inspirational moments from bishop-elect roshell

Topic: Baptized in the Holy Spirit

Sub Topic: By the Blood

Part #1

Scripture: Matt. 3:13-17, Matt. 4:1-11 KJV

Many times, we get baptized because someone close to us does and/or a friend or we feel because everyone else is doing it, we should too. See, none of these reasons have anything to do with the spirit of God at all. The bible teaches that it must come upon you (sit on you). Also, there must be an oneness within the body! See, Baptism happens when what’s on the inside, becomes present on the outside. It’s NOT just a feeling, where hair stands up on your arms and you get goose bumps or something like that, it is a mind changing event that you can’t keep inwardly, it has to be displayed… because of the overwhelming power of the Holy Spirit. 

Baptism prepares us for praise, healing, grace, power over sin, joy, speaking in tongues, ability for your prayers to enter Heaven, etc. Also, baptism of the Holy Spirit teaches us and empowers us to give the glory to the only true and wise God/Jesus and NOT ourselves. It teaches us to NOT reward ourselves for our charitable deeds. 

When Jesus healed, many times He told them NOT to tell anyone. What we do for others, there should be NOTHING to brag about, NOTHING to show in pride through in the streets. It’s all about God! (Psalm 16:1, 1 John 1:5, John 10:10)

See, when a husband or wife takes each other out to celebrate them, it is NOT for the person who took their spouse out to blow the horn… but the one that was celebrated to give thanks first to God then to the one God placed on their hearts to do so. This is the only way God gets the glory! That's what Jesus did, every time He did the will of the Father, He always said for them, "not to tell" in that way the Father was always glorified.

So why did Jesus tell people NOT to tell anyone that He had healed them? There are many reasons: Humbleness (didn't want to draw attention to Himself as He was a servant and a servant give all praise unto the one in whom they serve) (Isaiah 52:13, 53:12: Romans 5:6-8; 2 Cor. 5:19). It is up to God to give the reward and NOT for us to sound the trumpet (Matt. 5:4-6). See, this is the teaching of the Holy Spirit given during the baptism! It gives power over the sinful flesh and tenders the heart to submit unto the power of God and NOT the flesh that craves for attention. 

In the word of God, what propelled Jesus into His three years ministry? There was so many great and awesome events with Jesus, even during His years all the way up to 12 years old (Luke 2: 42-52) and 18 years when He grow in wisdom, in stature and in the favor of God and man (Luke 2:51-52) before He begins His full out ministry. Yes, there were many events that took place before He selected His 12 disciples. One of those was John the Baptist, who was a fore runner to Christ. 

(Please let's not get it twisted) because everything Jesus did was about the ministry that God who sent Him to be the light to all that would believe, and turn from their wicked ways, repent and receive salvation through the Holy Ghost. (Matt. 3:2 kjv) 

Now think about one of greatest events that drove Jesus into the preparedness of His divine and most glorifying moments… yes; it was the baptism that set the tone for His honorable and yet man's most epic event ever (Matt. 3:13-17, Matt. 4:1-11 KJV.

These events are the challenge and suffering that all Christians MUST go through. The challenge of suffering, people lying on you, persecutions, sickness, pains and even death, all comes under the power of the Holy Ghost. Each of Jesus' epic events, His birth, death and the resurrection, brought new life to those that once were dead in their sin, who would die an honorable death and  burn for eternity.

During Jesus' ministry, He taught this concept even to those that didn’t know its importance. Nicodemus a great ruler of the Jews, comes to Jesus at night with a question after seeing the great miracles that He (Jesus) had done and Jesus answers his heart and got straight to the heart of the matter and said “you must be born again” and in verse 7, He uses these two words “Marvel not”. 

Thou he knew of the great thing that Jesus had accomplished, he only knew of Jesus in the flesh and not as in the spirit. Jesus told him that he was wrong - because he was trying to understand with the carnal mind and not in the Spirit.

See, just like Nicodemus, we Christians of this day and time, know of Jesus through someone else’s experiences, but NOT for themselves. Many of us take someone else’s experiences and try to make them ours, but that only hinders your own development in the power of the Holy Spirit miraculous intervention (renewing of your mind) and weakens the faith walk with God.  (Romans 12:2 ) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace of given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more higher than he ought to think; but to thing soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man a measure of faith.

See, we are baptized through that same measure of faith given and it increases as we have those “Holy Spirit miraculous interventions” of God/Jesus. What experiences? Jesus tells Paul that he would experience great persecution “for His name sake”. 

Conclusive thought:  We can go through anything, when we have the help of the Holy Spirit!