I was baptized on Easter and it was glorious.
I was shaking and my heart was beating quickly as I stood in line, because I knew how powerful this act was and how my life would never be the same. My old life was going to be washed away because I was ready to be obedient and trust fully in love. It was not about this one act but what this represented in my life. Here is all you need to know about the process of baptism, the meaning, and if it is the right next step for you.
What is Baptism
Bap·tism
/ˈbapˌtizəm/
The sprinkling of water onto a person’s forehead or of immersion in water, symbolizing purification or regeneration.
The meaning of baptism is the washing away of sins (the dirt/old/fears). In our life before we know God we all sin. Our life is marked with selfishness and evil acts, that is just part of being human and listening to our flesh. Even if you think you are not evil without faith you are still acting on behalf of your flesh, so a cleanse is needed in order to walk a new life in love.
Baptism is a public declaration of obedience and faith, and thus having your sins washed away. It is a rebirth. Your dirt/fears are washed away and you are able to see the world more clearly in love. Your old life is washed away and you are stepping forward with this new faith and complete trust in yourself and God, because you see the truth and the light.
The Significance of Water and The Holy Spirit
“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
John 14:25–26
This act of washing away the dirt/old/fears allows for the Holy Spirit to enter you and this opens the door for you to connect to your higher self. When you believe and trust in love/God, baptism is the first step to become closer to Him by removing the old body and stepping into the body of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit, a gift to us from Him when we are cleansed.
The Holy Spirit who comforts us is able to be with us and help us process tough emotions that we were once afraid of. When we do this we release the heaviness and grow closer to God and our true self. We see how God blesses us when we are obedient.
Emotions (e-motions = energy in motion) are water. We live on Earth where we came to master our emotions. They will always come (like waves in the ocean) and are sacred because they come from us. Emotions can be used to build great things when channeled in a healthy way or bring us down if we attach to repetitive negative thoughts and emotions. We are a clean conduit of energy for the Holy Spirit when we are cleansed. One of the feelings we get from the Holy Spirit is joy. When we have the Holy Spirit our cup is overflowing and we know that we have enough and are enough. We are able to connect to worthiness and divinity as God’s children.
In this world we will go through Rebirths…
“But someone may ask, ‘How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?’ What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed.”
1 Corinthians 15: 35-38
In this world we will go through many rebirths from beautiful challenges that wake you up to our potential. These challenges strengthen you by breaking down old patterns rooted in fear that held you stuck. Rebirths evoke strong emotions that help us feel what we were scared to feel. We are seeds that are planted in the ground when we go through hardship, and water allows the old to die so the new can be born. Water softens the ground/dirt and turns it to mud so we can use it as fertilizer to germinate anew. Tears water your body and allow you to release and break free.
God uses everything for our good and Jesus showed us that not even death can keep light and love hidden. In this way the darkness only strengthens us. This is the power of baptism. Water is needed to be birthed anew and for every challenge we face here on earth we are reborn. God leads us through these challenges to get closer to Him and love, so we may truly live a life that is authentic to who we are. When we go through rebirths we are called to open ourselves to more love and grow closer to Him.
“Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we may live a new way of life.”
Romans 6:4
Just like Jesus rose from the dead we too rise from darkness. We rise from things that we thought would break us. We are seeds that grow with God. We are vines on His tree when we believe. We are His creation. Just like seeds we are planted in the darkness. We do not die. We cannot die for we are love.
Worthiness
You are worthy of being so loved by God, those around you, and especially yourself.
You are special.
This cleanse will reveal to you what you previously did not see before because of the dirt. You will move from seeing yourself as not good enough to asking yourself why you believed the enemy for so long? Be gentle with yourself. Forgive yourself and them. Do not blame. Love the part of you that did not see your beauty and tell her/him you are ready to walk with her/him in love.
You will start to be keen on rebuking anything that is not rooted in love because it is not true. You will be more discerning with which voice you believe. Your eyes will open to the truth and love that God has for you. Remember…
You are worthy.
You are inherently worthy.
God made you perfect just the way you are.
You are worthy of choosing the life you want that is full of love and know you are enough.
Is it the Right Next Step for You
There are many reasons to get baptized, but if it is on your heart there is a reason. I decided to get baptized because I felt a calling and started seeing it all around me. I prayed about it and the steps to get baptized started aligning.
Some reasons to get baptized include:
- Commit or recommitment to God with all of your heart;
- You feel called and feel it on your heart; and
- Public declaration of obedience.
Some ways to get clarity:
- Pray and ask God if this is the right next step for you;
- Set an intention for you baptism;
- Read scripture (suggested; Ezekiel 36, John 14 and 16, Romans 6; Matthew 3 and 1 Corinthians 15) and sit with God. Let him reveal to you what you need to know.
- Release any expectations.
“And I will sprinkle on you pure water, and you will be clean from all of your uncleanness, and I will cleanse you from all of your idols. And I will give a new heart to you, and a new spirit I will give into your inner parts, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give to you a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 36:25–26
Love,
Jessica
