Pneuma: The Wind

I Am Moved By The Wind

John 20:19–22 (ESV)

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

There are at least eight direct symbols of the Holy Spirit: Wind, Dove, Fire, Oil, Cloud, Water, Seal, and Wine.

Wind is more than a word picture—it’s foundational to understanding what it means to live life in the Spirit.

We see the Spirit as Wind in:

  • Creation – God breathes life into Adam (Genesis 2:7)
  • Resurrection – Jesus breathes life into His disciples (John 20:22)
  • Salvation – We are born again by the Spirit (John 3:8)
  • Pentecost – The Spirit comes like a mighty rushing wind (Acts 2:2)

We are meant to be people empowered by the Wind…and moved with the Wind.

We don’t control the wind.

We cooperate with it.

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (ESV)

QUESTION: “What if the thing holding you back isn’t a lack of effort—but a lack of wind?”

Talk about Learning to Work With the Wind

Spirit Truth #1: Your Life Began in the Wind (Ruach)

Creation itself began with the Wind:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit (Ruach) of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:1–2, ESV)

Mankind, too, was brought to life by the Wind:

“Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath (neshamah) of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Genesis 2:7, ESV)

Man is born again by the Wind:

“She was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit (Pneuma Hagion).” (Matthew 1:18, ESV)

“He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:22, ESV)

Man is baptized by the Wind:

“Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind…” (Acts 2:2, ESV)

In Him we live and move and have our being! (Acts 17:28, ESV)

  • We are not sustained by willpower.
  • We are not sustained by effort.
  • We are sustained by breath.

Spiritual Truth #2: My Life Must Be Led by the Wind

“Walk by the Spirit (Pneuma), and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16, ESV)

At every moment, I am either: 

1. In My Head

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14, ESV)

The distance between the moment He speaks and the moment I act is the measure of my doubt.

2. In My Flesh

Discernment questions:

  • Am I being driven by fear, anger, or pride—or by love, peace, and humility?
  • Am I seeking to defend myself—or to glorify Christ?
  • Am I trying to control the outcome—or trusting the Spirit to lead?
  • Is my first impulse to retaliate—or to bless?
  • Am I choosing what’s comfortable—or what’s Christlike?
  • Am I magnifying the problem—or magnifying the Lord?
  • Would the Spirit be able to rest and remain on what I’m about to do or say?

The flesh reacts. The Spirit responds.

3. In the Spirit

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes…” (John 3:8, ESV)

The real question isn’t: “Is the Spirit speaking?” The real question is: “Am I positioned to hear and respond?”

Spiritual Truth #3: I Can Learn to Be Led by the Wind

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16–17, ESV)

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:26–27, ESV)

You have to stay up in your spirit.

“He Will Teach You”

“He Will Remind You”

“He Will Give You Peace”

Peace is proof you’re positioned right.

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