A New Foundation
Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:4–6 (ESV)
God said, “My Spirit is the foundation upon which everything else in you strives. You cannot be anything other than what your foundation is. Your spirit is the guide to the root of why you think, speak, and act the way you do. Your spirit is your core—it is where your mind, will, and emotions draw their thoughts and motivations.”
In the passage above, Nicodemus visits Jesus at night, seeking to understand His teachings. During their conversation, Jesus tells him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” When Jesus came, He revealed that we need a new spirit. We were born into sin and shaped by iniquity. The spirit we are born with leads us toward eternal death—but Jesus offers us a new spirit, one that brings eternal life.
Our spiritual foundation determines how we live and move. It is the source of all our actions and desires. Even when we try to live righteously on our own, our efforts are as filthy rags before the Lord, because our source—our old spirit—is corrupted by sin. We need a new spirit in order to stand before God. This is the only way to have eternal life and a genuine relationship with Him.
The spirit we are born with brings death because it is filled with sin and darkness. Our Creator, who is holy, cannot look upon sin without judgment.
But Jesus came to earth because we were powerless to change our spiritual foundation. God loved us so deeply that He gave His Son, Jesus, who lived without sin and died to pay the debt we owed. We could never pay that debt ourselves. No amount of good works or moral effort could make us righteous before God.
Without Jesus, death would have been our only outcome. But through His blood and His righteousness, our sins are covered. The darkness we once carried no longer exists after we accept Jesus Christ, because our spiritual foundation is transformed into righteousness. Our hearts and actions begin to flow from the foundation of light, not darkness.
When Nicodemus asked about being “born again,” he did not realize that Jesus was speaking of a spiritual rebirth—our spirit must be made new.
Reflection
Have you invited the Holy Spirit into your life?
How do you know He lives in you?
Prayer
Father, thank You for the gift of being born again by Your Spirit. I pray that everyone who reads this devotional would open their hearts to You and ensure they have a personal relationship with You. Move in their hearts, Lord, and let them experience the new birth that comes through Jesus Christ.
In His name, Amen.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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