In his book, The New Birth, Brother Hagin teaches what happens to us when we are saved and we are born again.
The New Birth happens to us when we receive Jesus' work of salvation, believe that He died on Calvary's cross and paid for our sins and transgressions. Through being born again, we become a child of God, and enter into right relationship with God. We need to be born again before we make claim to the rest of the Bible's promises.
The New Birth is not: confirmation, church membership, religious duties, going to church, saying prayers, nor living a morally correct life. Nicodemus from John 3 fulfilled all those things. Yet Jesus said to him, “…. unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”. Nicodemus thought in natural terms, and asked: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” And Jesus declared, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:3-7, NKJV).
According to the Bible, man is a spirit, has a soul, and lives in a body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). When Jesus speaks of being born again, it is our spirit that needs to be born again. When our physical body dies, it is our spirit and our soul that lives on.
The New Birth is a new creation from above. God intervenes in your life and completely transforms your spirit when you repent of your sins and turn to God. As you confess Jesus as Lord, you will be born again, and the Holy Spirit will make you a new creature. You partake of the resurrection power of Jesus; the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead!
1 John 4:4 says, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (NKJV). You who are born again are a child of God, and have victory over powers, authorities and evil spirits who oppose you. His resurrection power in you makes you a victor in all circumstances. Jesus said of Himself in John 10:10: "... I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (NKJV).
When Mark 9:23 says: “….all things are possible to him who believes”, we understand that it is actually possible! God's word says so, and through the new creation God's resurrection power resides in us!
* Article inspired by Kenneth E. Hagin's book "The New Birth"
‘The New Birth by Kenneth E. Hagin. Copyright © 1975 RHEMA Bible Church AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. Please visit www.faithlibrary.org for additional materials.
Norwegian book available from Agape Forlag: Den nye fødsel