Please watch the video introduction to my message here:
There can be many roadblocks in our lives and many reasons for them. One roadblock that is not emphasized enough is our disobedience to the scriptures. Some of these actions are purposeful, we choose to ignore God’s commands, and some are because of Biblical ignorance. I believe one that the church has under-emphasized is the teaching of water baptism and being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Both were heavily taught and practiced in the early church and were taught for a reason. The next step after one accepts Christ, and one must accept Christ to be saved (attending church or ascribing to religious beliefs is not sufficient), is water baptism. The best example of this is the Ethiopian eunuch.
Acts 8:35-37
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him, Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Baptism is a public statement that you want to follow Christ. It gets you out of being a closet Christian. I was not baptized immediately upon my conversion; it was a couple of years later. During the first two years of my conversion, I wandered, being 14, when I came to Christ. My close friend at the time was not Christian and became an obstacle to my Christian growth. I was double-minded or, as the Bible calls it, “lukewarm.” Toward the end of this period, I heard a message from my pastor about being lukewarm. Revelations 3 is the verse, and it scared the lukewarm-ness right out of me. I recommitted my life back to Christ.
Revelation 3:15-16
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot.
So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew (spit) thee out of my mouth.
I did not want to be “spit” in God’s mouth, let alone spit out. I started attending my church’s youth group more and really started listening to Sunday morning messages more intently. Peter and I broke up as friends. He told me I was no longer fun to hang around with. It hurt because we had been good friends for a while, but I could feel the drag on my soul. I had been praying about breaking up with Peter, but his salvation was a concern to me, and I did not know what to do. I was really hoping that he would come to my youth group. However, when he decided to leave, I took that as answered prayer. Without Peter, I began growing in my faith. I was unaware of how much of an influence he was on me, like my non-Christian dad was on my mom. I could now see why the scriptures teach not to be unequally yoked. Not only was I living the effects of that in my home, but also with Peter. From this point on, all relationships close to me were going to be believers.
2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
As I became more involved in my church’s youth group, I volunteered to be a church camp counselor. It was the summer of my junior year. I was 16. At camp, I had ten boys between 10 and 12, and I was serious about teaching the scriptures to them. We had church Bible studies taught by my friend’s dad, the camp pastor. After the message, we would break up into our groups and discuss the message. I also had a female partner who had ten girls. The idea was to represent a family structure. This was tough. I was way over my head, especially with the girls. I had no sisters.
The boys pushed my buttons one time too many. It was Wednesday night, and they kept messing around, so at 11:00 pm, I made them get out of their sleeping bags, go outside and do push-ups till they couldn’t do them anymore. My partner, with some of her girls, overheard my voice and came out to see what was happening. I was mad, and she being several years older, helped me to calm down, but the boys learned that night that I was not to be messed with. The last two days of camp went very well. I still felt way over my head and prayed hard not to blow it. The last message from Mr. Bixby was about accepting Christ and getting baptized. After the week, I was now ready. I was all in and wanted to obey the Lord and get baptized. He talked about the baptism of water and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He was a Baptist minister who knew the scriptures on baptism. All I knew was I wanted it all.
When Pastor Bixby baptized me, I felt the power of the Holy Spirit come over me, and I could not stand. Fortunately we were in the pool and Pastor Bixby could hold me up until I got my feet under me. As I got out of the pool, my partner asked me to baptize her. We asked Pastor Bixby and he okayed it because I had just gotten baptized by the Holy Spirit. He felt I was now qualified. This was all so new to me. Karen, my partner, had never seen a young man so committed to Christ (if she only knew my struggles), and it moved her to become more committed.
My last surprise was equally amazing. There was a very rebellious young man in my group who I ended up spanking. I told him that his behavior would hurt him in the future and that I was spanking him because I cared about him. He said his dad never spanked him, and it showed. Before I sent him to the cabin, he said he would tell his dad. This happened on Wednesday, so I had a couple of days to be stressed about meeting his dad, but I spent extra time with Rick on Thursday, showing him that I did care. Friday came, and all the parents came. Some I met, and after Rick greeted his dad, he returned and hugged me and thanked me for caring. I was so overwhelmed with everything that had happened I just cried. Karen saw me and came up and asked if I was okay. I told her what had just happened, and she understood and hugged me. That hug felt so good. I saw her a few times after that in church, but then no more. She was 21 and was going to college in another state.
That is my experience with water baptism and baptism in the Holy Spirit. Others teach that unless you speak in tongues, which I don’t (unless you count Spanish), you are not baptized in the Holy Spirit. I disagree, but at the same time, I know the scriptures that give examples of people being baptized in the Holy Spirit and afterward speaking in tongues. I have no dispute with those that teach that. Typically what is taught is you first get baptized in water as an outward confession of your commitment to Christ, and then sometime later as you are maturing in your faith, you feel as though you need more. That becomes the internal indicator that God wants to fill you with His Holy Spirit. Jesus put it this way…
Luke 24:46-49
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high (the baptism of the Holy Spirit).
The word endued means to put on, like a cloak or jacket and power is “ achieving power.” Dunamis is the Greek word. It is used throughout the New Testament. It means strength, capable, able, so combining the two words is to put on power ( that God clothes you in) that enables you to accomplish what He is calling you to. Yet we cannot put Jesus in a box and say it must be done in this order. There is an account of a Greek man named Cornelius, and his group received the Holy Spirit even before getting baptized.
Acts 10:44-47
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid — water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
There is no “formula,” but generally, this is the order. One becomes a Christian, gets water baptized, and then gets filled with the Holy Spirit. There was no question in the early church of the need and the practice of water and Spirit baptism. Disobedience to this is a significant roadblock and the first way the enemy siphons off immature believers. Obedience is always critical, especially in the early years of being a believer. I hold the church at fault for not emphasizing this teaching and practice.
This is when you now want to be 100% His. This enables you to witness for Christ more effectively. Peter, through the Holy Spirit, said our faith was precious, as gold tried in the fire.
1 Peter 1:6-7
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: (trials). That the testing (refining) of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (the present hardships are preparing us for future glory).
Another roadblock is becoming offended at trials or not taking Christ’s words seriously.
These roadblocks or trials can be severe. Many years ago, my youngest daughter was dating a policeman, and they were considering marriage. Unfortunately, on a traffic stop, Matt got struck by a car and died. The father told me that God had no right to take him. “Matt was mine,” he told me. I was not able to help him. To tell God He had no right (assuming that it was God that took him and not just the risk of the job he was in) was to put yourself in the place of God. However, I was able to help my daughter, praise the Lord. Having gone through a death with my brother, I could relate to her, and slowly, as a family, we got back to normal. I was so grateful that God had prepared me to help my daughter. It made all the pain, guilt, and self-hatred worth it. I blamed myself for my brother’s drowning, though I was only eight.
This is often the case when a family member dies, and the family member that is present blames themselves. You always feel you could have done more. It’s an awful burden to carry. Even now, as I write this, strong emotions come back. I make myself remember that Bobby is with Jesus, and my emotions calm down. If I didn’t have Jesus and His hope, I would drink. It’s just simply too much.
This is just one of many roadblocks and offenses that could cause us to turn our backs on Christ. From family to work to massive personal insecurities and temptations. I had a vision during one of the most challenging times; I was on a tightrope. The chasm below me was enormous, sure death if I fell off, and there were miles of tightrope to travel. I was no good at walking on a tightrope, so confronted with such a huge challenge, I told Jesus that this was so beyond me that He needed to do it through me. Instantly I felt courage and hope. These were the words the Lord was waiting for to surrender to Him fully. I was still a little scared, but now I had hope, sensing His presence with me. I was learning a valuable principle of the school of faith: apart from Him, I can do nothing. Said in another way, God wants to do everything with us. He is so relational that every big and little thing in our life He wants to be part of. I was learning about how relational and loving my (our) Dad was (and is).
John 15:4-5
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can — do nothing.
The word picture here is fabulous. If you have ever driven through Napa county in late summer or any other regions where grapes are grown, you see the grapes hanging from the vine. The grapes would not exist except for the vine. Jesus wants us to be fruitful, but the fruit He wants is righteous fruit, something in our sinful nature we cannot produce.
Galatians 5:19-25
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
What kind of fruit is found on you or me, especially when things are not going our way? Now there is no condemnation in this. The Holy Spirit often puts us in difficult situations to expose these hidden weaknesses in us so we can acknowledge them, repent, and find His forgiveness and Grace to get past them. So please do not hide from the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but agree with Him and repent.
Hebrews 12:5-7
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Proverbs 3:11-13
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
For — whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father — the son in whom he delighteth.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding (and how is wisdom and understanding gotten, through submitting to His loving hand of chastisement). And did not Christ our Savior not have to do the same?
Luke 22:41-44
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
The tension is so great in Him that His sweat was blood from ruptured vessels in His face. He bore the worst so we could benefit from His obedience. We only have to deny ourselves, but the weight and condemnation of our disobedience and sin rested and was fully satisfied by His death. The Spotless Lamb of God.
John 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Our greatest need is fulfilled in Him if we deny ourselves and follow Him. “Not my will Lord but Yours be done in me.” This needs to be the response of our heart. Many of us get so busy attending Bible studies and volunteering at church or with life, the kid’s sports, business meetings, and family functions that we neglect our time with the Lord. If your schedule is so tight that you do not have 30 to 45 minutes each day to spend with Him, then you are too busy. My suggestion is to lose some activities. He did not save us from doing ministry or from keeping us so busy that we neglected Him. That may sound strange, and “ busy” is like a drug to many of us. It makes us feel important and needed, but we are worshipping a false idol. There is NO GREATER sense of worth than sitting at His feet (figuratively speaking) and sensing His love and presence. If we would do just that, we would lose the need to go here or do that because our sense of worth would be rightly satisfied.
That may sound strange to you “ Martha’s out there, but to you, Mary, it’s a joy.
Luke 10:38-42
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was encumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But only one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
From where The Lord is, He only sees one critical thing, our relationship with Him. Nothing will outlast that or exceed it in importance. And learning to prioritize and live the Truth is the secret to feeling secure and victorious. The farther away we get from the Truth, the fewer victories we will have and the greater our struggles with insecurity, inferiority, stress, worry, etc.
He saved us because He loves us and wants us to know Him. For ministry to be effective and impactful, it must come as an outflow of knowing Him, never through education or learning how to work the crowd. I’ve known several pastors that have gone down this road only to have big churches with no depth. These churches are great for people who feel they can earn their salvation by doing good deeds, much like the Pharisees in Christ’s day. Burnout and broken families, and children that want nothing to do with Christianity come from that scenario. It is so sad, for they blame Christ for the breakup of their family, and Christ had nothing to do with it. He made marriage, but when a man seeks his good, his ego above being In love with Christ, this is one of the many scenarios that can happen. Christ said He would build to build the church to increase the donations etc. The Lord said the Church was His body and will care for it, but He is looking for faithful, self-giving pastors to entrust her to. Will that be us?
***
Father,
Help us to heed thy Word knowing that it is for our good to bring radical obedience to us, not from works that illusion of the flesh but firm, solid obedience from a heart that just loves and adorns You, I pray. It is all for our good despite the difficulty we may find it to obey. It will always be for our good from a Father who loves us so.
Since you’ve come this far, consider my book collection of essays.
https://a.co/d/7k2rjDZ
Arthur Navarrette
Vida4U.com is the website where all past Vida’s are archived. In addition to the weekly devotionals, the yearly inspirational writings featured in December’s House2Home Magazine are archived under “Faith Talk.” Please use this site for your benefit and refer your friends to it as well. If they would like the weekly series emailed to them, they can send their requests to Arthur@Vida4U.com.