<TITLE>11. Par 72-80</TITLE>L-72 And here Demas saw Paul, a man that had a ministry like that, and yet was so poor that he only owned one coat, and wanted Timothy to bring it to him: one coat. But Paul set the example like Christ was; He had one coat. Then why does riches and lots of money and things mean so much to people today? Notice now. And he had power till anybody that was contrary to what he preached, he turned around and said, "You'll be blind for a season." And the man was blind.
And here was a coppersmith done ten times to him what that man done, and yet got away with it. Demas must have thought, "Well, see, the old fellow's washed up now. He's--he's lost his ministry." No, no, he hadn't lost his ministry, not at all. God don't do things like that. God's not an Indian giver. Yeah.

L-74 Notice now. Paul was something on the order like Elijah. Elijah the prophet went up on the mountain by the commission of God and called for fire to fall out of heaven, and it fell. And he called for water, and it come. And then he commanded by the message of God and killed four hundred priests, chopped their heads off, let them roll down the hill; and then run at the threat of a--a woman, one little hypocrite woman, or, she was an infidel. Jezebel, that one little woman which was the keynote to every bit of it, she was the one caused it. Looked like he'd have got her first. But God has ways of doing things, and his servants only can work according if he works according to the will of God.

L-75 Don't you see, friends, you've got to move according to God's way of moving. How many times have I set and counseled brethren, and how I would like to walk over and shake their hand and say, "Brethren, it doesn't make any difference; let's just be brethren along." How can I do that and keep my commission, "Preach the Word"? Lord don't want to do that.
I've stood amongst ministers and say, "Brother Branham, my aunt's over here. I know you're a prophet sent from God. Go over and restore her sight." Wish I could, I'd do it. I can't do it till He tells me to do it. See? No one could do it. Elijah couldn't do it; no one else could do it.

L-77 Now, we find out that Paul... Demas preaching with Paul, had seen Paul see a crippled man laying there, and said, "I perceive you have faith to be healed. Stand up on your feet. Jesus Christ makes you well." Had seen him heal the sick, and yet he leaves his friend Trophimus sick.
"Paul's lost his ministry." That's what Demas must have thought. "Why didn't he, if he had a gift of healing, why didn't he go up there and heal that buddy that stood by him so faithful? He said, 'I've left him up there sick. And I ain't got no coat, and I want you to bring me that coat along. And be careful of that coppersmith; he just ruined that meeting in the city. I had to leave the town. He put me in jail.'"
I imagine Demas said, "What kind of a preacher has this turned out to be?" See?
And, brother, they got a lot of them Demas spirits in the world today. They don't know what it's all about. See? No need trying to explain it to them, 'cause they won't get it anyhow. See, see? A servant of Christ follows the footprints.

L-80 One of our deacons here, I don't know whether he's here tonight or not, it's Tony Zabel. He's usually around here. And he came to me, and he said here not long ago 'fore he got--come over here, he said--he said, "I--I had a dream, a funny dream." He said, "I--I dreamed I was trying to find my way upward towards heaven." He said, "I seen a man coming with a black robe on and was a--a--a reading a book." And said, "I--I got to this man, and I asked him, 'Which a-way to heaven?' And he said, 'Ask the man ahead of me.'" And that was a--a pastor of a church that he'd went to.


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