This month I will begin a short series of thoughts on the regeneration of our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. As I mentioned in the past, I believe that many of our churches are filled with people who have made a commitment to “church” or to “faith” and have not had a genuine encounter with the Living God. This fact is evidenced by the number of “Christians” who, (as the Barna Group illustrates,) have no hunger to know the Lord, pray or study the Scriptures, do not believe the Bible to be the final authority in their lives as the inerrant Word of God, do not experience conviction for sin, (including those spelled out in graphic detail in the Bible) do not financially, materially or otherwise support the work of the ministry, serve, or concern themselves with the present and future state of the lost, et al.
The Bible indicates that none of this should be startling to us, as it has been the case for centuries. Jesus spoke about people who hear the Word but never genuinely experience the regenerational workings of the Spirit. In fact, it could be concluded that only an estimated 25% of those who hear the Word (the genuinely given and correctly communicated Word) are actually saved. (Mark 4)
People are “saved” when they are invaded by the Holy Spirit. People are saved who have heard and believed the true gospel (as described only in the Bible) and have been given a supernatural infilling of and life changing transformation by the power of the Holy Spirit. People are not saved by attending church, going to Sunday School, learning and/or citing a list of rules, regulations, dogma’s or participating in some series of rituals. People are saved by a genuine invasion of the Holy Spirit. Jesus called it being “Born Again.” It is a supernatural and literal (may I say, mystical) experience with the living God.
Are you “Born Again?” Have you had Jesus invade your life? Have you surrendered your all to Him? If not, invite Him to invade your life today!
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
More next month…
Blessings to you all,
Pastor Paul