The truth here that needs to be addressed is: “the Spiritual Birth canal and its process.” It would do us well to get this concept firmly
in our spirit. As we do so, then the whole witness for Christ will take on a new dimension under our feet. This concept is vital for us
and without a proper understanding of it we will most likely continue on “shooting and wounding” potential ones within the “birth
process.”
It is very important for us to realize some truths in the process of the rebirth that Jesus talked on. Much trial and error has resulted in
well meaning but misplaced zeal over “leading someone to Christ.” Personally, I am guilty of what is referred to as, “spiritual
premature birth” in my dedicated efforts to win someone for Christ. I have treated prospective “souls” as merely “notches on my gun
or better yet trophies hanging from the wall!” I am glad that God is patient with me as I blunder along shooting people like I was in
some kind of war zone mindset.
First of all, we need to realize what is our part and what part is the role of the Spirit in the born again process. Herein lies the
problem for we fail to know the difference between the two functions. In our zeal we overstep our boundaries and push aside the
Spirit’s work and consume the whole process with, “here, let me do this!” as a result we produce birth that is “untimely” or worse yet,
“still born.” In doing so we further complicate the birth process by having to call 911 for emergency help. This can be avoided if we
just learn the principle of sowing seeds and leave the birth process alone so the Spirit can fulfill the fullness of time. In Galatians 4.4
we read this: “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. ” The
phrase here, “fullness of time,” is the supportive verse which I want to use to develop this train of thought. At the right time and over
a series of Spiritual preparations the fullness of time produces the fruit of the womb. Up until that time comes, the fruit of the womb
is in the birth canal at some stage or another. Until the fullness of time arrives we best be patient and allow the process to come to
completion. This is the work of the Spirit in the “born again process.” We need to be wise in our approach to the birth process in
order to not prematurely stop or set the program back. Let me give an example to what I am saying here, for it is crucial to
understand this, in all of its details.
As some of you know, as a kid I grew up on the farm. I loved it more than anything else and to be honest with you, had it not been
for the country life, perhaps my life would have been more lousy than what it was. Anyway, let me share this story with you in light
of what I am saying. We had chickens as well as other animals and poultry. I remember many times spending hours in the hen
house observing chicks hatching from their shells. First of all the egg would start to crack from within as the chick pecked it. Keep
in mind here that by the time the chick started doing this the egg had now become rotten and was weak enough to allow the chick to
begin to crack it. (this too was all part of the time process and we need to look at this process for it will be a process that continues
on within a Christian’s life long after the Spiritual birth. I will share this later on in a future comment.) We must observe this process
of “egg cracking” in a “hands off” view only. I made many a chick die cause I was too impatient to wait for what was inside to
come forth. Many a chick was killed because I damaged them. Learning to wait for the fullness of time in each birth is crucial for the
regeneration of man. Let the Holy Spirit prepare the heart each step of the way and given the right time and the right elements the egg
shell will “rot” and the pecking process will produce the chick. Please do the person, God and you a favor, stay out of the way of
the birth canal process. Let the Holy Spirit prepare the heart by bringing to each one things that ushers in the new life in its fullness.
Don’t overstep the boundary and attempt to speed the process up. I have seen some try to convict the heart of the victims and it only
further sends cracks of death to the chick. Allow time elements to properly prepare the soul to come forth in each life before the
Lord. Like I said earlier, this is so crucial, and we must understand it. To attempt a “sinners prayer” to one who is not ready yet is
more damaging than good. If the person is not ready yet to come forth then the “sinners prayer” (which is valuable at the right time)
will not accomplish true repentance. Premature repentance will not bring change to someone who is not ready yet for the fullness of
spiritual birth. I have learned that truth by real life trial and error on a few occasions. This poor fellow once was in dire need of
something but yet I was so zealous in my witness that I was totally blindsided to what the Lord was trying to do. Instead, I decided,
(since this kid was showing signs of sorrow when I spoke to him of the Lord.) that he must be under conviction, right? Wrong,
nothing could have been further from the truth! I was way off base on that one, but I wasn’t going to let this “golden opportunity get
away from me,” no sir! “Step aside Satan and let a professional work,” yea right! So I seized the moment at hand, I gave him the
“sinners prayer” and insisted that he repeat after me the words I spoke. Well, he did alright but afterwards the lack of joy and Holy
Ghost presence was no where to be found. Later on the Lord showed me that I made a mess of things, back to kindergarten I went.
Okay now, what about the sowing of seeds? How does that work along the Spiritual pathway or canal? Well, that is a major part in
our work as we labor alongside the Holy Spirit. We need to be sensitive to each case as a individual before the Lord. This is where
we can bring the word to them. Not our forced words but words of seeds that push the life closer towards the entrance. Remember
this, do the words we share push, yank or perhaps drive back the person instead of move them forward? Do the seeds we plant go in
front of the birth canal therefore producing a barrier or does it go instead behind the person and move them onward? Do we merely
give what is timely to the birth process and then watch and wait? Or do we instead, decide he or she must be delivered now!
The birth process will require “faith” from us. (please know what I mean here by faith.) Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the
Word of God. There is a lot of faith teaching now that is not true faith in the biblical way. I have addressed this very thing in the
message I wrote earlier called, “Hearing Faith)” We dare not get bothered by the process of events that seem to be out of control
due to the nature of the contractions that are causing havoc and stress. When we pray for a person and all of the sudden they seem a
million miles away from what we want, do we rush in and try to lend a hand only to see things go from bad to worse? We must learn
to be patient and prayerful and resist the temptation to intervene prematurely. As the person loses all things and ends up at the
bottom of the barrel we must not rush in and try to help. We must discern if the situation is a contraction of Spiritual work in that
life. We must know the difference and work with the process instead of against it. Our faith (spoken promise) rests not in the
outward signs of what is going on in the person’s life but it the promise God gives us for that individual. We must pray, yes, but we
must have a promise spoken to us from the Lord so that our faith arrives to us as a “compass/directional” setting, which in turn will
require “trust” in order for it (faith) to mature.
The seeds we plant will be used by the Holy Spirit to further along the birth process. Some will ask questions on some particular
verse. Whereas others will want to know why something has happened. Still others will seem violent and stubborn towards our
witness and our words. Yet, in the over all plan God has everything under control. As we merely stay within the realms of working
with the Holy Spirit and entering in to a partnership work will we see fruit develop from seeds we plant. We might never get the
blessing of being there when the actual birth takes place but we can take comfort in knowing that there will be those in Heaven who
will be there because of our witness along the way.
We now need to begin taking another look at the birth process and pay close attention to how it works so we can be more
understanding of those around us. First of all, let me say this. There is much teaching given by the church on how to lead someone
to Christ and it is all good, but yet I have not seen any teaching on the life process before the birth reality. This portion of the process
is just as important if not more so, for if we don’t do our pre-birth work then there is a high risk factor in whether or not the
newborn baby will survive the birth process. If we stand by and don’t get involved in monitoring the pre birth process then what
does the infant have to look forward to. We must check for heart beats and growth always paying attention to problems that might
occur. The seeds we plant must be seeds that properly produce growth and strong heart beats. This is all so important in the life of
the womb.
to be continued-
