“Living Waters from the River of Life”
John 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Holy Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would “flow” from within believers like “rivers of living water.”
Ezekiel 47:1-12
The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.... [3] As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. [4] He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. [5] He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in — a river that no one could cross. [6] He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. [7] When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. [8] He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Sea. When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh. [9] Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. [10] Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds — like the fish of the Great Sea. [11] But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. [12] Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
This is a river of life-giving water flowing from God’s altar into his temple.
-- Think of God’s temple as being us, his children. And if we believe in God and if we are rooted deep in God’s word the life giving water will flow from him or his altar, into us!
** The key verse (vs. 9) says: “Where the river flows everything will live”
-- Remember Jesus’ words comparing the Holy Spirit to “rivers of living water.”
In verses 3-5 it describes the depths of the river.
I believe that a person can take 5 approaches to this “living water”
1.A person can stay on the bank forever and never step into the living water. This results in the person never being saved. And never being able to enter into the Kingdom of God.
2.You can step into the living water ankle deep.(vs. 3) If a person steps into the living water ankle-deep, that person receives the initial presence within the Holy Spirit at Salvation; but it stops there, they don’t go any further.
3.Wade in knee-deep (vs.4) -- That person can minister as best as they can with the Holy Spirit in them from salvation, but without the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
4.If a person wades into the living water waist deep (vs.4); they will receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit and begin to feel the “flow” of the river.
5.A person can enter into the living waters that are over their head (vs.5), and they will o longer control things; the Holy Spirit is fully in charge.
When a person is baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, we are fully yielded and following the Spirit.
** Verse 9 “Where the river flows, everything will live” The river is God’s Spirit.
** Verse 8 “When it empties into the sea, the water there becomes fresh”. The sea in this case is a dead sea. The Dead Sea is stagnant, stale, and lifeless. But what is now stagnant, stale, and lifeless can be brought to fresh and vibrant life by the Holy Spirit!!!!
** (vs.9) “Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows.”
--As in the 3000 at Pentecost!!
---Acts 2:1, 41
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.”
“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”
---So “swarms” come to the Lord when the living water is flowing.
(vs.10) “Fisherman will stand along the shore”
-- Jesus wants us, the spirit filled people to be effective “fishers of men”.
(vs.10) “The fish will be of many kinds.”
-- We shouldn’t limit our vision. The living water can bring life to “many kinds” of people. This means non believers, people that worship other people….
(vs.11) “But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh.”
--This is a warning not to let our living waters get stale. We should keep our spiritual life alive, fresh, and vibrant!!
-- You may ask how to keep your living waters alive, fresh, and vibrant.
First of all we need to get rooted deep into the word of God. Times are getting hard. It is going to get to where our faith is going to be tested. But we have got to be an example to everyone. We need to let them see our light shine.
(vs.12) “Fruit trees of all kinds…will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them”
You may say how do I bear fruit??
1.Wade in the Holy Spirit’s waters over your head.
2.Yield yourself totally to God’s flow.
3.Let those waters flow to others.
4.“Where the river flows everything will live”
The Holy Spirit can flow from you as living waters, as a river of life, that brings the life-giving touch of God to those around you.
