WIND

Lets talk about wind.

Natural wind can be a gentle breeze or a tornado, fickle and predictable, sudden or build up. It can bring welcome relief on a hot day or wind chill on a snow day. It can affect the growth of trees with its relentless power, toss vehicles around and destroy buildings. It just is. No innate purpose, no check on its power, invisible but felt and seen by the impact it has.

The spiritual wind, the wind of the Spirit is consistent, it is the presence and power of God. The Spirit is invisible and personal. It moves in the heart of people to bring life and faith, fulfilling our deepest longings to know God. It hovered over the waters at creation, raised Jesus from the dead, brings unity and dwells in us. It brings the transformation that comes with a relationship with God into reality in everyday life.

In John16:12-15 nlt Jesus tells us “…. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

In short the Spirit of God is vital for how creation works, how we live in it, and how we find joy and understand God. It is active practically, personally and spiritually. The Spirit brings the presence and knowledge of God to believers and demonstrates this to the world. It gives us the freedom and empowers us to live with purpose and passion, see with transformed eyes and choose the path we were created to walk down. Is that the Spirit you know and live with?

The book of Acts is a narrative of the Spirits presence, through the disciples building, empowering and directing the early church’s establishment and spread. It’s a biography of his character and nature. Would you read these verses about the practical nature of the Spirit with me?

8:29-39 nlt the Spirit says to Phillip walk down this road, so he does and meets a eunuch, the treasurer of Ethiopia, who was reading aloud fro the book of Isaiah. Again the Spirit says go walk alongside the carriage. When he does he hears what the Ethiopian is reading and asks hm if he understands what he’s reading. Then the Ethiopian makes a simple statement and gives an invitation. Phillip responds and accepts. The upshot of his listening and obeying the Spirit is a conversation, a salvation, a baptism and Phillip being transported, by the Spirits power, to another town. Profoundly simple. That’s the power of the Spirit of God working in everyday life. That’s what is available to us all.

10:9-47 nlt Peter gets a vision, says no to God, gets rebuked then told three men were looking for him and he was to go with them - without hesitation! A man called Cornelius wanted to talk to him. Not a usual thing to do or even safe to do in that time. Peter obeys and everything changes. He explained salvation to a group of Gentiles, non-Jewish people, the Spirit fell on everyone who heard it, like in Acts 2:1 nlt without the fire, and they all were baptised. The Jewish believers present understood that a personal relationship with God was available for everyone, not just them. Christianity just went global! It’s not complicated. It’s up to us to choose to believe, commit to that belief, get to know God and obey him. What could happen personally and in your sphere of influence?

If you want to explore more about the presence, character and purpose of the Spirit and life with him, Romans 8 is a stunningly eloquent chapter. Actually the whole of Romans is stunning, but try 8 with an open perspective to start with. Take it in bite sized pieces, don’t rush. If you’re familiar with it, read it again asking for a fresh wind of revelation as you read.

It starts with “ So, there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death”

It ends with “No power in the sky above or in the earth below, indeed nothing in all creation, will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord”

See what I mean Enjoy and let us know what you discovered.