Why baptism must be in a river.
(Position of a Deliverance Minister).
After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized John 3:22-23NIV
I took a lady who came to our Centre for deliverance attention to the river to baptise her. She told me that as I asked her to step into the water to get baptized, her spiritual eyes were opened and she saw a man warning her not to dare follow me into the water. That was her spirit spouse. She testified to her total deliverance after that baptism. One brother was deep into occult and hard drugs. He accepted to give his life to Christ and get baptized. He told me when he came out of the water that he saw the strong demons that controlled his life leave him as I baptised him. We have received many of such testimonies as we baptize people.
There are people I personally refused to baptize because they wanted me to baptize them in the swimming pool in the comfort of their home. Not that I had anything against the swimming pool baptism, but I saw that as giving them the mandate of the gospel within the terms of their flesh. Unfortunately, the principal reason for baptism in the baptistery or swimming pool is because of our comfort, not the absence of a nearby river and I have never heard someone present bible grounds for it. Those Christian leaders do not want to stress themselves. I have even seen a pastor deep someone in water while standing outside the pool. This is a height of official indiscipline. Standing with the new comer in the water connotes that you are bringing him into what you are. To stand outside means that you are a hypocrite. Sorry if that sounds hard but it is the naked truth.
Lately, some bible teachers have misapplied the bible scripture that said that John will baptise with water and Jesus Christ will baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire, to mean that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ do not need water baptism but only the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matt 3:11NIV
This is a complete miscarriage of bible theology. Our main text states clearly that Jesus Christ baptised His believers in water. It is also stated in scripture that He instructed and supervised as His disciples baptised new converts in water.
The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples John 4:1-2NIV
Apostle Paul who came sometime after the Lord had returned to heaven was baptised in water and he baptised others after him.
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here — has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized Acts 9:17-18NIV
Our main text put forward before us the kind of location where Jesus Christ baptised people; “because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized”.
There was no bible instance where people were baptised in a pool or baptistery. Without diverting our attention, we have dealt with the matter of baptism being for believers; that is someone who heard the message of the gospel and exercised his will to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour. This is an impossible art for a baby.
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned Mark 16:15-16NIV
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. Acts 2:41NIV
The inversion of the Church by the worldly system as leaders has led to the introduction of some practices which are alien to the Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples. What I mean is that some of these practices were never expressed by the Lord nor His disciples directly or indirectly. One of them is the practice of baptising believers within the church hall baptistery or the swimming pool.
Someone had challenged me, “Just what is wrong with baptising people in the pool? Water is water anywhere”.
I asked him, “Just what is wrong in obeying a simple instruction of someone you claim is your God? Why not simply step out of the church premises and do what He told you?”
In extreme cases we can accept anything but I have travelled to as far as ten kilometres to get a river for baptism and I did not regret it.
It is true that many people have testified to having been blessed as they got baptised in a swimming pool, I want us to understand that there are spiritual reasons for baptising people in the river. As the testimonies I shared with you portrayed, it is a dimension of spiritual warfare.
1. It is a total obedience to the instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ
2. It is a direct confrontation with the marine powers that hold many people as captives.
3. It is taking the battle to the gates of our enemies. More than twenty persons I have baptised in a river were initially afraid of the river before then, because of their dream experiences. They used to see themselves in the dream in rivers but after that baptism they were freed.
4. Marine powers claim ownership of the river and when we take people to the river, we are asserting our claim over all of God’s creation.
5. It is a pattern of witnessing as other people see us by the riverbanks baptising, they are awakened to their need of the Lord Jesus Christ.
6. It is a public display of our identifying with Jesus Christ.
This is as much I can give on this article. You can read more on this subject from my book, Baptism as a Tool for Total Deliverance. Available as soft copy on our online bookstore.
Emma your brother pnurnigeria@gmail.com
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