What actually happens in this new birth

Hi all,
As I'm learning more and more about my faith, I've started doing some bible study to learn more about the commitment I've made to accept Jesus and what it means for my life. So, if anyone cares to answer these two questions for me, this will really help.
What happened to you when you became a Christian?
What happened in you when you became a Christian?

Thank-you in advance for your time - Blessings!

I would say that what happens is you come a new creation and the Holy Spirit is now in your heart when you become a Christian. Those are two fundamental questions that you have asked. Always continue to be hungry for learning more about your faith and your study of the bible. You have made a wise decision in accepting Jesus. Glad to have you as part of our community. Welcome to CC.

To me: The church, my wife and myself heaped piles of expectation on me to now lead and serve as a Christian husband and father and child of God. I read more, prayed often, participated in every church function, went to services, led groups, and preached waiting for internal change. Secretly I still struggled with/enjoyed pornography, and expected God would cure me of anger and fleshy desires.

In me: Twelve or so years later, after Sunday commitments with work and activity prevented regular participation at church, I reexamined my walk and commitment to the Lord. I took Him at His word. I prayed for wisdom fully believing. Within weeks every problem seemed solvable, and scripture opened up and understanding flowed like never before. I stopped praying for wisdom because everyone around me seemed stupid to the point I could barely stand it. With new insights into Scripture I sought like never before to find answers to nagging questions. I acted on the information and meditated in a fasted state for hours at a time. One day while in deep meditation I felt as if I was being lifted off of the couch. Light flooded into my brain and I felt peace like never before. At that moment I felt out of body and connected to the Father. Since then I can reach that state and empty my mind and let God fill it. It's like a download of thoughts and parables. There is no more addictions, or anger, or materialism. This is the grafting.

Steps taken, low blood sugar, slow heart rate, focus on heartbeat until I felt pulse beating in neck like a drum. The focus on pulse helps eliminate distraction. Once the pulse is clearly felt I think of only light. Then there is a feeling of pouring out of pressure in my head until it fills with light. In that light is peace and that is when the download takes place. As soon as I try to think of something, the connection is lost and I have to start over. Since I took a promotion at work this has been increasingly difficult because the stress is all consuming. I think fear and stress impede this process and that is why we are continually reminded not to fear or worry.

Hello Mark, welcome to Christian Chat.
I hope you'll enjoy your stay here.

View attachment 231644

These two questions are similar so I'll try to answer both at the same time.

In short, God owns you now. He'll work with you to make you who He wants you to be. This process is easier if you cooperate and do what's right.

If you're stubborn and disobedient to God, you might get disciplined. If you try to rescind your commitment to God, He doesn't get discouraged and give up. He'll do whatever He thinks is best to bring you back to obedience, even if it takes the rest of your life.

Once you repent of your error, you're welcomed back like the prodigal son was. Your mistakes are in the past and God quickly switches focus back to you being His servent with work to do.

God is a tough bit fair Father and there will be a lot of growing pains. This might take you years to realize, but I'm telling you now it's easier to just not consider being stubborn as a possibility.

You're also a target for the devil now. He'll lay traps out for you and tempt you more than he would've if you were not a threat. Being God's child, with a newly birthed spirit, makes you an enemy of the devil.

You'll find courage to do what you thought you never could and you'll be brave through trials, tribulations, hardships, and persecutions you experience for the cause of Christ.

Always remember, God rewards those who face adversity for the sake of being a Christian.

You're God's son now, welcome to the team.

Hi Mark, first off, welcome to CChat

When I finally became to true believer (35 years ago this Nov 2nd), I felt (in that moment .. and still do today) like the weight of the world had been lifted off of my shoulders by God, because I ~knew~ that my sins had been forgiven (the unbearable "weight" was the result of the guilt that I had come to feel because of my sin). I'm 65 now, and I have had many more than a few especially wonderful days during my 65 years (I am happy to report), but NONE that rival the utter joy that I felt on the day that God justified/saved me and I became a believer, not even close.

One of the things that happened to me back then (11/2/86) was that I was immediately able to discern spiritual things from God's POV for the very first time .. see 1 Corinthians 2:12-16, and because I was, I also realized that my life, as a non-Christian, had been FAR more sinful than I had previously thought that it was. I also realized in that moment how displeasing I must have been to God during all of those years (because of the sinful life that I had been leading), so my very first thought as a Christian (about how I wanted to begin to live the Christian life) was that I NEVER wanted to displease God like that again (because I also recognized and understood for the first time what He had to go through to save me/to atone for all of my sins and reconcile me to His Father .. e.g. Romans 5:8-10; Hebrews 9:22).

The thing was, I didn't know how. I mean, I knew about the BIG sins, but I didn't have any idea how to find/do God's will or figure out what He considered to be "pleasing", until the HS brought the word "Bible" to my mind, that is So, I ran and got the only Bible I could find (it was a KJV, I believe) and I began to read it for what seemed like the very first time (even though I had read the Bible previously, this was the first time that I truly understood it, that all of it seemed to make sense to me).

So, on that day (as I believe others have said), God graciously chose to save me (by His grace/UN-merited favor towards me) and justified me when I came to saving faith in our Savior (the Lord Jesus). I also surrendered the reins of my life to Him that day (as best I could) as my Lord and began to follow and obey Him as His disciple, trusting that He knew what was best for me, far better than I could ever hope to myself.

So this doesn't go on any longer, I'll stop there and jump over to your second question, about what happened "in me" when I became a believer. Here are some Scripture verses that should help explain what happened.


So God, who changed me (by giving me a new heart and a new spirit) and quickened/regenerated me (made me alive/caused me to be "born again") to "spiritual" life for the very first time (so that I could know Him/understand Him/know how to obey Him, etc.), made me His workmanship/masterpiece as a wholly "new creature" in Christ, for/unto good works (not because of any of them).

Sorry about the length of this post (but actually, it could have been WAY longer ).

Also, if you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to ask me/us (and I promise, for my part anyway, to do my best to keep my answers shorter that the ones I just gave you above).

God bless you! (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

~Deut

.

Nice to meet you and glad you are joining the fellowship here at CC A quick answer to your question what happens to me is I am now a child of God, part of the Body of Christ and covered by the Blood of the Lamb Covenant. In me I have now the Holy Spirit that guides, comforts and is the Spirit of Truth in me. The Holy Spirit give the fruit of the Spirit also which some are joy, peace, truth, etc. I like all the above answers also. Hope you enjoy your visits here and God bless you and your family!

Welcome!