You Must Be Born Again

As we continue the series “Following Jesus,” let us focus on the main reason Jesus Christ came to earth in the flesh—to provide humanity with a pathway to eternal life with God. Only a gracious God would sacrifice His only Son to redeem our sinful nature.
Let’s thank Him for His unconditional love.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me enough to make the supreme sacrifice for my sins. May I never forget the price You paid to restore me and bring me into a relationship with You forever. In Jesus’ name, amen.

John 3:5-8 (NLT)
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

This passage is part of a conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus, a ruler over the Jews and a teacher in the synagogue. Jesus is explaining the prerequisite for eternal life in heaven. Power, position, and intellect are all brought down to a level playing field through the simplest message on earth—God’s plan of salvation. You are born again when you believe in your heart and confess with your tongue that Jesus Christ died for your sins. Are you born again? If not, what is stopping you from giving your heart to Jesus?

The Holy Spirit works in us to prepare our hearts for salvation. We cannot see the wind, yet we can see the effect of the wind when it blows. Likewise, we cannot see the Holy Spirit, but we can feel the effect He has on our hearts. Inwardly, the conviction I felt when God called me to salvation came from the Holy Spirit. Outwardly, people saw the Holy Spirit's effect on a life fully surrendered to God. The before and after of a life transformed by God’s love is a powerful testimony we can share with those who need to know that there is hope in Jesus Christ. Your testimony matters! Do you have a simple version of your testimony ready to share when a divine appointment comes your way?

The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross speaks to God’s overwhelming desire to be in a relationship with His children. He longs to spend time with us to teach us His ways and build His character into our being. Do you long to know the God of your salvation? What habits do you practice regularly to hear His voice? What needs to change so you can prioritize your relationship with God?

If you’ve never given your heart to Jesus, you can do that right now. If you’re not sure what to say to God, you can use the following prayer to help you.

Jesus, I believe You died on the cross to pay the price for my sins, and You were buried and resurrected to give me victory over death. I commit my heart to follow You all of my days.

I pray that you give your heart to Jesus if you do not know Him as Lord and Savior, and spend time getting to know Him more each day.