_____ NOT  IN  YOUR  STRENGTH
______ (by Dr. Robin Starbuck)
Moses knew that he was a Jew, in spite of Cecil B. de Mille’s rendition of “Moses”! (Exo. 1-4; Acts 7:20-25) He knew what his life purpose was from God – to lead his people, the Jews, out of the captivity of the Egyptians. But Moses, like a lot of us, sought to do the will of God in his own human strength. God had an entirely different plan in mind – that of carrying it out supernaturally. After all, why would God even think in such limiting terms?

When we ask God for something, let us think big – let’s imagine beyond human frailties. Moses thought he could use his position and power to carry out God’s plan. He even went so far as to kill a man in a display of his own natural strength. it was patently wrong minded, and he paid the price for it. Sometimes it’s hard for us to grasp the fact that God doesn’t need our “tooling around” as if we ourselves were the almighty. First, find God’s will; then find out what His plan is.

We have an awesome God. Let’s be a little bit awesome ourselves by putting everything in God’s hands. He is equal to every challenge and worthy of all the glory.

● AWAKENING ● REVELATION ● UNVEILING ●

Baptism is another issue that invites much unnecessary debate. It is a ritual that had its purpose and function before the cross. John Crowder’s* insight lends much needed elucidation:

The “baptism” of the Spirit is not a separate thing where first you only had Jesus, and now you get the Spirit. It just means to get dunked, immersed or have your senses tangibly “filled” or flooded with the Spirit Whom you had all along. After all, He is the “Spirit of Jesus.” Col. 2:10 says “By your union with Christ you are filled with the Godhead” … that means you already have the Spirit … you even have the Father in you too! So “infilling” is not a “second work,” rather it’s about a continual enjoyment – a daily dunking – and experience of the Spirit we already have. Not a one-time or two-time event, but Paul says, “Be ye continually filled …” Eph. 5:18. It’s an abiding relationship – He remains in you.

So, in trying to decide whether or not to undergo baptism, bear in mind that the fear-mongers have no place in this decision. Thankfully, we don’t “need” a ritualistic, public dunking to get us into the Holy Spirit. We have it in spades already on the inside of ourselves!
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* JOHN CROWDER – John loves to push the envelope and provoke God’s people to extreme joy! He is an internationally recognized author, speaker, and advocate of supernatural Christianity. John is on the forefront of a fresh renewal movement marked by ecstatic experience, miracles and recovering the foundational preaching of the cross of grace.