The Great Sacrifice
Jesus came to be the sacrifice for our sin. This was planned before man sinned. Jesus knew He had to come to redeem man. His redemption is permanent. However most of us still wallow in sin like a dog returning to its vomit. We have been cleansed completely from the power of original sin. The curse that was passed on from Adam has been cancelled permanently. So why do we still operate as if nothing has changed? This is because we are reminded of our past and think nothing has changed. We have to walk in the new life God has given us to experience the change. It is like we have been given a gift but fail to open the gift and receive it.
Gift Needs To Be Received
A gift needs to be received and owned to realise it's benefit. Most gifts are left on the shelf to be seen and not used. So also sometimes we treat our salvation as a free gift and then live like nothing has changed. What a sorry state this is. Many continue to live life as if what happened was just a phase or event. This is the sad state of many Christians who are born again but fail to experience the power. We have repented and our sins have been washed away yet we fail to see the manifestation of this cleansing. We still struggle with old thoughts and feelings. Some of us walk away from what we used to believe. This sad state can only be reversed through a baptism in fire.
Baptism In Fire
The baptism in fire is what Jesus promised when the we are baptised in the Holy Spirit. The baptism in water was to repentance and cleansing for sin. The baptism in fire is to enable us to walk in power. The two are separate experiences. Is the church anaemic because it has failed to teach and experience the baptism of fire? Today let us believe that we have been cleansed from sin permanently. The thoughts we have are not our own but sent to distract and assail us from without. We can choose to believe them or receive them. Once cleansed we are clean and acceptable in the sight of God. His righteousness is imparted to us. Now we need to walk in this knowledge and not entertain any other thought that is sent to belittle this position we have in Christ. Now we must be baptised in fire to walk in power over sin and the devil. This is our inheritance in Christ.