To Be Born Again 

I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.

 John 3:3

Jesus told Nicodemus that there is only one way into heaven, and that way is to be born again. Like any of us might do, he asked a simple question: How can somebody enter his mother's womb and be born all over again (see v.4)? Jesus explained the answer very clearly and simply: "No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit" (v.5). You must be born physically-"of water"-to be eligible to go to heaven, but you also have to be born spiritually.

If you are alive on the earth, then you have met the first qualification: You were born physically. However, that is not enough. You must be born spiritually as well.

Jesus went on to say, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit" (v.6). He was talking about being born of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives birth to spirit. Verse 8 says, "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going." Although you cannot see the wind, you can hear it and see its effects because you see the leaves blowing in the trees.

It's the same way when the Holy Spirit comes into your life. You can't see the Spirit, but you can see His effect on your life. He changes your life, and you become a brand-new person.

When you give your life to Jesus, you really come alive on the inside. Your spirit is made brand-new, and you're born again. When you make a radical commitment to give your life to Jesus, you believe that He died on the cross for you and rose from the dead. You say, "Now I am going to live for You." A transformation happens inside like you were never alive before. Basically, He is saying, "There is only one way to get into the kingdom of heaven. You have to be born into it."

Think of a barking dog. You don't get mad at the dog just because he barks. He was born a barker, and he has to bark because that is the only kind of noise he can make. No matter how much you try to get him to stop, he is going to bark because he was born a dog.

It works the same way for people. Everyone is born in sin as a sinner. No matter how much anyone tries, everyone still does wrong things because everyone is born in sin. The only way to become a person in the kingdom of God is to be born into the kingdom of God. You must be made a brand-new person. That is exactly what happens when you give your life to Jesus. You sell out everything to Him. He makes you a brand-new person. That is what Jesus tried to explain to Nicodemus.

If you have given your life to Jesus, then it is time to rejoice. You didn't pray some cheese-ball prayer. God completely changed you inside and made you a brand-new person. Take a few minutes right now and thank God for making you a brand-new person. Think about John 3:3 today. Keep repeating it and chewing on it throughout the day.

If you have never prayed to give your life to the Lord, then pray this prayer from your heart and start your brand-new life today:      

Dear Lord Jesus, I commit with all my heart to give You my life. I believe that You died on the cross for me and that You rose from the dead. From now on, I'm going to call You my Lord, my Boss. From now on, I will live my life for You. You're the center of my life. Forgive me, Lord. Clean out my heart. Clean out my life, and I will live for You everyday for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name, amen.

 This article was adapted from Ron Luce's latest book, Connecting With God.

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