Water Baptism "It puts me Beyond Paradise" "You decide for yourself"

Water Baptism "It puts me Beyond Paradise" "You decide for yourself" The Third Foundation Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. Hebrews 6:2 There are two baptisms that we must enter into and receive. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 In the journey of the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land they had to pass through the water and the cloud. All who enter the Kingdom must pass through the water and the cloud. The children of Israel left Egypt and immediately passed through the Red Sea. They were redeemed by the blood when they kept the Passover, but the journey was just beginning. Many Christians experience redemption through the blood of Jesus but never continue on into the Kingdom of the Promised Land. When the children of Israel kept the Passover they were to be dressed and ready to move on. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff The Third Foundation Hebrews 6:2 The Doctrine of Baptisms in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s Passover. Exodus 12:11 The first step after redemption through the blood was to pass through the water, the Red Sea. To the Christian today this speaks of water baptism; the next step after being born again. The purpose for Israel was not just redemption through the blood; it was to enter the Promised Land. Likewise, for you and me today, God’s purpose is not just redemption through the blood of Jesus, it is to follow on and possess the Kingdom. Many in heaven today get no further than Paradise, the outer court of heaven, and they do not possess the fullness of God’s purposes for them. They only see the fullness of the Kingdom from afar. The words of Jesus "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5  Note: We are not talking about infant baptism; we are talking about the believer’s baptism, Dedicating an infant to the Lord is important, but this is not New Testament water baptism. So what does it mean to be baptized in water and why is it so important?Water baptism is the place where we surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. It is a place of the death of our own will and purposes. Water baptism represents a grave; a place to die. It is a place of death and a declaration of surrender. It is a burial service where we give our total allegiance to Jesus. It is a day of absolute surrender, a day when we die in order to live in newness of life. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:4-11 One side of water baptism is death the other side is resurrection. It is impossible to proceed on into the Kingdom without this death and resurrection experience. This part of the journey cannot be missed out and it is not optional if you want to go further in God. Unless you are born again you cannot SEE the Kingdom, John 3:3 Unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot ENTER the Kingdom, John 3:5 Lordship These keys or doorways to the Kingdom must be entered and experienced in order to proceed into the Kingdom of God. At salvation we were given a new nature and we must bury the old nature in order to make sure it will not affect the growth of this new nature. We have seen in the evangelistic crusades many coming to the Lord, but months later they are not able to be found. What happened to them? They never proceeded on into the Kingdom by surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus.  Baptism needs to understood as a burial and resurrection and is seen as an act of obedience that causes a barrier to be built between us and the power that Satan had over us. The revival in Mt. Hagan has been going on for over one year.  Water baptism is not just another Christian ritual So often, water baptism has been taught as an act of obedience to God’s word, as well as a testimony that you have received Jesus as your savior. However, it is much more than that: there is a power released that cuts off the person being baptized from the old life. When the person to be baptized understands that they are participating in a burial of the ‘old life’, and they are submitting to the will and Lordship of Jesus over their new lives, God responds with power to sever them from the old life and raises them up to a new and living way. They need to understand that they go under the water as one person, and come out as another. Resurrection power has set them free from the old life. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Romans 6:3-8 Crucified with Christ Jesus took our sins and crucified our old nature of sin when on the cross. When Jesus took upon Himself the whole sin of mankind along with the fallen human nature of man, our fallen nature was crucified with Him. Baptism is an acknowledgement of this on an individual basis which releases power to set one free from sin. Crucified and dying daily I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 1 Corinthains 15:31 When the power of sin has been broken in our lives through the death of Jesus and the acknowledgement of this through water baptism, to sin or not to sin becomes a choice. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but When the power of sin has been broken in our lives through the death of Jesus and the acknowledgement of this through water baptism, to sin or not to sin becomes a choice.   Baptism needs to understood as a burial and resurrection and is seen as an act of obedience that causes a barrier to be built between us and the power that Satan had over us. Romans 6:11-14 Before you buried the old man through baptism, sin had dominion over you -- even though you were born again. But now, through baptism and the burial of the old nature, sin does not have control of you. Now to sin or not to sin becomes a choice. And now, when you choose not to sin, the power of God is released to enable you not to sin. The choice releases the power. It is not a matter of using will power, it is a matter of choice that releases the grace, i.e. the power of God to keep you from sinning. By grace (the ability of God) you are saved from sin and continue to be saved from sinning. Whereas before, the power of sin was broken in your life, you were a slave to sin. Now that sin becomes a choice, it does not have power over you; you have the power to choose to sin or not. Choosing daily to surrender to the Lordship of Jesus becomes a way of life -- a daily experience and a daily choice. An Old Testament picture of the Lordship of Jesus A few years ago, while in prayer, I found myself in a room and at the far end there was a booth with an angel behind it; and behind the angel was a dark solid door. It seemed to me like a passport control area. Many Christians were coming up to the booth, but they had no passport. The angel, in a firm clear voice, said “passport please?” These Christians were somewhat confused because they had no passport and the angel was turning them away. Some of these Christians were protesting saying, “I am a deacon” or “I am a Pastor”, etc. The angel looked at them intently and then turned them back. I then saw that a couple arrived at the booth and the angel said, “passport please” and with this the couple turned sideways so that the angel could look at the side of their heads. The angel looked intently at them and then said to them come in. When the angel said that, the door behind him became translucent, flashing with light and color. If you have ever seen the TV series Star Gate, it looked a bit like the star gate in the TV program. The couple walked up to the door and walked clean through it. I stood there amazed at this phenomenon. Then I thought, I must find my passport, but I could not find it! Panic was beginning to take a hold of me when the angel pointed at me and with a movement of his hand, beckoned me. I stepped up to the booth and the angel said, “passport please?” When I said, “I don’t seem to have one”, the angel looked at me and said, “show me your ear!” I thought that was very strange. I turned to show him my ear. and the angel looked carefully at my ear, he then looked at me and said, “I see you have a hole in your ear; please go through.” The door behind him changed into light that appeared alive and I walked through it. Instantly, I was walking in the city of God in heaven -- I was astounded at this and the utter transformation between the two worlds on each side of the door. I looked back at the door and decided to test it; so I walked back through it and instantly I was back in the passport control area. I then, had a rush of understanding that poured into my mind; I realized that the passport represented the Bond Servant relationship spoken of in Exodus 21. Your passport to the greater things in the Kingdom of God is a Bond Servant Covenant with the Lord If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever. Exodus 21:2, 5-6  Surrender to the Lordship of Jesus requires a Bond Servant relationship with Him.   A Bond Servant Commitment In the Hebrew, two different words are used for servant: SAKIYR: which means a hired servant EBED: which means a bond servant In the N/T Greek, two different words are used: Diak onos: which means a deacon, servant, or minister Doulos: which means a bond servant THE DIFFERENCE: A SERVANT ' Gets wages ' Spends his wage as he likes ' Has days off and does as he likes on those days off ' Can marry whom he likes ' Can quit at any time ' Can be fired.  A BOND SERVANT ' Has no days off and he is on call 365 days of the year ' Does not get paid ' Has no money of his own ' Cannot own anything ' Has only what the master gives him ' Has no rights ' Marries who the master says he can marry BUT... ' Has to live rest of his life with his ear pierced.   The master will provide everything he needs ' His master will protect him. His master will look after him for A Bond Servant is given much responsibility and is entrusted with much.     ABRAHAM had a Bond Servant that ruled over the all of Abraham’s wealth. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. Genesis 24:2 Abraham’s Bond Servant had great responsibility and was trusted with all of his master’s goods and wealth. This honor was only ever given to Bond Servants. However, the Bond Servant was completely under the lordship of his master. The pierced ear signifies that the Bond Servant had an ear only for his master’s voice Again, it meant that the Bond Servant only had an ear for the master’s voice and he was committed to his master’s voice -- and this opened a special hearing relationship with the master. When we become a Bond Servant, a door of audibility opens in the heavens and you are able to hear from the Kingdom realm like never before. The renowned servant of the Lord, Andrew Murray, was once asked what is the most important thing for a Christian? He replied, “Absolute Surrender.” We must bring new Christians to this place of surrender quickly and it starts with Water Baptism. This foundation must be laid quickly in a new Christian’s life in order for him to move on into the Kingdom of God. Taken from the book: If You Care to Accept It, by Bryan Archer. http://ajmerpushkar.books.officelive.com/TheSalvationPrayer.aspx Take Care, Allan