WHAT WE MUST DO TO BE SAVED

In St John’s Gospel Chapter 3, the Christian Bible tells the story of a tax collector whose soul became won for God in these words:

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.

He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

^“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Yes.
I have often listened with some measure of constraints as believers in the Christian faith discuss the place of the Spirit in their lives. Most times, it is like enabling them “speak in tongues”, enabling them see visions, enabling them live by faith.

I know that Science has made serious attempts at unravelling the mystery of creation. And although there are issues about this life that still confound Science, things that only Religion can fathom, wherever Science and Religion conflict, superstition reigns.

Now we know there are two types of Spirits – the good spirit that belongs to God and the bad spirit that belongs to the devil, Satan. In other words, both God and Satan have peculiarities or attributes by which they can be known.

Now, let me first explain that the spirit lives in man and woman. Our body is like a house hosting several spirits, some strong and massive, some small and scarcely effective. Our body can also be compared with a computer that houses both software and hardware applications. Or better still, like a car that houses an engine. We all know what the engine means to a car. Without an engine, the car cannot move. That is exactly the way it is with the spirit stored in our body.

From my studies and from my experiences, I think one of the most dangerous ones is the spirit of anger. When that spirit surfaces and takes control, everything changes: from the right perception, to the right thinking and from the right spoken words to the right actions. There is a tendency to make a mountain out of a mole hole, a storm out of a tea cup. Anyone blanketed by this evil spirit of anger can do anything. He can torture, he can maim and he can kill.

But if you are able to stay on top of this devilish spirit all the time, the result can be quite amazing. You will be on top of your world, on top of every problem and on top of every situation. The problem is that to be able to stay on top of this particular spirit, you have to understand and appreciate that you don’t need it in your life. But like a thief, it will always come to take control of you at the least opportunity. What do you do?

You must put it in prayer to God. As you pray every day, ask God to keep you on top of the spirit of anger. Day after day, you will see how your rating improves and the moment you are in control, your life circumstances will never be the same again.

There are others like the spirit of hatred, the spirit of envy, the spirit of sexual slavery, the spirit of covetousness, the spirit of betrayal, the spirit of jealousy, the spirit of selfishness, and all the other spirits that do not tally with the second most important command of God to do unto others as you would want them to do to you. The moment you identify them, do away with them before they do away with you.

As you pray, ask God to fill your being with the good spirits. The spirit of selfless love which opens up the mind to other good spirits like the spirit of compassion, the spirit of open mindedness, the spirit of goodness that makes you feel for others, the spirit of infectious happiness that radiates through you to others, the spirit of peace, the spirit of tolerance, the spirit of faithfulness, the spirit of gentleness and self-control.

Once we are equipped with the right knowledge, the wind can blow wherever it pleases. We will hear its sound. We will be in a position to tell where it comes from or where it is going to take us if we allow it. So shall it be with everyone born again to the knowledge of the Spirit. Praying to God without ceasing, to fill our being with the right spirit is what we must do to be saved.