Spiritually you have been set into a correct orientation towards the LORD. However, your soul (mind, will and emotions) and your body will need to be brought into subjection to your spirit man.

Therefore it is now necessary to strengthen your spirit. This is done by spending time in God’s presence through prayer and digesting the Milk of God’s Word. As you start growing you will then realize that certain activities, in times past you partook of, no longer seem to be right for you. The Holy Spirit convicts you that these activities are not right, and you start to feel uncomfortable. It then becomes necessary to repent from these activities, because they are ‘dead works’. Dead works are any type of activity that does not lead to spiritual life and growth.

As you continue to grow up spiritually, you get even more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and He then reveals even more inappropriate activities that you need to repent of. These can be as mundane as watching certain TV shows, the type of clothes you wear, certain kinds of jewelry you wear, certain beverages that you consume and even the company of certain people. You begin to discern the true spirit behind certain activities and things, and therefore it becomes unclean to you and you need to turn away, or repent of it.

I Corinthians 9:26-27

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Water Baptism is a public demonstration of your obedience to the LORD, it shows symbolically the death and burial of the old man and the resurrection into the newness of life. For the proper execution of this activity, the entire body of the person must be submerged in water. Water Baptism is only relevant for persons who have made a conscious decision to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. Therefore babies and very small children should not be baptized.

The second Baptism that every single believer in Christ should experience is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This Baptism is evidenced by the speaking in tongues.

Acts 1:5

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

It is instructive to note that the account of the initial entry of the Holy Spirit as recorded in Acts 2 was the fulfillment of a commitment that the Lord Jesus made to all of his disciples, so that His chosen and beloved people would not be left comfortless.

John 14:15-18

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Now this promise is still in effect. In these last days, it is critical that every single believer experience the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking with new tongues. If you do not have this in-filling, your oil level (anointing) may not be sufficiently high enough for you to qualify as a suitable candidate for the Rapture.

Even in the Book of Acts, the initial notion was that only Jews were to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Hence the Apostle Peter and others of the circumcision were astonished when the centurion Cornelius and those of his household began to speak with new tongues.

Acts 10:44-48

44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the LORD. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

Do not believe the lie that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not for today. It is a must for each and every single believer.

There are two(2) more Experiential Baptisms, but these are special purpose Baptisms, they are the Baptism of Fire and the Baptism of Suffering . Next, there is the Organizational Baptism, there is only one baptism in this category.

Ephesians 4:4-6

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

The one baptism here refers to the Organizational Baptism, wherewith you become a member of the body of Christ. The uniqueness about this baptism is that your nature is changed in a similar fashion like when you dye a garment or pickle a vegetable. There is a processing that takes place, and the changes are irreversible. The Holy Spirit is the one who is responsible for the administration of the body and the assignment of the members of that body. There is also the assignment of the Gifts of the Spirit for the various members to function accordingly.

I Corinthians 12:13-14

13 For by one Spirit are we baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member but many.

I Corinthians 15:12-17

12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

There are two (2) Resurrections:

o    The First Resurrection
o    The Second Resurrection

The First Resurrection is being executed in three separate events; it is only for the perfected saints of God. These persons are considered to be the first fruit saints. Those saints, whose character is of the highest quality. This three part division was introduced by the Lord Jesus in the following parable:

Matthew 13:33

33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

The first batch of the First Resurrection saints was raised up shortly after the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ:

Matthew 27:50-53

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to the bottom; and the rocks did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

The second batch of the First Resurrection saints is to be raised up in the Rapture, these saints will be rescued out of the Great Tribulation:

I Thessalonians 4:16-17

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The third and last batch of the First Resurrection saints is to be raised up at the start of the Millennium Reign of Christ. These are the ones who will be beheaded during the time of the Great Tribulation.

Revelation 20:4-6

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Everyone else, the good and the evil, will be raised up in the Second Resurrection. This resurrection takes place after the devil is finally cast into the lake of fire permanently.

Matthew 25:31-34

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

The Second Resurrection is also referred to as the Last Day. The Lord Jesus Christ sits on the Great White Throne and a period of convincing then takes place where everyone is then fully convinced by witnesses why they deserve their eternal abode. The wicked will never get to see God the Father.

John 6:38-40

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again in the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Hence, by just believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, without the earnest application of oneself in striving towards perfection, you will not qualify for the First Resurrection (the second part of which is the Rapture), which is by far the better resurrection.

Hebrews 11:35-40

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented: 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Genesis 2:7

7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life: and man became a living soul.

Nowhere else in the creation process is seen this activity whereby the LORD made such a deposit by breathing directly into any other of His creations. By this process, man received an eternal element, whereby he will continue to exist forever and ever, just like the LORD. As we all know, in Genesis chapter 3 mankind fell into sin and rebelled against the LORD. However, this did not negate the eternal nature of man, and the LORD had to put a redemption plan into process in order for reconciliation to take place. This plan was ultimately consummated when the Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh, to sacrifice himself for all our sins once and for all.

Therefore with the appropriation of the blood of Christ we can now all be redeemed. However, there are eternal consequences when this provision for redemption is rejected.

Hebrews 9:24-28

24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

There are two (2) judgment events:

o    The Judgment Seat of Christ
o    The Great White Throne Judgment

The saints that have been found worthy to be part of the First Resurrection will be the only ones to appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, and they will not be subject to appear at the Great White Throne Judgment for assessment. Here the works of each saint will be assessed and fantastic rewards will be granted accordingly.

II Corinthians 5:8-10

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

The Great White Throne Judgment takes place at the last day, and everyone else, no matter their location or status will be assembled to stand before this throne. This is the Second Resurrection.

Revelation  20:11-15

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead  were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The lake of fire will be the final abode of all the persons who did not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. Backsliders and Christians that are considered to be workers of iniquity, will also be cast into the lake of fire. It is a place of unimaginable torment, and it will last forever and ever.

All the redeemed of the LORD will then go on to spend eternity with Him. However, there will be certain differences between the First Resurrection saints and the Second Resurrection saints, in terms of body capabilities and performance status. To be noted also is that only the First Resurrection saints would have had the experience of the Millennium Reign with Christ.

John 5:25-29

25 Verily, Verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.