The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary explains the word “Conversion” to mean “the process or experience of changing one's religion or beliefs”. Basically, it is also right to say that conversion means dramatic shifts from darkness into light (1 Peter 2:9). Let us look at this story as told by a friend a few years ago. “In May 1999, I learned that a friend who had been living a very

Praise the Lord! This is the testimony of a friend who became born-again after experiencing Jesus. In essence, the word “born again” can be said to be the modern day word for conversion. Being “born-again” was not an experience that started with the advent of Pentecostal Churches as people want to believe. This experience had existed way back into the New Testament and we shall look at some people who got converted (born-again). There are two basic element of conversion. The first being an out pouring of God's grace and a decision that make to turn to Christ. Secondly, the difference between the initial conversion and the second conversion.

The first conversion story we shall look at is the story of Lydia . (Acts 16:11-15). Lydia was a successful business woman who dealt in purple cloth and was presumed to be rich since she owned a home in Philippi (Acts 16: 14-40). As competitive as her business was, Lydia chose not to do business on the Sabbath day and instead spent time in praise and worship.

The scripture tells us that Lydia attended the Sabbath prayer with some other women and its unlikely that they knew much, if anything about Jesus because they were Jews or Gentiles who knew about God of the old testament but not about Jesus. Apostle Paul and his companions went to Philippi and were opportune to preach to Lydia and the other women. There, the Holy Spirit came upon this Sabbath prayer meeting and opened Lydia 's heart. Lydia became converted. She became born again. She turned to Jesus.

The story of the prodigal son beautifully illustrates the two basic elements of conversion. The initial conversion of the prodigal son in his decision to turn away from the world and to surrender his life to Jesus, abandon his former way of life and return to his father's house (Luke 15: 17) can also be said to being born again. He turned away from his old beliefs and embraced a new life.

Ongoing conversion is illustrated in the life of the prodigal son's older brother who was already living with their father but needed to experience deeper conversion especially in areas of self righteousness, anger and resentment towards his younger brother.

As God did with his younger man, he is constantly inviting in to make decisions that will turn him further away from sin and get real close to Jesus after the initial conversion.

Cornelius was another person who got converted through an angel God sent to him. (Acts 10:4). The angel then told him to send for Peter and listen to what he has to say. Within twenty-four hours of Cornelius vision, Peter too had his own vision while praying. As he was still puzzled over his vision, the delegation from Cornelius arrived his house and the Holy Spirit encouraged him to join them.

Filled with enthusiasm and excitement, Cornelius invited all his friends, neighbors and relatives to join him in listening to Peter and felt that since the whole event was engineered by an angel, then something special must be on the way. So, he wanted others to experience whatever God was going to do. God answered Cornelius prayer and when Peter began to preach the gospel, the spirit moved powerfully and everyone in the house experienced the presence of God and turned towards Jesus in their hearts.

Peter too experienced on going conversion when God expanded his horizon and showed him that Gentiles too were worthy of receiving salvation as the Jews. Peter saw Gentiles, whom Jesus considered as unclean, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Peter took a step of faith by entering Peter's house. It was unlawful for a Jew to enter a gentile's home. It was a tremendous challenge for peter and he could only accept it when the Holy Spirit opened his eyes.

Mark was also a successful surgeon who underwent conversion. He saw a homeless man begging near a street corner and normally, Mark would have passed by without doing anything but this time, he gave the man some money and the beggar's image

The first step is recognition. The Holy Spirit wants to teach us how to recognize the positive aspects of our lives and behaviour so that we can reinforce them. The Holy Spirit also wants us to recognize the negative elements and the way they cut us off from Jesus (John 16: 8-11).

The next step is guarding your future. Remember that Satan is always on the prowl (1Peter 5: 8) looking for ways to convince us to stop checking our behviour or worse still, trying to convince us to let the negative aspects back into our lives. It is for this reason that we ask the father to give us our daily bread, lead us not into temptation and to deliver us from evil (matt 6: 9-13).

Conversion or being born again therefore is the grace that motivates us to turn from sin and give ourselves to Jesus (initial conversion) and then to continue turning ti him, more and more deeply (ongoing conversion). Let us therefore pray and ask Jesus to pour the grace of initial and on going conversion upon our families, friends and our own lives.

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