The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8 WEB
With these words, Christ explains to Nicodemus the mystery of rebirth in the Spirit of God. The Greek word “pneuma” means both “spirit” and “wind.” Jesus uses our natural understanding of the unseen force of the wind to explain the unseen force of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the spiritually reborn.
Wind, the air that surrounds us, is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God occupied the atmospheric space above the earth in the time of creation. As we read in Genesis 1:2, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. WEB”
The Breath of Life
In addition to the wind symbolizing the Spirit of God, it is also synonymous with the breath of life. Genesis 2:7 reads, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. KJV” In this, we understand the Spirit of God as the life-giving force of both mortal and eternal things.
Jesus’ words to Nicodemus explain how submission to the unseen spiritual force of God is necessary for entry into the kingdom of heaven. To enter into God’s holy kingdom, a person must die to the flesh and sin. In turn, the repentant individual experiences rebirth in the Spirit, devoting themselves to God in submission to his word and will. As unseen forces drive the wind, the Spirit of God leads everyone born of the Spirit into the kingdom of heaven.
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for the truth recorded in your holy scripture. Thank you for the teaching of Jesus Christ. Help me to overcome temptation. Guide me to do your will all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: In God’s Image
