On September 15th, 1974 in a small Assembly of God Church in Fredonia, NY, I became what is commonly called “Born Again.” From a disillusioned counter-culture hippie, and all the baggage connected with it, I became a new man. This occurred through no effort on my part by trying to “clean up my act,” but through a miraculous intervention of Christ’s life into my life.
The vileness of sin and its demonic inspirations now belong to another life from which I am no longer enslaved too. I count myself dead to the old and alive to the new. Shame and fear are attachments to a living past, but being “born again” introduces all to a living Hope. I have been raised from spiritual death to newness of life in Christ Yahshua; “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Col 1:13).
Every day, for 35 years, I stand amazed at my empowered new life and Holy Spirit’s work within me. I am no longer victimized by a disadvantaged childhood, nor the residual effects of alcoholism and drug addiction, I have been given a renewed mind and a hope for tomorrow. When fears, hang-ups and insecurities come knocking at my door; I have been given the power of choice not to let them in.
On that Sunday night in 1974 I was given an internal set of values plus an empowerment of Yahweh’s Spirit to overcome all works of darkness and the lusts of the flesh. Roman 8:32-39 tell us we are “more than conquerors”, that we who are “born of the Spirit” are unable to be separated from Yahweh’s love by any thing or any power. It is in this, His grace, from which we are born again.
Please note this one thing: none of the above happened in conjunction with doctrine (right or wrong), church preferences (denominational or independent), nor believing in a certain view of the end-times (pre-trib, post-trib or no-trib). Those things that divide us were never part of what saved us. The life that comes with being “born of the Spirit” is based on faith in a Person, not a set of theological mandates.
There is a cry in the hearts of sons and daughters of Yahweh to be once again joined to the life and power of the One who gave us our rebirth of the Spirit.
One Response to “Born Again – Becoming a New Man”
Reading a little bit about how God touched, healed, and delivered you from the clutches of satan, and made you a new creation in Him was wonderful. The worship page was eloquently written and inspired by the Holy Spirit. My daughter at the age of 3 1/2 described some of the worship angels and how they sounded and tried to share it. She said it was like nothing she had ever heard and so beautiful. It sounded just like you wrote. She has seen different angels and described them at different ages and times of her life, and how each have a different function. She saw and described The Beast at around 4-7years- have it written somewhere as she described it to me and has seen different demons and their functions and amount of power. What you have written reminds me of what she has seen and shared of and on in her life. The older she has gotten the less she has shared so I don’t know how much she sees supernaturally. Mainly, I wanted to let you know your ministry sounds awesome, God inspired, and anointed by the Holy Spirit. We look forward to coming and visiting you soon. Thank you for hearing and being sensitive to the Holy Spirit.