How can we overcome Sin and Temptation?

Once More

What have we got, the Pentecostal people today? Too many Ricky’s. That word, Elvis and Ricky, you never heard of that in other days. It’s a word, it’s the name for this day. It goes with this. It means something.

You say, “A name means nothing.” Then why did He change Abram’s name, to Abraham? Why did He change Saul’s name to Paul? Simon’s name to Peter? Why did He change His Own Name?

Why did He change Jacob to Israel? Not until he wrestled with the Lord, not until he overcome. And when Jesus overcome death, hell and the grave, the Bible said, “He had a new Name.” And when Jacob overcome.

And if the Church can overcome, she will stop saying, “I am Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian.” When she can overcome her creeds and the world that’s drawed her in there, she’ll come back to the Bride of Jesus Christ, Mrs. Jesus Christ. Amen.

JESUS GAVE US THE EXAMPLE, HOW TO DO IT. Now WE WANT TO KNOW HOW TO OVERCOME. Jesus told us how to do it. See? HUMILITY! Girded Himself, took a towel, and washed the disciples’ feet and wiped them. THE VERY GOD OF HEAVEN HUMILIATED HIMSELF.

WE DON’T WANT TO BE HUMILIATED. That’s the reason women don’t want their hair to grow out (See?); the reason they don’t want to dress like ladies should dress. Like, men don’t want to, see, it’s the same thing. They don’t. They, they get humiliated.

BUT, JESUS, CONSTANTLY! LOOK Who He was. GREATNESS! I’m going to say something. GREATNESS HUMILIATES ITSELF. GREAT HUMBLES ITSELF. GREATNESS!

I’ve had the privilege of getting, meeting some great men. And it’s these guys that got a change of clothes, and fifty cents in their pocket, and to rattle, THAT’S THE GUY THAT THINKS HE’S SOMETHING WHEN HE’S NOTHING. But I stood by great men, I mean great men with ragged sleeves, cuffs. THEY MAKE YOU THINK YOU’RE THE GREAT PERSON. See?

GREATNESS is HUMILITY. DON’T FORGET THAT, CHURCH. GREATNESS is EXPRESSED IN HUMILITY, not how fine you can be.

I DON’T MEAN DIRTY, now. I MEAN HUMBLE IN SPIRIT. See? I don’t mean just get—get out and don’t ever wash and clean up. That, you should do that. You know that. See?

But I’m talking about HUMILITY, GENUINE HUMILITY, NOT SOMETHING IS PUT-ON. SOMETHING THAT IS, that’s REAL HUMILITY.

Jesus told us how to do it. He overcome. Means…OVERCOME MEANS “TO STAND THE TEST,” that’s right, LIKE ALL THE OLD SAINTS DID; LIKE JESUS DID; AMIDST OF ALL OF HIS ENEMIES, HE STOOD THE TEST. EVERYTHING HE WAS TESTED AGAINST, HE STOOD IT.

In the very face of sickness, and Him being Messiah, He healed them. In the face of death, He brought it back to life. In the face of Calvary, His Own death, HE DEFEATED IT BY SURRENDERING HIMSELF. Why? BY THE WORD. Said, “You destroy this Temple, and I’ll raise it up in three days.” The Word said so. See? And in the presence of death, He defeated it. He overcome death. In the presence of hell, He defeated hell and overcome hell. Yes. In the presence of the grave, He overcome the grave.

Why? ALL BY THE WORD, and HUMILITY. Oh, my! THERE ‘S THE REAL MAN. THERE’S THE ONE TO MAKE YOUR EXAMPLE. See? He defeated everything, overcome it.

Look. TEMPTATION was for Him. You know that? The Bible said, “He was tempted in all points like we are, yet without sin.” He was tempted by—by drinking. He was tempted by women. He was tempted by everything that could be tempted by. HE WAS TEMPTED BY EVERYTHING that we are. HE WAS A MAN, and YET YOU COULDN’T PUT A MARK ON HIM. Yes, sir.

OVERCOME means “TO RECOGNIZE THE DEVIL IN EVERY ONE OF HIS TRICKS”. Lot of people says, “There is no devil. It’s just a thought.” DON’T YOU BELIEVE THAT. THERE’S A REAL DEVIL. HE’S JUST AS REAL AS YOU ARE OR ANYBODY. A REAL DEVIL, and YOU MUST RECOGNIZE HIM REAL. YOU MUST KNOW HE’S A DEVIL. Then, the same time that you—you recognize him, and know that he’s a devil and HE’S AGAINST YOU, then, TO OVERCOME, YOU MUST RECOGNIZE that THE GOD IN YOU IS GREATER and MIGHTIER THAN He is, that THE ONE that’s IN YOU HAS ALREADY OVERCOME HIM. And, BY HIS GRACE, YOU ARE MORE THAN A MATCH for him. Amen. There’s REAL OVERCOMING, when YOU RECOGNIZE.

63-0825M – How Can I Overcome?
Rev. William Marrion Branham.