Re-Born

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     I will attempt to be as succinct here as possible so that you may be certain of the way into God’s Camp and never doubt it.

     Jesus once said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV).  Jesus is declaring that he is the way to the Father; that he is the truth, where no delusion exists; and that his life is the life we are to seek.  The way to God's camp MUST be through Jesus. The following verses will further reveal this truth.

John 3:16–17 (ESV)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

    This is one of the great verses in all of scripture; often quoted, memorized and memorialized.  God the Father’s gift to the world is the LIFE of His beloved son, Jesus Christ. John the apostle, the writer of this gospel, also wrote in one of his letters to the church, “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." 1 John 5:11 (ESV). The life that is the second birth is within Jesus himself.  Born from The Father’s love, Jesus was made the gift so that we (all of us with Adam’s life), who are condemned (charam), could escape this certain fate and have eternal life (Jesus' life).

John 7:37–39 (ESV)
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

      The last day of The Feast of Tabernacles Jesus spoke of this life that was within him that he was to give away. This Spirit was to be given when Jesus was “glorified.” Jesus gave his spirit, as a gift to us all, when he was crucified and raised from the dead (glorified). Jesus’ spirit is the Holy Spirit. His spirit is Holy (set apart--devoted to God), that is, his spirit is set-apart from the rest of mankind and devoted or connected to God the Father. The Holy Spirit lives in God's camp and if the Holy Spirit lives within us we too live in the Father's camp.  His spirit is the spirit of qadosh (set apart--devoted). Jesus’ spirit is that second-birth spirit by which we are born again. Without this very spirit, we cannot have eternal life. Again I quote, “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” The apostle Paul states clearly that, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have  the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." Romans 8:9 (ESV).

Luke 11:9–13 (ESV)
"And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

     This may be a familiar verse to many of you. Please read again—carefully! I have read this many times throughout my life and have missed the wonderful truth contained within this scripture. Don’t you miss it! Jesus is speaking here in answer to his disciple’s request, “teach us to pray” (vs 1). Jesus first taught the now familiar “Lord’s Prayer” then teaches us what to specifically pray for (Holy Spirit). Jesus really wants us to want this—listen to his words: “Ask,” “seek,” and “knock.” With each of these words, denoting a sense of need and desperate searching, there is a promise: “you will receive,” “you shall find” and “the door will be opened.”  Verse ten is even clearer, “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Jesus repeats these promises so that we would have no doubt. Jesus then gives a short example of a father giving good gifts to his children (vs 13), simply because their hungry child asks for them. What follows may very well be the grandest declaration of all scripture,

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13 ESV)

     Did you catch it? Our heavenly Father wants us to ask for the Holy Spirit!  Everything depends on this: our redemption, our salvation, our hope of eternal life, the kingdom of God, being God's children, blessing, EVERYTHING!  I hope that you are asking at this point, "How do I get Him?"  Well then. how do we ask?  Simply ask God, our Heavenly Father, for the Holy Spirit, His gift to us!"  What might this prayer sound like:  well, as simple as this,

"Heavenly Father, I deserve the judgment that is in store for me.  I hear You,  I must be born again!  I ask, with all of my heart, please give to me the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of your Son Jesus Christ.  AMEN"

     God, the Father, has wanted you to ask Him for this GIFT more than you will ever know in this life time.  God, our Father, is true to His word and has heard your cry, and as He has promised, “For everyone who asks receives. . . ." you have indeed RECEIVED the HOLY SPIRIT.  This gift, the Holy Spirit, is the very SPIRIT of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, whom the Father gave out of His great love for the world, and that means YOU!  This Holy (set-apart, sanctified, qadosh) Spirit is the second birth—a new life becomes born in you. This life is righteous; this life is eternal; this life is good; this life is NOW yours!  His life is NOW implanted as a seed into you and will begin to grow a little at first and more as time goes on until as the apostle Paul declares: “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion  at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6, ESV)  So be patient and rest in His work, as He works in you!  This is Sabbath!


THE NEW LIFE NOW BEGINS!