BOOK 5 (ePub)

William Branham's international ministry had three main stages. First, he discerned diseases through a supernatural sign in his hand. Later, visions allowed him to discern sickness and more. Between 1946 and 1954, over 500,000 people accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior because of his preaching-and there was no way to estimate how many millions received healing because of his prayers. Discerning that the people were not accepting the spiritual depths and heights that God's Word and Spirit was offering unto them, William Branham felt the Spirit of God was calling him to do more. He knew that people came to his meetings for many reasons. Some people came because they believed the Spirit of Jesus Christ was present. Others came for the novelty and excitement of it, just as when people flocked to see Jesus healing the sick and multiplying wine, bread, and fish. But it was the teachings of Jesus that changed the history of the world. William Branham felt that God was calling him to teach more during his faith-healing campaigns. He believed his ministry could make a lasting, beneficial contribution to the Christian church. Starting in 1955, he not only taught Divine healing, he also taught other aspects of God's Word. God gave him a vision of a new stage to his ministry-a "third pull" (to use the angel's words)-which would surpass everything God had done through him in the past. Inevitably, he offended some people.