Introduction
We who believe in Christ know—at least we should know—what it means to be Born Again. It is nothing less than the surrender of everything we are and everything we claim as our own. To be Born Again is to lay down our lifestyle, our rights, our control, our religion, even our very selves, so that all might be given to the glory of Jesus Christ, our Savior. This is not a light task; it is an impossible one apart from the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, who alone enables us to walk in this new life. Each of us can call to mind countless things—habits, desires, ways of thinking—that must be left behind. Yet when we are Born Again, He does not leave us to the struggle. He walks with us, strengthens us, and brings His work to completion in us.
I must confess something. I am a reader, as you know, for my writings often reveal it. My blogs and papers draw from Scripture, from commentaries, and from the voices of saints who walked this road before us. Oswald Chambers, Watchman Nee, Smith Wigglesworth, C. S. Lewis, Gene Edwards, Francis Schaeffer—these and many others have shaped my thinking. Their words pierce the veil, their insights open mysteries, and I often find myself compelled to quote them, for truth shines brightly in their pages. Indeed, truth is truth, whether it comes from the Bible, Billy Graham, Gandhi, or even Nietzsche. Their discoveries stir my soul, push me deeper into reflection, and help me wrestle with the great mysteries of faith and creation.
But here is the question that burns within me: Where does being Born Again enter into this information network I’m receiving? Where are my revelations from Jesus Christ? Why do I, and why do we as believers, so often rely on the words of others rather than the voice of the Living God? The prophets of old spoke because God spoke directly to them. Should we not also dare to speak of what He speaks to us personally? These need not be great prophecies; they may be teachings, exhortations, or words of wisdom. After all, the gifts of the Spirit described in 1 Corinthians 12 are not reserved for the past, but are alive for us today. Yes, God speaks through others—but He also speaks to us personally. After all, did we not hear His call to this new life when we first became Born Again? But now we seem to neglect His voice as we walk this new road, a life wholly reliant upon Him. True, “faith comes by hearing the word of God,” but this is not always from someone else; it’s personal, from God Himself.
This is no small thing. It is both terrifying and liberating. To trust God to speak directly to us demands faith on a new level—faith that pleases Him, faith that risks failure, faith that dares to step beyond the safety of borrowed words. And yes, we will sometimes stumble. Yet when we fall, He is faithful to lift us again and set us back on the course. This is the challenge of being Born Again: not merely to repeat what others have said, but to live and speak as those who have truly heard from the Living God.
I long to press further into this reality, and I urge you to do the same. Too often, we are content to remain in the shallow waters of comfort, while Christ is calling us into the deep. He did not ease the demands of the law; He deepened them. You shall not murder, the law said—but Jesus declared that hatred itself is murder of the heart. You shall not commit adultery, the law said—but Jesus revealed that even a lustful glance is adultery in seed form. His teaching never lowered the bar; it raised it higher, calling us out of complacency and into holiness.
We prefer comfort, but true discipleship will make us uncomfortable. It will press us beyond what is easy. It will demand more of us than we thought we could give—and yet, through His Spirit, we will discover that He is enough. Being Born Again means living this way: surrendered, dependent, obedient, and forever pressing closer to the One who gave His all for us.
Here’s a new Look
“In that day, you will ask nothing of Me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you.” — John 16:23 ESV
For further understanding, let us turn these verses around:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you.” — “In that day you will ask nothing of Me.”
Do you feel the weight of that reversal that I felt; ask, then ask nothing? We think we understand, yet how little we truly know. Jesus and the Father are one, yet we glean from the above that we are to ask the Father – not Jesus. Many scholars hold that “that day” refers to Pentecost—the day the Spirit of the Lord was poured out.
And still, knowing this, we continue to ask, often erroneously.
Then how do we ask? Too often, our prayers reach no deeper than self-gratification. And if not for ourselves, we simply shift the same desires onto others under the cloak of holiness. Rarely do we ask for revelation. Rarely do we ask to see as God sees. I thought being Born Again would answer all these questions.
This is where we must take a fresh look at what it truly means to be Born Again. To be Born Again is not merely to step into a better version of earthly life—it is to be born into Spirit-life. Where once we stood condemned, now we stand redeemed.
The Greek word Sozo, used in the Bible for salvation, indeed carries the fullness of salvation—healing, deliverance, provision, wholeness. Yet at its heart, it means this: we are saved from eternal separation, saved into unbroken fellowship with our Creator. Everything else—every provision, every blessing—is icing. But the cake itself is life in Christ, eternal and unshakable.
And yet, how often do we live as though the icing were the substance? How often do we, in that old saying, try to “have our cake and eat it too”?
To be Born Again is not about grasping for more—it is about awakening to the life that is already ours in Him.
Test Yourself
Here are a couple of tools I discovered. I use these to test my relationship and walk with my Savior in all areas of my Born Again being.
In my natural life, I worked as a validation engineer for pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotech manufacturers. Over time, I became a Subject Matter Expert in the disciplines of Impact Assessments and Leachable / Extractable studies.
Running a pharmaceutical company is both exacting and enormously costly, carried out under the unrelenting scrutiny of the FDA. In this industry, every switch, light, motor, and operating device—down to the smallest component—must be examined to determine how its function might affect the final product. Within a single facility, there are thousands of such elements, each carefully evaluated and documented. We ascertain if it has a Direct Impact, shaping the quality of the process or product itself. Does it have an Indirect Impact, influencing the process in lesser ways but not directly altering quality? Or does it have No Impact—in which case it is removed as unnecessary?
Now imagine applying this very same discipline to the quality of our Christian walk. What if we examined every word we spoke, every response we gave, every action we committed ourselves to? Would they be found to have a direct impact—either for good or for harm—on our walk with Christ? Would they have an indirect impact, leaving room for growth and refinement? Or would they prove to have no impact at all—empty gestures, wasted time, offering no value to the Kingdom of God?
Likewise, consider the principle of Leachable and Extractable studies. In pharmaceutical manufacturing, every piece of process equipment that touches the product must be tested and the tests documented. Does the equipment extract something from the product, diminishing it? Does it leach something of itself into the product, altering its purity? Every material—tubing, containers, seals, filters, fasteners, stainless steel components, even glass—must be scrutinized.
Now apply this to our Christian relationships—with others, and with God Himself. Do we add to those around us, building them up in faith and love? Or do we, like a leech, draw only for ourselves—always taking, never giving? When we enter a room, do people feel strengthened and refreshed by our presence, or do they quietly wonder who has just drained the life from the gathering? Therefore, let us conduct a sober assessment of our Christian life.
Ask yourself: Just how Born Again am I? And more importantly, how can I, by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, receive the strength and clarity to recognize my condition, and the grace to correct my shortcomings?
Of course, we must use the Bible as our guideline, and we receive wisdom from a multitude of counselors.
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14 ESV
However, we have another resource – the voice of God Himself.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. Isaiah 9:6
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 ESV
Conclusion
Being Born Again is not a finality; it is a continuing process as we delve into the deep resources of our mind and spirit. It includes sanctification and justification alike. There is much more to being Born Again than what we are living. We all need the born-again experience. Our perception needs to be born again. (To read the blog on Perception, click here.) That is the perception of the Word of God by God, not by those in the pulpit, admired authors, believers, or books we have read. Reading is good. Read all you can get your hands on, but reading itself should not become your mind; rather, it should open up your mind to other possibilities. Push forward. Make the leap of faith. Test yourself, as mentioned above. Let your Spirit speak and hear from His Spirit.
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” Romans 8:16 ESV
Do this at all times and not only in times of need. Go beyond your needs into Kingdom living. Only then will your spirit mind explode and be opened to the enormous adventurous kingdom God has planned for you.
Enough Said
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16 ESV
