Born of the Spirit: A Life Beyond the Flesh
Physical birth brings us into this world, but it does not grant us life with God. Jesus made this clear when He spoke to Nicodemus: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit... You must be born again." (John 3:6-7). No matter how refined or disciplined a person may become, the flesh can never produce the life of God. A new birth is required—one that only the Spirit of God can bring about.
This new birth is not something we achieve. It is a work of the Holy Spirit, given to those who receive Christ and believe in His name: "Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:13). No amount of human striving, heritage, or religious ceremony can bring about this transformation. It is entirely God's work, making us partakers of His divine nature.
Imagine a caterpillar trying to take flight. No matter how much effort it exerts, its nature prevents it from soaring. Transformation must come from outside itself—through a process it cannot initiate or control. Only by being reborn as a butterfly can it experience the life for which it was designed. In the same way, our natural life in Adam cannot produce the spiritual life of Christ. We must be born of the Spirit, receiving His life within us.
And this new life is not merely an entry ticket into God's kingdom—it is the very life that sustains us each day. Just as we were justified "in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11), so too do we live moment by moment by His Spirit. We were never meant to rely on our old patterns of thinking or living. The same Spirit who gave us life now animates and empowers us to walk in the reality of our union with Christ.
Reflection Questions:
Have you fully embraced the truth that your spiritual life is entirely God's work, not something you can produce on your own?
In what ways do you sometimes revert to self-effort instead of yielding to the Spirit’s work in and through you?
How does knowing you were born of God change the way you approach your daily walk with Him?
Prayer of Confidence and Trust:
Father, I thank You that I have been born of Your Spirit, not by my own efforts, but by Your grace alone. I rejoice in the life You have given me—eternal, unshakable, and fully sufficient in Christ. Today, I trust in the indwelling presence of Your Spirit to express His life through me. I rest in the certainty that what You have begun, You will bring to completion. Thank You for making me a new creation, for calling me Your child, and for sustaining me every step of the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace