I indeed baptize you with water . . . but He . . . will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire —Matthew 3:11
The beginning of Jesus is at the end of us. I will never know what the baptism of the Holy Spirit means until I indeed am at the end, and I cannot do anything more— but He begins right there— He does the things that no one else can ever do.
Repentance doesn’t start at the point when I recognize myself as a sinner; for all have sinned and fallen short. It begins when I realize that I am absolutely unworthy and helpless, and I know that through and through I am not worthy even to carry His sandals. Have I repented like that, or do I have a lingering thought of possibly trying to defend my actions? The reason God cannot come into my life is that I am not at the point of complete repentance that is, a recognition of my complete unworthiness.
Get to the end of yourself where you can do nothing, but where He does everything. The His baptism will sweep over us, in spirit and in truth and with fire.
Nick
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