Imrah Ministries

By Liza Alexander

I Peter 1:24-25 says “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flowers fall away: But the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

We see baptism in the New Testament beginning with John the Baptist and then followed by Jesus. John’s baptism as explained in the gospels (Mat3, Mk1:1-13, Luke 3:16-18, Jn1:19-34) is the baptism of repentance. The people confessed their sins and were baptized but when it came to Christ, He had no confession to make yet was baptized so as to fulfill all righteousness (Mat 3:15). Baptism is a fulfillment of righteousness, an act of obedience. Jesus baptism is a baptism into Christ. The people believed in Christ and were baptized; it was different from John’s baptism (Mat 28:19). Even those who had received John’s baptism were asked to take the baptism into Christ (Acts 19:1-7).

Baptism is a command given by Christ (Acts 2:41). Mat15:3 says, why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?. The meaning of baptism has been explained by Paul in Rom 6:1-14. Baptized into Christ implies baptized into His death in order that you may be raised from the dead through the glory of the Father with a new life (vs. 3, 4). Peter says baptism is a pledge of a good conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Pet 3:21). When Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council went to Jesus, Jesus said unto him, “Except you are born-again, no man can see the kingdom of God”(Jn 3:3), to enter one must be born of water and Spirit (Jn 3:5).

No one is a Christian unless he or she accepts Christ; no one can be born a Christian. It is a choice that one makes. No parent can make a child a Christian but a parent can guide and teach the child but at the end the individual decides, he has to accept, forsake sins and be born into Christ. (Rom 10:9-11, Jn 1:12).

So baptism is a step of faith. If you testify before man He will testify you before God. It is an open declaration of your stand. But he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”(Luke 11:28). Don’t merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourself. Do what it says (James1:22). Anyone then who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it sins (James 5:17). What keeps you away from simple truth? Is it social security, afraid of having to give up things, fear of isolation? Why be a common Christian, why not be a special extraordinary Christian in the hands of the Master? What holds you back from the truth? Think about it, if it’s fear of loneliness and isolation, the Bible says in Jn 14:27, peace I leave you, peace I give you, not as the world gives. Don’t let your hearts be afraid. He has promised to send the Holy Spirit Jn 14:16 who is a Comforter, the Counselor will be with you forever.

Jn 14:15 Jesus says, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” It all comes back to that one question how much do I love God? Am I really in love with God or am I doing things moved by my feelings, my emotions, and choosing things according to what suits me most? We love Him because He first loved us (1Jn 4:19) How much love do we actually have? We must all examine our lives see where changes have to take place and make them. If you’re waiting for a sign saying “son, be baptized” you’d never get it, He’s given enough scriptures in His Word what more do we want. Not all who persecute Christ are struck down by light from heaven saying “why are you persecuting me”. Many times we are the cause of some delays in our life. Basics have been revealed to us and shutting oneself will only bring in delays and stunt our growth. It all comes down to obedience the act of love, the proof of our love for Him. Jn 17:15 says, He prays for us not to take us out of the world but a protection from the evil one. He has prayed for us and will take us through all situations. So take courage the Lord will be with you all. Stay blessed

Oh, but the body of Christ has missed it! I’m gonna share with you a vision the Lord showed me that will explain to us where we are missing it.

The Lord caught me up into a vision while He was teaching me on the Spirit baptism. He showed me a cup and a bucket of water. He then dipped the cup into the bucket of water and He asked me, ‘What do you see?”. I said, “A cup dipped in a bucket of water”. He said, “You have seen correctly. This is the baptism in the Spirit”.

I asked Him what the evidence of the Spirit baptism would be and He said, “The first evident thing that happens when the cup was immersed was that it’s mouth started overflowing.” But He didn’t stop there. He dipped the cup deeper into the bucket to the bottom, and He said, “Many Christians stop with the overflowing of the mouth, but the purpose of the Spirit baptism is to take you down to the bottom to the ground of humility so that I can do My work through you without any hindrance.”

The passage the Lord took me to was found in the book of Acts. I started with chapter one and when I reached chapter 2 verse 4 where it said “They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance”, I told the Lord, “Lord, I need this”, though I looked at this experience as something beyond me; as I had never witnessed anyone receive it. After this as I was scanning through the pages of the Mark’s gospel, I came across a verse, which caught my attention. Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours”(Mark11: 24).

The very same day, I was invited by my friend to attend a prayer meeting, which was held at his house. It was a Friday evening and I managed to go for this prayer meeting. They started with some songs, which I knew nothing of. After they sang the songs, a young boy stood up and started preaching. I was amazed at the authority with which he spoke. He spoke on salvation, water baptism and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. On hearing the ‘baptism in the Holy Spirit’ my heart leaped with joy, for the Lord had just led me to read about it that morning, and I had asked the Lord for it. The Holy Spirit brought the Scripture to my mind, “For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence”(Acts 1: 5)

When he came an end to preaching, he asked a question, “Who all want to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit?”. I didn’t wait another second, I raised my hand. The boy said, “Jesus is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, look to Him and praise Him, and He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit”. They entered into a time of praise and worship. Not knowing any of the songs they sang, I just opened my mouth and praised Him the way I knew to. I was filled with adoration for my Master. The boy kept saying, “Your heart is bubbling, don’t give up”.

While all this happened the thought that went through my mind was, “I don’t think I’m worthy to receive this experience.” Now the Holy Spirit brought another Scripture to my memory, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours”. Then I kept telling myself, “I believe I have received Him! I believe I have received Him!”. Just then an unusual power went through my body and I fell under the power of it. A lady behind me got hold of me and made me stand on my feet. The very moment I stood on myfeet there gushed out of my belly a river, and my lips started stammering, and I started speaking in a language I had never learned. As I underwent this marvelous experience, my heart was crying, “Oh it’s real! It’s real!”. Later, as I read the Word of God, I found a scripture that described exactly what I experienced: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said rivers of living water will flow from within him”(John 7:38)