I GOT DUNK’D!

I GOT DUNK’D! YEAH! So here’s the story…

Baptism: An outward representation of an inner transformation. Baptism represents the dying and burying of our old self and flesh, sin, lies, shame, and anything that is not from the Lord, and then being raised to life with Christ. Just as Jesus died to all of those things for us and rose to life, we have the opportunity to do the same and outwardly declare it through baptism.

On Thursday November 5th, our Squad Mentor Madie started the day by explaining that one of my squadmates, Jamie, had decided earlier on that she wanted to be baptized. We were told we would be going out to the lake that day to witness it, and that we would also have the opportunity to be baptized if we chose to. I was beyond excited for Jamie and for everyone else that would decide, but I had told myself that I wasn’t getting baptized because well, been there, done that… lol.

Madie gave us a few scriptures to meditate on and asked the Lord to highlight for each one of us what he wanted to. At first I wasn’t feeling much of anything, but then the lord spoke big time.

“When you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of god, who raised him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12

I read this verse and he said, “There are parts of you that still need to die. They need to die and be buried and stay in the grave. They are not from me and they don’t belong in you. Bury them so you can walk like the daughter that I made you to be.”

“Wow God, okay. Are you sure you want me to do this??”

“Yes. They need to die. Today.”

“Are you sure?”

“YES.”

So I said yes. I told my team leader Alicia that I was getting baptized. The Lord gave me the authority to declare those parts of me dead forever. Because in him, they are. In him, the enemy has no hold on my life. He is not welcome where Jesus lives. Shame is not welcome, fear is not welcome, loneliness is not welcome, lies are not welcome, none of it is welcome. And it was time for it to leave.

That afternoon, we all went out the lake. We circled up and prayed, and then we started. One by one we went, and eventually my team stepped into the freezing cold water. We circled around and I got to watch my teammates Emma and Morgan get baptized before me. I watched their heads pop out of the water with pure joy and newness. Then it was my turn. My team shivered and waterfall prayed over me (everyone praying out loud at the same time). I said yes to shame leaving in the name of Jesus and being a daughter.

So I got baptized. My squad mentor Madie and my team leader Alicia dunked me into the water. Shame, fear, lies, sin, unworthiness, loneliness, all that the enemy had placed in me was left in the water and buried. And coming out the water I knew I was a daughter, I knew I was free. I knew all of those things were dead and buried and I could look back on that victory forever.

I can’t describe the amount of freedom and pure joy. My face hurt from smiling all day. I got to cry, dance, sing, laugh, and celebrate with my squadmates. I got to watch chains fall off and be declared gone forever. I got to watch the enemy flee in Jesus’ name. I got to watch the authority of Jesus be exercised in my entire squad. I got to watch 24 others be made new!!!

Here’s what some of my squadmates had to say:

“I am made new in Christ and no sins of my past have any hold on me.” – Brooklyn

“Jesus has offered us freedom to walk and dance in, therefore comparison and fear have no hold on me.” – Gretchen

“I found my new identity as a daughter of the king!” – Cat

“Fear has no hold me!” – Libby

“God said there’s no turning back now so I said okay!” – Madison

“I am saying no to the lies of the enemy and the chains that have held me down, and I am walking toward a new life in the Kingdom!” – Emma R.

“I am a daughter of the King and He wants my heart!” – Jen

“I have surrendered my old life and been made new through Christ in my sonship with the Lord!” – Samson

“He doesn’t condemn me and He is proud of me so I’m saying yes and stepping into the fullness of my identity in Him!” – Emma A.

“I’m deciding to choose God now because He chose me!” – Becca

“I’ve put on the wedding ring of Christ and professing proudly that He is everything to me!” – Ben

“I’ve put both of my feet in faith and decided to go through the fire with Christ!” – Wesley

“The father has been running after my heart. I get to choose to dive deeper into what He has in store for me as a daughter.” – Angelina

“My old life is dead and I’m risen to life with Christ” – Max

“Freedom. Joy. Fresh. New. My outward sign of an inward change. Saying no to all of the things that aren’t from the Lord and telling the devil he has no place. Deciding to walk in unity with the Lord for the rest of my life!” – Morgan

“He pursues me as a daughter so I am running back into his arms with that new name!” – Delaney

“My chains no longer have a hold on me.” – Grant

“God already broke the chain on my ankles holding me down to my flesh and instead of continuing to carry those useless chains around in the grasp of my hands, I got to lay them down in full surrender at the feet of Jesus.” – Layna

“I have proclaimed that the enemy has no place, and will never have a place in my life! Praise the Lord!!!” – Kailey

“Redemption… It is possible.” – Gabe

pic creds: Anjali Joy