Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 33

February 2;   John 20:22;   88/260(VI);   ‘Given & Recreated’

John 20:22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

In Genesis 2:7 the Lord created the body and mind of man out of the dust of the ground.  There was no life in that body until the Lord breathed the eternal spirit of man into his nostrils.  The spirit given by the Lord ‘animated’ the body and brought life to the body of Adam.  Because of the sin of Adam, our spirit is ‘dead,’ or separated from God (death in the Bible means separation, not termination).  The Lord Jesus came, ministered as our Example and then died on the cross, taking our sins and sicknesses upon Himself.  Mankind cannot approach God the Father, because He is holy, due to sin.  Sin had to be dealt with and the Lord Jesus was punished for our sins so that we would not have to be.  Now, in John 20, the Lord has risen from the dead and appears to His disciples.  Jesus breathes on them (just like Genesis 2:7) and this time recreates their ‘dead’ spirit.  How does our dead spirit, separated from God by the sin of Adam, become recreated?  It happens just like the disciples.  They believed Jesus Christ was the Son of God.  If you believe Jesus is God’s Son and that He died for your sins and sicknesses, asking Him to be your Lord and Savior and to come into your spirit, He will by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible calls it being Born Again.  Your ‘dead’ spirit will be recreated – eternal life imparted to you.  Not only will you be eternally with God the Father and the Lord Jesus when you pass on, but the new life here on earth, as you fellowship with the Lord, will be so much better than anything this world could ever offer.  Eternal life forever and the best life now.