THE LIFE CHANGING EFFECTS OF THE WIND OF GOD
JOHN 3:1-8
(8) “The wind bloweth where it wills....so is everyone who is born of the Spirit”
I. THE WIND OF GOD
A. In these verses Jesus refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in the “Born Again” experience
B. The word Spirit means breath or wind, so that the Holy Spirit could literally be called the Wind or Breath of God. (John 20:22). In verse 8 Jesus compares the working of the Spirit to the moving of the wind.
C. One of the symbols of the Holy Spirit in scripture is the wind
-Gen 1:2 ...the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
-Ps 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
-2 Sam 5:24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
-Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
D. The new birth is not the end of what God has for us but the very beginning
-many people have a one time experience with God but nothing more
-the wind of God’s Spirit is constantly blowing and we need the continual infilling, indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit
E. The wind is one of the most powerful forces on the face of the earth and this comparison with the Holy Spirit working in the believer is not by accident
-we can take a look at the wind in nature and see what God can do in us and through us by His Spirit (8)
-this is referring to God doing in us what seems to be impossible, when our life is moved upon by the wind of God
II. THE WIND IS A TRANSFORMING FORCE
A. The wind plays a big role in the transformation of the landscape. The constant blowing of the wind - picking up dirt, sand, rock and even trash over time will transform the appearance of the land - This is called “Wind Erosion”
B. Even in our best of efforts we are still a long way from where God wants us to be spiritually
-He is constantly working on us, changing us, transforming us to become what He wants us to be
-Christ must be formed in us (Gal 4:19)
-Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
C. We need the "Wind of God" blowing in our lives to pick up the dirt, debris and trash and carry it out. We need to let the wind blow in our lives and re arrange things to suite Him - The wind bloweth where it wills
-Illustration - I like to ride in the car with the window down. Sometimes my wife says, “Can we use the air”? She has got every hair in place and doesn’t want the wind to re arrange it, other times she’ll say put the windows down and let the wind blow”
D. Some people don’t want God to work and move in their life, they don’t want God to re arrange things, shape them, form them and mold them. They want to be saved and then leave things to suit themselves
E. If we truly want to become all that God desires us to be we’ve got to let “The wind blow where it wills”
and blow out of our life what He wills.
III. THE WIND IS A POWER GENERATING FORCE
A. Wind mills have been used for thousands of years to grind grain and pump water for irrigation
B. More recently wind mill farms have been built to generate electricity. Modern wind farms can generate the same amount of electrical power as a nuclear power plant
C. For centuries the wind has been used in sailing to carry ships and boats across the seas
D. The "Wind of God" blowing in our life will empower us in our Christian walk and service
-Zech 4:6 ...Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
-Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily
E. Jesus commanded His disciples to “Go into all the world, preach the gospel, make disciples, etc but first they were to “Be filled with the Holy Ghost”, “Wait till you be endued with power from on high”, He sent the Holy Spirit to empower them for service
-the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a Pentecostal thing or Charismatic thing, it’s a church thing
IV. THE WIND IS A PENETRATING AND DESTRUCTIVE FORCE
A. Strong hurricane and tornado force winds are a destructive force
1-these winds can move things that seem unmovable
2-these winds can cause objects to penetrate other objects that is seemingly impossible
B. An official report of the destructive force of the wind
-”...Long and heavy timbers are driven to considerable depths (up to nine feet) in the solid earth. The vortex is completely filled with flying debris. Timbers are driven through the sides of buildings. Sand and gravel are driven into wood. Human beings and animals are run through with splinters and timbers. Straws, bits of glass, and pieces of metal are driven into wood. The strongest trees are uprooted or twisted off near the roots....In the path of the storm all vegetation is destroyed. Railroad trains are thrown from the track. Iron bridges are completely dismantled and carried from their foundations. Heavy boulders, weighing tons, are rolled along the earth. The largest railroad engines are lifted from the tracks.”
-2x4’s have been driven through trees, broom straws have been driven into 4x4 posts, houses can be completely lifted from their foundation
C. We have all seen pictures of the vast devastation hurricanes and tornados can leave behind
D. There are times when we need the Holy Spirit to move in our life like a warm, gentle, summer breeze and there are other times when we need the "Wind of God" to blow with destructive force and demolish every strong hold, every wall, every obstacle satan has around us
-Acts 4:29-33 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:... 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
-Acts 17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
E. There are times when we need the wind of God to propel us forward with force that will penetrate the obstacles the enemy has laid in front of us
-2 Sam 22:30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
V. CONCLUSION
A. The wind is one of the most powerful forces on earth
B. God wants our life to be governed by the Wind of His Spirit
-Eph 5:18 ...be filled with the Spirit;
C. Is the Wind of God blowing in your life and in your situations? Will you let the “Wind blow where it wills?”
