Monday: The New Life in Christ
Being born again is possible only through the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus made use of the fact that the Greek word pneuma means both Spirit and wind in order to illustrate the process of conversion (John 3:8). The wind blows; none of us can start it, direct it, nor stop it. Its great power is beyond human control. We can only react to it, either resisting it or using its potential for our benefit.
Image © Jeff Preston from GoodSalt.com
Likewise, the Holy Spirit is constantly working upon the heart of every human being, drawing him or her to Christ. No one has control over its great saving and transforming power. We can resist it or yield to it. When we surrender ourselves to His convicting influence, the Holy Spirit produces a new life in us. Is there any way to know if we have experienced the new birth? Yes. The Spirit works invisibly, but the results of His activity are visible. Those around us will know that Jesus created a new heart in us. The Spirit always produces an outward demonstration of the inward transformation He makes in us. As Jesus said, by their fruits you will know them (Matt. 7:20, NKJV). The new life in Christ is not a patched-up life with a few external reformations. It is not a modification or improvement of the old life but a complete transformation. What do the following texts tell us about what the new birth will accomplish in us? Titus 3:5-7, 2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 6:15. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ implants in us new thoughts, feelings, and motives. He awakens our conscience, changes our mind, subdues every unholy desire, and fills us with the sweet peace of heaven. Though the change doesn’t happen instantly, over time we do become a new creature in Christ. We have to, because the original version, the one that came out of the womb, isn’t right with God. Meditate on your life during the last twenty-four hours. To what degree did those who relate with you perceive Christ in your words, attitudes, and actions? Pray about those traits of character that still need to be modeled by the Holy Spirit.
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Jesus gave us the formula for keeping the Holy Spirit in charge of our thoughts, feelings, and motivation.This formula is, "Watch and pray lest ye fall into temptation." Watch our thoughts, feelings, and motivation lest selfishness take charge. And pray that the Holy Spirit be our motivator with God's Love. This wil keep us from falling.
It is not posseble for us to escape from a pit of sin which we are are sunken.Our heart are evil and we cannot change it by our own selves.Job 14 vs 4 and Roman8 vs 7. So we need to allow the holy spirit working in us to bring tranformation to our heart.
We also know from Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God, and 1 John 5:4 says that faith is the victory that overcomes the world. The more we read,study and listen to the Word of God and allow it (the sword of the Spirit) to change our hearts and lives, the more we become like Jesus and heaven-fit.
It amazes me to see just how deceived we have become in thinking that the life we have been given as a gift and not by our choice, has become like a toy in our hands which we enjoyed for a moment but soon discard. Think of those in Gen. 6:5 whose imaginations were so vile and depraved as they thought daily of how to destroy life to the point that God Himself was grieved at His very heart.
Now because of sin, we play with life and then take it with reckless abandon by our own choosing and very little it seems, is done about it, but when natural disasters take life in abundance, or when a loved one succumbs to a fatal illness we may look at God as being vile and depraved when in fact, He loves us and pursues us that we may come to truly understand His character that in Him is life to be enjoyed more abundantly. I'm reminded of the very words of Christ when He says that His words are Spirit and that they are life and have the power to transforms our lives, not into a new creation per say, although new to ourselves, but into God's very ideal. Not into a new you, as a friend of mine once said, but into the REAL you.
That is the power of God!
We must be vigilant especially immediately after we have given our lives to God. I believe the devil will also pursue us more when we want to do the right thing. When are of the world he does not need to tempt us as we already belong to him. New Christians are very vulnerable and must pray and read the word of God in order to overcome temptations.
I have found the promise of divine guidance in the following passage from 3T 363 very valuable in my daily life.
"You all have an influence for good or for evil on the minds and characters of others. And just the influence which you exert is written in the book of records in heaven. An angel is attending you and taking record of your words and actions. When you rise in the morning, do you feel your helplessness and your need of strength from God? and do you humbly, heartily make known your wants to your heavenly Father? If so, angels mark your prayers, and if these prayers have not gone forth out of feigned lips, when you are in danger of unconsciously doing wrong and exerting an influence which will lead others to do wrong, your guardian angel will be by your side, prompting you to a better course, choosing your words for you, and influencing your actions.
If you feel in no danger, and if you offer no prayer for help and strength to resist temptations, you will be sure to go astray; your neglect of duty will be marked in the book of God in heaven, and you will be found wanting in the trying day."
This promise of divine assistance in daily living is a wonderful expression of Jesus' promise of the Comforter in every step of our Christian walk.