Sunday July 22, 2007

The Reviving Work of the Holy Spirit
Ezekiel 37:1-5, 9-14

I. Introduction

A Baptist preacher and his wife decided to get a new dog. Ever mindful of the congregation, they knew the dog must also be a Baptist. They visited kennel after kennel and explained their needs. Finally, they found a kennel whose owner assured them he had just the dog they wanted. The owner brought the dog to meet the pastor and his wife.

"Fetch the Bible" he commanded. The dog bounded to the bookshelf, scrutinized the books, located the Bible, and brought it to the owner.

"Now find Psalm 23," he commanded. The dog dropped the Bible to the floor, and showing marvelous dexterity with his paws, leafed through and finding the correct passage, pointed to it with his paw.

The pastor and his wife were very impressed and purchased the dog.

That evening, a group of church members came to visit. The pastor and his wife began to show off the dog, having him locate several Bible verses. The visitors were very impressed.

One man asked, "Can he do regular dog tricks, too?"

"I haven't tried yet," the pastor replied. He pointed his finger at the dog. "HEEL!" the pastor commanded. The dog immediately jumped on a chair, placed one paw on the pastor's forehead and began to howl.

The pastor looked at his wife in shock and said, "Good Lord! We've bought a Pentecostal dog!"

Over the last few weeks we have been looking at different symbols that the Bible associates with the Holy Spirit.

God has done this to give us a better understanding of who He is as He manifests Himself through the Holy Spirit.

It is also important to realize that this is not intended to be heady theological material, but I believe that when we understand who the Holy Spirit is we are better equipped to experience the power of the Holy Spirit in our day-to-day lives.

The first symbol we looked at was:

A. Water

The Holy Spirit as water speaks of the refreshing work of the Holy Spirit.

B. Fire

The second symbol was fire.
What is the significance of fire?

 1. Fire purifies.

 2. Fire helps us to see.

 3. Fire provides warmth.

This speaks to us of the refining work of the Holy Spirit.

II. Symbols of the Spirit

Today we are going to look at a third symbol and that is wind.

C. Wind

 1. Wind is uncontrollable.

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.” (John 3:8, NIV)

“All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.” (1 Corinthians 12:11, NRSV)

Not only is the Holy Spirit uncontrollable (which is why so many become uncomfortable when the Holy Spirit is working), but there are often serious consequences when we try to control the Holy Spirit.

Turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 8 verse 9.

 2. Wind is powerful.

“And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.” (Acts 2:2, NRSV)

“Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name—and his son's name? Tell me if you know!” (Proverbs 30:4, NLT)

 3. Wind is reviving.

Johnny Dean recounts the following about growing up in the South: In cotton country, in the summer, before air conditioning became something almost every home had. Several of those summers I spent working on my uncle's cotton farm, down in the Mississippi delta, just outside of my birthplace, Cleveland, Mississippi. It was hot work, hard work, bringing in a cotton crop. It still is, but technology has made it a lot easier than it was back then.

When the crop had been tended for another day, the weeds chopped from between the cotton plants, in the evening everyone would gather on the front porch. We would rock and talk and laugh in a futile attempt to escape the ever-present heat and humidity. And sometimes, on a really good day, the leaves of the trees would begin to rustle. And the conversation would die down, and everyone would just sit back and enjoy the summer breeze, the gift of the breeze. We didn't know where it came from. We didn't know where it was going. But we knew it was there, because we could feel it.

When is the last time you allowed yourself the time to simply enjoy the gift of the breeze?

I know that at times our services may go a little longer than some of you would like them to.

Sometimes that is due to the fact that we just try to squeeze too much into our times together – we don’t want to leave out someone’s testimony or the need to pray for one situation or another.

But one thing I can say for certain is that we do not want to rush through our times of worship because I believe that worship has the potential to be that front porch experience we lack in our culture today.

Worship and silence allow us to sit back and enjoy the reviving breeze of the Holy Spirit.

And as I have mentioned there is great power in the breeze, but now I am speaking of the power of God to revive the hearts of those considered spiritually dead. Listen again to Ezekiel’s description:

“Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'’ 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army. 11 Then he said to me: ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.'” (Ezekiel 37:9-14, NIV)

There may be some of you here today who feel like your soul is dried up and your hope is gone.

In verse two it is noted that the bones were very dry, like they were ready to crumble completely and be blown away
in the wind.

But God says that these bones can live.
This is what I would say to you who feel this way: Allow the Spirit of God to breathe afresh on you today and live!

III. Application

Sometimes I look at North Portland and I hear the Lord asking me, “Can these bones live?” (verse 3)

And like Ezekiel I face the temptation of truly wondering if they can. “Oh Lord God, you know.”

Can these bones that are dried up because of rampant drug and alcohol abuse live?

Can these bones that are dried up because of hopelessness, despair and loneliness live?

Can these bones that are dried up because of violence and abuse live?

Can these bones that are dried up because of inappropriate sexual behavior live?

Can these bones that are dried up because of broken marriages, broken families and broken dreams live?

Can these bones that are dried up because of our busyness live?

Oh God, can they live?

But do you want to know what I hear in the midst of my own feelings of being overwhelmed by the need I see all
around me?

This is what I hear: “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them…Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
(Ezekiel 37:4-6, NRSV)

And do you know what else I hear? I hear that as we believe together for these bones to live that God is going to take these dry bones and raise up a vast army! (verse 10)

The Holy Spirit is like the wind – uncontrollable, powerful and ready to revive.

You do not need to stay trapped in your bitterness, self pity, anger or whatever else it is that is sapping you of vitality
and life.

Instead of remaining in the hospital you can become a part of the vast army of God and allow the Spirit of God to work through you to breathe new life into others.

Today I encourage you to surrender control, stand in awe of God’s power, and allow the Holy Spirit to revive your soul.