I was anointed by a priest with oil/holy water when I was an infant, and the event was very significant. It served as both a blessing for me and an act of faith along with a belief in God on my mother’s part.
My mother received a baptism of her own desire, a demonstration of dedication at ten years of age.
Growing up, my mother as well as a few pastors imparted that it wasn’t necessary for me to be baptized again once I reached adulthood.
Of course, water baptism is not at all what saves one as “baptism of the spirit” is vital, and key point. Accepting Jesus then receiving his Holy Spirit is what actually makes us “born again”.
Water baptism is our outward display of commitment as followers/children of God.
After all of these years spirit inspired me to get baptized a second time around. I made the choice as I had already been chosen then led.
The pastor at the nondenominational church I attended advised me to write my own testimony as encouragement to others who would be present.
On the day of the ceremony, which took place just before Sunday service, I recited the sincere statement I had wrote. After I finished, I received a strong unexpected hand of applause from the crowd.
In my written testimony I spoke:
I come from a family that always believed in God. At four months my mom had me christened/blessed in a Catholic church.
At two and a half years of age I learned to read so soon after my mother taught me to pray every night and introduced me to the Bible.
My mother, family, and I discovered very early that I had special spiritual gifts of dreams, visions, discernment and other things which gave me a natural propensity to be drawn toward God.
I first asked the Lord into my life personally between the age of ten to twelve and have experienced many deep and significant personal accounts and experiences of his insight, protection, life development, guidance and continued providence.
This baptism will be my adult step in expressing my outward diligence and appreciation within the faith and belief in recognizing the eternal life-giving love and power of the Lord, God.
Another thing I hadn’t expected was for the tub of water the Pastor and I stood in to be so comfortably warm. This made my experience all the better to endure.
I was asked by the pastor If I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I answered in return, “Of Course I do”.
The pastor smiled and the crowd of attendees chuckled at my words.
“LaToya, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”, uttered the pastor. Then immediately I was immersed into the waist-deep body of water.
It was beautiful.
I went into the bathroom to dry off and change my clothes so I could sit in for the sermon. While I listened to the sermon one of the clergies handed me my baptismal certificate.
When church service came to an end a lady I’ve never met before rose from a seat and among the others to speak to the pastor who had preached.
I was sitting close by when they both walked over toward my way. She addressed to me, “God is using you in a very powerful way”.
“And you too”, she also acknowledged to the pastor.
I’d recommend to those who have not yet done so already to accept Jesus into their life and go get baptized. Even if like me who initially sought a personal relationship with God during childhood just do it! It is never too late.
Baptism is truly wonderful.
LaToya 