DATE: TUESDAY, 20TH JANUARY, 2026
SCRIPTURE READING: JOHN 3:1-8
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3)
I. THE NICODEMUS PARADOX: RELIGION WITHOUT REGENERATION
As we move through January 2026, the Holy Spirit is calling us back to the “Root of the Matter.” In our Scripture reading, we encounter a man named Nicodemus. On the surface, Nicodemus was the epitome of success. He was a Pharisee—a master of the Law. He was a ruler of the Jews—a man of social and political standing. He was a “Teacher in Israel”—a man of intellectual depth.
However, Nicodemus carries a paradox that many modern believers share: he was Religiously Active but Spiritually Blind. He came to Jesus “by night,” perhaps hindered by the fear of man or the weight of his own reputation, but he came seeking a secret. He saw the “signs” and assumed that Jesus was merely a better “Teacher” with a more effective “Method.” He thought the Kingdom was something to be learned or earned. Jesus immediately dismantled this illusion with a single, categorical statement: “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
II. THE ONTOLOGICAL SHIFT: SEEING VS. ENTERING
Jesus presents a two-stage requirement for those who wish to navigate the Kingdom.
1. The Vision of the Kingdom (Verse 3)
Except a man be born again, he cannot see. Spiritual blindness is the default state of the “natural man.” You can be a bishop, a deacon, a choir leader, or a philanthropist in the church and still be “blind” to the actual operations of the Spirit. Without the New Birth, the Kingdom is just a philosophy, a morality code, or a social club. The New Birth provides the “spiritual optics” necessary to recognize God’s hand.
2. The Entry into the Kingdom (Verse 5)
Except a man be born of “water and the Spirit,” he cannot enter. Entry implies participation. Many people are busy for God without being born of God. They are working in the “Container” (the church organization) but have never entered the “Content” (the Kingdom life).
III. THE BIOLOGY OF THE SPIRIT: FLESH VS. SPIRIT
In verse 6, Jesus establishes a law of “Spiritual Biology”: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” This is a profound warning for 2026. You cannot use “fleshly” tools—intellect, money, charisma, or social status—to do “Spirit” work. If your service to God is birthed from your natural talent, it is “flesh.” If your ministry is built on your educational pedigree, it is “flesh.” To do Kingdom work, you must have a “Spirit-Origin.”
Nicodemus wondered if he had to re-enter his mother’s womb. He was thinking in the horizontal, physical plane. Jesus was speaking in the vertical, celestial plane. The New Birth is not a “renovation” of the old man; it is the “implanting” of a new life altogether—the Zoe life of God.
IV. THE WIND ANALOGY: THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE BORN-AGAIN LIFE
“The wind blows where it wishes… so is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (v. 8).
Jesus describes the born-again believer as a “Mystery.”
- The Invisibility of Origin: The world sees the effect of your life, but they cannot trace the source.
- The Irresistibility of Impact: Just as you cannot stop the wind, the world cannot stop a man who is truly born of the Spirit.
When you are born again, you cease to be a “predictable religious person” and become a “sovereign spiritual force.” This is the only way to do Kingdom work that survives the fire of God’s judgment.
V. CONCLUSION: STARTING WITH THE BASICS
Are you busy for God or are you birthed of God?
Nicodemus probably wanted to discuss theology, miracles, or political liberation. Jesus offered him Life. In 2026, do not seek “high things” or “complex mysteries” until you have settled the “Basic Requirement.”
Effective service is not recruited; it is birthed. Jesus will first offer you His Life before He asks for your Labor. If the “Foundation” is not the New Birth, the “Superstructure” of your service will eventually collapse. Ensure that your encounter with the Savior is genuine, personal, and transformative.
STRATEGIC REFLECTION & PRAYER
The Mirror Test: Take a moment to look past your church activities. If you stripped away your title and your duties, is there a living, breathing relationship with Jesus Christ? Is the “Wind” of the Spirit blowing through your soul?
The Surrender: If there is any doubt about your New Birth, today is the day of salvation. Do not be like the Nicodemus who stayed in the dark; step into the Light.
PRAYER POINTS:
For Genuine Encounter: Father, I don’t want to be a religious actor. Grant me a fresh, genuine encounter with the Savior, Jesus Christ. Let the “New Birth” be a living reality in me.
For Spiritual Vision: Lord, open my eyes to see Your Kingdom. Deliver me from spiritual cataract and religious blindness.
For Spirit-Led Service: Father, I repent for every “fleshly” work I have done in Your name. From today, let my service be birthed by the Spirit and fueled by Your Life.
For the “Wind” Experience: Holy Spirit, blow through my life. Let my testimony be a mystery to the world and a glory to Your Name!
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Genesis 44-46
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: God does not want your “Help”; He wants your “Heart.” He doesn’t need your “Service” until He has your “Soul.”
PROPHETIC WORD: I decree that your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life! Your service in 2026 shall not be in vain, for it shall be birthed by the Spirit of the Living God!
