Daily Devotion: 1 John:5-22
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“The testimony is this: God has given us eternal life, and this life has its source in his Son. Whoever has the Son has this life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” GNB
Being born again in Spirit means that your entire life will change. Perhaps you once lived a life of greed, or you were filled with bitterness and hatred. Perhaps your troubles were so bad that it weighed you down, perhaps you lived a life of sin and frivolity, indulging your desires and urges. Perhaps you just felt lost and alone. While all those troubles and temptations will not go away in a flash, you will find that you are less inclined to feel anxious or depressed. Those worldly temptations would not seem so attractive anymore, in fact,, compared to the peace and joy the Holy Spirit gives, those heady parties would seem decidedly dull.

Faith in Christ Jesus lifts the burden
Whether you carry a burden of sin, shame, guilt or are just troubled by cares and worries, accepting Jesus as your Saviour will lighten the load.
Psalms 55:22: “Leave your troubles with the LORD, and he will defend you; he never lets honest people be defeated.” GNB
Matthew 11:28-29: “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.” GNB

Spiritual rebirth makes you a new creature
You are no longer a slave of your sinful life, for Christ has set you free. You are renewed in spirit, washed in the blood of the Saviour, you are forgiven. Your old life must be left behind; its sins and shame forgotten, and you must live a new life in Jesus. The Holy Spirit lives in you now and you will be guarded and guided by Him. This is the beauty of salvation, you can start fresh, have a clean slate and build a new way of living, seeing the world with Spirit-filled eyes and bearing fruit to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17: “Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come.” GNB
1 Peter 1:23: “For through the living and eternal word of God you have been born again as the children of a parent who is immortal, not mortal.” GNB

You’ve received eternal salvation
Your salvation cannot be taken from you. Your redemption is permanent, even if you should falter as a child of God. God understands that we are human beings, and that we are weak. That is why He sent the Holy Spirit to reside in us, so that we can stand firm and not wander off  the path of righteousness.
Psalms 37:23-24: “The LORD guides people in the way they should go and protects those who please him. If they fall, they will not stay down, because the LORD will help them up.” GNB
Romans 9:38-39: “For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above or the world below –  there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.” GNB

You’ll have a need to become a disciple
Once the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in your heart, you will feel the need to share the Good News with those who still live according to the rules of the world. If you are afraid to talk in public for fear that others may mock you, do not worry, for God will give you the words to speak.
Ezekiel 2:7: “You will tell them whatever I tell you to say, whether they listen or not. Remember what rebels they are.” GNB
Luke 12:11-12: “When they bring you to be tried in the synagogues or before governors or rulers, do not be worried about how you will defend yourself or what you will say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” GNB

You can be sure of eternal life
Forgiveness and a clean slate are not the only prizes we receive through faith in Jesus Christ. The ultimate prize is eternal life. As Jesus promised before He ascended to the Father, He will prepare a place for us and then, when the time is right, He will return in the same way He went. He will come on the clouds to collect His children so that they can join Him in victory, forever praising God in the New Jerusalem.
Romans 6:23: “For sin pays its wage – death; but God’s free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.” GNB
1 Peter 1:3-5: “Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with living hope, and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for his people. He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away. They are for you, who through faith are kept safe by God