From Burial to Beginning

From the buried comes new life—raised to walk in His resurrection.

Devotional Credit: eManna: Baptism — Termination and Germination
Photo Credit: Photo by Unsplash

Today’s devotional from Witness Lee reminds us that baptism isn’t simply a symbolic gesture—it’s a vivid portrayal of a spiritual reality. When John baptized in the Jordan, it wasn’t just a religious ritual but an act of astonishing transformation. To be plunged into the water was to agree with God: the old self, with all its sin and striving, must be laid to rest. But that wasn’t the end—God never leaves us buried. The water became both a grave and a womb.

The heart of John’s ministry was to make way for the One who would not only put an end to the old but usher in new life. Baptism signified the termination of what was, but it also pointed to the germination of something far greater: resurrection life in Christ. Romans 6 underscores this: we are not only united with Him in His death but also in His resurrection.

This entry helps us see that our past, our efforts, even our identity apart from Christ, have been put to death. When we believed, we were baptized into Christ Jesus—not merely into water, but into His death and His risen life. We’re not living as modified versions of our old selves. We’re living because He now lives in us.

Burial in Christ brings more than closure—it brings Christ’s own beginning in us. That’s why we don’t cling to what was; we trust Him who is. Our lives now flow not from what we’ve done, but from the One who rose to live His life through us.

Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

You have been buried with Christ. Your past—no matter how recent—is no longer the source of your identity. I placed you into His death so you could be free from all that once enslaved you. And I raised you with Him—not to reform what was, but to give you newness of life.

This life is Mine. I do not patch the old; I make all things new. You are no longer defined by the one who used to walk according to the flesh. You are now joined to the risen Christ, whose life cannot be tainted by what you once were. You have been crucified with Him, and the life you now live is by faith in the Son of God who loved you and gave Himself for you.

Let go of every whisper that drags you back to the grave. You are no longer there. The grave is empty, and so are your attempts to live for Me in your own effort. I am the Life within you. Yield to Me moment by moment, and you will know the joy of resurrection—not as theory, but as your truest experience.

You are My child, born not of striving, but of My Spirit. You are not trying to grow into something better; you are growing from Someone perfect. As you rest in Him, I will bear fruit through you—fruit that lasts, fruit that flows from the One who was raised never to die again.

Scripture References: Romans 6:3–5; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:11; John 15:5; Ephesians 2:4–6; Philippians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:3; Titus 3:5; John 11:25; Colossians 3:1–4

Real-Life Analogy

Imagine composting a pile of old, dead leaves. At first glance, it seems like throwing away the remnants of something used up. But give it time—out of that heap, new soil forms, rich and ready to nourish life. What looked like waste becomes the ground for something fresh to grow.

So it is with your life in Christ. What was terminated—your sin, your self-effort, your old patterns—has become the compost of grace. But now, life is rising—not from your effort to be better, but from the new creation He’s made you to be.

As you face old temptations or lingering guilt today, remember: that part of you has been buried. You can rest in Christ, trusting His indwelling life to respond through you with peace, patience, or boldness—whatever the moment calls for. You don’t have to dig up what died. Just say, “Lord, I trust You to express Your risen life through me in this moment,” and watch resurrection reality unfold in the everyday.

Prayer of Confidence

Father, thank You for the burial of all that once defined me. Thank You that You didn’t stop at death but brought me into Your Son’s resurrection life. I trust that I no longer live from the old patterns—I live from Christ in me. I walk not by the memory of what I was, but by the reality of who He is in me now. Today, I celebrate the full work of baptism into Your death and Your rising, and I yield to You as the source of my every breath and every choice. You are my Life.