Unless God builds the house it is built in vain.

 Recently I was having a conversation with my youngest daughter and as I was talking to her God begin to birth a message in my spirit about the house that God built.

Luke 3:16

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of who's shoes I am not worthy to unloose; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

 So, John the Baptist preached repentance unto salvation and he said I baptize you with water but there is one coming who will baptize you with the spirit who's shoes I am not worthy to unloose.

 As I pondered on this thought God took me back about 25 years and reminded me of a time when I was traveling between Gulf Shores Alabama and Pensacola Florida. As I looked toward the Gulf of Mexico I could see big concrete pillars standing on the beach. I asked someone; what are these big pillars?  And they explained, at one time there were buildings that these pillars held up but a huge hurricane had come thru and washed away the buildings and the only thing left now was the pillars because these pillars are planted very deep in the ground. 

At this time I had not been called into the ministry and dismissed this story with no thought in mind, not knowing that 25 years later God would bring this back to my remembrance as a message that has the potential to impact the world.

This is why there are many christians in the world today that are faced with mountains in their life that they cannot overcome.

There are christian brothers and sisters who right now today are battling oppression and depression, many are battling with spirits of lust and jealousy, unforgiveness and malice.

Many are bound by drugs and alcohol.

You might be sitting there and reading this and say No! how can this be, my friend it is because repentance came, forgiveness came, which is the strongest foundation, but many, many christians have stopped there and their house in incomplete. 

Now the pillars had survived this massive storm. So what does this have to do with John the Baptist? 

Even more so what does it have to do with us today?

 Every construction must have a strong foundation. The foundation is the key to the existence and long life of the rest of the building. As long as there is a solid foundation then the building can be built strong.

The pillars represent Jesus Christ for He is the cornerstone where every building starts. Without Jesus Christ there is no foundation. 

Ephesians 2:20-21

And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an Holy Temple in the Lord.

In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit.

 Now Jesus said in John 14:6  I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

 The corner stone (Jesus) was laid before the foundations of the world.

John the Baptist laid the foundation from the corner stone which was Jesus Christ.

 Mark 1:4

 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach

 the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

So John baptized with water unto repentance. Repentance is the first foundation and the first thing that a person must do before God can do anything else in their life.

 After repentance comes Salvation, Jesus laid this foundation on the cross, and this foundation is forgiveness, and once forgiveness has been established then the foundation has been laid for God to start His new house.

 Remember the foundation has been laid. So do we stop there?

 This is only the foundation. What about the rest of the house? We only have the foundation.

How many people stop building their house once they have the foundation, no one?

Now we must go on and build the rest of Gods house. Now keep in mind we are the temple (house) of God. Now what God desires to do is build the complete house. A house with just the foundation does not have the protection from the elements (or spiritually saying, the enemy) of the world. 

 After Jesus was baptized with water he was led into the wilderness to

 fast for 40 days and nights to bring himself into submission to the will of the father.

Mark 1:13

And He was there in the wilderness 40 days, tempted of satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. 

 This time in the wilderness crucified the flesh and strengthened the spirit. Three times after the wilderness experience Jesus was tempted by satan but was able to resist the devil because his spiritual man was made strong from prayer and fasting during his wilderness experience.

 Jesus knew if His people was going to be able to resist the devil it would come from prayer and fasting.

So where are we at in building this house?

First there must be repentance, water baptism, secondly prayer & fasting and thirdly, Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Well I guess I just lost some of my readers when I said Baptism of the Spirit. Well actually I lost some when I said prayer and fasting.

 Have you ever wondered why so many people are against being filled with the Spirit with  the evidence of speaking in other tongues? Some will call you a fanatic, crazy, devil worshiper and many, many, other names.

But you know I can understand why some would think that.

 It is because they are unlearned.

ago I was invited to a Pentecostal church; I only went because I liked a girl that was going there. Well let me tell you, they had what they called an old fashioned Holy Ghost service. I told God, right there, that night, in that service, if He would let me get out of there I would never step foot back in another church like that again. Well who would know that almost 20 years later I would be a Pentecostal preacher? See I rejected what I did not understand. I made fun of them because I was ignorant to the word of God.

 I listened to what people were saying and did not study the word of God for myself. Many of you reading this now hardly ever pick up your bible and only know what you hear someone else say and do not truly fast and pray and study it out for yourself.

How does all this fit into building the house of God? Well, let me tell you a story about  the three little pigs and a big bad wolf. 

 Once upon a time there were three little pigs and a big bad wolf. The three pigs went to the market one day to buy materials to build each one of them a house.

 The first pig bought some straw, the second pig bought some sticks and the third pig bought some bricks.

So they went home and each one built their house out of the materials they had purchased.

 One day a big bad wolf came to the house of the pig that built his house out of straw and said; let me in! The pig scared for his life said; no! The big bad wolf said I’ll huff and I'll puff till I blow your house in. So the wolf did and down came the house of the first little pig.

 The pig ran to the house of the other pig that built his house out of sticks. The big bad wolf showed up and said; let me in! The two pigs said; no! and the wolf said let me in or I’ll huff and I’ll puff until I blow your house in. So the wolf did and down came the house of the two little pigs.

 The two pigs ran to the house of the pig that built his house out of brick. The big bad wolf came and said; let me in or I will huff and puff until I blow your house in! The three pigs said; no! So the wolf huffed and he puffed and he huffed and he puffed and he huffed and he puffed and could not blow their house in. 

 My friend it is important how we build our spiritual house. See the storms of life are raging every day. The big bad wolf is knocking at our door every single day.  We must be built on a firm foundation if we are to withstand the fiery darts of the enemy.

John 16:7

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.

Jesus said I have to go away but I will send unto you a comforter (being the Holy Ghost) that will live inside of you. That is why He sent the disciples to the upper room to tarry for 10 days that they might receive the promise of the Holy Ghost. They were filled with the Holy Ghost and they were never the same again.

  Now look at this: They had already been baptized unto repentance through the teachings of John the Baptist but Jesus knew that if they were going to be able to stand the persecution and be effective Christians they needed more than the water baptism.

Jesus said we must be baptized with not only water but the spirit.

John 3:5

Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

The disciples did not get spiritually baptized when John the Baptist baptized them with water,  for after the death and  even the resurrection of Jesus the disciples were still not bold and some went back to their old jobs and their old way of living before Jesus came.

 But after the upper room experience they were totally changed and they became bold and preached the word of God without fear and sacrificed their lives for the cause of Christ. They were never the same after the upper room experience or what we call the day of Pentecost.

 So to have a house that God built needs a (Foundation) which is repentance and water baptism, (Walls) which is prayer and fasting and (roof) which is Holy Ghost our comforter.

 The enemy cannot access a house that  has a solid foundation, strong walls and a sturdy roof.

 My friends we are living in the last days and the signs of the times are all around us. We are seeing Gods word being fulfilled every day.

I am not trying to predict the coming of the lord because only God himself knows when that time will be but either we are blind or we do not know the word of God if we cannot see what is happening around us.

I urge you to read Mathew Chapter 24 to know what I am saying about the end time.

 Also I urge you to study about the day of Pentecost with an open mind after all you are the one that will stand before God on judgment day.

 My people parish for the lack of knowledge. It isn’t because the knowledge cannot be obtained but because we choose not to study the word of God.