When you’re ready to declare your faith to the world, you get to be baptized. What an opportunity to accept the perfect gift that God designed for us to die to our earthly-selves and be raised again with the power of the Holy Spirit alive in us! How many believers don’t really get that? The same power that defeated death as Jesus rose from the grave abides in those that choose Christ. It’s the divine power that we are blessed with when we choose to turn from our own ways in favor of a walk next to our Savior. Knowing that this is available to you, ask yourself how you are using it. God speaks to us all differently and provides us the power to act, small or magnificent, on His behalf. We are to use the message from the Holy Spirit to empower, educate and persuade those that God places around us. Do you daily decide to dedicate all of yourself to discipleship like Paul did? We see that even when he faced opposition, Paul simply withdrew with those whom were genuinely thirsting for more truth and continued to teach them. Keep the practice of persistence, even in conditions when your environment changes. As God uses the Holy Spirit to work through you, there will be evidence of His power surrounding you. You look different than the false witnesses. Someone asked once, if you were put on trial today and accused of being a disciple of the Lord, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Take inventory of your life and your actions. Are you taking time to silence yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to act through you? Make time in your routine for the Holy Spirit to use you for discipleship. Lean into your relationship with Jesus. How fortunate we are that we are allowed the opportunity to lead others to the same promise of eternity with our heavenly Father that we so confidently rest in.
