There are life changing principles for disciples of Jesus seen in the Gospel of John. Understand that these principles by necessity begin with being born again or receiving Christ.
John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”
Every other principle works because the power to make it works comes from the Holy Spirit residing in the believers in Jesus.
Are you willing to move with God’s Spirit? Place this question in the context of John 3:7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” These words of Jesus fundamentally connect receiving Christ and walking with Him. No one comes to Christ without being drawn, and God wants it to be common for the wind of Heaven to blow on everyone that has been drawn.
So are you an ostrich or an eagle? The ostrich can run in bursts up to 43 miles per hour and has wings, but it can’t fly. An eagle flies high in the sky and sees far distances while taking advantage of various available air currents. If an ostrich is flying it’s probably in a hurricane. If in eagle is flying it is healthy. John has already told us everyone that is born of the Spirit is moveable by the winds of Heaven. Is that you? Do you want that to be you? It is what we are all made for. John reminds us this kind of wind is common for believers in Jesus. Paul instructs us in Colosians 2:6-7, we walk in virtually the same manner we received Christ. Perhaps you have some ostrich tendencies? Perhaps you seldom get off the ground.
A few years ago we had a neighbor in the last stage of life dying with prostate cancer. One afternoon “the wind of Heaven” blew us over to their home, and we were so blessed to be able to pray with Him to receive Christ. A few days later He was with the Lord. One way to improve at being responsive to God’s Spirit is Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Let’s believe God is moving and move with Him! The John 5 healing at the Pool of Bethesda can be explained simply as Jesus waiting on His Father, then being moved by the Spirit to the Pool of Bethesda to find a man that had been lame for thirty eight years. Let’s welcome Him to move us in a fresh way today.
– Pastor Paul
“Ostrich” by Georgia Popplewell is licensed under CC BY 2.0