John The Baptist - Mighty Man Of God (Part 1)

 

Matthew 11:7-14

"As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

John the baptist was a mighty man of God! He was given the unique role of being a forerunner to the King of Glory, Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb of God.

John's ministry was not that long, him and Jesus had that in common, a very short ministry. But in that short time he was used by God to start the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant.

He was the only man mentioned in the bible that had God's Holy Spirit from birth!

Luke 1:13-17

"So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

John had a very important call and mission on his life and God even sent His angel to proclaim the message. John was used mightily by God to speak to the religious leaders of the day and to prophesy about the coming Messiah.

Matthew 3:1-12

"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ”

Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

How were all the people coming from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan to be baptized by John in the Jordan River and confessing their sins as well? And how did the animals line up two by two to enter Noah's ark? A supernatural work of God that's how!

What a powerful word and prophecy! John had a gift of discerning of spirits from the Holy Spirit who was in him since birth! He knew who the Pharisees and Sadducees were from just looking at them! They may have looked good on the outside but he knew what was going on in their hearts and minds!

He prophesied that Jesus would come and usher in a New Covenant that would far surpass the Old and allow human beings to be forgiven of their sins through His atoning blood sacrifice, and Jesus Himself would baptize those who believe in Him with the Holy Spirit and Fire!

A truly spiritual prophecy that was spoken over two thousand years ago and millions of professing Christians don't understand it to this day!!

John was also used by God as His prophet to baptize and anoint Jesus in the Jordan River!

Mathew 3:13-17

"Then 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.”

And many say today that you don't need to be baptized in water in order to be converted to Christ! What did Jesus Himself do? And what did He say about water and Spirit baptism? And what did He tell His apostle's to do? Ask yourself these questions and when you find the answer, obey the truth!

John the baptist was truly a mighty man of God who fulfilled the work that God gave him to do in his very short ministry. But it took years of preparation in the wilderness to be ready for this great work. It was the same for Jesus, and it's the same for us today! 

Blessed is the man or woman who waits on the Lord! Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He WILL lift you up!!

In Jesus,

Tyrone

A Voice Crying In The Wilderness (John The Baptist)

John 1:19-27

Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

John the baptist was one lone voice crying out in the midst of darkness and religious blindness. A great Light was coming and John was sent by God to prepare the way for the Lord. The same thing is happening today as it did then; the Pharisees and Jews read the law and prophets every Sabbath in their synagogues and memorized the scriptures and thought because of their intellectual understanding that they knew who God was. But here came John the baptist, a prophet of God who was killed just like all the other prophets who came before him! Do you see the ways of man? Even religious leaders of the day!

They were waiting on another Elijah and the Messiah, both of them came and the majority of people missed it!

Matthew 17:10-13

And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

Luke 1:13-17

"But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Jesus said that there wasn't a greater man born of women than John the baptist, but today the least of those who enter the kingdom of God is greater than he was!

The time is upon us once again for true apostles and prophets to be sent out before the face of the Lord to make ready the remnant people that God has chosen for salvation. The true ministers of God will go forth in this last hour in the spirit and power of the Son of Man, Jesus! And you will hear the same message that John and Jesus preached, REPENT! For the kingdom of God is at hand!

Luke 1:76-80

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel."

Luke 3:7-9, 15-18

"Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire. And with many other exhortations he preached to the people."

Do you know the ways of God? Many today are waiting for the David's, Elijah's, John the baptist's, the sons of God, and the bride of Christ, but when they come, will you be prepared for the word of God that will flow from their mouths? I tell you, they have already come, but the world does not know them!

In Jesus,

Tyrone