Fall Feasts | Celebration and Immersion

As we prepare our hearts for the Fall Feasts, we anticipate the awakening blast of the shofar at Rosh Hashanah, a call to repent at Yom Kippur, and a door to be opened as we rejoice and remember our covenant relationship with the Lord at Sukkot. This is a time of celebration and immersion!

The loud blast, a repentant heart, and a fresh anointing grab our attention so that we can refocus on our source of life, our Creator and Lord. 

At Rosh Hashanah, the shofar blast is our battle cry for a triumphant year ahead.

“It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

—Joshua 6:5

• A shofar is a ram’s horn trumpet used by ancient Jews in religious ceremonies and as a battle signal, now sounded at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
• A shofar is blown during the Fall Feasts as a call to examine one’s self and repent, which leads to revival and renewal of the covenant between a Believer and God.

At Yom Kippur, when we repent it is an act of turning away from our fleshly desires and toward the God who made us new.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

—2 Corinthians 5:17

• When we repent of doubt and unbelief, we turn our hearts to the Father. 
• When we repent, the Spirit leads us to find rest and renewal in the promise that Yeshua has atoned for the sins of all who call upon His name.

At Sukkot, we rejoice as we reconnect with Yeshua, remembering our covenant relationship with Him, just as husband and wife celebrate their relationship. 

“I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy…”

—Hosea 2:19

• We can rejoice in God’s provision and covenant promises. 
• We can rejoice in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

With all of this, we can see why the Fall Feasts are a time of celebration and immersion–a time of being immersed into the power of your personal priesthood!

Celebration and Immersion During the Fall Feasts | Why Immerse?

At Curt Landry Ministries we practice immersions in a body of water called a mikveh in Hebrew. A mikveh is used in immersion ceremonies and baptisms. A person immerses in the mikveh as a symbol of rededication, cleansing, repentance, and conversion.

By fully immersing oneself in water, a person can truly symbolize a total commitment to God and to his or her faith. This is one of the reasons it’s used in conversion ceremonies—it symbolizes a drastic, all-encompassing change of heart and commitment to a lifestyle.

Is An Immersion in a Mikvah Different from Baptism?

Yes, while baptism is associated with salvation and is typically considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience, immersion is not. The practice of immersion is not about salvation but rather about rededicating and renewing your relationship with God. It’s about cleansing and new beginnings, especially when done during the Fall Feasts, to prepare the Believer for the new year ahead.

The Biblical Basis for Celebration and Immersion in the Mikvah…

Let’s travel back to John the Baptist’s ministry in the Bible. John the Baptist was known as “Yochanan the Immerser” in Hebrew. Although John came preaching an immersion of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, he, as well as the community of people around him, regularly prayed and immersed in the mikvah for ritual purification and rededication.

It is unfortunate that many Believers aren’t aware of the significance of immersion as a regular practice. No, it is not required, but great empowerment can result from it.

Take a look at this passage…

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’

“But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.”

—Matthew 3:13-15

Knowing that Jesus was the perfect and spotless lamb, being sinless, this immersion into the mikveh was not about cleansing His sin. It couldn’t be… it was about advancing into His calling. Following this event, He began His 3-year ministry that changed the world.

When you go into the water with your heart and mind focused on God during an immersion, something supernatural happens. Many people report feeling the presence of God right then and there. They step into an encounter with the Lord!

It’s a way of saying and showing, “I’m giving up my control and plans for my life and fully submitting to your will, Lord. I’m ready to take the next step in my divine calling.”

It is for this reason we do a celebration and immersion during the Fall Feasts. We prepare for the fresh new year and present ourselves—body, soul, and spirit—to what God has in store for us.

Coming into Agreement | Celebration and Immersion at the Mikvah …

“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ…”

—Colossians 2:11

As previously mentioned, immersion is about stepping into God’s divine calling for your life. It’s a time to cut off the lies of the enemy and come into agreement with God’s Word for your life. Separation takes place when you grow and step out in faith.

A separation of fleshly desires and a step into God’s desires…

“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.”—

Romans 2:28-29

When a Believer is water-baptized, it’s a symbol of a circumcised heart. God’s design is that the word that comes out of your mouth will reproduce after Heaven, not words of the flesh.

Pray for HIS will…

• “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”—Luke 22:42

Let your words be His—a reflection of His character to the world.

• “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”—2 Corinthians 5:20

When we speak, the words we say create the writing on the wall for what is to come. When we come into agreement with lies from the enemy, then we have trouble getting away from them. The past, with its condemnation and guilt, is continually brought back up into our lives.

Our flesh is guilty, but the immersion gives us an opportunity to thank God for the past, bury it in the water, and rise up in new authority and power in and through Jesus Christ. He equips us with the Holy Spirit’s power to be free from the struggle of past defeat and enables us to look forward to a new beginning.

If you are called to attend and be renewed in the mikvah, we encourage you to not simply dip your toes in the water, but be fully immersed and fully renewed for a prosperous year ahead! 

The Lord wants you to be immersed into the power of your personal priesthood!

Check out our events page [HERE] for more information about the Fall Feasts of the Lord and immersions.