The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”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.”The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
4 sermons cite this verse
He introduces Nick at night to an unseen force. 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. Jesus could use any metaphor to describe the spirit he could have called the spirit a wave he could have called the spirit a comet he could have called the spirit a beluga whale he had in a universe of metaphors but which one did he choose the wind the holy spirit is like wind. There's a writer, a Dutch theologian, his name is Abraham Kuper, K-Y-U-P-E-R, and he dedicated much of his career to the study of the Holy Spirit. His book is about a thousand pages long. It's a bit dense, but it's good. It's rich. In the first chapter, and the chapter is entitled careful treatment required when it comes to the Holy Spirit. He's got this paragraph. Again, this is not from the Bible. It's a teacher, Abraham Cooper. I think I misspelled his name. …
In other words, I'm in two dimensions. Father, we thank you so much for your word. It is a lamp unto our feet. It is a light unto our path. Hallelujah. In the beginning was the word, and the word was you, and the word was with you, and all things that will be made will be made, therefore, by your word. And even as your word became flesh and dwelt among us, I thank you, God, that this word will become flesh and move throughout the hearts and the minds of your sons and daughters present and watching. And God, in alignment and agreement with that, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight. I thank you that you've given me the spirit of wisdom and revelation and insight and knowledge and prophecy and full access to heaven's resources, is full access to the throne room, God, that I might not simply be standing in front of your people, but that I might be like Elijah who said, Jehovah before whom I stand. So may I stand in two dimensions and release your word that will edify, build up, enlighten, activate, heal, and do all the wonderful things that takes place when your word is released. We claim victory today. …
… That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear it 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. You believe if you believe because you were born again. And you had as much control over your second birth as you did over your first. God chose you and he gave you new birth. From beginning to end, you are a child of sovereign grace. but Jesus says to the angry mob in front of him, my father hasn't given you to me. And so you are not among my sheep. And that's why you don't believe. you hate me because the father you claim to know and worship hasn't chosen you. He hasn't given you sheep ears yet to hear my voice. …
… And flesh of that sort is powerless to enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. And unless you were born of the Spirit of the living God, whatever you do in your flesh will avail nothing towards entering into the kingdom of God. And so now Jesus says to Nicodemus, do not marvel. Don't be surprised. Don't be astonished that I just said this to you, that I just said categorically that nobody's going to enter the kingdom unless they're born of the water and of the Spirit. Unless you're born from above, you're not going to make it. Why are you surprised, Nicodemus? The wind blows where it wishes, you hear the sound of it, can't tell where it comes, where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. Here He's making a play on the word pneuma in the Greek. It means the same thing as the word ruah in Hebrew. It can mean wind or breath or spirit. …