Born of the Spirit

Jesus said, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). Salvation is to be born of the Spirit. New birth is a work of God's grace in us, beyond our full comprehension.

New birth is salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord (Titus 3:4-5). The Holy Spirit alone can change our hearts (Romans 2:28-29). To be born of the Spirit is regeneration or new birth. It is being born from above, because the Holy Spirit comes from above (John 3:6-7).

Like the wind, the Spirit works with great power. His power is omnipotent. The wind moves at unexpected times and in unexpected ways. It's hard to explain, and often difficult to understand. The Holy Spirit, like the wind, moves when, where, and how he pleases. New birth is the work of the Holy Spirit to the praise of God's glory.

The Holy Spirit brings salvation through new birth to give us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). Regeneration or new birth is the work of only one, the Holy Spirit (John 3:7-8). New birth enables us to have a genuine love for God and a heart to obey Christ. God's Spirit does in us what we could never do for ourselves. In Christ, we are born of the Spirit to become a new creation (John 3:6; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Our Access to God

William Reid's book, The Blood of Jesus, was published in 1866. This book focused upon the blood of Jesus for salvation, the forgiveness of sins, and true prayer. William Reid was absolutely confident that the Holy Spirit always bears witness to the blood of Jesus. Access to God in true prayer is based upon the blood of Jesus.

William Reid wrote, "In all true prayer, great stress should be laid on the blood of Jesus. Perhaps, no evidence distinguishes a declension in the power and spirituality of prayer more strongly than an overlooking of this. Where the atoning blood is kept out of view, not recognized, not pleaded, not made the grand plea, there is a deficiency of power in prayer."

When we speak of the blood of Jesus, we always refer to his atoning sacrifice at the cross. The word blood speaks of a violent, sacrificial death. In the Old Testament, blood sacrifices were in the place of those who offered them. They pointed toward the one and only sacrifice that could take away our sins. There is power in true prayer, based upon the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:1-10).

The priests of the Old Testament prayed with access to God on the basis of a blood sacrifice. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat, praying for the people of Israel. He could not enter the Holy of Holies without the blood (Leviticus 16:11-14). Access to God in true prayer is through the shed blood of Jesus. 

We Are One in Christ

Charles H. Spurgeon wrote, "As a believer, you are one with Jesus. Therefore you are secure. You will be confirmed to the end until the day of his appearing." In these words, Spurgeon spoke of every believer as one with Christ. We are one with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Believers are one in Christ through new birth. Every true believer is born of the Spirit. We have been born again unto faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. As we are in Adam through our first birth, so we are in Christ through our new birth. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation"(2 Corinthians 5:17).

Believers are one in Christ through the Holy Spirit. We are baptized with the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). Christ is the head, and we are the body. As Adam was the head of the human race, so Christ is the head of the church, which is his body (Colossians 1:18).

As the human race is one with Adam through sin and death, so we as believers are one in Christ through salvation from sin and death (Romans 5:19; 1 Corinthians 15:22). As we were born with a sin nature in Adam, so we are born again as a new creation in Christ.

Believers are one in Christ through the gospel. We are one with Christ through his death and resurrection (Romans 6:5-6). We have died to the old life, buried with Christ, we are risen with him in newness of life. Water baptism is the symbol of our death, burial and resurrection with Christ (Romans 6:3-4). Therefore, Charles H. Spurgeon said, "As a believer, you are one with Jesus."

God's Good Pleasure

"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). God is pleased with you, when the Holy Spirit is in you according to God's good pleasure. The Holy Spirit is in you through the abiding gifts of faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). 

God's good pleasure is in all who truly believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19). He works in you to do God's will. The Holy Spirit changes your heart (Romans 2:28-29). That's called regeneration or new birth. He gives you a renewed will with a desire to do God's will.

God's good pleasure is to work in your heart. The heart is your mind, will, and emotions. He is doing more in you than you can understand. He is always doing more than you ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). God is working in your heart to bring glory to His name. The Holy Spirit gives you the ability to do all that pleases God. That includes your ministry gift and power to witness for Christ (Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 4:10-11).

As a believer, God's good pleasure is in you through the Holy Spirit. He will never leave you nor forsake you (John 14:16-17). Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption, at the coming of Christ (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30). The same Holy Spirit, who began a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Christ (Philippians 1:6; 2:13).

God's Kingdom Revealed

God's kingdom is revealed in sovereignty, dominion and power. The kingdom of God is the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). The King of the kingdom is Jesus our risen Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16).

God's kingdom is revealed in our Lord Jesus Christ. He said, All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth  (Matthew 28:18). He came into this present evil world to defeat sin, Satan, and death, through the cross and the resurrection. The power of evil was broken, yet the victory has not come in all of its fullness. The warfare rages, as the kingdom of light attacks the kingdom of darkness. However, the complete defeat of evil will only come at the return of Christ in kingdom power (Luke 21:27; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

God's kingdom is revealed in the power of the Holy Spirit. You enter the kingdom through new birth, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:5-8; 1 John 5:1). Only through the power of our Lord Jesus can you break free from the control of the evil one (1 John 5:18-20). Those born of the Spirit enter the kingdom of God through believing the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16).

God's kingdom shall be revealed at the second coming of Christ. Jesus taught us to pray: Our Father in heaven ... Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10). That's the day King Jesus returns. His kingdom power and authority shall bring the final and total victory. The kingdom of God shall be revealed in sovereign power and great glory.