Have Faith In Me And You Will Have Life-Giving Water Flowing From Deep Inside You
Living Waters
JOHN 7:37-39
“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
”John 7:37-39 KJV
Jesus words, “come and drink,” alluded to the theme of much scripture that talks about the Messiah’s life giving blessings (ISAIAH 12:2-3; 44:3-4; 58:11).
Jesus, by promising to send the Holy Spirit to all who believed (JOHN 14:15-18), was claiming to be the Messiah; something only the Messiah could do.
In John 4:10 Jesus used the term “living water” to indicate eternal life; but here in verse 38, he uses the term “to the Holy Spirit”. The two go together, for wherever the Holy Spirit is accepted, He brings eternal life.
The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of salvation (EPHESIANS 1:14; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:22), and without Him, one cannot be saved (1 CORINTHIANS 2:14).
The Holy Spirit empowered believers at Pentecost (ACTS 2), and is available to all that believe in Jesus Christ as our Saviour today.
Verses 37-39 is talking about a dramatic ceremony where people come each day with palm branches and marched around the altar.
A priest took a golden pitcher filled with water from the pool of Siloam, carried it to the temple, and poured it on the alter as an offering to God in memorial of the water that flowed from the rock when the Israelites traveled through the wilderness.
On the last day of the feast, the people would march around the alter in memory of the seven circuits around the walls of Jericho.
In contrast to the small amount of water poured out each day of the feast, there will be a river flowing out from the hearts of those who believe. Not only will they be satisfied, they themselves will also become a river for others to drink from, so that they too may be satisfied.
But in order for the living waters to flow, we must be right with God, actively serving, staying strong in God’s word and assembling regularly for worship and quality fellowship. It is not just speaking a godly life in faith, it is walking in it fully.
Right activity In the Spirit will keep the waters flowing, but sin, procrastination, and heaviness, will cause stagnation.
The Spirit when we commit sin, retreats from our flesh and silently awaits within our spirit for repentance. He convicts change from within in.
Therefore, sin opens doors into our flesh for the demonic to enter.
But James said, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
James 4:7-10 NKJV
The devil will always attack our emotions with lies to bring fear, heaviness, confusion, and division in family life, the workplace and in the congregation.
He is set on blocking the flow that washes unbelievers off their feet into the arms of the Father.
His purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy, but Christ came to give life, and that we may have it absolutely (JOHN 10:10).
My beloved, we humans are made up of spirit, soul, which is our mind will and emotions, and flesh.
When one is saved, the Holy Spirit joins to our spirit, and we become whole.
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Romans 8:16-17 NKJV
The Holy Spirit manifests through our soul to do good works through the flesh. He gives us the right desires, words and responses in daily life, and empowers us to do them.
We hear the Spirit from within the belly, it is a gut felt intuition from the Spirit, and out of our belly/ hearts flows living waters.
Therefore, “”Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV
We can choose to walk in the Spirit, or by the lust of our flesh which is often influenced by our emotions which were not designed for discernment.
Fear, panic, and worldly desires come from the flesh and will lead us into destruction.
But led by the Spirit, we produce good fruits, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13 NKJV
By our flesh, we are susceptible to the lies of the enemy, and Jesus is the only truth to be relied upon.
My beloved, His truth shall set you free (JOHN 8:31-32).
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Galatians 5:16-26 NKJV
My beloved, stay focused and obedient to Christ, for then, you shall produce good fruits, and like Peter, you shall walk on the stormy waters in your life. Furthermore, true to God’s Word, you shall not be tested more than you can stand, He will always make a way for you (1 CORINTHIANS 10:13).
And should the storm becomes too much, He is right their to take your hand, lead you to safety, and calm the storm (MATHEW 14:22-33).
God very clearly made not just a way of salvation, but He is with us all the way.
Therefore, like David, “I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, And I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, And shall sing of Your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works. All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, And Your saints shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power, To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. The Lord preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, And all flesh shall bless His holy name Forever and ever.”
Psalms 145:1-21 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
