RUSSELL SANDERS

12-2-2025

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS’ POWER

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Six days before the Mount of Transfiguration event, Jesus spoke to all the people saying in Mark 9:1, “Verily (truly) I say unto you, that there (will) be some of them that stand here (with you), which shall not taste death, ‘til they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.”

Jesus had already preached that the Kingdom of God had arrived. It came through Him, His incarnation, and his soon coming death and resurrection. But what was this mention of power?

He predicted that power for the believers, followers, and participants of the Kingdom of heaven would be given a few days after His ascension back to heaven. 

Jesus’ final words to about 400 followers just before his ascension were spoken in Acts 1:8, “…ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” Acts 2:4 fulfilled that promise where it said, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (languages they had never learned), as the (Holy) Spirit gave them utterance (the ability to speak those languages).”

This baptism of power would be given at Pentecost. This came upon them with a unique manifestation of “…tongues of fire…” (vs. 3) upon their heads. This is what we call “the baptism of the Holy Ghost.” 

They had already received the indwelling of the Holy Ghost when Jesus breathed on them in John 20:22. This was their first work of grace. The second work of grace was given at Pentecost to give them the power to do all the works that Jesus had done as he had promised in John 14:12-14. 

This baptism of power was given subsequent to the baptism into the body of Christ at salvation. It is still available to all believers who desire it and ask earnestly for it. (Acts 2:39.)

HELEN SANDERS

12-2-2025

WOUNDS

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There are so many people that have been wounded physically and emotionally, and hurt deeply, often by friends and family.  These wounds [hurts] must be healed, or they will keep one in bondage.

Jesus knows all about wounds. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes[wounds] we are healed.”

In Isaiah 61 we see Jesus’ purpose for his wounds and for those that are wounded, broken, mourning, and hurt. It reads:

Verse 1: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”

Jesus came to bind up that hurt, that broken heart and set you free. When you lay the hurt on the altar and give it to Jesus, he comes to you and binds you up. 

The word bind means: “to wrap firmly, to heal, to gird about; to stop.” Can’t you just see Jesus wrapping his arms around you, stopping the pain, and setting you free?

Verse 3: “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

When we place our hurts, wounds, sorrows, depression on the altar of God, he burns them up. Then he takes those ashes and makes something beautiful out of them. He calls us trees of righteousness, my friend, planted by the Lord himself so that he might be glorified.

So, let go of the hurt, the sorrow, and the pain, all of the wounds. Give them to God, and go forward knowing that God has his arms around you and has unloosed you from it all.