What It Really Means to Receive the Spirit and Be Made New in Christ
âTruly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.â
â Jesus, John 3:3
These words from Jesus arenât optionalâthey are essential.
To enter the kingdom of God, you must be born again.
But what does that mean?
đ Born Again Means Receiving the Holy Spirit
To be âborn againâ is to experience a total transformation of your inner life.
It happens when you come before God with honesty, humility, and repentanceâconfessing your sins and choosing to turn away from your own will and instead follow Jesus. In that moment of surrender, you receive the Holy Spirit.
âUnless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.â
â John 3:5
Jesus makes it clear: this new birth is not physical. You are born once into the world through flesh, but to enter Godâs kingdom, you must be born a second timeâof the Spirit.
â€ïž True Rebirth Comes Through Surrender
Being born again isnât about going through a ritual or saying a scripted prayer.
Itâs about letting go of your life and giving it fully to Jesus.
âIf anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.â
â Luke 9:23
âRepent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.â
â Matthew 4:17
This repentanceâthis turningâis the doorway to rebirth. And when you enter through it, God gives you His Spirit, who changes your heart from the inside out.
đ± A New Creation Begins
When you are born again, your life begins anewânot by your strength, but by Godâs Spirit living in you.
âYou have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.â
â 1 Peter 1:23
âAccording to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.â
â 1 Peter 1:3
You begin to see with new eyes, desire new things, and walk in a new wayâbecause God is now dwelling in you.
đ„ A Personal Word: What Iâve Learned About Being Born Again
Being born again is not water baptism.
It is a baptism by fireâand that fire is the Holy Spirit.
This only happens when you come to a place where you are truly ready to surrender your life to Jesus as Lord. It’s not about saying the right wordsâit’s about genuinely desiring Him to take over your heart, your mind, and your direction.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, and He is the very presence of Jesus Christ Himself.
When He comes upon you, He will dwell within you. You will be born of a new spiritâGodâs Spiritâand become a true child of God.
From that moment forward:
- The Holy Spirit teaches you
- He guides your steps
- He convicts you of sin
- And He reminds you of everything Jesus said
âThe Helper, the Holy Spirit⊠will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.â
â John 14:26
âWhen the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth⊠He will glorify me.â
â John 16:13â14
This is not an idea or a theology to debateâit is a living reality that begins when Jesus becomes more than your SaviorâHe becomes your Lord.
đŸ What Does This New Birth Produce?
Those who are born again begin to reflect Jesus more and more. According to His apostles:
- A love for truth â âEveryone who is of the truth listens to my voice.â (John 18:37)
- A love for others â âEveryone who loves has been born of God and knows God.â (1 John 4:7)
- Obedience to Godâs commands â âNo one born of God makes a practice of sinning.â (1 John 3:9)
- Victory over sin and the world â âEveryone who has been born of God overcomes the world.â (1 John 5:4)
đ How Do You Begin?
- Come to God with humility. Confess your sins honestlyâdonât hold anything back.
- Repent. That means turning from your will and fully embracing Jesus as Lord.
- Ask God to give you the Holy Spirit. Trust His promiseâHe will.
âIf you⊠know how to give good gifts⊠how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!â
â Luke 11:13
âTo all who did receive Him⊠He gave the right to become children of God, born⊠of God.â
â John 1:12â13
âïž Final Word
Being born again is not a religious box to checkâit is a radical transformation that begins when you surrender fully to Jesus and receive His Spirit.
It is the beginning of eternal life, and the doorway to truly knowing God.
Will you be born again?