Born of the Spirit

Good morning.

Today we we’ll start learning a few things from John 3:1-21 as we mentioned yesterday. Those who know the Lord can learn from this to teach others.

Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and said to him, “‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God (V2, 3).’” Note that Jesus answered Nicodemus’ question by saying that the reason He was able to do those signs was because He could see the Kingdom of God, and the reason for that was because His Spirit was alive to God. In John 5:19 we read: “So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.’” In order to do the Lord’s will we need to follow His example and to follow His example, we need to see what He’s doing and to be able to see what He’s doing, we need our spirit to be alive to God and for that we need to be born again.

This puzzled Nicodemus, so Jesus explained to him what He meant. “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (V5).’” Due to Adam’s sin our spirit is dead to God when we’re born as babies. We are therefore flesh who cannot understand the Kingdom of God. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22).” To be able to enter God’s kingdom in order to have fellowship with Him, and to see how He does things so we could learn from Him, our spirit needs to be alive. The only way our spirit becomes alive again is for it to be born again and for us to be baptised in water. To be born again we need to become part of Christ so His Spirit can abide in us and bring life and revelation. (See my postings ‘Born Again’ and ‘A New Life’ on 20^th and 21^st November 2011)

When we are new creations we should not be self-sufficient and following our own itineraries. We are to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Jesus told Nicodemus: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (V8).” Note He says it is so with everyone who is born again. The reason why the church in many ways stagnated is because the flesh’s natural tendency is to have rituals and programmes. Jesus never had a programme and neither did the first church. They were led by the Spirit to wherever the needs were. Are we then to live an airy-fairy life without direction and purpose? On the contrary, if we’re led by the Spirit, doing what we see Father God’s doing, we’ll have order, purpose, success and growth.

Lord, I want to be born by the Spirit and live by the Spirit so I can see and understand your Kingdom and follow you. Please make me one with you?

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