“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Foundation Scriptures:

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 .They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. Mark 16:15-20 KJV

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38 KJV

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Romans 6:3-6 KJV

1. Baptize

a. The word “baptize” means to immerse or submerge; to bury.

b. To go under.

c. Not just sprinkled.

d. If something dies, you do not sprinkle dirt on it; you dig a hole and bury it.

e. Babies are not baptized – they are dedicated.

2. Types of Baptisms in Scripture

a. Naaman the leper – dipped 7 times

b. John the Baptist – baptism unto repentance.

i. Not a New Testament baptism.

ii. Jesus had not died and risen yet.

iii. It was a baptism of obedience, signifying repentance.

c. Jesus set the example for us in His baptism of obedience.

3. Ours is a New Testament Baptism.

a. There are three kinds of baptism:

i. Baptism into the body of Christ at the New Birth – accomplished by the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 2:18; Titus 3:5.

ii. Baptism with water – man baptizes you in water – Matthew 3:11.

iii. Baptism in the Holy Spirit – Jesus is the Baptizer in the Holy Ghost – Mark 1:8; Acts 1:5.

4. Salvation, Baptism in Water, and Baptism in the Holy Spirit

a. Sometimes people pray a salvation prayer, but don’t let go of the past.

b. Baptism in water is a break with the past.

c. The devil does not want people baptized in water any more than he wants them saved or filled with the Holy Ghost. He will try to fight it or water it down with religion.

d. Christians, like the Anabaptists, paid a price for the restoration of the truth of water-baptism to the Body of Christ. They preached against baby “baptism” or sprinkling. They preached that baptism was only for a professed believer in Jesus Christ.

e. Some were drowned in their own baptismal waters by their enemies.

f. In Africa, you can pray with people for salvation, but when you begin to water-baptize them, all hell breaks loose. Witchdoctors don’t like it, because they will lose all their customers.

g. In religious churches, they preach a watered down Gospel and if you start water-baptizing, know that you will see the religious spirits manifesting.

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Colossians 2:11-15 KJV

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 1 Peter 3:20-21 KJV

5. Water Baptism Doesn’t Save You, the Word of God Does

a. You must realize – grasp and understand clearly – what you are doing.

b. Mix faith with your action of baptism.

c. It is the beginning of the process of renewing the mind.

d. When people have backslidden, it is a point of contact for a new beginning.

e. A burial of the Old Man and a resurrection of the New Man.

f. Water baptism provides you with the answer of a good, clean conscience.

g. Stripping away the old carnal nature with its passions and lusts.

h. Circumcision of the soul.

6. It’s Time to Run to the Waters