Spirit Food - September 2019
Spirit Food
We at Mark Krom Ministries have been directed by the Holy Spirit to provide a series; we’ll call it “Spirit Food”. Our purpose in doing this is to assist you in your spiritual growth within the body of Jesus Christ (the anointed one and His anointing).
As the physical body requires food for nourishment, the spirit also requires feeding for spiritual growth. Hosea 4:6 says – “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge …”. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we truly desire you to live blessed lives in accordance with Deuteronomy 28:1-14. To live this type of life however, if you have not already done so, make the quality decision to make God’s Word the final authority in your life. These sessions will aid in your spiritual growth process. Once you are presented with what the Word of God has to say about an issue, you are responsible for receiving His love, grace, mercy & favor; and the gift of His righteousness. Remember, you are greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved by your Heavenly Father.
What does the Word of God teach about water baptism? Water Baptism is a public declaration that occurs after a person is saved. People getting baptized have accepted Jesus Christ’s death at Calvary as payment for their sins, and have asked Him to come into their hearts and be their Lord and Savior (salvation). It is an outward sign of an inward spiritual change that has taken place in their lives.
Scriptures indicate that baptism is for believers only.
In Mark 16:16 it says, “The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned.” Someone might say, “When I was an infant, I was baptized and I became a Christian then.”
Nowhere in the Bible does it refer to anyone being saved by baptism before they accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. When a baby is sprinkled, it is more of a ceremony dedicating the family and church family, to ensure the child will be raised in the knowledge of Christ. It is a blessing of the child, not a proper form of baptism according to Jesus’ example.
Think about it – how much does an infant or small child (in the natural) really know regarding what is taking place in its life? Baptism is a commitment that a person makes for himself on the basis that he has been redeemed by the grace of God.
This person has been transformed inwardly by accepting Jesus as their Lord and their spirit being reborn by the grace of God! As a result of this quality decision, the Holy Spirit has come to live on the inside of the believer within their reborn Spirit. Then, as an outward sign to the world the one who believes and is baptized will be saved, and they follow Jesus in believer’s baptism.
He has dedicated himself to allowing the Holy Spirit within him to start producing fruit; i.e., love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Why be baptized?
Because in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commanded us to be baptized.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus said this while He was still walking on the earth, after the resurrection, but before He ascended up into heaven.
So if you refuse baptism, regardless of excuse, is it is an act of rebellion and disobedience. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and you refuse to be baptized, then you’re living in open rebellion against God.
There are three forms that people use for baptism.
There is pouring.
There is sprinkling.
There is Immersion. This is the form of baptism we find in the New Testament.
There is no doubt that during the biblical days, if people were too sick to physically be able to go to church, they would pour water on them, which is called clinical baptism.
Sprinkling came along later as a matter of convenience. In the early church when it was too cold out to baptize, they would sprinkle to hold the people over until warm weather, when they would be baptized by immersion.
The word for pouring or sprinkling is not used in the New Testament to refer to baptism.
Why do we baptize by immersion?
Immersion means we rise from being in water that represents an inferior or unfortunate state or condition (death of the carnal nature, and being raised out of the watery grave to be alive in Christ).
It’s important and scriptural that the method and the purpose go hand in hand.
Immersion most closely matches the Greek word used for baptism in the Bible, which is “baptizo” (bap-tid’-zo; to immerse, submerge; to make overwhelmed, i.e. fully wet).
Any believer can perform a baptism, but most are more comfortable with an ordained minister performing the baptism. Such an event should be documented (a nice certificate) for the person being baptized, enabling them to have a “keepsake” of the baptism as a remembrance. An additional entry into the church log of events (or pastor’s log) is also recommended, if possible.
We must make a public confession of our faith in Jesus Christ. It is a testimony that you have accepted Jesus as Lord. The gospel is all about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Water Baptism by immersion signifies the believer’s death, burial, and resurrection with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the most accurate picture of what is happening to us on the inside.
Baptism is an action that signifies a person has died to their old lifestyle, they have taken on the mindset (way of thinking, that) I’m burying my old way of living, and being born again. I’m being raised out of the water (resurrecting) to a new way of living. It is portraying to the world that we are not the same person that we were before salvation.
God rewards every single act of obedience. Our Heavenly Father is just; He does not forget our acts of obedience to Him. One of the blessings of being baptized is knowing you’re being obedient to the Word of God; having a joy and confidence that you’re fulfilling God’s will for your life.
Our body is a temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. In 1 Corinthians 6:19 it says, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, …” Well, Matthew 6: 22-23 says, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Consider this analogy on obedience and growing your relationship with our Heavenly Father: If you have a house with very small windows, not a lot of natural sunlight can come in; but as you increase the size of your windows, more light comes in enabling you to see better. As you develop your relationship with the Holy Spirit, he provides more and more light to you regarding our Heavenly Father’s plan for your life, and empowers you to be provided the resources to carry out that plan.
In being water baptized, there is also a blessing for the people who are in attendance or hear of your actions – your family, friends, and church also experience the joy of your obedience.
Have you made Jesus the Lord of your life? Have you been baptized? The significance of baptism is that it exhibits a deeper union or relationship with Christ, pledging commitment and allegiance to Christ. Amen.
I encourage you to receive and believe his love for you. If you’re reading this, but you have not made Jesus the Lord of your life, and would like to, pray this prayer out loud in an audible voice:
Heavenly Father, your Word says in Romans 10:9-10- “that if I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that and believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead, that I would be saved. For with the heart one believes unto salvation.” I believe your Word Heavenly Father and confess Jesus Christ (the anointed one and His anointing) as Lord of my life now. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess that I was a sinner, but now I’ve been saved by Your grace, and in Your thoughts, I am now in right standing with You. I denounce Satan and all he stands for. Write my name in the Lamb’s book of Life. In Jesus Name. Amen (so be it).
Congratulations! If this is your first time praying this prayer, please write and let us know!
Should you decide to give and financially support this ministry with gifts given in faith, I join my faith with yours to see the devourer rebuked (Malachi 3:11) and for you to receive a harvest; pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38).
Rev. Dr. Mark Krom, Ph.D., PsyD
Mark Krom Ministries
drmkrom@gmail.com
