Rooster on a Weathervane

What exactly is a weathervane, and what is a rooster on a weathervane?

A weather vane is an instrument used to show the direction the wind is blowing. It is one of the simplest weather instruments ever created, and it has been used since ancient times. The weather vane is made up of a tail and arrow, and on top of these weathervanes would usually be a sculpture of a rooster, so you’ll see this arrow and on top of that a rooster. A weathervane with a rooster is a common sight and one of the oldest symbols adorning rooftops everywhere. No matter where you live or where you’ve travelled, a weathervane adorned with a rooster is a common sight; they can be found on barns, steeples, and rooftops. But why a rooster? The answer to that question dates back more than a thousand years, perhaps even longer.

Originally, people tied strings or cloth to the tops of buildings so that they could see which way the wind was blowing. Later, banners became a popular ornament, and that’s where we get the “vane” in weathervane, an Old English word that meant “banner” or “flag.” Before too long, weathervanes, like the one atop the Tower of the Winds, spread throughout Europe, featuring prominently on top of towers and church steeples. They had a variety of different adornments—often a cross or an image of a patron saint, if the weathervane was on a church or cathedral—but they all served the same purpose, which was to turn and point in the direction of the wind. As early Christianity spread throughout Europe during the 5th century, so did their associations with a rooster weathervane, which was believed to be a messenger between Heaven and Earth. The rooster was a symbol of fearlessness in battle and Christian devotion. Roosters are useful as wind vanes because their tail is the perfect shape to catch the wind. Symbolically, the rooster is the first to see the rising sun and announce the day. It represents the victory of light over darkness while warding off evil.

The rooster sits on the weathervane and is directed by the wind. We need to be like the rooster that will sit on that arrow and allow the wind of God or the breath of God to point us in whatever direction, and in order to do so, we need to be completely emptied of ourselves. If not, we will just go wherever the wind blows, move without planning or thinking, be easily swayed, and be tossed to and fro. It is different when we allow the wind of God to direct us and move us.

Let’s look at instances in the bible where The Holy Spirit is Described As The Wind:

Acts 2:2, NKJV | And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

Ezekiel 37: 9 - 14, NKJV | 9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the [a]breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’ ” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and [b]breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’ ”

John 3:8, NKJV | 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 20:22, NKJV | 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

• The Holy Spirit, as described in the Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek, is a powerful force that can be seen in the way leaves are blown and tree branches bend and break. Jesus likens the Holy Spirit to a wind, a vital force in creation, and emphasises that it has a will, which is a key aspect of a person's personality. The Spirit also gives life to the spiritually dead, demonstrating its power as the life-giving force of creation. The story of Pentecost, which begins at Pentecost, represents the power of God's Holy Spirit and the beginning of a new era, where the Spirit breathes new life into the spiritually dead, encouraging them to follow the risen Lord Jesus.

• The book of Acts opens with three prominent symbols that characterize the ministry of the Holy Spirit throughout the church's age. These symbols include the mighty rushing wind, the tongues as of fire, and the proclamation of various languages, the gift of tongues. The tongues symbolize the proclamation of the truth in various languages, beginning on the Day of Pentecost with the Apostle Peter. This truth was proclaimed by Peter, John, Stephen, Philip, and laymen of the church, gradually spreading to other parts of the world. Fire symbolizes the judging and purifying by the Holy Spirit within the church, keeping it honest and available. The Spirit works as fire in the story of Ananias and Sapphira, where God judged the hypocrisy and sham of an empty Christian life.

• The wind of the Spirit represents the Holy Spirit's sovereign direction and right to direct the church's activities. Jesus said in John's gospel that the wind blows wherever it wills, and one cannot predict its direction or origin. This is a powerful symbol of the Holy Spirit's sovereign direction, as seen in Acts 8:25, where Peter and John are on their way back from Samaria to Jerusalem. The wind symbolizes the Holy Spirit's ability to go wherever it wills, and it is a powerful symbol of the Holy Spirit's power and direction.

Acts 8:25, NKJV | 25 So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

• The text explains that Christians, including Peter and John, testified in Samaria, sharing their experiences and God's work with them. While some may view a testimony as an opportunity to dictate actions, it is actually a reflection of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ

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• The Bible describes three normal activities of Christian witness: prophesying, testifying, and evangelizing. These activities are normal but are empowered by the Holy Spirit. The apostles spoke the word of the Lord, which is now incorporated into the Scriptures. They then returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel, demonstrating that they are directed by God and are not particularly unusual.

Acts 8:26-27a, NKJV | 26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is [a]desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,

• Philip experienced an angel's appearance, and the Bible confirms that God still works through angels today. According to Hebrews1:1-14, angels are "ministering spirits sent forth to serve those who shall be heirs of salvation." All of us are affected by angels' ministry, but we may not see them. This difference between early church days and the present is the difference between the early days of the church and the present. There have been well-documented experiences and incidences of the appearance of angels recorded in church history beyond the New Testament period. Many missionaries and others can still tell us stories of this, so it has not ceased. And I believe that, as we draw nearer to the days of the return of Jesus Christ, we may well expect to see a greater return of angelic manifestation.

• But, at any rate, here is an unexpected agency through which the Holy Spirit works. An angel appears to Philip and gives him an unexplained command to go south and take the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza. He could not have picked an emptier stretch of road. It is desert road, as the account tells us. There are no cities or villages enroute, nothing. The wonderful thing to me is the beautiful way in which Philip obeyed this command of the angel. He did not say, "Well, I'll have to pray about this." He did not say to himself, "Well, I wonder if this is a call to a larger field of service," (which is another way of saying a church with a larger salary). He just went, and that is all. Just like that rooster on the weathervane. He left the awakening that was going on at Samaria, with its demands for training and teaching. He arose and went down to a desert road.

• The Holy Spirit, often referred to as the "wind of God," is a sovereign blowing that leads to adventure. Verses 25 and 26 depict Spirit-filled activity, as Peter and John testified, prophesied, and evangelized, while Philip was sent by an angel to a desert place. Both examples demonstrate the Holy Spirit's role in guiding individuals in their Spirit-filled life..

• In today's world, it is important to recognize that the Holy Spirit can lead in various ways, not just dramatic situations. While the Holy Spirit does lead in dramatic ways and presents unusual circumstances, we must not limit God to our own perceptions. He can also lead through the ordinary and usual, which can be effective in guiding us. Therefore, we must not limit God to our own thinking and understanding, and instead, recognize that God can lead through various means.

• The church is suffering due to its predictable nature, with bulletins issued each Sunday instructing the Holy Spirit to follow a program. While there is a place for the ordinary, there must also be a place for the unpredictable character of God, the sovereign, vital, and fresh ministry of the Holy Spirit. This is why our services are flexible, as we do not know what God will do, but he is free to move in and change it as he will. To move in this way, we need to be completely to Him and emptied out of "US."

• Christians often dig channels for the flowing of the river of God, lining them with concrete and inviting the Spirit to flow through. However, this often results in only a trickle of water, while the Spirit's power flows out through mud flats, where we don't believe it belongs. This can lead to disappointment and confusion in our relationship with God.

• God's teachings are being exemplified by this account, which highlights the creative strategy of the Holy Spirit. This freedom allows the Holy Spirit to intervene, disrupt, shake, and override programs, allowing for new ideas and changes. The church has suffered by limiting this freedom, as it has been too organized to allow the Spirit to move.

• The Holy Spirit cannot be scheduled, as it is not like a weather forecast. It must move beyond our plans, often aligning with what has become the norm. The beauty of Christian life is the freedom that God has to break through and change our schedule. It is essential to allow for and be open to divine disruptions, as they are not something we can control.

• That is what can happen in the adventure of the Spirit-filled life, and this is what this account is given to us for. Both in the usual, and in the unusual, you have the Spirit of God at work. Philip, who had been the recipient of God's grace, finding this unusual experience occurring, saw how God had put it all together. I frequently have had that experience. But it takes a lot of stretching, goes against all logic- and nobody is prescribing that you do not be wise OK- you need to of course exercise wisdom in all things. When Philip got to Azotus he did not expect to have another dramatic leading like this. He began where he was and started preaching right up the coast till he came to Caesarea. That is the adventure of the Spirit-filled life. It will have plenty of routine, plenty of the usual, plenty of the ordinary, in a sense. But that "ordinary" is all touched with the flame of heaven.

• In Christian life, there are moments when the extraordinary suddenly emerges from ordinary circumstances, allowing us to be caught up on the Holy Spirit's treadmill. This is the normal Christian life, where we are free to be used by God and expect him to intervene in unusual ways as well as through the ordinary. We should make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit to work in this way, if he chooses to do so, in our own lives. This experience should be the experience of all Christians, as they are free to be used by God in their lives.

• The art of listening to the Holy Spirit is crucial, as it serves as a spiritual wind. It can be a wake-up call when feeling frustrated with our actions or words. The Holy Spirit, like earthly winds, doesn't have a pattern and we can't predict where it will blow us. It's essential to listen to the Holy Spirit in us to navigate our spiritual journey.

John 3:7-8, NKJV | 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.”

• The wind of the spirit can be heard by being still and listening, and it is essential to declutter oneself of distractions, sin, confusion, and multiple voices in life. As a prophetic person, this is a challenge as God may show things ahead of time in the opposite way than expected. It is crucial to connect prophetic dots in the right way, as there are right and wrong ways to do it, and the wrong can lead to deceitful decisions. Interpretation is also important in navigating these challenges. Being still and listening can help us hear the wind of the spirit and make the right decisions.

• Jesus likened the Holy Spirit to a wind or breath, symbolizing its power as the life-giving force of creation. He emphasized that the Spirit gives life to spiritually dead people, and the wind/breath of God is coming to blow life to the dead places today. The story of Pentecost represents the awesome power of God's Holy Spirit and marks the beginning of a new era, where the Spirit breathes new life into the spiritually dead, moving them to follow the risen Lord Jesus.

How is the Holy Spirit blowing in your life today? Listen to the Spirit’s breathing and moving as he gives you opportunities to be a witness for Jesus.

Are you being blown away by the wind of God? Or are you being tossed to and fro?

• It is important to surrender to the Holy Spirit and living a surrendered life, similar to a rooster on a weathervane. We must be flexible and pliable to follow the direction of the wind of God, and to empty ourselves of our own thoughts, perceptions, and desires. Many of us are pioneers or in transition, and every point of transition requires holy ghost mind shifts to align with the Lord's direction and execute our next effectively. There is a Kairos time on us, and a wind is coming behind us to push us towards our next destination. Miracles will turn around impossible situations, but we must be positioned accordingly to catch this wind.

• The concept of convergence refers to the coming together of word and spirit, creating the supernatural power of God. This convergence aligns with the biblical principle of heaven and earth colliding, bringing the power zone of an open heaven and reaping divine revelation, insight, and strategies. However, to see the fulness of the culmination of this convergence, there is a divergence that needs to happen. This divergence involves separating from old ways, mindsets, approaches, and ways of doing things.

• Some people may not be able to take them from the old season to the new one, and there will need to be a culling away. Navigating in balance and wisdom is crucial to avoid being blown by winds not of the Lord. Some old assignments may have to be given up to fit in new ones.

• The wind of God is coming, and promises from years ago will be fulfilled in your life. As the word of God says, some tasks may require contending for, and the Lord will give you strength for it. However, it is important to distinguish between contending and striving. Strife should not be done in the flesh, as God is not in it. When the Lord says something is from Him, you must contend if necessary, and He will give you the strength and grace to overcome and see good fruit.

Prayer

God, we thank you for your sovereign ability to direct us in ways that we cannot predict. What a note of excitement this adds for us, Lord! What a glorious sense of expectation becomes ours as we constantly wonder when you are going to break through and do the unusual once again in our lives. You move like this so frequently, Father. We thank you for it. We pray that this may be the experience of all of us here, so that others looking at us may be very well aware, as were men with Philip, that God is at work in our lives. God, I ask that you help us to align, empty ourselves, and be in total and complete submission to you—in complete obedience. Help us to move in love, honour, and integrity. Help us to understand that you are a God of order, and teach us how to resemble that. Help us learn the art of listening. Help us to be ready and aligned in order to catch the wind of the spirit that is coming; that is blowing...