John 4:1-3 KJV
1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

It is interesting Jesus baptized not but his disciples. Jesus did teach, for those that listen it is the most important of the baptism of faith to those that believed. There are two baptism, one with water and one with the word/water of faith. This chapter is John is also about the story of the samaritan woman at the well, in need of living water. Living water that would not perish but have everlasting life if one believed. Sometimes we need to stop and read the surrounding verses of a good story. We can understand the disciples were the ones to get in the river and physically do the baptism by immersion. Yet there is only one that can baptize you with living water/word and that Jesus himself. He baptizes you by his Spirit. Even in our failings as a believer he still speaks to our hearts, because his Father sees our blood covering. Yet the real power is the power of salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord. Power to forgive even our transgression of sin after salvation and before salvation.

David spoke of the power in Psalms 24 and 25, speaking of the righteousness of faith and need of seeking forgiveness for sin, sin from our youth, to our sin into the adult world. If the sin nature is understood then why then is baptism needed, it is the teaching of those things not pleasing God, the ability to walk in the pathway of faith and not sin. It is the knowledge of what God expects also in heaven. God is preparing us in this life for heaven. Yet is it religion, or faith? Until we receive Christ into our hearts, most people are practicing religion by repetitive acts of worship, action and deeds for their glorification. When a person gets to the place it glorifies God it no longer the words of their mouth that glorify God but their heart and soul. Corporate worship of vain reptition teaches the non believer about his heart and soul decision, so cease not these vain practices.

Paul found himself speaking to the Corinthian church saying he was glad he baptized non of them. Yet he spoke to them on more then one occasion. He was not the one to teach them about their faith, Christ would have to do it himself though he be in heaven. He teaches each of the believers by his Spirit. You want God's power in your life, allow Christ to teach you in your heart his word. You want power in your life to walk by faith, allow his Spirit to enter and to teach you all things about who Christ is, and His heavenly Father in heaven. We are guilty of everyone saying someone taught me scripture. Most of us would agree we not a product of that teacher but a product of God's word, good or bad. Hopefully only good. God gives our heart the warning do we heed it. Man might shout fire, but do we hear it as the word danger, or precede with caustion, before running out of a building? Faith is Christ says warning do we turn from it, or come near the edge of disaster, sometimes even getting burned by the fire of the enemy that God is back burning against. You heard of back burning, where they get ahead of the fire and burn just a strip in front of it to get head of the trouble before them. When the enemy of flames reaches that strip most of the time it goes out with only maybe a few clusters patches of flames that are easily stamped out. Can you get ahead of devil? Never let the devil be in front of you, keep your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of a believer's faith. We say "Satan get behind me", do we realize why, because we do not want him ahead of us to have to cast him out. Do we realize when Satan does come ahead of us, we force to see his very nature of evil right in front of us and we can not see our Lord. Do not let Satan have one foot in front of you. Do not let the devil stand and preach your faith, do not allow the enemy to destroy you by trying God's tactics because he will. The Helen of Troy is a story we learn in high school, but it is also a story that is repeated in techniques of war. Do we tell our children that. Were sounds of enemy at our door before 911, before the first school shooting and so forth. The answer is yes. However where was the enemy to strike, was unclear and unknown. You want our nation back you got to take her to be a liberated democratic nation that she is, a republic for which stands. Right now in the constition some place have removed God out of it and other places God still standing. When did we allow a state to join us that was not of God? Ask our leaders not me. I not the historian.

Point being we allow the devil one inch in our family, or spiritual life he is going to try and control. What is the power then as a believer, we have the power to listen to God and his word. We have the power to stand against the enemy and say no in our person life. I talking literally our own life. We might live in a world we are taught to respect freedoms of others and that is cool, because it protects our rights to say no in our personal life. We can not forget that. Does it mean the enemy going to try and take our rights by saying this, of course, but we must stand and protect our rights for those that understand and can teach our laws of our nation. Yes we can see the attacks on our spiritual faith, but it nothing knew. Every child born into a family has a day of making a choice to be saved, it nothing different with outsiders, having to make their choice to see our faith in action and having them decide they want that faith too.

I remember a personal struggle I went through, and it real for most of us today. We see a religion that is not Christianity and we see how well behaved, how much love they have for their people and even their discipline and want that to in our life, It is the mask of the wolf in sheep clothing. It is wooing the children of Christianity away into believing what they want to find in their own community and churches with Jesus, but have not. Many are deceived by it. The story of faith in us begins with our belief that makes us righteous through faith in Christ Jesus. Yet we can not stop there, our faith must be our life style and that means at times there is struggle between God's way and our way. It more then religion but declaration not the devils way. The church world has allowed the devil in for centuries, since the time of Christ. Even Christ allowed the betrayer in among them. Yet without his betrayer the story of faith can not be told. The story of how the enemy was among them to only be defeated. Either by mercy of salvation or death, not by the believers hand. There was enemy among them that wanted to betray the church and could not. It is a century old story, that continues today, and it rest in the persecution of the believers today.

The first time I dealt with bullies of faith, I undestood it not in my youth. What we fail is to teach the believers to teach the young ones about it. Adult world knows it existence but new coverts are not use to the bullies of faith. They step in as a virgin or, maybe even grew up in church, but never knew the world was like that about people of faith. That why it better not to baptized by man but by God. If we allowing the enemy in the church, the devil will rise up, if the Christians stand not. You need Christ baptism by His Spirit. How it starts by receiving Christ, and receiving his Spirit to guide and teach you all things. You are more then sealed by the Holy Spirit, you just set up a school house in your heart. Teacher is God's Spirit. He will comfort you and guide you and protect you until it time to meet your maker face to face. Christ wants to baptize you with fire and he building a back fire against our enemy, he wants you to be a part of, on the day he comes to bring us to his new home. Are you ready to be apart of the fire, or are you only ready to try and live your life as best you can on earth without his help? You need God. God needs you not, but he asking you to join him in the final destruction that also has a homecoming planned. Heaven and earth will pass away but his word will not pass away. He is preparing a place for you if you believe. Do not loose hope only receive Christ today as Savior and Lord. There is power in salvation and his name is Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father, pour on your power of your Spirit in the believers heart, believing and receiving all that God has to offer. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: 1 Corinthians 1:13-31 KJV
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.