The Ministry of the Spirit of God with the Word of God. Pt. 14
Good morning to you all.
Yesterday, we had a very windy, warm and sunny day. The winds were a constant 25-30 mph with some higher gusting. Our wind chimes made the most melodic tones, almost without stopping. Winds stirring through the thick tree leaves made steady, rhythmic swooshing sounds, much like waves at the ocean shore.
This reminds me of something our Lord Jesus Christ taught about the ministry of God's Spirit. This teaching comes during the dialogue Jesus had at night with a man named Nicodemus. This man was one of the top leaders of Judaism and he acknowledged that the works Jesus did were the work of God.
Jesus told him that he must be born again. It is in the context of that statement that we find a reference to the ministry of the Spirit of God with the Word of God in the heart of man.
When Nicodemus asked Jesus how a man could be born again, Jesus said it was being born of the water and of the Spirit. Water would refer to the baptism of repentance that John and Jesus preached.
Jesus then compared the ministry of the Spirit of God with the Word of God in the heart of man to blowing winds.The word wind is the same Greek word translated "Spirit" in this passage. In fact, this is the only time it is translated "wind" in the Bible.
The wind is a picture of the Holy Spirit at work. What does this holy wind do? It "bloweth where it listeth." It has the blowing action of wind like the winds I enjoyed all day long. The word "listeth" is a word that means this wind blows with a purpose. It has a will and a mind and a resolve to do some specific task.
Jesus said that this wind, like all wind, generates sound that you can hear. Yet, you cannot see it except in the movement of the objects that it blows against. He said that you cannot know where it came from and you cannot determine where it is going.
Such is the ministry of the Spirit of God with the Word of God in the heart of man. He blows against our stubborn will with purpose. He wants to knock down our defenses and blow away our excuses in order to show us our true, unsaved condition. Then, He brings in the water, referred to as the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:4-6).
What sound might this Holy Wind make? It could be sounds of crying, groaning sounds of misery, piercing sounds of being undone before a Holy God. It may lead to sounds of joy, sounds of rejoicing, sounds of praise because of true repentance and faith in Christ. The new birth does create sound because He puts a new song in our hearts.
John 3:3-8 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Yesterday, we had a very windy, warm and sunny day. The winds were a constant 25-30 mph with some higher gusting. Our wind chimes made the most melodic tones, almost without stopping. Winds stirring through the thick tree leaves made steady, rhythmic swooshing sounds, much like waves at the ocean shore.
This reminds me of something our Lord Jesus Christ taught about the ministry of God's Spirit. This teaching comes during the dialogue Jesus had at night with a man named Nicodemus. This man was one of the top leaders of Judaism and he acknowledged that the works Jesus did were the work of God.
Jesus told him that he must be born again. It is in the context of that statement that we find a reference to the ministry of the Spirit of God with the Word of God in the heart of man.
When Nicodemus asked Jesus how a man could be born again, Jesus said it was being born of the water and of the Spirit. Water would refer to the baptism of repentance that John and Jesus preached.
Jesus then compared the ministry of the Spirit of God with the Word of God in the heart of man to blowing winds.The word wind is the same Greek word translated "Spirit" in this passage. In fact, this is the only time it is translated "wind" in the Bible.
The wind is a picture of the Holy Spirit at work. What does this holy wind do? It "bloweth where it listeth." It has the blowing action of wind like the winds I enjoyed all day long. The word "listeth" is a word that means this wind blows with a purpose. It has a will and a mind and a resolve to do some specific task.
Jesus said that this wind, like all wind, generates sound that you can hear. Yet, you cannot see it except in the movement of the objects that it blows against. He said that you cannot know where it came from and you cannot determine where it is going.
Such is the ministry of the Spirit of God with the Word of God in the heart of man. He blows against our stubborn will with purpose. He wants to knock down our defenses and blow away our excuses in order to show us our true, unsaved condition. Then, He brings in the water, referred to as the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:4-6).
What sound might this Holy Wind make? It could be sounds of crying, groaning sounds of misery, piercing sounds of being undone before a Holy God. It may lead to sounds of joy, sounds of rejoicing, sounds of praise because of true repentance and faith in Christ. The new birth does create sound because He puts a new song in our hearts.
John 3:3-8 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
I think we can see that the action of the invisible, yet forceful wind is a great way to think about the ministry of God's Spirit in the hearts of man. We cannot stop Him. We cannot see Him. He blows against our hearts with the truth of God's word. It reminds us that just as we do not know when and where the wind is going to blow, we also do not know where and when the Spirit of God is moving in people's hearts.
He wants to blow down any barriers in us that inhibit us from receiving the truth and being born again. He has a purpose in His work. He has a will to elevate Jesus Christ in our hearts. He has the resolve to finish the job by bringing us to true repentance and faith in Christ.
Let's examine a few more parts of the vast ministry of the Spirit of God.
He spoke to people and to the churches.
TO PHILIP IN THE DESERT
ACTS 8:29
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
TO
PETER ON THE ROOFTOP
ACTS 10:19-20 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said
unto him, Behold, three men seek thee."
Arise
therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have
sent them.
TO THE ELDERS IN ANTIOCH
ACTS 13:2
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me
Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
TO THE 7 CHURCHES IN ASIA 7 times this expression is used in Revelation 2&3.
REVELATION 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree
of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
He can say "No" to us.
Twice in this text, the Spirit of God did not allow the apostles to go into a certain region with the Gospel.
ACTS 16:6-7 "Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and
the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word
in Asia,"
"After
they were come to Mysia , they assayed to go
into Bithynia
In this text, the Spirit of God speaks through other prophets and tells Paul that he should not travel to Jerusalem.
ACTS 21:1-4
And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had
launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day
following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara:
And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.
Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.
And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.
Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.
And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
He can say "Yes" to us.
In the first text, Peter has seen a vision from God telling him to go visit the home of a Gentile named Cornelius. Jews did not normally interact with Gentiles and Peter told the Lord that he has never associated with anything unclean.
ACTS 10:17-20 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which
he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had
made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,
And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
In the following text, the Spirit of God clearly told Peter what to do, with regard to going into a Gentile's home.
ACTS 11:12
And the Spirit bade me go with them,
nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered
into the man's house:
Points to Ponder....
- Have you been born again?
- Has the Spirit of God blown away all your arguments against becoming a Christian?
- Have you heeded the wind that is blowing into your heart?
- He speaks to us using the wonderful Word of God. Will we be listening?
- He will never lead anyone do do something that is contradicted by scripture.
- He has plans for us and as we seek His direction, He may say "Yes" or He may tell us "No" when we think we need to do a certain thing.
His ministry with the Word of God in our hearts is vital and necessary. Our posture must be one of submission and being sensitive to His calling and guiding for each of our lives. He will always use scripture. He will always elevate the Lord Jesus Christ. He will always be ready to guide and comfort the surrendered soul.
In our prayer lives, we must never cease praying for people, because we do not know what God's timetable is. I did not become born again until I was 31 years old. We must continue praying for people because we do not know how God is at work in people's lives. Just because we do not see immediate results, this does not mean that the Spirit of God is not at work in someone's heart.
In our prayer lives, we must never cease praying for people, because we do not know what God's timetable is. I did not become born again until I was 31 years old. We must continue praying for people because we do not know how God is at work in people's lives. Just because we do not see immediate results, this does not mean that the Spirit of God is not at work in someone's heart.
Bob
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