, "Why, there's that stuff, that's no--there is no such a thing as That," you are letting weeds come in.
And it's usually in that unusual thing that God works.
Footsteps meant possession. And every promise in the Book is to believers, but you've got to make footprints through It. You got to fight every inch of the way. You haven't got no fight in you, then get out of the game.
In your heart, if you can believe it, it'll happen.