John 7
37 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.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (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.)
Ezekiel 47
1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the upper gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this?
The Bible is marvelous in describing revival. Where there is no revival there is death.
God loves the first love. Some in their first love do strange things in their enthusiasm, but God loves even that. We can be decent, dignified but dead. Such are many for they never do anything out of step but they are spiritually dead.
In the beginning of the revival of Kwasizabantu God spoke to us from the text, “he who believes in Me as the Scripture says, out if his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
Jesus also said, “if anyone is thirsty let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). If you’re not thirsty, you’ll also not receive anything.
Do you thirst for God?
The Greek word used for Jesus crying out is, “krazo”, the same word Jesus used when He cried out on the cross when He was dying. He said these words on the last day of the feast like a dying man.
The priests and pharisees had been planning to kill Jesus, but Jesus could not contain Himself and on the last day of the feast He came out into the open to proclaim these words of “living water”.
What was Jesus referring to when He spoke of these rivers of Living Water? We find it in this text in Ezekiel.
Ezekiel knew the measurements of the temple. To the east he noted a river flowing from under the threshold of the temple. At first it was shallow but then it got deeper and deeper. Eventually it was too deep and he could only swim it.
The temple is made up of God’s people. You are God’s temple. The text says that this water came from under the altar, the most holy place. This river flows from God Himself. In other words, you need the Lord in your life. Then the water will flow from Him and get deeper and deeper.
That Living Water brought life wherever it went. These waters were perennial and never stopped, even in times of drought. There werer life-giving trees established on both sides of this living stream. The trees bore all types of fruit, and the leaves had special medicinal properties for the healing of the nations.
Jesus didn’t refer to one stream, He referred to many rivers. Are there rivers of Living Waters flowing from you? Is the desert turned into a garden bearing sweet fruit and bringing life to all those around it?
Are you spiritually alive? If not, the Holy Spirit is not working in your life. Don’t glibly say you’re a Christian. If there’s no life, perhaps Jesus is not in your life.
We’re already in June of this year. These past few months, how many have been touched and changed for the Lord in your life? If none, you’re not a Christian but a hypocrite.
If God is in you He is not silent but at work and others will receive life from you.
Jesus was referring to Himself when He spoke of this Living Water that will flow from those who believe in Him.
In the book of Revelation it says that there are those who have a name of being alive but are dead (Rev 3:1).
Those with whom you stay and live, do they find these Living Waters in you, the perennial fruit of life of the Holy Spirit. Revival means that the living waters flow all the time.
In Galatians we read of these fruits: love, joy, peace, long suffering, etc. (Gal 5:22-23) Do you know these fruit and are they in your life? Do you have this love, to love your enemy? The love of the world is a love where they love those who are like them in their sin. But God’s Agape love means that you love your enemies and do good to those that curse you and spitefully abuse you. Go and read 1Corinthians 13 to understand what God’s love is all about.
Some fruit is high in the tree and when stones are thrown into the tree it doesn’t throw stones back but drops the fruit. That is what Holy Spirit love is all about.
Do you know the joy of the Holy Spirit, always present, no matter what your circumstances might be? When it is not there, there is something wrong with you, not with the next person.
When the peace of God comes to an end in your life, the problem lies with you. When peace is gone you should ask youself where you have given room to the devil.
Go through each one of the fruit of the Spirit and test yourself.
The Bible refers to the Cedar Tree whose roots go down deep so that even in drought it is still green and gives shade.
Jesus, while hanging on the cross still prayed for His enemies, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. (Luke 23:34)
If you find that you do not believe as the Scripture says, then believe today and look to Jesus for salvation. Let Him into your heart for it is from Him that the living waters will flow.
The sign that the Holy Spirit has come is not with signs and wonders and noise and confusion but the flowing of the life giving water.