Emmanuel: God with Us
WHEN all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized alongside them too.
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21-22 NIV
God is pleased with Jesus because Jesus shares His Father’s will and purpose and is beginning to walk and share this ministry of faith on Earth. For,
…I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way [in His turn]. John 5:19 AMPC
God promises to be with His people when they pass through the waters, therefore the Son also goes to be with us when we pass through the waters.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt [to the Babylonians] for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba [a province of Ethiopia] in exchange [for your release]. Because you are precious in My sight and honored, and because I love you, I will give men in return for you and peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east [where they are dispersed] and gather you from the west. [Acts 18:10.] I will say to the north, Give up! and to the south, Keep not back. Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth–….Let all the nations be gathered together and let the peoples be assembled… [Ps. 123:3, 4.] Isaiah 43: 2-6, 9 AMPC
For,
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon many (great) waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. The voice of the Lord makes the hinds bring forth their young, and His voice strips bare the forests, while in His temple everyone is saying, Glory! The Lord sat as King over the deluge; the Lord [still] sits as King [and] forever! The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. Psalm 29:3-5, 9-11 AMPC
Yes! God gave Jesus to the world as our Strength and Stronghold to give us Peace as we pass through the waters, that we may be victorious over the world through our faith in Him.
Behold, God, my salvation! I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and song; yes, He has become my salvation. Therefore with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:2-3 AMPC
And,
…let justice run down like waters and righteousness as a mighty and ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:24 AMPC
Yes!
Who is it that is victorious over [that conquers] the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on that fact]? This is He Who came by (with) water and blood [His baptism and His death], Jesus Christ (the Messiah)–not by (in) the water only, but by (in) the water and the blood. And it is the [Holy] Spirit Who bears witness, because the [Holy] Spirit is the Truth. 1 John 5:5-6 AMPC
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For as many [of you] as were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union and communion with Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah] have put on (clothed yourselves with) Christ. Galatians 3:26-27 AMPC
This faith came by hearing,
So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself). Romans 10:17 AMPC
Rest assured,
Being united to Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit abiding within us, is a gift that cannot be quenched, or cut off like tap water.
Jesus confirms,
.., All who drink of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty anymore. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life. John 4:13-14 AMPC
Therefore!
Jesus’ indwelling presence is not a commodity in short supply to be hoarded and grappled over, for He loves to hang out by the waters, for all that would come to Him and believe, that He might clothe them with Himself and give them the gift of the Holy Spirit. His is a gift to be given away.
Yes,
His eyes are like doves Beside the water brooks, bathed in milk and fitly set. Song of Solomon 5:12 AMPC
So come, and as you listen, hear, and when you hear, believe, and know that Jesus stays by the water to be with you. You are never alone. And, as His kingdom sons and daughters we do as we see the Father doing as well.
Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning with this portion of Scripture he announced to him the glad tidings (Gospel) of Jesus and about Him. And as they continued along on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch exclaimed, See, [here is] water! What is to hinder my being baptized? And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart [if you have a conviction, full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah and accept Him as the Author of your salvation in the kingdom of God, giving Him your obedience, then] you may. And he replied, I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and BOTH Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and [Philip] baptized him. Acts 8:35-38 AMPC