To coincide with Water Baptism
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 9:57
9:57. Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."
Our following to Christ must be increased until we follow Him wherever He goes. It is the same as the following of body to the head, namely the one of bride that cannot be separated forever.
It means we must be active in the ministry of the building of the body of Christ according to the ministry that God gives to us.
The building of the body of Christ starts from marriage. The husband loves his wife, the wife submits to her husband, and the child obeys the parents. Then, we minister in the shepherding, inter-shepherding, up to the Gentiles and Israelites become one perfect body, the bride who is ready to greet Jesus' second coming on the glorious clouds.
There are three hindrances in our following to Jesus as follows:
AD. 1. The fox and bird.
Revelation 18:2
18:2. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!
The bird refers to unclean spirit and the wolf evil spirit.
Fox has hole and bird of the air has nest means evil and unclean spirits abide in the heart of men and the son of God, so their heart tends to be evil and unclean. It is like the age of Noah and Lot that will culminate in the last days.
Genesis 6:5
6:5. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Luke 17:26-30
17:26. "And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
17:27. "They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
17:28. "Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
17:29. "but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
17:30. "Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
If we are born only by a mother, our heart tends to be evil and unclean.
The practice of man who has the heart that tends to be evil and unclean in the last days is as follows:
1 Peter 3:20-21
3:20. who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
3:21. There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
We need good conscience from true water baptism or new birth from God, so we do not become the place of fox and bird.
Romans 6:2,4
6:2. Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
6:4. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The true water baptism is one who has died to sin or repented must be buried in the water with Jesus and come out or rise from water with Him to receive new life or heavenly life, namely good conscience or obedient heart , so we become the place of Holy Spirit.
Matthew 3:16
3:16. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
In the water baptism, we must be buried totally in the water, so we have separation with evil and unclean spirit and the spirit of God comes upon us. Holy Spirit is in our heart and Jesus becomes the head, not evil and unclean spirit.
The results are as follows:
God blesses us.
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 9:57
9:57. Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."
Our following to Christ must be increased until we follow Him wherever He goes. It is the same as the following of body to the head, namely the one of bride that cannot be separated forever.
It means we must be active in the ministry of the building of the body of Christ according to the ministry that God gives to us.
The building of the body of Christ starts from marriage. The husband loves his wife, the wife submits to her husband, and the child obeys the parents. Then, we minister in the shepherding, inter-shepherding, up to the Gentiles and Israelites become one perfect body, the bride who is ready to greet Jesus' second coming on the glorious clouds.
There are three hindrances in our following to Jesus as follows:
- The fox and bird.
Luke 9:58
9:58. And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." - The dead body.
Luke 9:59
9:59. Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." - Looking back.
Luke 9:60
9:60. Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."
AD. 1. The fox and bird.
Revelation 18:2
18:2. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!
The bird refers to unclean spirit and the wolf evil spirit.
Fox has hole and bird of the air has nest means evil and unclean spirits abide in the heart of men and the son of God, so their heart tends to be evil and unclean. It is like the age of Noah and Lot that will culminate in the last days.
Genesis 6:5
6:5. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Luke 17:26-30
17:26. "And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
17:27. "They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
17:28. "Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
17:29. "but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
17:30. "Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
If we are born only by a mother, our heart tends to be evil and unclean.
The practice of man who has the heart that tends to be evil and unclean in the last days is as follows:
- Eating-drinking and marrying-giving in marriage. It is the same as the heart is controlled by unclean spirit.
Sin of eating-drinking means smoking, getting drunk, and drugs abuse.
His deed makes the heart of God grieved, the heart of parents sore, and heart of the shepherd lament.
Sin of marrying-giving in marriage starts from unclean mind, word, and deed, including sexual deviation and false marriage (mixed-marriage, marrying after divorce, and marrying-giving in marriage). - Buying and selling. It means the heart is controlled by the spirit of selling-buying.
The practice is one is active in the ministry but he wants to receive the physical thing only (money, mate, et cetera), so the house of God becomes the den of thieves.
The service to God is like market, having no value (everybody can minister without true ordination), and being crowded but without the word of purification.
It is the same as being unfaithful until leaving the ministry because one chases the physical thing.
For example, Judas Iscariot.
Consequently, his life is not beautiful, but ruined up to perdition. - Planting and building. It means the heart is controlled by lying spirit or falsity.
Planting in the false field and building the false build mean one is used in the building of the body of Babylon, the false church, or the bride of Satan who will be destroyed.
Revelation 18:2, 16
18:2. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!
18:16. "and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
1 Peter 3:20-21
3:20. who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
3:21. There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
We need good conscience from true water baptism or new birth from God, so we do not become the place of fox and bird.
Romans 6:2,4
6:2. Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
6:4. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The true water baptism is one who has died to sin or repented must be buried in the water with Jesus and come out or rise from water with Him to receive new life or heavenly life, namely good conscience or obedient heart , so we become the place of Holy Spirit.
Matthew 3:16
3:16. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
In the water baptism, we must be buried totally in the water, so we have separation with evil and unclean spirit and the spirit of God comes upon us. Holy Spirit is in our heart and Jesus becomes the head, not evil and unclean spirit.
The results are as follows:
- Holy Spirit purifies the Gentiles whose characteristics are like the dog and swine, so we can live in righteousness and holiness. We become the sacrifice that pleases God, so we are equipped with the ministry to be used in the ministry of the building of the body of Christ.
Romans 15:16
15:16. that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 4:11-12
4:11. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12. for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
The ministry is the same as tunic of many colors. Our life becomes beautiful. - The fire of Holy Spirit makes us faithful and fervent in the ministry.
Romans 12:11
12:11. not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
The servant of God who is holy, faithful, and fervent is the apple of God's eye. We are taken care of and protected by God until we are owned by Him. - Holy Spirit changes us from carnal men to spiritual ones like Jesus
Titus 3:5
3:5. not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
The spiritual miracle happens. It starts from being honest and sincere like a dove.
And physical miracle will happen too, the impossible thing becomes possible. We become the house of prayer and our prayer is answered by God.
Our steps are the ones of miracle. Until the last miracle, we are changed to become perfect , so we are worthy to greet Jesus' second coming.
God blesses us.