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For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,

these are sons and daughters of God.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, 

but you received the Spirit of adoption 

by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

~Romans 8:14-15

 

Good morning dear sister!

Many of us were witnesses to the joyous and miraculous event last Sunday morning of baptisms of believers, young and not-as-young! Hallelujah! Welcome to the family!!

What a joy to hear their testimonies and commitments to follow Jesus Christ! We need to keep them in prayer as they learn to discern the voice of the Good Shepherd so that they can faithfully follow Him and grow!

The rite of Baptism is even older than the church. John the Baptizer baptized with water for the repentance, not remission of sin, since there was not yet a Redeemer.

His baptism was a call to forsake sin, admonishing people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, Jesus Christ. (Acts 19:4) It wasn’t Christian baptism, he was making the way for the One who was soon to come, the One whose sandal he himself was unworthy to untie. (John 1:27) From our modern day perspective, John’s baptism was a sort of bridge between the Old Testament and the New Covenant.

And that is how it is with believers today! Our new brothers and sisters have received the Spirit of adoption into the family of God, in the Name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit! Through the power of the Holy Spirit, as sons and daughters of the Most High, they will also be led by Him, never again to be bound by fear of any kind!

They will find refuge in the safety of His everlasting arms. They will find Godly wisdom when they seek it! Most of all, they will have a greater love for the God who saved them, rather than the former love they had for themselves! They will come to know God, Creator of All, as their Abba, their daddy!

That may sound undignified to some, or disrespectful, but observe the loving relationship of a child who calls his father daddy. You’ll see trust, confidence, love, obedience, protection, adoration, esteem, respect, faithfulness. If God gives us such attributes in our natural relationships, how much more are they magnified in our relationship with Him, our heavenly Abba!

Witnessing the joy and exuberance of those newly baptized also refreshes our own spirits; renewing our own joy in the Lord as we celebrate with them! We feel a deeper connection and a solid bond of fellowship! They have been obedient to the revelation of their need to be baptised, they have planted their feet on the Lord’s path and are now ripe for doing the work of the Shepherd! Who will help them to grow?

What a privilege God has given us to be an influence in the lives of the newcomers to God’s family! Let’s commit to encouraging and helping them along. Reach out to greet them, ask them about what God is doing in their lives or if they have prayer requests for any specific need. Be mindful to include them in your fellowship with others, and even fellowship with yourself!

We may not know or be friends with everyone who was baptized, but we soon will be! If you don’t remember their names, take a look at the recorded service and write them down! This is our opportunity to exercise the discipling skills we’ve been working on! Showing interest in their growth will encourage them in their new life and provide guardrails from temptation! 

I hope that we will soon be hearing testimonies from our spiritual siblings about how the Holy Spirit is moving in their lives! I look forward to watching them grow, mature and bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God! 

Helping others to grow helps us to grow too, that is what the kingdom of God is all about! God loves you, dear sister, and the more of His love you spread around makes room for Him to pour even more into you!

Keep loving Jesus and moving forward!

With love, your sister, Celeste