I Will Send My Messenger Ahead Of You, Who Will Prepare Your Way, A Voice Of One Calling In The Wilderness

MARK 1:1-4
“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.” “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’ ” John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
”‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:1-4‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://www.bible.com/114/mrk.1.1-4.nkj

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Isaiah was one of many great Prophets; and like John the Baptist, his work was to prepare the way for Christ and prepare the people for future events; to make way for Christ to start His work of undoing the devil’s plans, building His church, and finally, paying the debt of the world on a cross, giving each and every person opportunity of life everlasting.
Today, we believers must prepare the people for Jesus return to crush the devil and bring the ultimate judgment to all people in preparation of a thousand year reign.
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Isaiah wrote about the coming of Jesus Christ the Messiah, and also about John the Baptist who was to announce His coming.
The Prophets work as back in the day of Isaiah, is today, to prepare the way of the Lord, to make a clear path for God to do His work and also to warn and prepare the people for what God is going to do.
Many people including Christians reject the words of the Prophets simply because they do not understand them, or because there words do not line up with their own plans and projects within the church.
The devil is very experienced at using prophecy to bring divisions within the church. But the truth is, no one can stop God’s will, and He always tells the people of His plans before He does it (AMOS 3:7).
Whether one accepts the words of the prophets or not, no one can stop what is coming!
There are many false prophets in the world today (MATHEW 7:15), and we should not allow ourselves to be sucked in by them. This includes much of the fake news media (properganderist) and many false teachers on big platforms like YouTube and Fb.
The devil places them among God’s people and deceives many.
Therefore, test and approve all Prophecy and teachings and respond appropriately looking for the source of the message, the spirit behind them.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”
‭‭I John‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
It is not wise to speak negatively against prophecy simply because you don’t understand or agree with it. So rather than fall into an unnecessary battle with God, stand back and seal your lips. “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.””
‭‭Acts‬ ‭5:38-39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Today, as in the ministry of John the Baptist, baptism is a visible sign of repentance; that a person had publicly chosen to turn from his or her old sinful ways toward God and give one’s vow to submit and commit oneself to Him and His Kingdom.
This is a very important step for believers to take, it is like signing a covenant with God, and opens the door for the Holy Spirit to enter one’s life.
That is not to say, one cannot receive the holy Spirit without baptism, sometimes, God signs His part of the covenant first, knowing the heart of the believer.
Jesus said, ““If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:15-18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
We believers need the Holy Spirit in us to lead and help us to live correctly according to God’s will.
We cannot live right with God without the Holy Spirit. Furthermore , He is our guarantee of salvation (2 CORINTHIANS 1:22; EPHESIANS 1:14).
My beloved, do not delay. Peter said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.””
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:38-39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Many believe that Christening their children is baptism, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Baptism is a personal choice and like Jesus includes total submersion just as Jesus was baptised.
“Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Jesus was not baptised for the remission of sins, He had none. He was baptised to confirm His covenant with God as a human being, to take His place as the head of His body, the church, and to be seen as an example to follow.
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit visibly come upon Him as a sign for us today.
In the same way, the Holy Spirit will come upon all who totally submit to God in baptism “in whom He will be well pleased”
I cannot express the importance of baptism, Jesus said, “I need to be baptised,” just like Jesus, you need to be baptised by full immersion; It is signing your part of the covenant, and God in response, will baptise you in the Spirit, signing His side of the covenant (ACTS 1:5) and the Holy Spirit shall come upon you and never leave you.
“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ NKJV
My beloved, do not put of until tomorrow, that which you can do today, for tomorrow may be too late.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.