John 3:8

"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."

John 3:8

Have you ever been outside, or even looked outside, and seen the trees or the leaves moving? Hopefully

it didn’t startle you and cause you to think, “What is going on!? Are these things going to attack!?” It would

be silly, wouldn’t it? This is because we know that it is not the trees or the leaves doing this of their own

accord. In fact, if we do see things in places doing things of their own accord where they typically don’t,

we generally tend to have a moment of panic. I am no fan of doors or toys randomly moving out of the

blue, especially in the middle of the night.

What Jesus is saying in this verse is that those who are born again are evidenced by signs of life, signs of

the Holy Spirit being in them. Just as the leaves don’t move by themselves outside, so it is true that no

Christian is self-automated; we are alive because of Jesus and we show signs of spiritual life because of

the Holy Spirit within us. Yes, we must believe in the Gospel, but on the flip-side of that coin is the mighty

work of God which must never be dismissed. All too often, I have seen too many people over the years

placing so much weight on presentation and performance to the point of mindless manipulation, but God

is in no need of any help in doing what only He can do.

If we’re going to be braver than lions in serving God, we need to know where true change comes from. I

am a firm believer that any time we see someone get saved or transform in their walk with Christ, it is

never anything less than a modern-day miracle. Why? Because spiritual life is not a matter of logic;

spiritual life isn’t a matter of legalistic hyper-morality; spiritual life is a work of God in the heart of an

individual, and while they are the “tree blowing in the wind,” they are not the wind.

I would encourage you to resolve in your heart that all God calls you to do, in whatever place and

whatever capacity, that you keep in mind that nobody’s going to change, or listen, or resonate with the

truth of His word unless God moves upon them and within them. As a person who has served in various

ministries over the years, few truths gave me more hope for serving Him than knowing that while I could

do everything in my power to preach and teach biblical truths, only God could convict and convince

people’s hearts, and if He wasn’t doing it, it wasn’t happening. Are you trying too hard to see change in

others or even yourself without resting in God’s power? Please go back to Him today in doing that if that’s

not the case already.

Avail yourself to God today, let His necessary work through His word and the Holy Spirit give you courage

to continue living and serving, and in Jesus’ power, may you be braver than lions.

Sam Stringer

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.