John's baptism vs. Jesus' baptism
Over the last many months I have started doing some prayer coaching. These are prayer appointments I set with people I know or who are personally referred to me.
During these sessions, the Spirit of God impresses things upon me, and often times they are words of affirmation and words of knowledge. The Spirit speaks and reveals things for the purpose of setting people free and deeper levels of healing. He does it in a way that honors privacy and deepens their trust in His perfect knowledge of them. So during a recent session, He revealed the person receiving prayer had misperceptions about God as Father.
The first 15 to 20 minutes of a session includes talking about what is burdening, so I have an idea of how to begin in prayer and what to cover in prayer. What's interesting is the LORD often takes the time in a direction that reveals a root issue that was either not mentioned in the beginning or something the person was not aware of. During the time of intercession, the LORD brought a word to my mind, which I didn’t understand, so I shared it, and it led to this confession coming out, “Nothing’s happening because I’m being punished.” It shocked her that she said it, realizing right after that she didn’t know she believed her life frustrations were because she thought God was punishing her. It was truly a moment of revelation for her!
But you see, God saw that in her, and reached in during our session, and drew it out through giving a Spirit led word for us to talk about. This then it steered her heart to make an honest confession that was a unspoken belief causing her lots of distress. It was the answer to her prayer request, to understand why she just recently started struggling with feeling lost, anxious, and carrying a gnawing and continual undercurrent of anxiety. After God spoke what He spoke, it all made sense to her!
This is a critical example of why we are not to search ourselves. When we do it, leads to burden and lies. This is why we come into God’s presence and ask for his insight.
Proverbs 20:5- The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.
The things brewing within us are indeed deep and dark waters. We aren't to plumb the depths. It overwhelms us. Instead, we are to turn to the One who has insight, the One who knows our thoughts (1 Chronicles 28:9). The Spirit of Christ has insight because the Father knows the mind of the Spirit and intercedes for us according to His will. He reveals and is Wonderful Counselor, Isaiah 9:6.
When he does the searching, it leads to breakthrough and peace. In the prayer appointments God often goes further with people, to reveal root issues. In the session I'm referencing today, God went further to show his little one that her self-talk was a form of self-torture, taking herself through endless questions. “What am I doing wrong?” “What have I missed?” “What do I need to do?” “I must not be getting something.” “I must be missing what God is saying.”
This type of continual self-talk is creating confusion, fueling a feeling of being lost, creating a continual undercurrent of anxiety, and exhausting her. But God was present to call it out and speak tenderly to her in terms to validate her as his child, invite her closer, remind her to enjoy his presence, deepen in trust, and use the season of waiting to prepare for His timing of promotion!
Jesus too had to wait on God’s perfect timing. He had a season of waiting. The Son of God was not released into ministry until 30 years old. Think about the fact that He was not BAPTIZED with the Spirit until he was baptized by John, Mark 1:9-11.
Certainly prior to this, He carried the Spirit (Luke 1:35), but there was a BAPTISM of the Spirit to drive Him forward in greater power from then on. We are told in the moment of his baptism, the Heavens opened; the Spirit descended upon him; and the Father affirmed him, “You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased.” Immediately after this, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness to face and overcome temptation, Mark 1:12.
The Spirit is also to drive you. He is your power to overcome all forces against you and reveal the life of Christ through you.
John's baptism was unto repentance, but Jesus came to baptize you with the Holy Spirit,
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Romans 8:16 tells us the Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. Through the Spirit of God in you, HE TESTIFIES TO YOU. He leads you to life and peace, not confusion and disorder and death. The Spirit is the voice who speaks the words of the Father to your spirit to affirm you. Do you hear God in this way, or are you torturing yourself with endless questions and thinking God is punishing you? If you have never had affirmation within that you are a child of God, that is a red flag for an area of healing desperately needed.
Have you been baptized? At the end of the Gospel of Mark Jesus says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
Remember, Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit. This is not a religious requirement of water baptism. It is a spirit requirement poured out upon those who profess the name of Jesus, Acts 1:8. Today, I invite you to meditate upon Jesus’ baptism and let it uncover longing. Do you want more? Do you want greater revelation, encounter, a closer walk with God?
Be bold! By faith, ask for more of the Spirit! By faith, ask for baptism! Don't reason it through!
I was already filled with the Spirit, but a time came where God challenged me to ask for more! Read that blog HERE-
ARE BELIEVERS FILLED MORE THAN ONCE
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"God, with help from the Holy Spirit, help this one envision the moment of Jesus' baptism. Give them eyes to see the Heavens open, give them sight to see the Spirit descend on Jesus. Give them ears to hear the Father’s words of affirmation speaking from Heaven, "You are my Son, with you I am well-pleased" Stir them within to long for Spirit-filled encounter. What are they longing for? What thoughts and unspoken beliefs block the work of the Spirit in them? Lord, you have perfect insight to what is happening within them. God show them what is blocking their freedom, preventing deeper healing, and standing in the way of joy filled time with you. Baptize them afresh with power from on high. Move in them to ask for more of the Spirit! ASK FOR MORE OF THE SPIRIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amen!
