Q4. Wind of the Spirit

[Old Jerry]

Jesus’s is teaching us that we have no control of “the wind” that was God that has given us the Spirit as a gift.

[Isaac L]

On 7/24/2018 at 1:17 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q4. (John 3:8) What does Jesus’ reference to “the wind” teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit?

The tone of the surrounding sentences seems to emphasize to me that wind:

  1) has power. Just look at the windmills in Holland.

  2) has autonomy. You can control which way the monsoon winds or a tornedo blow, for example.

  3) works mysteriously. You can't see the wind with your eyes, but you know it's there, from the things it blows away.

So I think Jesus means that people are converted and changed by a powerful, autonomous and mysterious move of the Spirit. In practical life, I think it tells us to let God be God, in 3 aspects:

  1) We don't box God up to see He must only work in certain ways. E.g. The argument about whether a person can be healed of disease before he is converted or after, is pointless. Then again, the Gentiles in Cornelius' house were baptized in the Spirit before they were baptized in water - reversing the order we would've preferred.

  2) We don't criticize whom He saves. Perhaps we think someone who we know is very devout and moral deserves more to be saved than that vagabond or hooligan who just gave his life to Christ.

  3) We don't play Holy Spirit for someone and control his choices (I mean, choices that are neither moral nor immoral). Because in doing so, who knows whether we are quenching the prompting of the Spirit in him? What man can become "the wind" in place of the Holy Spirit?

Let God be God.

[Rosesam]

Q4. (John 3:8) What does Jesus’ reference to “the wind” teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit?

The wind cannot be seen but it’s movement can be discerned by how it affects those in its path. The wind blows where it wants and cannot be controlled or manipulated. So is the Holy Spirit. You cannot set boundaries for Him or  put Him in a box and say these are the limitations within which you need to function. He is God and we cannot box Him in.

The people who have been born of the Spirit is led by the Spirit of God. They function according to the dictates of the Spirit and not of the flesh. Outwardly they look the same as they were before becoming born again, but the effect of the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives can be clearly seen and felt by those around them. 

[Ang B]

Once we have accepted Christ as our saviour and surrender our life it is an invitation for 5he Holy Spirit to manifest in us.  We don't see him physically enter us nor do we see any physical change in us.  However we can sense a change/shift in our life.  The way we see/perceive things in the world changes because the holy spirit is opening our eyes to a deeper understanding of God's Kingdom which surrounds us.  Not everything is revealed at once for the Spirit knows what is best for us -in his timing.  We can not control the Holy Spirit as he moves in and out but we can hear and feel him.

[av4Jesus]

On 7/23/2018 at 9:17 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q4. (John 3:8) What does Jesus’ reference to “the wind” teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit?

Jesus said that wind cannot be controlled by man and it is the same with the Holy Spirit -- man cannot control the wind but it is God who directs Him. So a person born of the Spirit cannot be controlled by man but will be entirely directed by God alone.

[MyRockOfAges]

The leading of the Holy Spirit is like a wind. The wind blows, you cannot see it, you don’t know where it comes from and where it goes. but the effect of the wind is far reaching even beyond what you can see and understand. 

The Holy Spirit also cannot be seen, but as you yield to Him, you will not see Him. But His work in you and through you will have effect far beyond you, your life, your family, area that you live, city that you live or even nation that you live and beyond. The work of the Holy Spirit is amazing and has no limit of time and space. It is an experience that we have to enter and is a totally different experience. It is aways new and refreshing. Jesus is asking each one of us to enter this new experience.

[newwine50]

Q4. (John 3:8) What does Jesus' reference to "the wind" teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit?

You can't control the Spirit just as you can't  control the wind. The children of God are led by the Spirit of God. I believe we have lsot this in the cuirch.  We have our plans and programs.  We are led more by man than the Holy Spirit.  If you are led by the Holy Spirit many times you are thought as being rebellious.  God filled me with the Holy Spirit in two faith churches and by a Catholic preist in a Baptist convention center.  Later I tried to do what I thought was the right thing and tried to be in one church.  I totally quenched the Holy Spirit when I did this - saws Him go into the earth of my heart.

"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." (Rom. 8:14)

The Israelites were led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness.    They were led by the Holy Sirit in all of their travels.  They only moved when the Holy Spirit moved.  If He didn't move, they didn't move.  Moses prayed that the presence of God would go with them.  The presence of God went with them. But the Holy Spirit led them.  They didn't lead the Holy Spirit.  
"By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night." (Exod. 13:21)

"In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.  (Exod. 40:36-38)

When the Israelites went into the Promised Land, they were led by the Spirit again. 

"After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: 'When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it." (Josh. 3:2-4)

The people had never been that way before.  They had to follow the ark, the presence of God, or the Holy Spirit.  When we are born again, we haven't been that way before.  We are children of God, born of the Spirit.  We need to be led by the Holy Spirit instead of us trying to lead the Holy Spirit which we can't.   

This reminds me of my journey.  The top neurosurgeons gave up on me.  God pulled them away and sat me in His presence in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel which represents 'The Tabernace.'  I was filled by the Holy Spriit and led by the Holy Spirit until I made the tragic mistake of submitting to man.  I saw the Holy Spriit go into the earth of my heart.  I creid for years.  I spent many years and money going to the best Christian conferences only to have God show me through a dream that I was totally lost.  He brought me back to that chapel and said 'I am the way.'   Reading these scriptures about the Israelites following the Ark of God's presence made me understand what that means much more. 

 

[Queen Mc Daniel]

Q4. (John 3:8) What does Jesus' reference to "the wind" teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit?
It teaches us that the wind is the breath of God, or the spirit of God, when you have been born of the Spirit, Jesus is saying we are motivated and moved by an unseen powerful forced beyond our self. The Spirit works just like the wind, we don’t know how the wind works, but we can see and feel the effect of His power.

[MosesSole]

On 7/23/2018 at 1:17 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q4. (John 3:8) What does Jesus’ reference to “the wind” teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit?  The wind in reference here is the breath of God that is invoked when the Holy Spirit enters the believer.

 

[Tholang]

The Spirit gives power and those who receive it have no fear to glorify God wherever they go.

[Celia P]

What does Jesus' reference to "the wind" teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit?

That Father is in control, that He directs us, and sends us where He wills, when He wills.

Love and Blessings to you all. Xx

[Nana Karlsson]

People born of the Spirit are moved to act a powerful force beyond themselves. Like the wind this powerful force of God is unseen, it blows wherever it pleases, it's sound can be heard but one cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. He is out of man's control and directed by God.

[Zibuyile]

Q4. What does Jesus reference to the wind teach us about people born of the spirit? 

If you are born of the spirit, the Spirit in you will work in mysterious ways in your life such that you cannot see, but can feel its effects. Which can be seen maybe by people around you that God is doing something in your life

[Krissi]

What does Jesus’ reference to “the wind” teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit?

I love this! The image of living my life as if blown by unseen forces, here or there, little eddies of wind ... just lovely. This is the spiritual existence I crave. I want to be moved by the slight pressure of the Holy Spirit, just as a light wind blows my hair. The wind doesn't originate from within me, but is wholly outside of me -- the Holy Spirit's pressure isn't my own thoughts, but from outside of me, not me. 

I want to have the remainder of my life be motivated and directed by little puffs of spiritual wind that come from places I cannot see and take me to places I never expected to go. I want to be an autumn leaf, blown by the wind ...

[Katy]

Q4. The wind blows wherever it wants to. We don’t see where it comes from or where it is going but we can see the effects. So it is with the Hole Spirit, we cannot see Him but we can see the fruit of His work in our lives or in the lives of others. The worldly things that interested us in the past, now hold little attraction for us. We are drawn more to the things of God and working for God, in whatever situation He has put us in.  Only those born of the Spirit can enter the Kingdom of God.