The apostle Paul writes: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant… there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit …But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of the spirits; to another diverse kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.” (1. Cor. 12)

“Follow after charity (divine love), and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy … But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort … Even so ye forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church … I f therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

… Let all things be done unto edifying … Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1. Cor. 14)

The operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit have come to be a subject of controversy within the ranks of the believers, therefore I feel it’s appropriate to deal with this timely scriptural subject, as to when and where the gifts are to be used.

There are two possibilities we must consider: The believers with gifts come together for prayer before the service and if the Lord is so pleased, He can make known by divine revelation, that which is to take place during the meeting, etc. Then there is also another possibility: After the Word has gone forth, the gifts of the Holy Spirit can be in operation in the congregation during the time set aside for worship and prayer.

In my travels around the world, I have noticed that as soon as the gifts of the Spirit are mentioned, precious children of God are prone to believe that only the gift of speaking in tongues and the gift of prophecy fall under that jurisdiction. Have we asked ourselves the question, what condition the church would be in if the gifts had ceased? God’s holy Word explicitly states that there are nine gifts and all these are in the true Church as long as she remains on earth.

During his ministry, Bro. Branham encountered many a difficulty because he was frequently interrupted by visitors from other churches, who had not been taught properly as to when and how the spiritual gifts were to be used. (Conduct and Order Pg. 883)

Sometimes he was still speaking, at other times the gift of discerning was in operation, when people in the congregation acted unwisely; they would stand up, speak in tongues, prophesy etc., and thereby disrupt the moving of the Spirit – the gift of discernment and prophetic ministry. Because of these interruptions, he was forced to lay down certain rules (Church Order). The people with spiritual gifts were to come into a room and wait upon the Lord. If God then gave a prophecy, it was to be written down and later read to the congregation.

Nothing will be happening out of order when the Holy Spirit speaks and acts. It will be corrective, helpful and for the up-building of the Church. How can the great Holy Spirit move upon someone and at the same time use another to interfere in what He is trying to accomplish? No, when he does something, all is well and in complete harmony.

The Bible tells us that the speaking in tongues is a sign to the unbelievers, but no unbelievers would be present to witness that gift in operation in a prayer room, wherein the people with gifts are to consecrate themselves to service. The gift of prophecy is primarily for the edification of the whole Body of Christ. The Bible also says that the gift of prophecy will bring conviction upon the unbeliever. Those who have witnessed the going forth of a prophesy under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit know of the impact it has upon everyone. How then could the Scripture be fulfilled, if those gifts are to operate exclusively in a room, where only the people with gifts are present? “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not, but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. If therefore the whole church (not just a few) come together in one place and all speak with tongues and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy and there come in one that believeth not or one unlearned, he is convinced of all. He is judged of all and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling d own on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth.” (1 Cor. 14: 22–25) If we permit the Spirit of God to lead, all things will go hand in hand, be it preaching from behind the pulpit or in the prayer of the congregation.

In our local fellowship, the Lord has led us to come in quietly, kneel down to pray or read the Bible and thus prepare ourselves for the service.

Recently we have had a series of meetings in our assembly, wherein many went through a time of a deep cleansing and purging. The Holy Spirit moved mightily in our midst; people were called out by name to be prayed for. On the 4^th July 1976, the following prophecy came forth:

“Behold, thus saith the Lord! My people, the vessels I have called, I have consecrated and have separated unto Myself, are not to serve Me separately and individually, but are to come together in quietness before the service, and consecrate themselves in a room, and remain before Me in quietness, so that I can use them one after the other according to My desire and My will. There are no more unclean vessels, and no t one vessel is there that is shattered and blemished; for I have taken the uncleanliness of My people away, and I have prepared a vessel that can receive My blessings and channel them. Thus saith the HOLY ONE in thy midst!”

If you have read this prophecy carefully, you noticed that God is the one who calls and chooses the vessel and then He alone will use it according to His will to accomplish His purpose.

We are grateful to Almighty God that He has blessed us and led us this far into the scriptural restoration. The brothers and the sisters now gather in separate rooms before the meeting to dedicate themselves, so that they are at the Lord’s disposal whenever He wants to use them. It is important for the Church universal to know the will of God and be led by the Spirit. Far be it, that we become legalistic and dogmatic. The blessings of God only rest upon these things if they’re done under full submission of the Holy Spirit in complete obedience to His leadings. If each child of God could yield to the Lord, each one would be used at the right time in the right way, as it pleases the Lord. Otherwise we end up with a dry theology, an empty prayer room and a dead church.

The apostle Paul writes: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant… there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit …  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of the spirits; to another diverse kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.” (1. Cor. 12)

“Follow after charity (divine love), and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy … But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort … Even so ye forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church … I f therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

… Let all things be done unto edifying … Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1. Cor. 14)

The operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit have come to be a subject of controversy within the ranks of the believers, therefore I feel it’s appropriate to deal with this timely scriptural subject, as to when and where the gifts are to be used.

There are two possibilities we must consider: The believers with gifts come together for prayer before the service and if the Lord is so pleased, He can make known by divine revelation, that which is to take place during the meeting, etc. Then there is also another possibility: After the Word has gone forth, the gifts of the Holy Spirit can be in operation in the congregation during the time set aside for worship and prayer.

In my travels around the world, I have noticed that as soon as the gifts of the Spirit are mentioned, precious children of God are prone to believe that only the gift of speaking in tongues and the gift of prophecy fall under that jurisdiction. Have we asked ourselves the question, what condition the church would be in if the gifts had ceased? God’s holy Word explicitly states that there are nine gifts and all these are in the true Church as long as she remains on earth.

During his ministry, Bro. Branham encountered many a difficulty because he was frequently interrupted by visitors from other churches, who had not been taught properly as to when and how the spiritual gifts were to be used. (Conduct and Order Pg. 883)

Sometimes he was still speaking, at other times the gift of discerning was in operation, when people in the congregation acted unwisely; they would stand up, speak in tongues, prophesy etc., and thereby disrupt the moving of the Spirit – the gift of discernment and prophetic ministry. Because of these interruptions, he was forced to lay down certain rules (Church Order). The people with spiritual gifts were to come into a room and wait upon the Lord. If God then gave a prophecy, it was to be written down and later read to the congregation.

Nothing will be happening out of order when the Holy Spirit speaks and acts. It will be corrective, helpful and for the up-building of the Church. How can the great Holy Spirit move upon someone and at the same time use another to interfere in what He is trying to accomplish? No, when he does something, all is well and in complete harmony.

The Bible tells us that the speaking in tongues is a sign to the unbelievers, but no unbelievers would be present to witness that gift in operation in a prayer room, wherein the people with gifts are to consecrate themselves to service. The gift of prophecy is primarily for the edification of the whole Body of Christ. The Bible also says that the gift of prophecy will bring conviction upon the unbeliever. Those who have witnessed the going forth of a prophesy under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit know of the impact it has upon everyone. How then could the Scripture be fulfilled, if those gifts are to operate exclusively in a room, where only the people with gifts are present? “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not, but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. If therefore the whole church (not just a few) come together in one place and all speak with tongues and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy and there come in one that believeth not or one unlearned, he is convinced of all. He is judged of all and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling d own on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth.” (1 Cor. 14: 22–25) If we permit the Spirit of God to lead, all things will go hand in hand, be it preaching from behind the pulpit or in the prayer of the congregation.

In our local fellowship, the Lord has led us to come in quietly, kneel down to pray or read the Bible and thus prepare ourselves for the service.

Recently we have had a series of meetings in our assembly, wherein many went through a time of a deep cleansing and purging. The Holy Spirit moved mightily in our midst; people were called out by name to be prayed for. On the 4th July 1976, the following prophecy came forth:

“Behold, thus saith the Lord! My people, the vessels I have called, I have consecrated and have separated unto Myself, are not to serve Me separately and individually, but are to come together in quietness before the service, and consecrate themselves in a room, and remain before Me in quietness, so that I can use them one after the other according to My desire and My will. There are no more unclean vessels, and no t one vessel is there that is shattered and blemished; for I have taken the uncleanliness of My people away, and I have prepared a vessel that can receive My blessings and channel them. Thus saith the HOLY ONE in thy midst!”

If you have read this prophecy carefully, you noticed that God is the one who calls and chooses the vessel and then He alone will use it according to His will to accomplish His purpose.

We are grateful to Almighty God that He has blessed us and led us this far into the scriptural restoration. The brothers and the sisters now gather in separate rooms before the meeting to dedicate themselves, so that they are at the Lord’s disposal whenever He wants to use them. It is important for the Church universal to know the will of God and be led by the Spirit. Far be it, that we become legalistic and dogmatic. The blessings of God only rest upon these things if they’re done under full submission of the Holy Spirit in complete obedience to His leadings. If each child of God could yield to the Lord, each one would be used at the right time in the right way, as it pleases the Lord. Otherwise we end up with a dry theology, an empty prayer room and a dead church.