A fresh wind blows
IAN JOHNSON
Shavuot ("weeks") or Pentecost is one of three Pilgrim Festivals in the Jewish calendar. It falls on the sixth day of Sivan beginning at sunset the night before Shavuot is also known as the Feast of Weeks because it occurs seven weeks after the first day of Passover. Originally, Shavuot was a time of bringing the first fruits of harvest to Jerusalem as a show of thanks There are several things that have happened on the feast of Pentecost.
Ruth & Naomi arrived back in the Land of Israel at Shavout. There are many types in the book of Ruth but briefly the story is a picture of the Gospel history. Naomi a Jew leads Ruth a Gentile to the Lord of the Harvest, and she is grafted into the kings family line (David was her Great Grandson) See Romans 11.
Also on the feast of Shavuot, the 120 experienced the mighty rushing wind from Heaven.
ACTS 2 On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus’ resurrection,* the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,* as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. 5 Godly Jews from many nations were living in Jerusalem at that time. 6 When they heard this sound, they came running to see what it was all about, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. 7 They were beside themselves with wonder. "How can this be?" they exclaimed. "These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking the languages of the lands where we were born! 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya toward Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), 11 Cretans, and Arabians. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!" 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. "What can this mean?" they asked each other.
Today I want to concentrate on the wind! Because just as at Pentecost, there was a mighty sound of Wind from heaven that brought Life, and first fruits of the Church. So I believe that the wind is blowing again this Shavuot!
The wind in the Book of Acts signified the birth of the Church. It empowered the 120 and by night fall had added at least 3000 to their ranks. From 120 to 3120 in 24 hours now that’s Church growth. Peter didn’t have time to conduct Church growth seminars as a result of this wind, He just moved in demonstrations of Power and Glory. That’s how the Church was born and that was the pattern laid down by the Apostles! Power & Glory.
Today I want to concentrate on the Wind: There is a wind of Glory blowing now can you hear it?
For anyone brought up in the Jeswish tradition it is natural to compare the Spirit with the wind. The Hebrew word Ruach can mean
1) Wind: The desert wind common in Judea as a violet and strong shaking wind.
2) Breath: The existence of life
3) Spirit of God – The power of God that sweeps across generations and bursts into history In Hebrew "Rauch Ha Kodesh!"
Jesus gave us a clue about the Holy Spirit and Wind in his night time meeting with Nicodemus.
John 3:8 Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit."
Consider the wind Jesus said.
As a farmer I used to experience all sorts of wind conditions. A) A swirling wind when stoking a fire you never knew which way the wind would go and usually end up with smoke in your face.
B) Storm blasts powering in from the sea bending branches this way and that
c) Light Zephyers gentle yet unpredictable
d) Gusting winds
e) Warm breeze on a summer night
Jesus picked a great illustration that night when talking to Nicodemus. "Where is it coming from? Where does it go? "The wind blows"—this affirms the ceaseless action of the Holy Spirit.
There has never been a time when the Holy Spirit has not been active in history
The first page of the bible Gen 1. "The Spirit moved over the face of the deep" Last page: "The Spirit and the bride say come"
The Holy Spirit) burst into history like the sound of mighty rushing wing (Acts 2)
He has never stopped blowing!
H.G.Wells in his book "mind at the end of its tether" said "Man is played out! The world is jaded and devoid of recuperative power" Some may feel like this about ourselves or indeed about the church
But Listen to the wind! The Holy spirit is still moving in creativity and will until the end of time. HG Wells may not have seen any hope but we can be full of hope because of the ceaseless wind!
The wind is blowing again! Can you hear it? Heaven is again open over many areas of the World. We are called from Glory to Glory!
2)"The wind blows where it wills"
Key: The Holy Spirit is sovereign He will not be controlled, we cannot dictate to the wind – nor can we to the Holy Spirit.
The Religious spirit wants order Nice safe services –God only works this way they say— He will not be controlled Therefore the religious spirit hates anything to do with Holy Spirit. It has always been that way! Rahab--- Nazareth— Jesus healing on the Sabbath John Wesley in the Streets Gold and silver falling in services Angelic appearances heralding His Glory Visions of heaven
The Religious hate such things because they cannot control it! The wind blows where it wills!
In 1979 I was living in a town called Te Aroha in New Zealand, We had a wind storm which destroyed many homes- one gust was so strong that it wound the wind meter off the scale (over 200 MPH) no one believed their home would be damaged when they built them but that night over 50 homes were destroyed who could predict such a wind? Where did it come from? Where did it go?
The Holy Spirit comes in much more power than this! Breaks down barriers Destroy strongholds Blast away sin Brings signs and wonders and things never seen Opens windows of Glory Shatters preconceived ideas Removes the smoke and haze over the earth so we see heaven! Come Holy Spirit come.
4) "The wind blows and you hear the sound:" When the wind blows you don’t need a university degree to discover it. You feel its action. It makes its presence felt. So it is with the Holy Spirit. When He stirs the church or an individual or a community there is always evidence of his working you feel his action! This is what brough Nicodemus to Jesus in the first place "Something was up!"
5) "You hear the sound but you don’t know where it comes from!" all great moves of the Spirit, where did they come from? Wesley Moody Wales Azuza street They just hit human history, There is an element of prayer and desperation in all these moves, but hte one common factor is that no one could predict when the revival would hit it just came and changed nations! The wind is blowing which way tomorrow! The key is to walk with Him.
A VISION OF WALKING AGAINST THE WIND
Many years ago the Lord gave me a vision of a man walking against the wind! So strong that He took 2 steps forward and 3 back. The man then turned and walked with the wind. It was so much easier. SO it is when we walk in the Spirit and not the flesh!
And so the shadows fall apart
And so the west wind plays
And all the windows of my heart I open to thee this day!
Blow Holy Spirit blow: bring revival to the hearts of your people. Break down the barriers of religion and establish your throne in your house! Blow Holy Spirit blow Surprise us with your ways shatter the false and restore the truth blow Holy Sprit blow! BRING GLORY to this world. Let a glory wind blow across the nations!
This Shavuot expect a sudden wind from heaven, expect His glory to burst forth into the earth once again. Remember in Acts 2 the 120 were seeking the Lord in desperation! Its time to bow before Him this weekend in desperation for a fresh wind! A wind of Glory
Ian Johnson
www.papelim.org.nz
