Monday, August 1, 2011

Update From Israel - Asher Intrater


New Immersions REVIVE ISRAEL - Asher Intrater



An Israeli woman had been deeply touched while attending one of our home meetings in Jerusalem. Several families from the congregation have poured love and time into her life and she recently asked if she could be immersed.



When Daniel, a recent Israel believer in our discipleship program heard about the upcoming immersion, he asked to be immersed as well. When we made the announcement in the congregation, three beautiful children from one family, age 16, 11 and 8 came (with parents' blessing, of course) and said that they had decided that the time had come for them to be immersed. So this Shabbat twenty five of us gathered on the hill where the Ark of the Covenant rested many years before as King David endeavored to bring it up to Jerusalem. From the moment we arrived the anointing of God was upon us. We sat together under the trees looking out towards the mountains that surround Jerusalem. We sang songs of worship and I shared about the significance of being immersed as participating in Messiah's death and resurrection.



We prayed and laid hands on the five who were declaring their faith in Yeshua and then walked over to the beautiful pool. The immersions took place in an open cave that is carved into those ancient hills. One cannot describe the sense of joy we all felt as I and another brother entered the water to immerse these precious believers into the new life of Yeshua. I could almost hear the trees and rocks cry out in joy as the testimony of the New Creation was lived out in their midst. They came into the water; we prayed over them; they were immersed; and prophetic words were spoken over them. Then each walked out of the water into the mighty destiny that God has set in place for them.



When the time came to immerse the three children, their father jumped into the water fully dressed and helped to immerse them. He prayed over his beautiful children and each came up beaming with the love of Messiah shining out from them. We finished with a bit more worship and then shared a time of food and fellowship. We are witnessing the beginning of Israel's promised salvation. As we consider this, let us remember Paul's words in Romans 11:12 - "If their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring."


And again in the same chapter he declares: "If Israel's rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?" (Romans 11:15). The army of Jewish believers that one day must assemble to cry out "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" (Mathew 23:39) is beginning to be raised up. The results of Israel's salvation will be worldwide revival ("even greater riches" from vs. 12) and "life from the dead" (vs. 15), a clear reference to the return of Yeshua and the resurrection of the dead.


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