Chasing The Wind
On the day of Pentecost, 120 believers were gathered together in the upper room when a roar was heard and a mighty, rushing wind filled the place. This was the dramatic entrance of the Holy Spirit. Tongues of fires rested on each one as they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. The believers were exuberant. A few days before, they were afraid to venture out into the streets, but now a new boldness had filled their hearts. As they openly praised the Lord, a crowd gathered. The tongues they were speaking in praise to God were being understood in numerous, native languages of those present. Some mistook them to be drunk, for this was really an extraordinary event. Peter stood up with the other eleven apostles and began to preach. That day revival broke out in Jerusalem and the Church was born. That first day 3000 were converted and baptized. Soon the number of believers swelled in Jerusalem as the Holy Spirit was being poured out.
Revival is an exciting experience. It is when the Holy Spirit does in a moment what human effort tries to do in a lifetime. Hard hearts are broken, sinful man repents, loves dissolves bitterness, miracles happen and demons flee. When the Holy Spirit is moving, the Church grows at a phenomenal rate. Though revival should be the norm, it is most often sporadic and seasonal. The Church around the world hungers for revival. When news goes out of the Holy Spirit moving in any given place, believers travel from all over the world to get in on the experience. This is what happened in the Azusa Street Revival of 1906. Over 50,000 people from many countries traveled to Pasadena, California to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The same happened in Wales in 1904, Amherst College in 1970, Toronto in the 1980s, Pensacola, Florida in the 1990s and so many more.
Wind is a metaphor for the Holy Spirit. Jesus told Nicodemus that just as the wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, you do not know from where it comes or where it will go. When John the Baptist was being used by the Holy Spirit he was like, “a reed shaken by the wind” (Mat. 11.7), and people flocked out to the desert to see what was happening. The moving of the Holy Spirit always draws a crowd. There is a hunger for the super natural and people will interrupt their daily lives to go chase the wind. In doing so some receive, others do not and even some are led off the track and deceived.
The Holy Spirit is to be invited into your life. Jesus said to Nicodemus that those who were born of the Spirit were those who were moved by this Wind. In all of the revivals throughout the history of the Church, people were gathered together praying and praising the Lord. Their hearts were united as they lifted up the Lord from their hearts and the Holy Spirit was poured out. He responded to prayers and desires of the people of God. Jesus even warned his disciples not to go after everyone who says that Christ is here or Christ is there, (Mat. 24.23-27). His admonition was for the Church to gather together and seek the Lord in prayer. We are to be the Church that He will fill and empower. Instead of chasing the wind, let us open our sails and He will fill us anew.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Ecc. 1.14-17; Eph. 4.14; John 3.8; Mat. 24.23-27; Acts 2.1-4; Psalms 145.4-6