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Holy Spirit

Greg and Susan Williams
Greg and Susan Williams

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

Have you ever experienced the power of the wind? My most vivid memory was living in Fayetteville, NC, when the outer bands of Hurricane Fran blew 80 mph gusts through the wooded acre of my backyard. The combination of the high-pitched whistling sounds and the cracking of limbs as they broke and fell was unnerving, to say the least.

Wind is a common theme in the Bible. It has been compared to the breath of God in Genesis, to the length of life in Psalms, and to the Holy Spirit. We see Jesus referring to the wind in his conversation with Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel and a Pharisee. He was talking to Nicodemus about being born again when he said:

The wind blows where 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 3:8

Jesus is reminding Nicodemus that just as you cannot see the wind or know it is there, except by what it does — rustling the trees, blowing the dust around, wreaking havoc in your backyard — you cannot see any outward signs in those who are born again. But you can tell who is born from above by the fruit produced in their life. Just as the invisible power of the wind accomplishes things that can be seen, the invisible power of the Holy Spirit works in converted Christians producing fruit like love, joy, patience, and kindness.

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14 thoughts on “Holy Spirit”

  1. Amen! Thanks for this inspiring and comforting reminder. We can trust what the Holy Spirit is doing in and through GCI and us individuals.

  2. Amen! So true! Phil. 2:13 “for it is God Who works in you both to will and do His Good Pleasure!” He does this by the Spirit of Christ in us. It’s the Mystery of the Ages that Paul wrote about! Thanks for sharing this wonderful article about the Holy Spirit!

  3. You reminded me of a song by Michael Frye titled ‘Be The Centre’ it’s about Jesus being “the wind in these sails…the reason that I live…Jesus. Jesus”.

  4. This is a very helpful article, thank you. A great reminder for me that the outcome that I desire and seek, in fact, “does not depend on human will or exertion” but on God alone, working in me “everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ!” I needed to hear this today.

  5. “Will God ever ask you to do something you are not able to do? The answer is yes–all the time! It must be that way, for God’s glory and kingdom. If we function according to our ability alone, we get the glory; if we function according to the power of the Spirit within us, God gets the glory. He wants to reveal Himself to a watching world.” ― Henry Blackaby, Experiencing the Spirit: The Power of Pentecost Every Day

  6. Thank you for this insightful message; when one has grown children who have strayed from the truth, it is a good reminder that our efforts to bring them back are clumsy at best, and certainly can interfere with the perfect work of the Holy Spirit. Thank God that this delicate work is not down to us!
    Sylvia Clegg

  7. This post made my soul smile and sing! Thank you Greg for being so aware and witnessing the Living power that is very much present around us. As we recognize it, acknowledge it and live in it, it grows and blesses hearts we don’t even know about. Very thankful the Spirit lead you to writing this post and looking forward to seeing where it leads others.

  8. Thank you, Greg!
    I just returned from visiting my daughter and granddaughter and her two children (my great
    grand children). The experience of seeing how the Holy Spirit is transforming my daughter and granddaughter was amazing! Your Pentecost Article was assuring to me that The Triune God is helping me to show God’s Love and transforming power to my family! To God be all the glory!!

  9. Hi Team,
    Thanks from way down under in NZ Greg, we enjoy your shared understanding, not easy explaining about the very Spirit of God, revealed to you by the very thing you are explaining, this is so neat.

  10. Thank you for your leadership!
    We can see and feel the Holy Spirit moving in our churches.

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