CHANGING MY MIND Larry W Peebles August 2, 2021 21.29
I have never seen anything quite like it. My wife and I attend Christ Fellowship Church in Dawsonville, Georgia where the Sunday evening service each week is devoted to baptisms. Now in its 181st week, this revival in the water has produced incredible results—miracle healings, addictions broken, cancer eradicated, and more. It is called the North Georgia Revival, and draws people from all over the United States each week. It is viewed around the world on Sid Roth’s “It’s Supernatural Network” (ISN). Recorded meetings can be found on YouTube and the church Facebook page. What we have witnessed has caused me to change and enlarge my mind and thinking about baptism—what it is and does.
By way of background, refer to my previous articles entitled “Something in the Water” (Feb. 19, 21.07), and “Miracles” (May 14, 21.19). Both articles speak in more detail on what is happening in the water at Christ Fellowship Church. We are also seeing it spread to other churches as we send out teams, and as pastors visit our church and go back and begin the baptisms in their own churches.
The word baptism comes from the Greek word baptizo, which means to wash, to thoroughly immerse in water. Strong’s #907. It implies an overwhelming application, thorough enough to cause a change in the condition.
The Bible contains seven examples of the same word baptizo where the context is different. We will exam each as a separate category. This explains the use of the term “doctrine of baptisms (plural)” referenced in Hebrew 6: 1-2. At the same time we will be looking for the “one Lord, one faith, one baptism (singular)” concept referenced in Ephesians 4:5-7.
The baptism of Moses-one of the earliest scriptural examples of baptism occurred in the Book of Exodus, when the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea. God parted the waters, and the Israelites passed between the walls of water. This was later referred to as a picture of baptism. Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 10: 1-2- “I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” The shackles of slavery were dropped as they went into the water, and the people followed Jesus (the cloud) into a new life of freedom as they came out of the water. This event began to reveal a pattern. The generation of Israelites that went into the land God had promised to Abraham also walked through the Jordan River on dry ground.
The baptism of John is explained in Mark 1:4-8- “John [the Baptist] appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locust and wild honey. And he preached saying ‘After me comes He [Jesus] who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” This baptism has a central purpose- confession, repentance, and washing away of the filth of sin, so that the burden is removed and a new clean person emerges out of the water. It is a fundamental step toward salvation leading to eternal life.
The baptism of Jesus is most remarkable. Taken as a whole, it might be considered a unique, one-time occurrence. However, parts of what occurred still happen in baptism today. The same word is used for baptize, and the account is described in Matthew 3:13-17- “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordon to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were [violently] opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him, and behold, a [audible] voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus had no need for repentance or salvation, yet in an act of obedience He submitted to John for baptism, and received the full power of the Holy Spirit under an open heaven. The Father publicly affirmed Him, and His ministry was launched.
Jesus spoke of a baptism of suffering that He and His followers would experience. Mark 10:38-39 says- “Jesus said to them [the disciples], ‘you do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? And they said to Him ‘We are able.’ And Jesus said to them ‘The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized.” This baptism of suffering does not involve water. It speaks to the grace and power of the Holy Spirit that would carry Jesus through the cruel beating and crucifixion for our sins. It covered Stephen when he was stoned to death, the disciples as they were martyred for preaching Christ, and the apostle Paul who suffered as described in 2 Corinthians 11:23-26. This baptism buffers persecution, allowing the believer to stand and endure. It brings glory to God when the strength of the believer is evident in the face of trials and death. It is not to be confused with the suffering attached to sickness. God does not give sickness in order to get glory by watching the afflicted carry well the burden of it. He certainly gets no glory when those afflicted with disease experience death (Psalm 115:17).
John said Jesus would baptize with “Holy Spirit and fire”. We will now examine these two. The baptism of fire is explained by John in Matthew 3:12- “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” Similarly, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-9 says Christ will return in “flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” This baptism does not involve water. It is rather a judgement intended for the unbeliever, and is certainly not the “one baptism” we are seeking.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit was prophesied by Joel (Chapter 2), promised by Jesus (John 14:16 and 16:7), and fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:1-5) when the believers experienced a mighty rushing wind, and tongues of fire above every person’s head. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began speaking in other tongues. The Book of Acts describes how this baptism began to spread in Acts 10:44 and 19:6, and miracles followed the Apostles and others as they spread the Good News of the Gospel. This baptism does not require water, although it did in Jesus’ case, and still can today. We see this often at Christ Fellowship, where someone needing a miracle in their life is baptized and comes up out of the water speaking in other tongues. Also, as was the case with Jesus’ baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a symbol of God’s approval or affirmation. It is the revelation of another dimension of God, and the start of a deeper prayer life through a heavenly language.
Baptism in the name of Jesus is the seventh and final category we will cover. Acts 2:36-38 says- “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles ’Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This is a combination and amplification of John’s baptism, Jesus’ baptism, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
So this is the “one baptism” we are looking for. We have all sinned, and therefore have participated in Jesus’ crucifixion. We stand in need of forgiveness and a heart change that leads to a new life (born again). We need deliverance and healing from the consequences of our sin. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to go deeper in our prayer relationship with the Father, and to do the works Jesus told us we could do if we believe in Him.
I have changed my mind, and am now convinced, that all of this is possible in an instant in the waters of baptism. I have seen it with my own eyes at the North Georgia Revival. I have seen the Lord accomplish in a moment what years of counseling and rehab could not do, although they are effective. I have seen God heal what the most brilliant medical minds could not cure, although we certainly value and respect doctors, hospitals, and nurses. I have seen one terribly bound and tormented by demonic spirits gloriously set free instantly in the waters of baptism. The miracles of Jesus are happening right before our eyes. Come into the water. It will change your life and your mind.
