United By Prayer Wall - United By Prayer

The Family Of God

8/17/2025

It is very important to get a biblical understanding of the word 'baptism' as recorded in the Bible. Some baptisms are wet, such as John's 'baptism of repentance'. Other baptisms are dry, such as the baptism of the Spirit when we are placed into Christ's mystic Body by the Holy Spirit, at salvation.
Because we are saved by grace through faith, we are identified with JESUS and so we receive the benefit of identification with Jesus. Having been convicted by the Holy Spirit of sin, righteousness, judgement, and recognizing our need of salvation in Christ, we are placed into His Body. We are positioned in Christ by the Spirit. We are placed in union with Christ by the Spirit, we are baptized, by the Spirit, into the Body of Christ, by faith. The moment that inner, heart-conviction takes place, we are born-again, born from above, born into The Family Of God, baptized into Christ - and identified with Him and His righteousness.
In this verse, Paul is describing the process of our justification in the eyes of God. Christ died for our sin, and at the point of our salvation we became identified with Him We became fully identified with Christ, we died in Christ. Although we still live in a body of sin, we are nonetheless identified with Christ's death, burial, and Resurrection, and all that it stands for.
Whether talking about our spiritual baptism into the Body of Christ by faith, or our water baptism as the outward sign of our trust in Christ's finished work as Savior, we can say, with all other members of the Body of Christ.
Colossians 2:12 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.

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, how we praise and thank You for Your wonderful plan of redemption. How amazing to think that Christ identified with us and our sin so that we could be identified with Him and His righteousness. Thank You that by faith we have been crucified with Christ, buried with Him, and raised into newness of life. Thank You that we have been taken out of the old creation in Adam and identified with the new creation in Christ. How we praise You that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is now working in us so that the power of sin and death is broken in our lives. Thank You, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

What Our Salvation Means

8/16/2025

How important to know What Our Salvation Means, and Paul tells us that the moment we trust in Christ we are baptized by one Spirit into His Body. At the moment we trust, the Holy Spirit places us into Christ Jesus and we become members of His Body, which is the Church.
Being baptized into His death, means that we are to be identified with all that He is, just as He became identified with all that we are. He identified with our sin so that we could be identified with His righteousness.
Being identified with His death on the Cross and His glorious Resurrection means that we are to die to self. We are to die to all that I am in my old, pre-salvation days. It means to put off the old sin nature and cease from any fleshly strivings we undertake to 'please' God.
But it also means that we are to be raised to newness of life (the new, born-again life in Christ). We are to keep the old 'ME' nailed to the Cross and allow the new 'ME' (the new life in Christ) to abide in Him, rest in Him, be nourished by Him, and depend upon Him in all things.
There must be death to self, death to sin, death to legalistic tendencies, death to all that is not of Christ, so that we may live as God intended us to live: in complete dependence upon Him, by grace through faith.
Romans 6:3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus dying on the Cross so that we may be forgiven of our sins. Thank You for identifying with our unrighteousness so that we may be identified with Your righteousness. Thank You for identifying with our death so that we may be identified with Your lives, our new lives in Christ. Help us to keep all that is not of You nailed to the Cross, and we pray that we may live godly in Christ Jesus, to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

The Day The Church Was Born

8/15/2025

Jesus promised baptism of the Holy Spirit, forty days after His Resurrection: "You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, in just a few days," they were told. What joy and expectancy must have filled their trembling hearts. Just before Christ ascended into heaven, He told them to wait in Jerusalem for this momentous occasion. He had already appeared to many believers after His Resurrection, one here, a couple there, and one occasion He showed Himself to 500 at one time, but ten days after He ascended to heaven on that special feast of Pentecost, 120 faithful followers were waiting together for the momentous occasion when Christ would "baptize them with the Holy Spirit.
That first day of Pentecost was The Day The Church Was Born. The Holy Spirit was given, they were all baptized into one Body, the Body of Christ. Until that point they were quite fearful, but on that day the Church was born, they were all filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and began to witness with great authority and joy.
On that first Pentecost, it was Christ Who baptized that little group of believers with the Holy Spirit Who became an indwelling reality. Paul tells us that from this point forward, it is the Holy Spirit Who baptizes every new believer into the Body of Christ the moment they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Our United Prayer:
Loving Father, thank you for Your Word and for Your understanding. Thank You that we have been baptized into the Body of Christ by Your Holy Spirit and that He now lives in us forever. What a mystery that You should take up permanent residence in our weak and frail bodies, but we praise Your name for all Your goodness and loving kindness to us and to all Your children. In Jesus' name we Pray, AMEN.

The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit

8/14/2025

From the unique day, every new believer receives The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit the moment they believe in Christ, for the forgiveness of sin. At the moment of salvation, a person immediately undergoes a baptism; a dry spiritual baptism; the Baptism of the Holy Spirit which places them into the Body of Christ.
Jesus taught His disciples about this same spiritual baptism the night He was betrayed. He told them: "The Holy Spirit resides WITH you and He will be IN you." In Acts chapter 1, only 10 days before the Day of Pentecost, Jesus reminded them of this truth: "John baptized with water (a water baptism of repentance) but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (a spiritual baptism of the heart) not many days from now."
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit began with those who turned from their sin and believed in the Lord. However, the Baptism of Fire spoken of by John, is a future judgement that will fall on unbelievers at the Great White Throne. The Baptism of Fire is yet to take place in the lives of those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Baptism of Fire is God's judgement on Unbelievers.
John's message is a sobering one and every one of us should praise God for our great salvation. May all who have been baptized into Christ be used by Him to tell forth the glorious gospel of God to those who remain dead in their trespasses and sin. May our lives be a living testimony to those who have yet to place their trust in Christ so that they may be saved from the wrath to come.
Luke 3:16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, the message of John the Baptist is a sobering one. Thank You that we have been Baptized by the Holy Spirit, into the body of Christ, and have been saved by grace through faith in Him. We pray for those that remain dead in their sin and are facing the terrible Baptism of Fire, which awaits all those who do not believe in His name, for the forgiveness of sin and life everlasting. Look down in mercy on the fallen race of mankind, and use us as instruments to tell others about the gospel of grace. This we ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Being 'Baptized Into Christ'

8/13/2025

When we were saved by grace through faith in the death, burial, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, we were positioned in Him and identified with Him. We were clothed with Christ, placed into the Body of Christ, and made One with Him. Paul calls this Being 'Baptized Into Christ'. By faith, we became One with Christ and identified with Him, such that His righteousness became our righteousness and His resurrected life became our eternal life. His heavenly inheritance became our glorious inheritance, and this will never fade away, but is kept for us in heaven.
At salvation, we put off the old and put on the new. We were taken out of our old relationship with sin and united together in a new relationship with Christ. As believers, we are clothed with Christ, made One with Him, and united together as members of His spiritual Body, which is the Church.
Our position in Christ has nothing to do with us but is simply a free gift of God's grace, by faith in Christ, and remains eternally unchanging and eternally secure. We may lose fellowship with the Lord when we sin, and we will remain out of fellowship with Him until we confess our wrongdoing, but our position in Christ is unchangeable and unchanging. Our union with Christ which begins the moment that we were born again can never be lost, Paul calls this being 'baptized into Christ'.
Although our baptism into Christ (our union with Him) takes place at one specific point in time, we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit, day by day, and to walk in spirit and truth throughout our Christian life so that we may enjoy communion with our Heavenly Father and remain in fellowship with Him as we obey His Word and follow His leading.
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You that all believers have been united together with Christ and identified with Him through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the moment we first believed. Thank You that He is our Comforter and Counselor Who has bestowed on us eternal blessings of grace. Thank You that as members of Christ's Body, we have the peace of God in our hearts, the life of Christ in our souls, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. In Jesus' name we Pray, AMEN.

Salvation Is By GRACE Alone Through FAITH

6/29/2025

Despite being a teacher of the Law, mankind lacked understanding and Jesus explained clearly, yet emphatically, that unless a person is born of water AND born of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Being born of the Spirit is understood to be a supernatural happening within the heart of a man or woman who has trusted Christ for salvation. One who is 'born again' believes in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. But there has been much confusion about being born of water.
Some consider that being born of water refers to water baptism, which is often argued as being a vital part of spiritual regeneration. But claiming that baptism in water is necessary for salvation contradicts many Bible passages... all of which insist that Salvation Is By GRACE Alone Through FAITH alone in CHRIST alone. To claim water baptism is required for salvation is a 'works-based gospel', which should be rejected as it adds a human act to Christ's full and finished redemptive work at Calvary.
Sometimes, we spend too much time chasing after something that we find difficult to understand, that we miss the most important truth. Whatever the real meaning of 'being born of water' is... let us make sure that we fully understand that salvation is by GRACE through FAITH in Christ, ALONE. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, Jew and Gentile alike, and every person faces the consequences of their sins, eternal condemnation, but whatever is born of the Spirit i.e. born again into the family of God, becomes a new creation in Christ who will enter the kingdom of God.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for our lives and for all that it means to be born into the human race. But more than that, we thank You, Father, that Your Holy Spirit convicted us of our sins, of Christ's righteousness, and of the terrible condemnation that will befall all who have not believed in the Son of God for the forgiveness of sin and life everlasting. Thank You that we have been born of the Spirit and washed clean by Christ's precious blood. Thank You for sending Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins. Look down in pity on all whose hearts are crying out for the truth and through faith alone in Christ alone, we all can enter the kingdom of heaven and live with You in the eternal ages to come. Praise His holy name, AMEN.

Baptized By The Holy Spirit

6/8/2025

There are about 150 passages in the Word of God that state unequivocally that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ's finished work on the Cross alone, but sadly there are some that cause confusion in the Body of Christ by teaching that without water baptism a man or woman is not saved, and they often cite this verse as evidence. Yet, if our eternal salvation is dependent on water baptism it stands in contradistinction to the clear teaching of the rest of the Word of God, and it indirectly declares that Christ's finished work on the Cross is insufficient for our eternal salvation, requiring us to add to His finished work. As Paul would say: "May This Never Be!"
From the foundation of the world, the shed blood of the Lamb of God was God's demanded purchase price for the salvation of all mankind, and although the waters of baptism are a most beautiful picture of the inner cleansing that results when a person is saved by grace through faith in Christ, if it is a requirement for salvation in addition to Christ finished work at Calvary, it proclaims that His finished work was insufficient to pay the full price for the sin of the whole world.
It is a precious truth that we read in Mark: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved," but the rest of the verse is also a severe warning: "but he who does not believe will be condemned."
There are many that believe in the historical Jesus and His moral teachings without believing in His sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection for the forgiveness of their sins and life everlasting. Such people are not saved, even if they go through a physical water baptism. That sort of detached belief does not result in a man or woman being saved, and baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, they have not mixed an inner heart faith with the factual truth.
Baptism is simply an outward and public demonstration of an inner, supernatural work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit, which takes place in the life of a man or woman who trusts in Christ for salvation. The very moment that a guilty sinner who has recognized his or her need of salvation, places their faith in Christ as their own sin-substitute, that man or woman is saved. The instant a guilty sinner who recognizes their need of salvation, puts their trust in Christ as their own Kinsman- Redeemer, that man or woman is immediately Baptized By The Holy Spirit and is taken out of Satan's domain and placed into the Body of Christ.
Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You that Christ's sacrificial work on the Cross is sufficient for our salvation. Thank You that we have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and received salvation. In Jesus' name we thankfully Pray, AMEN.

We Are Justified By Faith

4/28/2025

This verse has caused much controversy and is used as a proof-text that 'water baptism' is necessary for salvation, but that is not what this verse teaches.
Neither water baptism nor spirit baptism saves us, but faith in Christ. However, spirit baptism is the immediate RESULT of faith in Christ and water baptism is the outward sign of the inner change of a redeemed life.
We are saved by faith in Christ and are 'baptized' (placed into) the Body of Christ the moment we are saved. The meaning of 'baptizo' is 'placed into' but the transliteration of the Greek 'baptizo' to 'baptism' has incorrectly become associated with water baptism.
We Are Justified By Faith and not by being baptized. But because we are justified we are immediately baptized in the spirit, which gives us a good conscience before God. God declares us righteous because of our faith in Christ and we are placed in Christ the moment we are saved by grace through faith in Him.
Faith in Christ saves us from God's righteous judgement. Faith in Christ removes the filth of the flesh by the forgiveness of sin. The reference to 'the baptism which now saves us' in this verse, is not implying that 'water baptism' or 'spirit baptism' is the means of salvation. Spirit baptism is the result of faith in Christ while water baptism is a illustrative picture of the inner cleansing of the heart at salvation. When a man or woman turns from their sins to Christ and is cleansed by the washing of the water of the Word of God, the result is a good conscience before the Lord.
1 Peter 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for this truth that being baptized does not save us, but it is a wonderful outward expression of faith in Jesus and the answer of a good conscience toward God. Thank You that we have been identified with Christ’s death, burial, and Resurrection. Thank You that His death became our death, His burial became our burial, and that through Christ's Resurrection, we have received a good conscience before God. May we walk daily in newness of life for Your honor and glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN.