Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:5-8 (NIV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 (NIV)
Jesus spoke of the Spirit of God being like the wind. The fulfillment of that Spiritual Wind came on Pentecost. The sound of the rushing of a mighty wind in Jerusalem drew people from all over Europe and Northern Africa to hear the message of the gospel. The tongues of spiritual fire settled on the believers, filling them with the power of the Holy Spirit just as Jesus said, “Wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes and empowers you.”
Men and women all over the globe continue to be filled with the Spirit’s power. They are driven by the mighty Wind of the Spirit to share the gospel.
Forty years ago, I was driven by the Spirit of God to become a missionary in Mexico. Since that time I have witnessed God’s same powerful movement in the hearts of His evangelists. They just can’t help but share the gospel. They go to their neighbors, friends, relatives, their birthplaces and the villages where they used to live to bring the best news anyone could hear. They can’t stop doing it.
The apostle Paul and his disciples couldn’t either. Paul was out persecuting new believers when he was knocked off his horse, spoken to by Jesus, and stricken with blindness. His first response to this conversion experience was to preach about Jesus. He and his followers were chased, jailed, stoned, whipped, and tortured, but they just couldn’t stop sharing the best news they had ever heard: Jesus died; Jesus rose; Jesus saves; Jesus is Lord; Jesus is coming. They were blown by the Wind to the farthest reaches of the world. They were sent and empowered by the Spirit. They were counseled and advised by the Spirit and were compelled by this same Spirit to proclaim the Good News. They couldn’t do otherwise - neither can you nor I.
Prayer:Heavenly Father, send Your Spirit on us like You did at Pentecost. We come to You through the blood of Jesus, Your Son. Amen.
