God's Holy Fire: 'New Life!'

"What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit."

— John 3:4-5 NLT

Key Thought

We can begin life all over again. This new beginning is called the new birth. We can be "born of God" (John 1:12-13). While a physical rebirth is not possible, each true follower of Jesus is "born of water and the Spirit." Confessing Jesus as Lord, sharing with him in his death, burial, and resurrection through baptism, and being cleansed and filled by the Holy Spirit give us a new life. What we once were is gone, and we become new creations in Jesus through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Life begins again; only this time, our new life happens because of the cleansing and power of the Holy Spirit who then lives in us!

Today's Prayer

O Father, thank you. Thank for making me new, fresh, and clean. Thank you for reminding me of the new birth by living in me through the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, I offer you my thanks! Amen.

Illustration

Comments

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.