NOTE: THESE ARE ROUGH UNFINISHED NOTES RELATED TO SPIRITUAL THIRST. THEY CONSIST OF QUOTES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL RELATED TO THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.
ARE YOU THIRSTY FOR LIVING WATER (Part 2) Living water in Hebrew is "Mayim hayim" Christ was the One Who led Israel through the wilderness (where Scripture repeatedly says there was "NO water" [Ex 15:22, 17:1, read Dt 8:15]. In other words Christ "the Rock" was the SOLE SOURCE!) and for 40 years provided living (fresh, running) water, Paul affirming that "all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual Rock which followed them; and the Rock was Christ." (1Cor 10:4). And so even as Israel had to daily drink of Christ's provision of living water in order to physically survive in the desert wilderness, so too believers need to drink daily from Christ in order to sustain spiritual life and have it abundantly (Jn 10:10). Am I experiencing abundant life in Christ? Am I daily drinking of His abundant provision of living water, for in Christ alone "is the fountain of life." (Ps 36:9) Am I thirsty like David, a man after God's own heart, who spoke to our great need in the spiritual wilderness of this godless world, crying "O God, You are my God (Hebrew = "El" = "my Mighty One, my Hero, my Strength"). I shall seek You earnestly (eagerly, early every morning!). My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns (faints) for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water… for You have been my Help and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to ("follows hard after") You. Your right hand upholds me." (Ps 63:1, 7-8) Notice that even in the desert, David's perceived his greatest need was not for physical water, but for spiritual water! As Matthew Henry says "When faith and hope are most in exercise, this world appears a weary desert, and the believer longs for the joys of heaven, of which he has some foretaste in the Word of God on earth."
Cup or Bucket - "Lord, I crawled across the barrenness to You with my empty cup, uncertain but asking any small drop of refreshment. If only I had known You better I’d have come running with a bucket." (Nancy Spiegelberg, Decision, November, 1974)
Thirsting, coming, drinking, believing, overflowing—the thirsting soul comes and receives and believes that it has received (Mk. 11:24). The overflowing is a natural—a supernatural—consequence—"shall flow." - Havner
Remember the Sprite commercial which had the tagline "Obey your Thirst?" Jesus is saying "Obey your spiritual thirst. Come and by faith drink of Me." No matter how much we drink from the wells of worldly wealth, fame and pleasure, we will only become more thirsty. The only real thirst quencher of our parched soul is Jesus The Giver of living water.
So the devout sons of Korah cry "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." (Ps 42:2).
Spurgeon commenting on Ps 42:2 observes that spiritual thirst "is more than hungering; hunger you can palliate, but thirst is awful, insatiable, clamorous, deadly. O to have the most intense craving after the highest good! Not merely for the temple and the ordinances, but for fellowship with God Himself (cp "Come to ME [JESUS]," in Jn 7:37). None but spiritual men can sympathize with this thirst for the living God. Because (Jesus) lives, and gives to men the living water; therefore we, with greater eagerness, desire Him. A dead god is a mere mockery; we loathe such a monstrous deity; but the ever living God, the perennial fountain of life and light and love, is our soul's desire. What are gold, honour, pleasure, but dead idols? May we never pant for these."
And David cries "O God, You are my God (Rich Mullins uses this phrase in his song "Sometimes by Step"); I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Ps 63:1)
Commenting on Ps 63:1, Spurgeon adds that "Thirst is an insatiable longing after that which is one of the most essential supports of life. There is no reasoning with it, no forgetting it, no despising it, no overcoming it by stoical indifference. Thirst will be heard; the whole man must yield to its power; even thus is it with that divine desire which the grace of God creates in regenerate men; only (Jesus) Himself can satisfy the craving of a soul really aroused by the Holy Spirit." Commenting on "a dry and thirsty land, where there is no water" he adds that "A weary place and a weary heart make the presence of (Jesus) the more desirable: if there be nothing below and nothing within to cheer, it is a thousand mercies that we may look up and find all we need (Heb 12:2, 1Pe 1:13, Col 3:1-2). How frequently have believers traversed in their experience this dry and thirsty land, where spiritual joys are things forgotten! And how truly can they testify that the only true necessity of that country is the near presence of their (beloved Jesus)! The absence of outward comforts can be borne with serenity when we walk with God; and the most lavish multiplication of them avails not when He withdraws. Only after God, therefore, let us pant. Let all desires be gathered into one. Seeking first the kingdom of God--all else shall be added unto us (Mt 6:33).
Nothing can quench our spiritual thirst but Jesus (Thus He says "come to ME!") The dirty wells of this world can never satisfy the deepest need of our soul, which can only be filled by Jesus.
Christ departed so that the Holy Spirit could be imparted.
Pritchard - Those who come to Christ find “living water” that satisfies the deep thirst within. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, that “living water” produces a new life that eventually bubbles to the surface (Ed: Cp Jn 4:14-note "a well of water springing up to eternal life") and becomes evident to others. Living water won’t become stagnant. It always produces a dynamic, abundant, exciting new life. Those who respond to the call receive the Holy Spirit as a permanent, indwelling, life-changing presence. To speak of “streams of living water” highlights four facts about the Spirit’s ministry in the believer: (1) He takes up residence within the “inner being.” (2) He “flows” with an inexhaustible supply. (3) He brings the life of God to the soul. (4) He satisfies the deep thirst inside every heart. Finally, this word picture also seems to imply a “flowing out” from inside the believer to the lives of those around him or her. As the “living water” flows from within, other thirsty people will wonder, “He (or she) used to be thirsty just like me. Where did all that water come from?" If we are dying in the desert, the most important thing in the world is a cup of cold water. Jesus promises more than a cup. He promises a never ending flow of clear, cool, clean living water. Streams without pollution. Rivers that will never run dry. The Holy Spirit brings the life of God to the thirsty soul. That’s what the Holy Spirit provides for us. He will fill our lives with living water. If we are thirsty, we are invited to take a drink and see for ourselves.Have you ever felt like spiritually “dry ground"? Have you ever felt “thirsty” for more of the Lord? Have you ever felt empty and needing to be filled? The Holy Spirit is God’s answer for our deep inner thirst. When He comes into our lives, He comes like a river rushing over dry ground. He pours out His blessings and our lives begin to blossom again. No one need stay “dry” or “empty” or “thirsty” forever. We weren’t made to live in a desert. God’s river called the Holy Spirit can flow through our lives, slaking our thirst, filling our emptiness, covering the arid ground with the water of life.
Blaise Pascal alluded to soul thirst asking “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.” (Pensées VII, p 425)
"If Any Man Thirst" - "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty." Isa. 44:3But who is thirsty? Casually wanting a drink of water is not thirsting. We know nothing of thirst, with water on tap at our elbows. When every pore cries, "water"; when lips swell; when every thought, hope and desire is concentrated in a fever for one cooling drink—that is thirst. Do we have such craving for fulness of the Spirit? Do we pant after God as the hart after the water brooks? We talk lightly about the need of more power. Five minutes later we have changed to some other subject; it is merely a topic for polite conversation among the saints. We are too shallow, we do not go to the deeps of any subject, we flit like butterflies from theme to theme. And never even in dreams have seen, The things which are more excellent. We are inclined nowadays to discount the experiences of the giants of another day who were so consumed with fever for deeper blessing that food lost its taste and sleep could not be had. More comfortable routes to Beulah Land, have been devised. But deep desire brings deep delight and when one compares the mighty preaching of those days with the thin pipings of these times it is evident that a shallow sense of poverty has brought a shallow sense of power. The living water has not been poured upon us for we are not thirsty.(Vance Havner - Consider Jesus)
Hunger and thirst are not feelings that go away. They are an evidence of spiritual health, and represent a desire that is deep and continuous. In fact, they become greater by what they feed on. We can test our spiritual position before God by asking the questions: Do I hunger and thirst after God? Did I meet Him in the Word this morning? Did I drink deeply of the Spirit? Am I desperate for God, for revival, for blessing? By contrast, a sick person has no appetite. Spiritually speaking, if he ceases to hunger after God, to pray, to obey, to serve, or to witness, he will be a living corpse. Alive, yes, but dead even while he lives. This accounts for the sterility in the Christian church today. We are hungry for so many other things: pleasure, power, popularity, prosperity (Stephen Olford
May the Spirit Who ever seeks to glorify Jesus, continually make us thirsty for more of Him, and less of the world, so that we keep coming to Him, drinking from Him, believing in Him, that His Name might be glorified among the nations. Amen.
Piper SPIRITUAL TASTE BUDS - We are afflicted and blessed with a chronic restlessness, an insatiable soul-thirst, for this reason: that we might keep looking until we find Christ. And that having found him we might be turned back to him again and again when we taste of other springs and find them bitter. We were made for God. The taste buds of our souls were made to relish fellowship with the Son of God. But we have become sinners, and the fundamental meaning of sin is thirsting for things other than God. Our sinful nature is a condition of diseased spiritual taste buds. Therefore, the prerequisite for coming to Christ and finding joy in him is renewal of our spiritual taste buds. Paul said, "The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him" (1 Corinthians 2:14). The unspiritual man looks at a believer who delights in drawing near to Christ in worship, prayer, study, and witness, and all he can see is a fool or a hypocrite. He cannot imagine that any of those things is a delight. He has no thirst for Christ, and so the invitation of Jesus is a dead issue. But God is gracious. He frustrates the human race again and again. He causes every wreath to wither, every gold cup to tarnish, every muscle to sag, every face to wrinkle, every sexual exploit to go sour, every sin to sting, until we have put him off too long. He wants us for himself. He wants everything but himself to grow dim in our eyes. He offers to heal our spiritual taste buds.
Filled - To be filled with the Spirit, we must believe and receive. Some one has said that "believe" and "receive" are two of the hardest words to spell, because it is "ie" in one and "ei" in the other. Certainly these two words are often difficult to understand in Christian experience. Yet "believe" and "receive" is the principle of the new birth (John 1:12), the law of prayer (Mark 11:24), andthe basis of the Spirit-filled life (John 7:37-39). The Christian believes there is such an experience as being filled with the Spirit; he receives that filling and then believes he has received. Prayer and preparation empty the heart of sin, and then faith receives the Spirit's filling. We must also share. We are not only filled; we are to overflow. From within the Spirit-filled Christian, flow rivers of living water as our Lord said. I have seen too many church members "enjoy" revivals who never tried to bring anyone else to share its blessings. That is selfishness of the worst sort. If we do not overflow, we become stagnant swamps. (Havner, Vance, Living in Kingdom Come)
ILL - A devoted follower of Socrates asked him the best way to acquire knowledge. Socrates responded by leading him to a river and plunging him beneath the surface. The man struggled to free himself, but Socrates kept his head submerged. Finally, after much effort, the man was able to break loose and emerge from the water. Socrates then asked, “When you thought you were drowning, what one thing did you want most of all?” Still gasping for breath, the man exclaimed, “I wanted air!” The philosopher wisely commented, “When you want knowledge as much as you wanted air, then you will get it!” The same is true with our desire to drink of Jesus. When we want Him more than we want the passing pleasures of the world, we will come to Him and drink! Could this explain why so many of us are not more thirsty for Christ? (Our Daily Bread)
ILL - Are You Thirsty Again? - Household sponges are amazingly versatile. We use them to wash dishes, mop floors, bathe children, and clean cars. What makes them so useful is that they can absorb and release liquid over and over again. There’s a spiritual principle here, expressed by author Andrew Murray: “Wherever there is life, there is a continual interchange of taking in and giving out… The one depends on the other—the giving out ever increases the power of taking in… It is only in the emptiness that comes from the parting with what we have, that the divine fullness can flow in.” Imagine a dry sponge in your hand, ready to absorb more water. Let it teach you that only those who recognize their need for living water will find their thirst satisfied by Christ.
Stowell - What is the primary source of satisfaction in your life? Could you honestly say that it is the flow of God’s wisdom and will into your heart and life? Is there pollution muddying the waters of your life? If so, what can you do to reverse the flow to bring purity into your life? Read Isaiah 43:1-28, and note all of God’s promises to His people. How has He fulfilled those promises through Jesus, and how have you personally reaped the benefits? What is it about your life that brings the flow of God’s blessings to those who live “downstream” from you? Read Psalm 42:1-2 and pray it back to God as an expression of your desire to have your life satisfied with the water of His presence and power. -- Joe Stowell (Strength For The Journey)
Blessed to be blessing - "from" not "into" - Not into. With the former preposition, the person blessed is a conduit of blessing. With the latter preposition, the person is blessed, but is like a pond or reservoir which becomes stagnant. The Sea of Galilee is living and teems with fish, whereas the Dead Sea is lifeless, barren. Jesus calls us believers not to be be "Dead Sea Saints" but to be like the Sea of Galilee, giving forth streams of living what to thirsty souls. This is a great application of the truth that it is more blessed to give than to receive! To be a channel of blessing, Let Christ's love flow through you.
Tony Evans - The Spirit resides in our innermost being. We have a built-in filling station that is always pumping fresh life into us.
FROM not INTO - Jesus is not speaking so much of Spirit filling as He is "Spirit flowing!"
“Out of his belly," that is, from his heart and soul (cp importance of Pr 4:23).
ILL - Niagara Falls stopping falling!
Pritchard - Here we have the whole course of the Christian life set before us. We cry out to God. He gives us Living Water. We give the Living Water to others. Or we can say it another way: I’m thirsty. I’m not thirsty anymore. I’m full. I’m overflowing. Or we can say it even simpler: From God … to us … to others. What starts with God, comes down to us, and then goes out from us to other people. Living water flows from God into us, and then from deep within us (from the “belly” of life), the river flows out from us for the benefit of others.
Abundant Life - Rivers of living water - This phrase reminds us of Jesus' statement in John 10when He stated "I came that they might have life and have it abundantly." (Jn 10:10) Rivers of living water gushing forth is surely life abundant or as it has sometimes been referred to as the Victorious Christian Life, the Christ Life, the Exchanged Life, etc. It begs the question of all born again believers - Is this statement true in my life? Do I experience ever flowing streams of living water gushing out of my life?
"It all equals inexhaustible abundance. Come to Jesus and the rivers begin to flow because all the rivers flow from him." (Pritchard)
“John 4:14 is now pictures as an ever flowing river!
Figuratively in Jn 7:38 potamos speaks of the great abundance and never ending flow of life giving "water," because the Holy Spirit is the eternal, omnipotent Source Who is in us and flows forth from us forever!
Spurgeon - See how spontaneous it is: “Out of the midst of him shall flow.” No pumping is required; nothing is said about machinery and hydraulics; the man does not need exciting and stirring up, but, just as he is, influence of the best kind quietly flows out from him. Did you ever hear a great hubbub in the morning, a great outcry, a sounding of trumpets and drums, and did you ever ask, “What is it?” Did a voice reply, “The sun is about to rise, and he is making this noise that all may be aware of it”? No, it shines, but it has nothing to say about it; even so the genuine Christian just goes about flooding the world with blessing, and so far from claiming attention for himself, it may be that he himself is unconscious of what he is effecting. God so blesses him that his leaf does not wither, and whatever he does he prospers, for he is like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in due season: his verdure and fruit are the natural outcome of his vigorous life. Oh, the blessed spontaneity of the work of grace when a man gets into the fulness of it, for then he seems to eat and drink and sleep eternal life, and he spreads a savor of salvation all round. ==== “This He spoke of the Spirit, Who they that believed on Him were to receive.” Do you not see that it is faith which gives us the first drink and causes us to live, and this second more abundant blessing of being ourselves made fountains from which rivers flow comes in the same way? Believe in Christ, for the blessing is to be obtained, not by the works of the law, nor by so much of fasting, and striving, and effort, but by belief in the Lord Jesus for it. With him is the residue of the Spirit. He is prepared to give this to you, ay, to every one of you who believe on His Name. He will not of course make all of you preachers; for who then would be hearers? If all were preachers the other works of the church would be neglected; but He will give you this favor, that out of you there shall stream a divine influence all round you to bless your children, to bless your servants, to bless the workmen in the house where you are employed, and to bless the street you live in. In proportion as God gives you opportunity these rivers of living water will flow in this channel and in that, and they will be pouring forth from you at all times, if you believe in Jesus for the full blessing, and can by faith receive it. Ask God to make you all that the Spirit of God can make you, not only a satisfied believer who has drunk for himself, but a useful believer, who overflows the neighborhood with blessing.
GOOD WORD = And this is to be perpetual,—not like intermittent springs which burst forth and flow in torrents, and then cease,—but it is to be an every day out gushing. In summer and winter, by day and by night, wherever the man is, he shall be a blessing. As he breathes , he shall breathe benedictions; as he thinks , his mind shall be devising generous things; and when he acts , his acts shall be as though the hand of God were working by the hand of man. (CHS)
Jesus promises we will have rivers of living water flowing through us - Are our lives truly like this? Do fresh springs flow out of us day after day? If not, why not? The answer is simple—there can be no outflow unless there is an intake. This is the rhythm of the Holy Spirit—intake and outflow. If there is more intake than outflow, then the intake stops; if there is more outflow than intake, then the outflow stops. The doors open inward to receive, only to open outward to give. When we come to talk about life in the Spirit, we are not to think in terms of a reservoir which has only limited resources. Life is a channel, attached to infinite resources. The more we draw on these resources, the more we have. There is no danger of exhausting one's resources. We do not have to hold back—for the more we give, the more we have. Living on the overflow is what many of us lack today. A sign could be put up over our individual and collective lives saying, "Life Limited." According to Jesus' promise, however, when the Spirit comes, life is unlimited: "From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water." Not rivulets, not trickles, not brooks, not streams—but rivers. Rivers! O God, help me to link my channel to Your infinite resources. Flow through me until I become a flowing river—no, an overflowing river. In Jesus' name. Amen. (Selwyn Hughes - Every Day with Jesus)
"Into" is the world's preposition. Every stream turns in; and that means a dead sea. Many a man's life is simply the coast line of a dead sea. "Out of" is the Master's word. His thought is of others. The stream must flowin, and must flow through, if it is to flow out, but it is judged by its direction, and Jesus would turn it outward. There must be good connections upward, and a clear channel inward, but the objective point is outward toward a parched earth. But before it can flow out it must fill up. An outflow in this case means an overflow. There must be a flooding inside before there can be a flowing out. And let the fact be carefully marked that it is only the overflow from the fullness within our own lives that brings refreshing to anyone else. A man praying at a conference in England for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit said: "Oh Lord, we can't hold much, but we can overflow lots." That is exactly the Master's thought. "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." - (S D Gordon)
Christ is indeed the ultimate source of the living water, but, in Christ, believers are to spring up with the living water he gives to the soul. This is the fruit of being ‘born again’ (Jn 3:3). It grows within us as a ‘fountain’, and never ceases because it continually (present tense) springs up to eternal life (Jn 4:14). Therefore, it can be said of the believer that ‘From the abundance of the heart, the mouth pours forth praise’ (cf. Mt 12:34; Lk 6:45). Now there is a spring where there was once a broken cistern (cp Jer 2:13, 17:13). Now there is alight where there once was darkness (Jn 8:12 = "“I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life”,Acts 26:18 = "from darkness to light," Col 1:12-13 = "saints in light… rescued from darkness"), for we have exchanged ‘beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness’ (Isa 61:3)
Jesus the Source - pierced - water and blood flows - Not only is Jesus indicating that he can fulfill what the Festival of Tabernacles prayers seek—water—but he has gone further; he is the source of living water, water that can purify, water that comes from within his own life and transforms others. It is no accident that when Jesus is on the cross in John’s Gospel, a soldier pierces him with a spear and water, living water, flows from his side (John 19:34). In John’s view, Jesus is the divine source of water that renews and purifies.
SPURGEON - Beloved believers, notwithstanding all that the Spirit of God has already done in us, it is very possible that we have missed a large part of the blessing which He is willing to give, for He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20). We have already come to Jesus, and we have drunk of the life-giving stream. Our thirst is quenched, and we are made to live in Him. Is this all? Now that we are living in Him and rejoicing to do so, have we come to the end of the matter? Assuredly not. We have reached as far as that first exhortation of the Master: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). However, do you think that the generality of the church of God has ever advanced to the next verse: “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38)? I think I am not going beyond the grievous truth if I say that only here and there will you find men and women who have believed up to that point. Their thirst is quenched, as I have said, and they live. Because Jesus lives, they will live also, but health and vigor they do not have. They have life, but they do not have “it more abundantly” (John 10:10). They have little life with which to act upon others. They have no energy welling up and overflowing to go streaming out of them like rivers. Brothers and sisters, let us go in to get from God all that God will give us. Let us set our hearts upon this, that we mean to have by God’s help all that the infinite goodness of God is ready to bestow. Let us not be satisfied with the sip that saves, but let us go on to the baptism which buries the flesh and raises us in the likeness of the risen Lord. Let us seek that baptism into the Holy Spirit and into fire which makes us spiritual and sets us all on flame with zeal for the glory of God and eagerness for usefulness by which that glory may be increased among the sons of men.
James Smith - The Spirit dwelling in us is to be as an unfailing fountain to others. But the outflow will only be in proportion to the springing up within. Spring up, O well !
ivers - Not just a river but rivers plural, a supernatural supply! Rivers "Depict fullness of blessing, just as another picture, "much fruit," does in John 15:4-8(and cf. Gal 5:22-23, Eph 5:17-21)." (Jim Rosscup
(Ps 36:8) They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.
Spurgeon - Happy is the soul that can drink in the sumptuous dainties of the gospel - nothing can so completely fill the soul.
May God's Spirit stir our souls to seek Jesus in His living Word early every morning, "While the dew is on the grass, may the dew of the Spirit be on our soul!" (Spurgeon) May we drink deeply of the refreshing life giving water of His living Word (Heb 4:12, Eph 5:26), that the fruit ("love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" etc - Gal 5:22-23) of this inflow might flow out like rivers from our innermost being (Jn 7:38), refreshing and reviving those thirsty souls God providentially places in our path, thereby "making the most of the opportunity" (Col 4:5-6). This is God glorifying, Christ exalting, Spirit filled supernatural, abundant life! Living water produces an interesting paradox for as Living Water flows through us to others, ideally it makes them "thirsty." David Jeremiah explains that "If people see us totally satisfied with Jesus, not drinking of the things of this world, they will want to know why. As the salt of the earth (Mt 5:13), we are to make them thirsty for Him." When believers are so much like the world that the world sees no difference, no living water flowing forth, the Gospel suffers. Are you a "salty Christian," continually filled with the Spirit, allowing Christ in you (Col 1:27), to be like a "well of water to springing up to eternal life," (Jn 4:14) displaying a quality of life that makes others thirsty?
May God make us like "the deer that pants for the water brooks, so that our soul pants for Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God." (Ps 42:1-2) "Look to the Fountain, so that the very looking might make us thirsty." (Bonar). May our cry be "Spring up, O well" (Nu 21:17) "O that God the Holy Spirit would work in us with all His mighty power, filling us with all the fullness of God. Let us, then, stir ourselves to seek Him in Whom are all our fresh springs." (Spurgeon)
Father, forgive us for thinking we can live the Christ life without the water of Your power, presence, counsel, comfort and conviction, and "lead us beside the quiet waters" (Ps 23:2), filling us with Your Spirit and making us channels of living water to others, causing us to drink deeply of Jesus, the fountain of living water, the only One can quench the deep yearning in our soul . Amen
Scofield - The transformation of Christian experience from the average one of painfully drawing blessings out of Jacob’s well, to the triumphant one of bearing the fruit of the Spirit, is effected by two acts, one of faith, one of the will. The act of faith is just to believe that the Spirit does dwell within (1Cor 6:19). The act of the will is just to live in yieldedness to the Spirit.
River of God, we live in a dry, barren land. All around us men and women die of spiritual thirst. Make us channels of living water to those who desperately need it. Fill us O Lord and send us out bearing a flood of grace.
Dear Lord, forgive me for thinking that I can do life without the water of Your presence, advice, counsel, comfort, and conviction. Thank You that You are indeed the living water that I so desperately need. Living like we really need Jesus—talking to Him and depending on His wisdom—is vital to our spiritual well-being. So, stay connected to Jesus, for He alone can satisfy your thirsty soul! -- Joe Stowell
(Living God, Source of living water) Lord Jesus, I want to live for You.
Just as Living Water cleanses, refreshes and revives the physical body, so too the Living Water of the Spirit, cleanses, refreshes, and revives our sagging souls.
Spurgeon - Pray, “Spring up, O Well!” Pray that out of the midst of each of us may flow rivers of living water. Pray that God would work by his Spirit yet more abundantly. The Holy Ghost has descended: we do not need him to be poured out, but we would realize his power in another fashion: we would descend into the floods of his sacred influences
O God, we have been disappointed because the cisterns that we have hewn out for ourselves have not given the water needed to quench our thirst. Fountain of Living Water, of Thee may we drink! Bread of Life, of Thee may we eat! Light of Life, shine upon our hearts, that we may walk in Thy light. AMEN. = F B Meyer
Gracious Father, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. May streams of living water flow through us so that others may be thirsty to know you. Grant that the new wine of the Spirit would empower us today. May the wind of God blow through your church. Set us on fire, Lord, with holy passion for you.
Lord Jesus, fill us more and more with the Holy Spirit so that we can make your name famous throughout the earth. Amen. - Pritchard
Ps 69:32 The humble have seen it and are glad; You who seek God, let your heart revive.
Ps 71:20 You who have shown me many troubles and distresses Will revive me again, And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
Ps 80:18 Then we shall not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
Ps 85:6 Will You not Yourself revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?
PRAYER FOR REVIVAL:
Ps 119:25 My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.
More (spiritual) life is the cure for all our ailments. Only the Lord can give it. He can bestow it, bestow it at once, and do it according to his word, without departing from the usual course of his grace, as we see it mapped out in the Scriptures. It is well to know what to pray for. The psalmist seeks revival: one would have thought that he would have asked for comfort or upraising, but he knew that these would come out of increased life, and therefore he sought that blessing which is the root of the rest. When a person is depressed in spirit, weak, and bent towards the ground, the main thing is to increase his or her stamina and put more spiritual life into them; then their spirit revives, and their body becomes erect. In reviving the life, the whole man is renewed. Shaking off the dust is a little thing by itself, but when it follows upon revival, it is a blessing of the greatest value; just as good spirits which flow from established health are among the choicest of our mercies. The phrase, "according to thy word, "means” according to thy revealed way of reviving thy saints. The word of God shows us that He Who first made us must keep us alive, and it tells us of the Spirit of God Who through the ordinances pours fresh life into our souls; we beg the Lord to act towards us in this His own regular method of grace. Perhaps the Psalmist remembered the word of the Lord in Dt 32:39, where Jehovah claims both to kill and to make alive, and he beseeches the Lord to exercise that life giving power upon his almost expiring servant. Certainly, the man of God had not so many rich promises to rest upon as we have, but even a single word was enough for him, and he right earnestly urges "according to thy word." It is a grand thing to see a believer in the dust and yet pleading the promise, a man at the grave's mouth crying, "revive me," with assurance that it shall be done.
PRAYER FOR REVIVAL:
Ps 119:37 Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways.
Give me so much (spiritual) life that dead vanity may have no power over me. Enable me to travel so swiftly in the road to heaven that I may not stop long enough within sight of vanity to be fascinated thereby. The prayer indicates our greatest need, more (Spirit energized) life in our obedience. It shows the preserving power of increased life to keep us from the evils which are around us, and it, also, tells us where that increased life must come from, namely, from the Lord alone. Vitality is the cure of vanity. When the heart is full of grace the eyes will be cleansed from impurity. On the other hand, if we would be full of life as to the things of God we must keep ourselves apart from sin and folly or the eyes will soon captivate the mind, and, like Samson, who could slay his thousands, we may ourselves be overcome through the lusts which enter by the eye.
THE PSALMIST IS A "GOOD" MAN (Ps 119:10 = "With all my heart I have sought Thee") AND YET HE PRAYS 8X FOR REVIVAL! HE EMPHASIZES THE SOURCE OF REVIVAL - (1) either God's attributes (righteousness, lovingkindness) or (2) God's Word (
PRAYER FOR REVIVAL: Ps 119:40 Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me through Your righteousness.
SOURCE OF REVIVAL: Ps 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me.
PRAYER FOR REVIVAL: Ps 119:88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth. (PURPOSE OF REVIVAL = SPIRIT ENABLED OBEDIENCE)
SOURCE OF REVIVAL: Ps 119:93 I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me.
PRAYER FOR REVIVAL: Ps 119:107 I am exceedingly afflicted; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word. (SOURCE)
PRAYER FOR REVIVAL: Ps 119:149 Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your ordinances. (SOURCE)
PRAYER FOR REVIVAL: Ps 119:154 Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Your word (SOURCE).
PRAYER FOR REVIVAL: Ps 119:156 Great are Your mercies, O LORD; Revive me according to Your ordinances. (SOURCE)
PRAYER FOR REVIVAL: Ps 119:159 Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness. (SOURCE)
Ps 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.
Ps 143:11 For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
Isa 57:15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.
We don’t drink at the river and get thirsty again. We always have that Fountain of Living Water within us.
Scriptural Chain for Living (running, flowing) water - The Hebrew phrase in each of the following passages is literally "'al-mayim hayyim" = "water living" and in the Lxx the word for "living" (Hebrew = hayyim) is translated with the verb zoa = to live. And so we see this beautiful phrase scattered from Genesis to Revelation. First use = Ge 26:19 = "a well of living water" (Young's Literal) > Lev 14:5-6, 50, 51, 52, Lev 15:13 = "running water" > Nu 19:17 = "flowing water" > Song 4:15 = "fresh water" > Jer 2:13 "living waters" > Jer 17:13 = "living water" > Zec 14:8 = "living waters" > Jn 4:10 = "living water" > Jn 4:14 = " well of water springing up to eternal life" > Jn 7:38 "living water" > Rev 7:17 = "springs of the water of life" > Rev 21:6 = "the spring of the water of life without cost" > Rev 22:1 = " river of the water of life" > Rev 22:17 = "take the water of life without cost."
The living water - Jesus is the Fountain, the Spirit of Jesus is the flow, the living word is means we experience the living water as the power and grace of the Spirit apply the Word to your heart. Ps 42:2 refers to the Living God for whom the psalmist's soul thirsted. It is for Jesus that our soul pants (Ps 42:1) and thirsts (Ps 42:2).
Have you ever been thirsty? I mean really thirsty, your throat dry and parched, feeling a bit faint because your body is becoming dehydrated?
There is a well known line "I can't get no satisfaction," is not bad theology. Even as the wisest man in the OT testified "I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun." (Eccl 2:4, 8, 11)
Jer 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns, That can hold no water.
Jer 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, All who forsake Thee will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the LORD.
Col 3:2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
Ps 78:20 “Behold, He struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, And streams were overflowing; Can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people?”
1Cor 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.
Isa 53:5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being [fell] upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
John 19:34 but one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water.
If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” (Jn 7:37)
My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. (Ps 84:2)
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Ps 63:1-2)
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Isa 55:1)
Rev 7:17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes.”
Rev 21:6 And He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
Rev 22:1 And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. -
“John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.””-
John 7:37 Now on the last day, the great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
John 7:38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’”
John 7:39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet [given,] because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Jer 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns, That can hold no water.
Ps 42:1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? Ps 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly; My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Ps 36:7 How precious is Thy lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings. Ps 36:8 They drink their fill of the abundance of Thy house; And Thou dost give them to drink of the river of Thy delights. Ps 36:9 For with Thee is the fountain of life; In Thy light we see light. Ps 107:9 For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.
Ps 27:8 [When Thou didst say,] “Seek My face,” my heart said to Thee, “Thy face, O LORD, I shall seek.”
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
John 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
The fountain of living waters. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty.”-“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”-Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive. “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.”-The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. JER. 2:13. PS. 36:7-9. Isaiah 65:13. JOHN 4:14. JOHN 7:39. ISA. 55:1. REV. 22:17.
Water brings life, and living water brings eternal life. God calls Himself our spring of living water (Jer. 2:13, 17:13); the Spirit is a stream of living water in us (John 7:38, 39); and His living water is ours forever (Rev. 7:17).
Health experts tell us we should drink at least 64 ounces of water each day.
Thirst like hunger is a basic God-given longing for water, which physically is accompanied by a sensation of dryness in one's mouth. In the same way, spiritual thirst is a God-given longing for God, accompanied by a sense of "dryness" of one's soul. A man can live about 3 weeks without food, but only 3 days without water. It is therefore not surprising that the Bible frequently uses thirst and water as pictures of man's spiritual need for God. However when the Bible speaks of spiritual thirst, it is not describing that pleasant feeling we get to have a sip of water, but speaks of the raging pangs suffered by those who feel they will die if they do not drink. Are you thirsty like that ? What are you thirsting for - the world's "water" which is passing away (1Jn 2:17) or the King's "water" which endures forever? (Mt 6:33)
More than 50 percent of the human body is composed of water. For infants, it can be as high as 75 percent. Water, then, is critical to sustaining physical life. We may be able to last four to six weeks without food, but we could not survive more than ten days without water. Just as there is no physical life without water, there is no spiritual life apart from Jesus Christ, the source of living water. His Holy Spirit quenches every thirst. Is there some area of my spiritual life that is dry, even parched?
Have you ever been really thirsty?
The most obvious symptom of a soul in need of God's satisfaction is a sense of inner emptiness. (Ps 63:1-2) (B Moore) Our final point is very important. We can positively assume that our soul is hungry and thirsty for God if we have not partaken of any spiritual food or drink in a long while. Souls accustomed to soul food are more likely to have a highly developed appetite. In Psalm 63, David was accustomed to beholding the power and glory of God. He was so acquainted with God's love, he considered it “better than life” (v. 3). Therefore, he missed God's refreshment when he didn’t have it.
Water is an essential of life. Absence of water means suffering and sickness, dearth and death. Plenty of good water means life. All the history of the world clusters about the water courses.
Real soul-satisfaction is found only in Christ. When Jesus is our sole satisfaction, We will have true satisfaction in our soul . we all find ourselves struggling with an attachment to the things of this world. Even those who long for heaven and eagerly await the coming of Jesus find it difficult to let go of temporal treasures on earth. It’s not that we don’t trust God; we just find it difficult to look past the moment.
In the Bible, water is often used as a symbol of Jesus as the Living Water who satisfies our deepest needs.
Although 70 percent of the world is covered by water, less than 1 percent of it is drinkable by humans.
With two thirds of the earth’s surface covered by water and the human body consisting of 75 per cent of it, it is clear that water is one of the prime elements responsible for life on earth.
Spiritual Thirst - No matter how much we drink from the wells of wealth and achievement, we will only become more thirsty.
Paradox - Living water produces an interesting paradox for as Living Water flow through us to others, ideally we make them thirsty. As David Jeremiah says "If people see us totally satisfied with Jesus, not drinking of the things of this world, they will want to know why. As the salt of the earth, we are to make them thirsty for Him." When we as believers are so much like the world that the world sees no difference, no living water flowing forth, the Gospel suffers. Are you a "salty Christian," continually filled with the Spirit, allowing the Life of Christ to flow through, making others thirsty ?
Water quenches our thirst and sustains our life. In Scripture, water serves as a word picture of the sufficiency of the Holy Spirit.
East Africa is one of the driest places on earth, which is what makes “Nairobi” such a significant name for a city in that region. The name comes from a Masai phrase meaning “cold water,” and it literally means “the place of water.” Throughout history, the presence of water has been both life-giving and strategic. Whether a person lives in a dry climate or a rainforest, water is a nonnegotiable necessity. In a dry and barren climate, knowing where to find the place of water can mean the difference between life and death.
(Jeremiah 2:13) “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water." Any "cistern" we create for ourselves will be a broken cistern, and can neither satisfy our soul thirst nor replace Jesus' living water of the Holy Spirit springing up from within our innermost being and flowing through us to a spiritually thirsty, broken world. Are there any "broken cisterns" in our lives which we need to discard in lieu of Jesus' living water?
Pritchard on thirst - Most of us know very little about thirst. If we are thirsty, we go to the refrigerator and get some water or some milk or some tea or a coke. We go to the faucet and turn it on, and if we don’t turn it off, water pours out 24 hours a day. So most of us rarely experience true thirst. A few years ago Gatorade promoted itself with this slogan: “Gatorade—for that deep down body thirst.” One commercial showed a runner at the end of a race, having crossed the finish line totally spent, bent over, arms resting on his knees, his body dripping sweat. The commercial sends the message that there is a deep thirst that Coca-Cola can’t satisfy. We know that a man can live for weeks without food, but he can only live a few days without water. Once thirst takes over, it becomes a raging demon and all you can think about is finding a few drops of water. And when thirst controls a person, you will do anything, anything at all, to get those few drops. You will lie or cheat or steal or kill if necessary. Inside all of us there is a thirst that nothing in this world can satisfy. We all have a “God-shaped vacuum” that only God can fill. Some people thirst for sexual fulfillment, so they hop from one relationship to another. Some people think career advancement is the key to happiness, so they move from job to job. Husbands leave their wives for other women, and still they are not happy. Wives leave their husbands for other men, and they aren’t happy either. Some of us are adrenalin junkies, always on the move, looking for the next jolt of excitement, the next big adventure, the next battle to fight, trying to fulfill the “Wild at Heart” impulse we feel on the inside. But adventure itself never lasts very long. Life returns to the ordinary and we wonder, “What do we do now?” Some people thirst for significance, others thirst for power, others thirst for fame or wealth or close relationships to fill the lonely void inside.· There is the thirst of the intellect—we want to know the truth.· There is the thirst of the conscience—we are guilty and need forgiveness.· There is the thirst of the heart—we desperately search for happiness and don’t know where to find it. We come to Christ because we are thirsty, and until we see our need and cry out for help, we will never come at all. As Jesus said, only the sick need a physician. Only the hungry will be fed. Only the lost are found. Only the thirsty drink the living water.
Springs Of Living Water speak of a supernatural source and supernatural power from the Living God living His life through us by His life giving Spirit (Jn 6:63) If your soul has begun to despair in your Christian walk (Ps 42:5-6), or growing weary and losing heart (Heb 12:3 - consider Him Who has endured, Gal 6:9, Isa 40:30-31),
(Read: John 4:5-15, John 7:38) - In 1896, Sherwood Eddy enthusiastically began his ministry as a missionary to India. But after just a year he was ready to quit—his energy depleted, his spirit broken. One morning after a sleepless night he begged God for help. Then he remembered the promise of Jesus to the woman at Jacob’s well, “The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (Jn. 4:14). Eddy wrote, “I resolved to stop drawing on myself so constantly and begin instead drawing on God .” From then on he daily set aside time for prayerfully drinking from the well that never runs dry—the inexhaustible, soul-renewing wellspring of God’s grace. “Since that day,” Eddy said, “I have known not one hour of darkness and despair. The eternal God has been my refuge, and underneath me I have felt the everlasting arms.” No matter how much energy or talent we have, sooner or later we discover that the well of our personal resources is running dry. But when Christ, the source of living water (Ed: And His Spirit), indwells our lives, we aren’t locked into the drudgery of drawing on our human abilities. Jesus becomes our unfailing Source of spiritual renewal. We find that when we have nothing left, He is the well that never runs dry.
When we keep the inlet clear, (“Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption, let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice”) and the outlet open,* (“Quench not the Spirit,”) then “character” will result.* For Christian character is the possession of nine graces,* love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. And these cannot be “built,” they are a nine-fold “fruit.”
INTRODUCTION - SPIRITUAL THIRST - We live in a thirsty world seeking to quench that thirst in the pleasures of sin. This woman’s lifestyle reflects a thirst for satisfaction, which to date she had not found, but she admits that and the offer of living water becomes appealing. Like Israel, many hew out broken cisterns that cannot hold water, Jer. 2:13.
The drink becomes both a well and a spring, a reservoir and a refreshment, the benefits of which are soon shared—‘come see a man’, v. 29,
(John 6:35) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
Living Water is a beautiful picture of our Eternal Life in Christ, the Source of all Life. The pix of LIVING WATER is esp poignant in the Mid East with paucity of any water at all. Thus sources of "living water" were even more rare and their discovery was accompanied by considerable rejoicing. How tragic that God's people rejected His offer of life giving water!
Spurgeon - As for our spiritual necessities they are all met by the water and the blood which gushed of old from the riven rock, Christ Jesus: therefore let us extol the Lord our God… we too have been led out of bondage and guided like a flock through a desert land, wherein the Lord supplies our wants with heavenly manna and water from the Rock of ages. Praise ye the Lord.
Alford on shall never thirst - shall never have to go away and be exhausted, and come again to be filled;—but shall have the spring at home, in his own breast,—so that he can “draw water with joy out of the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3) at his pleasure. “ If we are spiritually exhausted it is not because we do not have the well of living water in us, because we do!
Believing and receiving - Vance Havner on John 7:37-39 - Filled - To be filled with the Spirit, we must believe and receive. Some one has said that "believe" and "receive" are two of the hardest words to spell, because it is "ie" in one and "ei" in the other. Certainly these two words are often difficult to understand in Christian experience. Yet "believe" and "receive" is the principle of the new birth (John 1:12), the law of prayer (Mark 11:24), and the basis of the Spirit-filled life (John 7:37-39). The Christian believes there is such an experience as being filled with the Spirit; he receives that filling and then believes he has received. Prayer and preparation empty the heart of sin, and then faith receives the Spirit's filling. We must also share. We are not only filled; we are to overflow. From within the Spirit-filled Christian, flow rivers of living water as our Lord said. I have seen too many church members "enjoy" revivals who never tried to bring anyone else to share its blessings. That is selfishness of the worst sort. If we do not overflow, we become stagnant swamps. (Havner, Vance, Living in Kingdom Come)
Are you thirsty? Sometimes the trials of everyday life can be so draining that our spirits become dry as a desert. Let us run to the source of living water to be revived, refreshed, and strengthened.
What about your own life? Is it spiritually dried up? Ask Jesus, the fountain of living water (John 7:37), to fill you with His presence. Then joy and peace will begin to bubble up and even overflow.
Are you drinking from earthly fountains and still feeling thirsty? Turn to Christ, and drink so deeply that you’ll be spoiled forever from wanting anything less. Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy the thirsty soul.
The world is a spiritual desert for both saints and sinners alike, but believers need not traverse this spiritually barren land in thirst, for they can ever drink from the Rock of Ages, Christ Jesus. We drink from Him the first time for salvation, but must drink continually from Him for sanctification by His Spirit. Is your soul dry and parched spiritually? Perhaps the cause could be failure to drink living (life giving) water from Jesus and the Spirit! There is a popular commercial on television that ends with the macho man exhorting the listener to "Stay thirsty, my friends!" This would be a good exhortation for all of God's children, to be thirsty remembering that "Blessed is he who hungers and thirsts for righteousness, for he will be satisfied." (Mt 5:6)
Someone might object: “I drank of what Jesus offers, and I feel thirsty and empty again.” The answer is simple: drink again! It isn’t a one-time sip of Jesus that satisfies forever, but continual connection with Him.
When they did, Jesus found the water He was looking for, and the woman found the water she didn’t know she needed
Living water in Hebrew = Mayim Hayim
When we tell others of our own “encounter” with Jesus, we bless (by introducing them to living water that which alone can satisfy the deep inner longings of their thirsty souls) them with living water.
HOW TO EXPERIENCE A WELL SPRINGING UP, A RIVER FLOWING FORTH! - “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). This source is the Holy Spirit, who is like a well of satisfaction (Jn 7:39). Earlier, the Lord had made the dramatic claim that the believer would have a continual source of spiritual refreshment (Jn 4:14). Are you thirsty today? Confess your sin, and Christ will fill you with His Spirit. As you yield to His will, He will graciously fill you with living water springing up to eternal life. - "Gracious and Almighty Savior, Source of all that shall endure, Quench my thirst with living water, Living water, clear and pure ." (Vinal)
Spurgeon on Living Water - If (When) Christ gives you grace, it is eternal life that he gives you; it is not a life that can die; it is not a grace that you can lose. It is everlasting life; a supply of living water, which turns to a spring or well, and always remains within the heart that receives it… Oh, that I might be like a well of living waters in my speech at all times; and that you, my beloved brethren and sisters in Christ, whenever you are dealing with others, might be a well of living waters to every thirsty soul! Speak of Jesus wherever you go; talk of Jesus whenever you can. You have been shut up, and Christ has been in you; now be opened to give forth to others what he has given you… Hence he will always be contented. He who has grace in his heart is a happy man; he grows more and more satisfied with the grace as it wells up increasingly in living power in his character and life. Oh, if you have never received that living water, may God give it to you just now! You shall never regret receiving it; but you shall rejoice over it evermore.
Refining by fire is God’s work: refreshing with water is ours.
Spurgeon - What a word is this! ‘Rivers of living water’!! Oh that all professing Christians were such fountains. See how spontaneous it is: out of the midst of him ‘shall flow’. No pumping is required; nothing is said about machinery and hydraulics; the man does not want exciting and stirring up, but, just as he is, influence of the best kind quietly flows away from him. Did you ever hear a great hubbub in the morning, a great outcry, a sounding of trumpets and drums, and did you ever ask, ‘What is it?’ Did a voice reply, ‘The sun is about to rise, and he is making this noise that all may be aware of it’? No, he shines, but he has nothing to say about it; even so the genuine Christian just goes about flooding the world with blessing, and so far from claiming attention for himself, it may be that he himself is unconscious of what he is effecting. God so blesses him that ‘his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper’, for he is ‘like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season’: his verdure and fruit are the natural outcome of his vigorous life. Oh, the blessed spontaneity of the work of grace when a man gets into the fullness of it, for then he seems to eat and drink and sleep eternal life, and he spreads a savour of salvation all round. And this is to be perpetual, not like intermittent springs which burst forth and flow in torrents and then cease, but it is to be an everyday outgushing. In summer and winter, by day and by night, wherever the man is, he shall be a blessing. As he breathes, he shall breathe benedictions; as he thinks, his mind shall be devising generous things; and when he acts, his acts shall be as though the hand of God were working by the hand of man.
Jesus promised “living water” in Jn 4:10, 13–14, so that those who believe shall never thirst, Jn 6:35. and this water implied the Holy Spirit that believers would receive, Jn 7:37–39. And there would be abundance, since from believers themselves, filled with the Spirit, would flow these “rivers of living water” to thirsty men desiring to receive the gospel of eternal peace.
Living water in the physical realm refers to flowing, running water bubbling up as from an spring or artesian well. As physical water is to physical life, so living water is to spiritual life, eternal life, the true life (true life indeed)! Living water from a spring is good, but living water from Heaven is the best!
Spurgeon - Oh! what would we not have given then just to have moistened our burning lips with the living water of the precious Word in which, possibly, now we see no refreshing?
fountain springing forth from within
Spurgeon on Nu 21:17 "Spring up, O well." "O that God the Holy Spirit would work in us with all His mighty power, filling us with all the fulness of God… Let us, then, bestir ourselves to seek him in whom are all our fresh springs.
As channels of God’s living water, we are free to go with His flow. Father, thank You for Your Spirit, Fill us with His love and power; Change us into Christ’s own image, Day by day and hour by hour. —Anon. What Jesus accomplished for us, the Holy Spirit works out in us.
From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water - What does this look like practically? For one thing, believers become givers, not takers, producing an abundant outflow of life giving water to thirsty souls. Jesus says this is a picture of the indwelling Spirit, so a significant aspect of His outflow from us is a flood of fruit manifest by love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (trustworthiness), gentleness, self control. (Gal 5:22-23) This supernatural fruit serves as a good marker of whether we are achieving our "superhuman" potential. My 36yo son has recently been born again and called me today expressing joy over a letter from an employee thanking him for his patience ("living water"), a quality he has never even remotely manifested heretofore! In 1848, the Niagara Falls ceased to flow and thus ceased to fall because of an upstream obstruction! Sadly, the "river" of the Spirit of Jesus in all of us can dwindle to a "trickle" if there is no "inflow," no time for intake of the pure milk of the Word that by it we might continue to grow (mature) in respect to salvation (1Pe 2:2), no time for meditating on the Word of God, that we might become like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in season, spiritually prospering (Ps 1:2-3), no time for prayer and thus we have not because we ask not or ask with wrong motives (Jas 4:2-3, 1Jn 3:22, 5:14-15). Or perhaps we have allowed "little sins" to build up and create a "log jam" in the river, grieving and quenching the Spirit, impeding His flow of life giving water from our innermost being. Fortunately, these "obstructions" are easily rectified by letting the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Col 3:16-17) and by daily confessing our sins to our Father (1Jn 1:9, Mt 6:12, Pr 28:13). As we are filled with the Word of Christ, we will be filled with Spirit of Christ (Eph 5:18-20), both fillings producing an almost identical supernatural outflow of "living waters" -- psalms on our lips, praises in our heart and thankfulness in our heart to God (Notice the identical fruit of filling with Word and filling with the Spirit - see ). Solomon wisely summarizes how we can assure an abundant outflow of living waters calling for us to continually "Watch over (set a guard over) our heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." (Pr 4:23) Solomon warns about "the little foxes are spoiling the vineyards while they are in bloom." (Song 2:15) Are there some "little foxes" you are allowing into your heart "contaminating" the springs that flow from your life?
As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him. (Col 2:6Amplified) In other words, having taken the initial drink of living water by faith, now we are to daily allow that same living water to continually bubble up in us like an artesian well, springing up like an eternal spring, like rivers flowing through cleansing and refreshing us, but even better, cleansing refreshing those with whom we are in daily conduct, thus obeying Paul's exhortation "as you have received Christ, so walk in Him!" (Col 2:6). So even as Jesus dispensed living water of the Good News to a broken woman in Samaria (Jn 4:10,14), so too we are to be His witnesses, dispensing the living water of the Gospel to broken people, even to the remotest part of the earth, enabled to do so by power of the indwelling Spirit "through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen." (Acts 1:8, Heb 13:21). Jesus Himself promised that "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'" But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive." Can we who now forever possess within our innermost being "a well of water springing up to eternal life" (Jn 4) not joyfully, in faith, sing out - "Spring up, O well!" (Nu 21:17).
In Christ we can daily "drink our fill of the abundance of Your house and… of the river of Your delights For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light." (Ps 36:8-9) for "In Your presence is fulness of joy. In Your right hand there are pleasures forever." (Ps 16:11) We "shall behold Your face in righteousness and will be satisfied with Your likeness when we awake." (Ps 17:15) Oh to daily be "as the deer panting for the water brooks" our soul panting for greater intimacy with our Beloved Jesus, the "fountain of living waters"? By Your Spirit may our "soul thirst for God, for the living God." (Ps 42:1-2) "because Thy lovingkindness is better than life." (Ps 63:3) O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly; My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Ps 63:1)
Beloved it we can sing "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation." (Isa 12:2-3) May God enable us to "keep setting our minds on the things above () and not on the things of the earth ("broken cisterns" Jer 2:13), for we have died and our life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:2-3) We must live on hidden resources. We can’t depend on the world around us or other people. When you trust Jesus as Savior, God puts an artesian well of Living Water within you. While the world has only broken cisterns, the Fountain of Living Water (Jer 2:13) becomes a River (Jn 7:38) (an ever bubbling spring from within our innermost being - John 4:14). It is from Jesus that we get the spiritual resources we need. Are you drinking today at that River? Get your eyes off the sinking world and remember that God is your Strength. "There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel's veins; and sinners, plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains." Praise God for "the fountain of living water, even Jehovah." (Jer 17:13) "E'er since by faith I saw the stream, Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die, and shall be till I die." (Cowper)
ole on rivers of living water - It describes, as Calvin points out, an ideal that none of us can possess perfectly in the present life because of indwelling sin and because of differing measures of faith. But it’s an ideal in which we can make progress as we walk with the Lord. We really can experience consistent fullness of joy in Him that flows from us to others. And so we should have hope because He who began the good work of salvation in us will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). But we need to press on toward the goal (Phil. 3:12-16).
James Smith - The Spirit dwelling in us is to be as an unfailing fountain to others. But the outflow will only be in proportion to the springing up within. Spring up, O well!
Spurgeon - What a glorious Gospel sermon that was! It comes to us down through the ages, and is as true now as when Jesus spoke it. Ho, thirsty ones, come ye to Him, and drink; and He will slake your thirst, and create in you a well of living water which shall bubble up for ever and ever.
How do living waters flow out of us today? Many answers but joy (1Thes 1:6), peace and hope (Ro 15:13), a song in our heart and thanksgiving (Eph 5:18-20) and the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23)! (Ps 87:7) “All my springs of joy are in you.” (Robert Morgan - The psalmist meanit that all his innermost resources were found in His ever-flowing and overflowing Lord Jesus--all his courage, all his joy, all his resilience, all his optimism, all his hope, all his love, all his wisdom, all his patience. The Lord Jesus is the Source of that which (genuinely) refreshes our personalities and of all that makes our personalities refreshing. As Matthew Henry put it "There is in Him an all-sufficiency of grace and strength; all our springs are in Him, and all our streams are from Him!" When we come to the Lord day by day, under the altar, in full surrender, we tap into His refreshing flow that we may be daily renewed.
Have you ever been really thirsty?
May our soul be like that of the psalmist - "His soul had only one longing, one thirst, and every power and every passion had united itself to that one desire, “so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” It was a soul thirst, not a throat thirst; the thirst had got as far down as the soul, till the inner spirit was as dry as a man’s throat after a long journey through the desert. “My soul thirsteth for God,”… his soul thirsted for God, for the living God. Nothing but the cool refreshing living water of the living God can ever effectually quench human thirst. (Spurgeon)
(Ps 63:1) A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Jesus says He will create in us a well of living water which shall bubble up for ever and ever. Is that my experience? A bubbling spring or is my spiritual vitality more like a dripping faucet?
Since water is indispensable for human life, the phrase “living water” is an apt metaphor for the Spirit’s work in the human heart.
(Ps 63:1) A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Isaiah 12:3 With joy you will draw water from the wells (springs) of salvation.
Jn 6:68 Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.
Dt 8:15. Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
Ps 78:15 He split the rocks in the wilderness, And gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths.
Ps 107:9 For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good. == Do you long for something this world can’t provide? This dissatisfaction is a thirst of the soul for God. Run to the One who alone can quench that thirst. “He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness” (Ps. 107:9).
(Ps 107:9) For (explains the reason for praising God in Ps 107:8; cp Ps 145:16) He has satisfied the thirsty (longing) soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good." Thomas Brooks reminds us that "A man may have enough of the world to sink him, but he can never have enough to satisfy him." Are you thirsty? Is your soul longing for Jesus? Spurgeon observes "The Lord sets us longing and then completely satisfies us. That longing leads us into solitude, separation, thirst, faintness and self despair, and all these conduct us to prayer, faith, divine guidance, satisfying of the soul's thirst, and rest: the good hand of the Lord is to be seen in the whole process and in the divine result."
(Ps 36:8) They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.
Jesus described "rivers of living water" in John 10:10 when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10). God’s grace and love come from a bottomless reservoir. Drink from the water He offers, and you will never thirst again.
Isa 43:19 "I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert." XR Isa 41:18 Isa 48:21,22 Ex 17:6 Nu 20:11 Dt 8:15 Ps 78:16-20 Ps 105:41
(Rev 7:16) “They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; (Rev 7:17) for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; (cp Ps 23:2) and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
Isa 55:1 "Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost.
2 "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.
Living Water - Jn 4:10, 14, 7:38, Ezek 47:12 (for healing), Rev 22:1-2, 17
(John 6:35) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes (present tense) in Me shall never (double negative = absolutely never) thirst.
GOOD SUMMARY OF WATER/SPIRIT PASSAGES - Water and Spirit are associated from the time of creation (Gen. 1:2b): ‘and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters’. Sometimes this ‘Spirit’ is interpreted as a wind, but more probably the verse indicates that by his Spirit God was deeply involved with his creation, water.
Throughout the Bible, ‘water’ or ‘living water’ is a metaphor for the Spirit. In Isaiah 44:3, pouring water is compared with the pouring out of God’s Spirit. John 1:33 and Acts 1:5 contrast baptism in water with the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Jesus says that one must be born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5) and that ‘streams of living water’ (*i.e. of the Spirit), will flow from within anyone who believes in him (7:37–39; also 4:14).
The Lord is the spring from which living water flows (Jer. 17:13; also 2:13). ‘On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem’ (Zech. 14:8). Jesus refers to himself as the giver of ‘living water’ (John 4:10–14). In Revelation, John refers to the Lamb who will lead his people to springs of living water (Rev. 7:17) and to the enthroned one who ‘will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life’ (Rev. 21:6; also 22:1), which flows ‘from the throne of God and of the Lamb’ (Rev. 22:1).
Once we have believed (taken our first drink of Jesus, so to speak), thereafter how do we drink of Jesus? Jesus is the Living Word represented in the written Word and as we read the Word, we "drink" of Jesus. When we read, it is not to be mechanical, but reading with faith, believing and receiving what we read (cp receiving and believing in Jn 1:11-13) Remember that it begins with recognizing that you are thirsty. We admit our need. He meets our need .
Pritchard - "What a wonderful picture of how the Spirit works in the human heart. Those who come to Christ find “living water” that satisfies the deep thirst within. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, that “living water” produces a new life that eventually bubbles to the surface and becomes evident to others. Living water won’t become stagnant. It always produces a dynamic, abundant, exciting new life. Water is also necessary for cleansing. Ephesians 5:26 pictures this aspect of the Spirit’s work when it mentions the “washing with water through the Word.” The Word is the cleansing agent; the Spirit is the cleansing power. As the Spirit applies the Word to our lives, we are cleansed from the stain of sin and the filth of the world. The Holy Spirit flows through believers like a mighty river of living water, bringing new life and providing deep, inner cleansing. As we yield ourselves to Christ, the abundance of His life (the “living water”) flows out to those around us."
The little spring, by and by becomes rivers. Christ came to give life and to give it abundantly. - Miller
The Lord is a Fountain of living waters. His people can find lasting satisfaction in Him. The world is a cistern, and a broken cistern at that. It offers the hope of pleasure and happiness, but those who seek satisfaction in it are inevitably disappointed.
Pritchard = What a wonderful picture of how the Spirit works in the human heart. Those who come to Christ find “living water” that satisfies the deep thirst within. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, that “living water” produces a new life that eventually bubbles to the surface and becomes evident to others. Living water won’t become stagnant. It always produces a dynamic, abundant, exciting new life.
Psalm 78:15 He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths.
Nu 21:17 Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well! Sing to it!
He has given us everything necessary for life and godliness - Let us quit seeking broken cisterns that hold no Living Water (Je2:13). DIVINE POWER = that inherent power which is uniquely
Living water flowing out - How can this be our reality? Seer Ps 1:2-3 = 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. == As justified believers we stand in God's "stream" of grace, His transforming power supplied to us to enable us to live a supernatural life (Ro5:2). Too many Christians are more concerned about the LEAVES and THE FRUIT than they are the ROOTS, but the ROOTS are the most important part. Unless Christians spend time daily in prayer and the Word, and allow the Spirit to feed them, they will wither and die. First the root, then fruit. First the word with obedience, and then production. (Note the fruit-bearing power of the gospel in Col1:5b-7; 2:6, and then note the emphasis in Col1:9-12 on the need of prayer.) Henry Blackaby - Scripture is wonderful, if you meditate on it. Our problem is we read without meditation. Your life will never be anchored like a tree without meditation. Some say, "I’ve read through the Bible at least once every year." "Well, that’s wonderful, but your life will not be anchored by a river of living water until you stop and meditate on God’s Word. It’s the one who meditates on God’s Word day and night who becomes like a tree planted by the rivers of water. So, you really need to know what meditating is. Now, in our generation, we talk about transcendental meditation. On television we can see the stereotypical meditator, eyes closed, mumbling the same phrase over and over. That’s not biblical meditation at all. Let me tell you my own definition of meditation. Meditation is that moment when God confronts you with the truth about Himself. It is that moment when you go into the presence of God and let God discuss it with you until you know exactly how to respond to Him, however long it takes."
Ps 23:2 He leads me beside quiet waters - Refreshment 1. He leads me beside the still waters 2. In the cities it was easy to water the sheep from the troughs, but in the rugged hill country where David lived it was different. The river and streams often came rushing down after the rains and the sheep would draw back in fear. David would then dam up the stream to create a quiet pool of water, then the sheep would come and drink in safety and quietness. 3. Jn 7:37-38 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'" 4. He takes me to those hidden pools of cool refreshing water that the world knows nothing of. The image of placid waters emphasizes the concept of rest--the condition of having all our needs satisfied. God Himself is our "true pasture" (Jer50:7) and our pool of quiet water. He is our true nourishment, our living water. If we do not take Him in, we will starve.There is a hunger in the human heart which nothing but God can satisfy. There is a thirst that no one but He can quench. (Jn. 6:27,35). "Still waters" denotes the calm water necessary for sheep to drink.
Spurgeon: What are these "still waters" but the influences and graces of his blessed Spirit? His Spirit attends us in various operations, like waters--in the plural--to cleanse, to refresh, to fertilise, to cherish. They are "still waters," for the Holy Ghost loves peace, and sounds no trumpet of ostentation in his operations. He may flow into our soul, but not into our neighbour's, and therefore our neighbour may not perceive the divine presence; and though the blessed Spirit may be pouring his floods into one heart, yet he that sitteth next to the favoured one may know nothing of it… Our Lord leads us beside these "still waters;" we could not go there of ourselves, we need his guidance, therefore it is said, "he leadeth me." He does not drive us. Moses drives us by the law, but Jesus leads us by his example, and the gentle drawing of his love. Matthew Henry - Those that feed on God’s goodness must follow his direction; he leads them by his providence, by his word, by his Spirit, disposes of their affairs for the best, according to his counsel, disposes their affections and actions according to his command, directs their eye, their way, and their heart, into his love. God leads his people, not to the standing waters which corrupt and gather filth, not to the troubled sea, nor to the rapid rolling floods, but to the silent purling waters; for the still but running waters agree best with those spirits that flow out towards God and yet do it silently. Henry, M.
Ray Pritchard refers to this as "the Greater Golden Rule: “Do unto others as God has done unto you.” Has God blessed you? Then bless others. Has God been kind to you? Then be kind to others. Has God shown grace to you? Then show grace to others. Has God forgiven you? Then forgive others. Be a river of living water for some thirsty soul this week."
It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
That’s how it is with God’s love,
Once you’ve experienced it,
You spread his love to everyone
You want to pass it on.
I’ll shout it from the mountain top—PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
Big Cold Water - In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a remarkable natural wonder—a pool about 40 feet deep and 300 feet across that Native Americans called “Kitch-iti-kipi,” or “the big cold water.” Today it is known as The Big Spring. It is fed by underground springs that push more than 10,000 gallons of water a minute through the rocks below and up to the surface. Far greater than any natural spring is the refreshment we have been offered in Christ Himself. We can be satisfied, for Jesus alone, the Water of Life, can quench our thirst. Praise God, for Jesus is the source that never runs dry .
Many Christians do miss out on living their Christian lives in the constant fullness of the Spirit, because they are not constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit as Paul commanded in [Ep5:18]; they have no experience of what Jesus spoke about when He described rivers of living water flowing from the believer (Jn7:37-39).
Do you carry a Bible and a bucket? - At a women’s retreat, one person was carrying a Bible and a bucket. It’s easy to understand why she was carrying the Bible, but why the bucket? With a twinkle in her eye, she explained, “The bucket reminds me to draw all the living water I possibly can.” Pointing to a crack in the bucket, she said, “Like me, my bucket leaks, reminding me to keep coming back to the Lord for more!”
BELIEVERS SHOULD BE LIKE SPONGES - Sponges soak up liquid, but if that is all they did, they would be useless. What makes them so useful is that they can absorb and release liquid over and over again. So too with Christians, for as Andrew Murray says “Wherever there is life, there is a continual taking in and giving out. The one depends on the other—the giving out ever increases the power of taking in. It is only in the emptiness that comes from the parting with what we have, that the divine fullness can flow in.” Am I a useful sponge in the Master's hands ?
THE POWER OF LIVING WATER - The greatest danger to any ancient city during a time of siege was not the enemy without; it was the lack of resources within. More often than not, when an army like the Assyrians attacked a walled city like Jerusalem, they would simply surround the city and wait for it to run out of food and water. Then, when the people were weak and desperate, the city could be taken almost without a fight. But Hezekiah made sure that would not happen to Jerusalem. He rerouted a spring of water outside the city walls so it flowed inside the walls of the city. Interestingly, Jesus referred often to the Holy Spirit as the living water given by God to the believer which constitutes a secret, powerful resource in times of trouble. When you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, you possess a resource that can give you abundant life through the longest siege of the enemy. The enemy can camp at your doorstep for an indefinite period of time and it won’t matter to you. The Holy Spirit is your indwelling source of life.
The old saying “The proof of the pudding is in the eating” is true. We can’t prove the quality of something until we’ve tried it. If we find it to be superior, we become spoiled and can never again be satisfied with less. The late Malcolm Muggeridge, English journalist and broadcaster, made a similar discovery. Before meeting Christ, he had been drinking from the finest earthly fountains—fame, success, pleasure, and fulfillment. “Yet I say to you,” he once testified, “and I beg of you to believe me, multiply these tiny triumphs by a million, add them all together, and they are nothing, less than nothing, measured against one draught of that living water that is offered to the spiritually hungry.” Are you drinking from earthly fountains and still feeling thirsty? Turn to Christ, and drink so deeply that you’ll be spoiled forever from wanting anything less.
What you need to survive in the desert like climate (of this fallen world) - A guide in Israel was preparing to lead a tour into the desert. His instructions to the group were simple and clear: “If you do not have these two items, I will not allow you to accompany us. You must have a broad-brimmed hat and a full bottle of water. These will protect you from the sun, and from the thirst caused by wind and dryness.”
Have you ever been really thirsty? Years ago, I visited my sister Kathy in Mali, West Africa. During an afternoon of seeing the sights, the temperature had risen far above 100ºF. Parched, I told her, “Hey, I need something to drink.” When Kathy told me she had forgotten to bring along a supply of filtered water, I began to get a bit desperate. The longer we drove, the more I wondered what it was like to truly die of thirst. Finally, Kathy said, “I know where we can go,” as she drove up to the gate of an embassy. Inside I beheld the most beautiful sight—a water cooler! I grabbed one of the tiny paper cups and filled it again and again. My body had been deprived too long and now required lots of liquid to reverse the effects of dehydration. The psalmist compared physical thirst with spiritual thirst: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God” (Ps. 42:1). His thirst was that of a desperate longing for God—the one and only living God (Ps 42:2).
The "wind" of the Spirit enables water to drawn - The Old Windmill (Read: Galatians 6:6-10) He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. —John 7:38 - A man who grew up on a ranch in West Texas tells about a rickety, old windmill that stood alongside his family’s barn and pumped water to their place. It was the only source of water for miles. In a strong wind the windmill worked well, but in a light breeze it wouldn’t turn. It required manually turning the vane until the fan faced directly into the wind. Only when properly positioned did the windmill supply water to the ranch.
Subtle Spiritual Dehydration - Dehydration can occur subtly without being aware. So too spiritual dehydration may occur slowly over time without us being aware! Visitors to Colorado often become dehydrated without realizing it. The dry climate and intense sun, especially in the mountains, can rapidly deplete the body’s fluids. That’s why many tourist maps and signs urge people to drink plenty of water. Signs of dehydration - I experienced dizziness, disorientation, loss of clear vision, and a host of other symptoms. I learned the hard way that water is vital to maintaining my well-being.
It is a healthy sign when a child is hungry. When they lose their appetite we begin to worry. Lord, give us Your children who are truly hungry for the Bread of life, the Living Water, that we might truly redeem the time and bear much fruit glorify Thy Holy and Righteous Name. Amen.
Makarios is the one who is in the world yet independent of the world. His satisfaction comes from God and not from favorable circumstances. Mick Jagger was right when he sang ''I can't get no satisfaction''… only God gives waters from which one will never thirst again… a well of water springing up… rivers of living water
Mars - The United States has spent millions of dollars looking for water on Mars. A few years ago, NASA sent twin robots, Opportunity and Spirit, to the red planet to see if water was present or had been present at one time. Why did the US do this? The scientists who are poring over data sent back from those two little Martian rovers are trying to figure out if life ever existed on Mars. And for that to have happened, there had to be water. No water, no life.
What are you thirsting for? Do you need the forgiveness and peace of God? Or do you need your spiritual reservoir replenished so you can refresh the parched souls around you? Jesus invites all of us to find our deep satisfaction and inexhaustible supply in Him. -- David C. McCasland
Leon Morris writes, "The believer is not self-centered. As he receives the gift of God, so he passes it on to others. Or to put the same thought in another way, when a man believes he becomes a servant of God, and God uses him to be the means of bringing the blessing to others."
Just as water satisfies thirst and produces fruitfulness, so the Spirit of God satisfies the inner person and enables us to bear fruit.
Far greater than any natural spring is the refreshment we have been offered in Christ Himself. We can be satisfied, for Jesus alone, the Water of Life, can quench our thirst. Praise God, for Jesus is the source that never runs dry.
Wayne Barber - To be filled with the Spirit is knocking the bottom out of the glass, taking the glass and putting it in the river and letting the river flow through it. (in Jn 7:38 Jesus prophesied that from our "innermost being shall flow rivers of living water'"). That's what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The more you learn to turn to Him, the more you learn to get up under grace & not under the Law & the more you will learn to trust Him that He is Who He says He is and that only the Spirit of Christ in you can live the Christ life - and the more that life that is already in you (Christ in you the hope of glory), the more that "river" that is in you will be able to flow forth through your mortal body.
The United States has spent millions of dollars looking for water on Mars. A few years ago, NASA sent twin robots, Opportunity and Spirit, to the red planet to see if water was present or had been present at one time. Why did the US do this? The scientists who are poring over data sent back from those two little Martian rovers are trying to figure out if life ever existed on Mars. And for that to have happened, there had to be water. No water, no life.
Our Needs - From our first breath until our last, we have few truly essential needs. Without oxygen, we would perish in minutes. We must have food and water. Our bodies, when exhausted, require rest. And in harsh weather, we must seek shelter. So, while we are needy creatures, our basic needs are few. When it comes to our wants, however, there seems to be no limit. Indeed, the entire advertising industry is devoted to expanding our “needs.”
The Unfailing Spring - Joseph Campbell, a well-known authority on mythology, said that his friends were living “wasteland lives.” He said they were “just baffled; they’re wandering in the wasteland without any sense of where the water is—the Source that makes everything green.” That could also be said—and with deepest sorrow—about countless people today. They try one thing after another to quench the thirst of their souls. Many people even resort to an empty spirituality, which Campbell did so much to popularize. But as the prophet Jeremiah said, they’ve made for themselves “broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:13). Whatever Campbell himself may have believed, “the Source that makes everything green” is Jesus Christ our blessed Savior. He is the One who gives “living water,” which becomes “a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (Jn. 4:10,14). If you have responded to the gospel and personally received Jesus Christ as your Savior from sin, you have that fountain springing up within your soul (Jn. 7:37-38). Now you can pray for the “baffled” people around you, and offer the “living water” to those who are thirsty and wandering in a parched, Christless wasteland.
Those of us with water on tap have been disconnected from one of the most powerful reminders of our frailty and our need for God’s provision and cleansing. In Greek mythology, King Tantalus offended the gods and was punished in the underworld. He was placed in a lake in water up to his chin, but whenever he attempted to satisfy his burning thirst the water receded. Over his head were branches laden with choice fruit, but when he tried to satisfy his hunger they eluded his grasping hands. (cp Lu16:19-31) Tantalus, therefore, became the symbol of utter frustration. Even today his name is remembered in the English word tantalize. Outside of a relationship with God, many things in life are tantalizing but unrewarding (cp Heb11:25). The author of Ecclesiastes pursued happiness through knowledge, pleasure, riches, and work. Nothing satisfied the hunger in his soul. So he wrote, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity" (1:2). It was only when he focused on knowing and pleasing God (12:13-14) that he found life's true purpose. If you are among those who have been tantalized by what you thought would bring you happiness and peace (and this includes every one of us in one form or another) & you feel frustrated & worn out, come to Jesus. He promised to "give you rest" (Mt11:28). You will discover with joy that He has everything you've ever hoped for—and much more -- He alone is true Life, the essence of all that satisfies the deepest needs of our soul. He alone is the Source of rivers of living water (Jn7:38). All else is broken cisterns (Je2:13).
Go With the Flow - While using a computer to edit a video presentation, a colleague and I were greeted one morning by the on-screen error message: UNABLE TO FIND THE FLOW. Whatever the software program meant by those words, it brought to mind the popular saying, “Go with the flow.” To some people that means behaving as most other people do without trying to swim against the current of the culture. To others it speaks of being more accepting of circumstances without trying to control everything that happens. But for followers of the Lord, there’s another dimension of going with the flow. Jesus said: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38). Christ spoke of the Holy Spirit, who would make His home in every believer. In a very real sense, when we invite Christ into our lives, the Flow finds us and we find the Flow. From then on, we are recipients and conduits of living water—the eternal source of thirst-quenching satisfaction for our souls. The indwelling Holy Spirit carries us along by a power and purpose greater than ourselves. As channels of God’s living water, we are free to go with His flow.
Father, thank You for Your Spirit,
Fill us with His love and power;
Change us into Christ’s own image
Day by day and hour by hour. —Anon.
What Jesus accomplished for us, the Holy Spirit works out in us.
Broken Cisterns - Mt Henry: (V9-13) Before God punishes sinners, he pleads with them, to bring them to repentance. He pleads with us, what we should plead with ourselves. Be afraid to think of the wrath and curse which will be the portion of those who throw themselves out of God's grace and favour. Grace in Christ is compared to water from a fountain, it being cooling and refreshing, cleansing and making fruitful: to living water, because it quickens dead sinners, revives drooping saints, supports and maintains spiritual life, and issues in eternal life, and is ever-flowing. To forsake this Fountain is the first evil; this is done when the people of God neglect his word and ordinances. They hewed them out broken cisterns, that could hold no water. Such are the world, and the things in it; such are the inventions of men when followed and depended on. Let us, with purpose of heart, cleave to the Lord only; whither else shall we go? How prone are we to forego the consolations of the Holy Spirit, for the worthless joys of the enthusiast and hypocrite! Ancient landowners would dig cisterns to collect the rainwater. To insure that the cistern would hold water, the landowner plastered it inside with lime. Often cracks would develop and the water would leak out and they would not hold the brackish (in stark contrast to "living") water in them. In like manner Israel had abandoned Yahweh, the "fountain of living waters" (Ps36:9; Pr4:23, 13:14; 16:22; Isa55:1; Jn7:37-39) for man-made powerless gods. which Lv26:1 calls "nothings"! But don't we all do this from time to time? Whenever God is not enough, be it emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, etc? Our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak & so we fall into temptation. Lord, save us from ourSelves for Thy Name's sake. They had committed two "evils": they had forsaken Yahweh, and they had tried to improve upon Him. Israel had abandoned the Lord, the source of spiritual salvation and sustenance (cf. 17:8; Ps36:9; Jn4:14). Second, Israel turned to idolatrous objects of trust (cp to 2Ti4:3,v4); Jeremiah compared these with underground water storage devices for rainwater, which were broken and let water seep out, thus proving useless. Wiersbe - But Israel forsook the true God for false gods, which was like abandoning a spring of fresh flowing water for a cracked muddy cistern that couldn’t hold water. In the Holy Land, water is a valuable possession, and nobody would do a foolish thing like that. No wonder the Lord said, “Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror” (Je2:12, NIV). The second phrase literally means “Let your hair stand on end!”
Man is made for eternity, and the things of time can never satisfy.
Augustine spoke truly when he cried, “O God, Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our souls can never find rest until they rest in Thee.
Jesus is a never-ending supply of living water for a parched world.
Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy the thirsty soul.
When we tell others of our own “encounter” with Jesus, we bless them with living water.
The vague dissatisfaction so many people experience is really spiritual malnutrition and thirst.
Just as our body needs daily food and water, so does our spirit.
The spiritual refreshing we crave comes only from above.
There are rivers of living water available, streams in the desert for the thirsty saints, strength, wisdom, power, supernatural ability
Be filled with God’s Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18), and let Him provide you with a “bubbling in your soul.”
If we’re spiritually thirsty, we can follow draw near to our Father through His living Word of Christ, taught by His Living Spirit. Not only will He quench our deepest needs, but He will also give us a deeper thirst for Himself and we will learn to desire Jesus above all else.
Outside of a relationship with Jesus, many things in life tantalize us but can never satisfy our thirsty soul because they are "broken cisterns" that hold no living water.
We as believers can be like the Dead Sea which has no fish or plants even though fresh water flows in. Much inflow plus no outgo equals a dead sea. We too can be "Dead Sea Christians," unfruitful and devoid spiritual vitality because we take in but fail to give out the living water. May the Lord make us refreshing fountains where thirsty souls may drink. Indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we possess the “water of life” and can be channels of blessing to those in need. From hearts of love, let us pour out to others what we have first received from God. If we do, we will never become Dead-Sea Christians. To be a channel of blessing, let Christ's love flow through you.
At such times we are at a spiritual standstill and must allow Jesus the “Sun of Righteousness” (Mal. 4:2) to warm our hearts anew with His love. We must send our roots deep into the Word of God by meditating on it day and night (Ps. 1:2). Then we will be like a fruitful tree planted by rivers of living water, and our branches will extend outward in an ever-increasing influence and witness. They will be filled with blossoms that reflect the beauty of righteous living.
If you sense your spiritual well drying up, drive your pipe deeper. God gives an unlimited supply of grace. We will have no lack when Jesus is our supply! (Php 4:11-13)
Living water - the life-giving, soul-satisfying water which the Lord gives.
A thirst for God can only be satisfied by Christ, Who gives Living Water.
To be a channel of blessing, let Christ's love flow through you.
Seeking to be satisfy our thirst with the things of this world is like sea-water, for the more a we drink, the more thirsty we become.
We are all the "Samaritan woman" at the well - we weren't looking for Jesus the fountain of living water, but praise God, He was looking for us!
Any cistern we create for ourselves will be a broken cistern
When you have found living water for your thirsty soul don't forget to lead others to the Source, Jesus Christ.
Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy the thirsty soul.
Only Living Water can quench the driving thirst of the soul.
All earthly pleasures are like salt water, which increases thirst, and gives no lasting satisfaction.
All earthly things are as salt water, that increases the appetite, but satisfies not. Richard Sibbes
The more a person is satisfied with Christ, the more he will find his satisfaction in satisfying him. J. A. Motyer
I thirst for the knowledge of the Word, but most of all for Jesus himself, the true Word. Robert Murray M’Cheyne
The mind of a Christian ought not to be filled with thoughts of earthly things, or find satisfaction in them, for we ought to be living as if we might have to leave this world at any moment. John Calvin
Christ with anything would have satisfied me; nothing without Christ could do it. Thomas Boston
Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy the thirsty soul.
It is only an infinite God, and an infinite good, that can fill and satisfy the precious and immortal soul of man. Thomas Brooks
Look into the Fountain, and the very looking will make you thirsty. Andrew Bonar
Money is like sea-water; the more a man drinks, the more thirsty he becomes.
Spurgeon - Today, we are journeying through the wilderness toward Canaan. We have great pressing needs. We are poverty itself, and only All–sufficiency can supply us. We need a great abundance of food. The heavenly bread lies around the camp, and we may take our fill (Ex. 16:16). We require rivers of living water, and Jesus gives us a fountain springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14). We have great demands, but Christ has great supplies. Between here and heaven, we may have greater wants than we have yet known. But all along the journey, every resting place is ready; provisions are laid up, good cheer is stored, and nothing has been overlooked. The commissary of the Eternal is absolutely perfect.
Do you sometimes feel so thirsty for grace that you could drink the Jordan dry? More than a river could hold is given to you, so drink abundantly, for Christ has prepared a bottomless sea of grace to fill you with all the fullness of God. Do not be frugal. Do not doubt your Savior. Do not limit the Holy One of Israel. Be great in your experience of His all–sufficiency. Be great in your praises of His bounty, and in heaven you will pour great treasures of gratitude at His feet.
Daniel W. Whittle expressed his longing for spiritual revival in these words: “Showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need; mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.”
Are you driven by soul-thirst, yearning for satisfaction? There is a spring of living water, rising from hidden depths, pouring into our hearts, satisfying us even as it makes us thirst for more. Stoop down and drink. Only God can satisfy your heart. Everything else will deceive and disappoint. “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst,” said Jesus. “But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).
The Spirit, who we receive when we trust the Lord Jesus as our Savior, empowers and refreshes us, which enables us to help others. Our part is to read and study God's Word, to receive cleansing and renewal through confession, and to obey the Lord. Then, as we depend on the Holy Spirit, "living water" flows through us and provides refreshment and goodness to people around us.
“streams of living water” that would flow from within them out to the world around them. Jesus was offering something brand new in the history of the world, a complete inner transformation by means of the Holy Spirit.
Hawker - Is it indeed He, my beloved, who is the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever, that thus hath supplied, and is supplying, and ever will supply all? Is it thou, oh thou precious Lamb of God! that art in the midst of the throne, leading the church above to fountains of living waters, and becoming the same to the church below? Wilt thou not give of thy fulness to satisfy my thirsty soul in this dry and barren land, where no water is? Yes, yes, my soul, exult with the church of old, for thy Jesus is the same: a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon, is my beloved!
The Spirit dwells within us as a spring of living water — producing holy desires, earnest prayers, and ardent longings to be like Christ, and with Christ forever;
Rivers of living water,
Rivers of life so free,
Flowing from Thee, my Savior,
Send now the rivers THROUGH me.
—Wood
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The Lord wants us to come to Him
To quench our thirsty soul,
For from Him flow life-giving streams
To heal and make us whole.
— Sper
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I reached for God's hand full of blessings,
Because I was needy and sad;
And, oh, what a shower He gave me
From all the rich treasure He had!
—Simon
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Drink deep of God’s goodness, His faithfulness too,
Leave no room for doubting and fear;
His Word is the water of life pure and true,
Refreshing and cooling and clear.
—Hess
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My hunger for the truth He satisfies;
Upon the Word, the Living Bread, I feed:
No parching thirst I know, because His grace,
A pool of endless depth, supplies my need. —Sanders
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When all created streams are dried,
His fulness is the same;
I will with this be satisfied,
And glory in His Name."
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Now none but Christ can satisfy,
None other name for me;
There's love and life and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus, found in Thee.
—McGranahan
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Jesus is the Living Water—
Just one drink will make you whole;
Drawing daily from that wellspring
Brings refreshment to the soul.
—D. DeHaan
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I thirst for springs of heavenly life,
and here all day they rise—
I seek the treasure of Thy love,
and close at hand it lies.
—Anna Waring
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Come thou fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace,
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
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Gracious and Almighty Savior,
Source of all that shall endure,
Quench my thirst with living water,
Living water, clear and pure. —Vinal
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Now none but Christ can satisfy,
None other name for me;
There's love and life and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus, found in Thee. —McGranahan
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I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.
—Bonar
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We are not storerooms, but channels,
We are not cisterns, but springs;
Passing our benefits onward,
Fitting our blessings with wings. —Anon.
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“I tried the broken cisterns, Lord,
But ah! the waters failed!
E’en as I stooped to drink they’d fled,
And mocked me as I wailed.
Now none but Christ can satisfy,
None other name for me;
There’s love, and life, and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus, found in Thee.”
Any cistern we create for ourselves will be a broken cistern
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The King of Love my Shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His and He is mine forever.
Where streams of living water flow my ransomed soul He leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow, with food celestial feedeth.
-Henry Baker
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I've got peace like a river in my soul, in my soul.
I've got love like the ocean in my soul, in my soul.
I've got joy like a fountain, in my soul, in my soul.
- Folk Song
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A vessel He will make of you, if small or great, ’twill surely do—
Great joy and peace will always fill the one who’s yielded to His will.
—Unknown
It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
That’s how it is with God’s love,
Once you’ve experienced it,
You spread his love to everyone
You want to pass it on.
I’ll shout it from the mountain top—PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
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Daniel W. Whittle expressed his longing for spiritual revival in these words:
“Showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need;
mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.”
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I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY
“Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one
Stoop down and drink and live.”
I came to Jesus and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.
Or listen to Michael Card's Version of
"I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say"
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C Paisley - The springs of every spiritual blessing reside in the bosom of the Saviour. The springs are the springs of living water, a water which miraculously like the loaves and the fishes multiplies itself and when the largest demands are made upon it its depths are still unfathomed and its fullness undiminished. If any man thirst let him come unto Jesus and drink.
Neighbour - "All my springs are in Thee," said David. God is a veritable storehouse for any and every emergency. God's promises are His promissory notes. They are always. "Yea, and Amen, in Christ Jesus."
Spurgeon - YOU have seen the great reservoirs provided by our water companies, in which water for the supply of thousands of houses is kept. Now, the heart is the reservoir of man, from which the streams of his life flow… “But how can I keep my heart full? How can my emotions be strong? How can I keep my desires burning and my zeal inflamed?” Christian! there is one text which will explain all this: “All my springs are in Thee,” said David. If thou hast all thy springs in God, thy heart will be full enough… If thou art continually drawing thine impulse, thy life, the whole of thy being from the Holy Spirit, without whom thou canst do nothing, and if thou art living in close communion with Christ, there will be no fear of thy having a dry heart… “Keep thine heart with all diligence,” and entreat the Holy Spirit to keep it full; for otherwise, the issues of thy life will be feeble, shallow, and superficial; and thou mayest as well not have lived at all.O for a heart thus full, and deep, and broad! Find the man that hath such a heart, and he is the man from whom living waters shall flow, to make the world glad with their refreshing streams. (Gleanings Among the Sheaves)
(Spurgeon "and if you have all your springs in God, you heart will be full enough." If you go to the foot of Calvary, there your heart will be bathed in love and gratitude. If you frequent the vale of retirement, and there talk with your God, it is there that your heart will be full of calm resolve. If you go out with your Master to the hill of Olivet and look down with Him upon a wicked Jerusalem and weep over it with Him, then will your heart be full of love for never-dying souls.) (Robert Hawker - Sweet thought! And this, as Solomon saith upon another occasion, forms the conclusion of the whole matter. Jesus is the source, the fountain, the author, the finisher of all our mercies; for every thing of life and salvation, of grace and glory, flow from Him, centre in Him; and therefore in Him and from Him, as the Source of blessedness, all our springs must flow. In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily! All glories are in Him: the glory of the Church above; the glory of the Church below; yea, the glory of angels and of God Himself: for the Father hath given all His glory into His almighty hands. Hence, my soul, from whom should thy springs flow, but from Jesus? If all divine attributes, all divine perfections are in Him; if grace be nowhere but in Jesus; no blessing, no redemption, but in His blood; if all gifts and graces flow from Him, and can nowhere else be found, to whom shall the gathering of the people be, or from whom shall all blessings come? And what a refreshing consideration is this, under all the barren, dry, and withering frames of the believer’s heart. See to it, my soul, that thou art coming to Jesus, day by day, for suitable supplies; and let not thine emptiness discourage thee, or keep thee away, but rather let a sense of thy poverty endear to thee Jesus’ riches. Thou art as exactly suited for Him as He is suited to thee; and much as thou needest His fulness, Jesus no less needs vessels to fill into, and to pour out upon, of His blessings. Precious Lord Jesus! behold, then, I am come to thee; I find, in every thing beside thee, sin, death, and misery. Oh, the rapturous thought! “All my springs are in thee !”
Our Lord is seeking representatives who realize their insufficiencies but are willing to be a channel filled with His power and love. That’s the vessel He can use.
Ps 63:1 (When David was in the wilderness) "O God, You are my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly. My soul thirsts for You. My flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." "Here I am in this dry, hot, dangerous wilderness, and I really would love to have some water. However, what I really want is God." Spurgeon - A thirsty soul, a dry land, a satisfying God! Does your soul pant after Jesus like a deer in the desert pants for water? Jesus the personification of Living Water promised "Blessed is he who hungers and thirsts for righteousness, for he will be satisfied." (Mt 5:6) They are blessed because their soul shall be spiritually satiated (satisfied)!
Ray Pritchard - Have you ever felt “thirsty” for more of the Lord? Have you ever felt empty and needing to be filled? The Holy Spirit is God’s answer for our deep inner thirst (cp Spirit in Isa 32:15, 44:3). When He comes into our lives, He comes like a river rushing over dry ground. He pours out His blessings and our lives begin to blossom again. No one need stay “dry” or “empty” or “thirsty” forever. We weren’t made to live in a desert. God’s river called the Holy Spirit can flow through our lives, slaking our thirst, filling our emptiness, covering the arid ground with the water of life .
Tony Evans = the Holy Spirit as Living Water = When He (the Holy Spirit) dominates your life, He will make you more alive than you ever thought you could be. You will not only be fulfilled yourself, but the rivers of living water flowing out of you will overflow so others can drink from your life as well. One reason we have so little spiritual power in the church of Jesus Christ today is that we are not thirsty Christians. God only satisfies folk who are thirsty. If you are not thirsty, you don’t drink. What we need is to develop our spiritual thirst. We need a generation of Christians who are passionate for Christ. Unless that is your goal, studying the Bible is a waste of time; coming to church will make little or no difference in your life. The life-giving, thirst-quenching fellowship of the Holy Spirit is enjoyed where the passion of Christ is sought .
River of God, I live in a dry, barren land. All around me men and women die of thirst. Make me a channel of living water to those who desperately need it. Amen. (Pritchard) Oh that the Lord may now fill you and then send you home bearing a flood of grace with you. It sounds oddly to speak of a man’s carrying home a flood within him, and yet I hope it will be so, and that out of you shall flow rivers of living water. So may God grant for Jesus’ sake. Amen. (Spurgeon)
"Dear Lord, forgive me for thinking that I can do life without the water of Your presence, advice, counsel, comfort, and conviction. Thank You that You are indeed the living water that I so desperately need. Living like we really need Jesus—talking to Him and depending on His wisdom—is vital to our spiritual well-being. So, stay connected to Jesus, for He alone can satisfy your thirsty soul! (Joe Stowell)
Father, it seems that I drink far too often from the waters of the world that cannot satisfy. Forgive me, and teach me to find in Christ the only water that can quench the thirst of my heart ever drawing me ever closer to You . (Living God, Source of living water) Lord Jesus, I want to live for You. May Your life and love flow through me as I go about my duties today so that others may see You through me and be drawn to the living water .
Just as Living Water cleanses, refreshes and revives the physical body, so too the Living Water of the Spirit, cleanses, refreshes, and revives our sagging souls.
Spurgeon - Pray, “Spring up, O Well!” Pray that out of the midst of each of us may flow rivers of living water. Pray that God would work by his Spirit yet more abundantly. The Holy Ghost has descended: we do not need him to be poured out, but we would realize his power in another fashion: we would descend into the floods of his sacred influences
O God, we have been disappointed because the cisterns that we have hewn out for ourselves have not given the water needed to quench our thirst. Fountain of Living Water, of Thee may we drink! Bread of Life, of Thee may we eat! Light of Life, shine upon our hearts, that we may walk in Thy light. AMEN. = F B Meyer
Gracious Father, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. May streams of living water flow through us so that others may be thirsty to know you. Grant that the new wine of the Spirit would empower us today. May the wind of God blow through your church. Set us on fire, Lord, with holy passion for you.
Lord Jesus, fill us more and more with the Holy Spirit so that we can make your name famous throughout the earth. Amen. - Pritchard
PASSAGES:
It is when the Word of God fills the heart that it overflows through the lips and actions, and it is what flows over from us that really helps and blesses our fellow-men. "'Out of him shall flow rivers of living water." - Meyer
Outflow of the Living Water - Ps 119:13 - 13 With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Thy mouth. As we obey, we should also witness to others about the Word and tell them what the Lord has done for us. The study of the Bible enables us to bear witness for God -- It is when the Word of God fills the heart that it overflows through the lips and actions, and it is what flows over from us that really helps and blesses our fellow-men. "'Out of him shall flow rivers of living water. (Joh4:14; Rev 22:17) Consider that the outflow is maximized by the inflow (reflects the intake of the Word and the filling by the Spirit) -- as we let the Word dwell in us richly, as we surrender to the filling or control of the Spirit
It strikes me that "springing up to eternal life" speaks not just of life for us but of us giving forth words of life to others (aka Rev 22:17 = The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears (that is us -- those who have wells of water springing up but speaking forth -- even as the Samaritan woman did -- she could not keep the Good News to herself but had to tell the town, the same ones who surely knew of her sullied reputation - and yet they saw and heard something springing up to eternal life" in the way that woman spoke!) say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
Pritchard on Living water - “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:38).
These dramatic words came from the lips of Jesus as He spoke to a vast crowd gathered in Jerusalem for the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles. As the assembled multitudes strained to hear His words-some curious, others skeptical, still others moved by a deep inner need-Jesus offered them something that only God could provide-"streams of living water” that would flow from within them out to the world around them. Lest anyone misunderstand His words, John tells us in verse 39 that “He meant the Spirit.” In short, Jesus was offering something brand new in the history of the world, a complete inner transformation by means of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus’ words must have shocked His hearers with their stunning simplicity: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink" (v. 37). That short statement contains the essence of the Gospel message. It is centered in a person-Jesus Christ. It is offered to all without restriction-If anyone. It is predicated upon human need-If anyone is thirsty. It demands a personal response-Let Him come to me. It invites personal participation-and drink.
What a wonderful picture of how the Spirit works in the human heart. Those who come to Christ find “living water” that satisfies the deep thirst within. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, that “living water” produces a new life that eventually bubbles to the surface and becomes evident to others. Living water won’t become stagnant. It always produces a dynamic, abundant, exciting new life.
Those who respond to the call receive the Holy Spirit as a permanent, indwelling, life-changing presence. To speak of “streams of living water” highlights four facts about the Spirit’s ministry in the believer:
*He takes up residence within the “inner being.”
*He “flows” with an inexhaustible supply.
*He brings the life of God to the soul.
*He satisfies the deep thirst inside every heart.
Finally, this word picture also seems to imply a “flowing out” from inside the believer to the lives of those around him or her. As the “living water” flows from within, other thirsty people will wonder, “He (or she) used to be thirsty just like me. Where did all that water come from?"
If we are dying in the desert, the most important thing in the world is a cup of cold water. Jesus promises more than a cup. He promises a never ending flow of clear, cool, clean living water. Streams without pollution. Rivers that will never run dry.
The Holy Spirit brings the life of God to the thirsty soul.
That’s what the Holy Spirit provides for us. He will fill our lives with living water. If we are thirsty, we are invited to take a drink and see for ourselves.
Have you ever felt like spiritually “dry ground"? Have you ever felt “thirsty” for more of the Lord? Have you ever felt empty and needing to be filled?
The Holy Spirit is God’s answer for our deep inner thirst. When He comes into our lives, He comes like a river rushing over dry ground. He pours out His blessings and our lives begin to blossom again.
No one need stay “dry” or “empty” or “thirsty” forever. We weren’t made to live in a desert. God’s river called the Holy Spirit can flow through our lives, slaking our thirst, filling our emptiness, covering the arid ground with the water of life
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. (Isaiah 44:3)
The literal fulfillment of Isaiah 44 awaits the second coming of Jesus Christ when He will restore the fortunes of Israel and establish His throne in Jerusalem. Then the nation will enjoy the Holy Spirit in a way it never has before.
Have you ever felt like spiritually “dry ground”? Have you ever felt “thirsty” for more of the Lord? Have you ever felt empty and needing to be filled? The Holy Spirit is God’s answer for our deep inner thirst. When He comes into our lives, He comes like a river rushing over dry ground. He pours out His blessings and our lives begin to blossom again.
No one need stay “dry” or “empty” or “thirsty” forever. We weren’t made to live in a desert. God’s river called the Holy Spirit can flow through our lives, slaking our thirst, filling our emptiness, covering the arid ground with the water of life.
Spirit of God, I am thirsty until You flow through me. I am empty until You fill me. I am dry until You cause life to spring up once again. Do it, now! Amen.
{Pritchard, Ray}, {Names of the Holy Spirit},
Quarry me deep, dear Lord, and then fill me to overflowing with living water… Fill me with grace daily that my life be a fountain of sweet water… Quicken my hunger and thirst after the realm above. (Valley of Vision)
Hallomai is in the present tense signifying that this source of "living water" will be continually leaping, jumping, gushing, bubbling up within the believer for eternal life! This is "supernatural water" and in context (and comparison with Jn 7:38-39) is a description of the Holy Spirit in believers! This water will endure eternally, echoing Jesus' promise to the disciples that the Spirit "may remain with your forever." (NLT = "Who will never leave you.") (Jn 14:16) Hallelujah! Thank God we have such a sure promise from Jesus of a permanent reservoir of spiritual strength for the long journey, a journey marked by many trials and tribulations !
What a glorious picture of the Holy Spirit - inward, irrepressible, inexhaustible! (cf Jn 7:37-39) - derivative of the verb hallomai describes the "leaping up" of the lame man after he was healed by God (thru Peter - note he does not "praise Peter" but is praising God - Acts 3:8) at the gate of the Temple in Acts 3:8 This verb is also the root of "Be Glad" (or more literally "jump for joy" = agalliao) in Mt 5:12, et al
Living Water is a beautiful picture of our Eternal Life in Christ, the Source of all Life. The pix of LIVING WATER is esp poignant in the Mid East with paucity of any water at all. Thus sources of "living water" were even more rare and their discovery was accompanied by considerable rejoicing. How tragic that God's people Israel and most of the Gentiles reject His offer of life giving water!
Boa says springing up is "a beautiful metaphor. It’s like an artesian well that springs up and it has no boundaries, no limits. It continues to spring from the inside to the outside. This is a marvelous metaphor of the Spirit of God Who is ultimately going to be given." And an incredible picture of what believers can be like as they yield to the Spirit's leading (Eph 5:18, Gal 5:18)
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is Who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." What can we say but "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2Cor 9:15)
The “Artesian aquifer” ("springing up" - hallomai ) that Jesus promised in John 4:14 is now pictures as an ever flowing river!
Just as water satisfies thirst and produces fruitfulness, so the Spirit of God satisfies the inner person and enables us to bear fruit.
Isa 55:1-2 (Isa 55:1, cp Isa 25:6) “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. (Isa 55:2) “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. -- Jesus is the Source, and the water He gives is the Word - 10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
(Jeremiah 2:13) “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water." Any cistern we create for ourselves will be a broken cistern, and can neither satisfy our soul thirst nor replace Jesus' living water of the Holy Spirit springing up from within our innermost being and flowing through us to a spiritually thirsty, broken world.. Jer 17:13 Those who depart from Me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD (Jehovah), the fountain (Lxx = pege) of living waters." Can we forsake Him today and build our own cisterns as believers? We can begin to forget Him, slowly slipping into indifference toward His living and abiding Word, becoming prayerless (praying less), not frequenting the Lord's Table, etc. We loose that enthusiasm, that first love experience, that vigor which was like a spring of life bubbling forth from within our beings, a gushing forth that we could not hold it back. We slowly become content with just a trickle of that living water Jesus gives! And from His springs we receive not simply water but an abundance of water, "springs abounding with water." (Pr 8:24), "like a spring of water whose waters do not fail" (Isa 58:11) Our Lord says the antidote for this apathy is to remember our first love we had for Him, to repent and to return to the things we did at the beginning (Rev 2:4-5). And we can go to His Table and take the cup which is the new covenant in His blood, drink "in REMEMBRANCE of" Jesus. (1Cor 11:25) Digging our own futile "cisterns" (they are different for each of us), only makes us thirsty and does not satisfy the spiritual thirst God creates deep within our being.
Meyer - There is the cistern of Pleasure, engraved with fruits and flowers, wrought at the cost of health and peace; the cistern of Wealth, gilded and inlaid with costly gems; the cistern of Human love, which, however fair and beautiful, can never satisfy the soul that rests in it alone---all these, erected at infinite cost of time and strength, are treacherous and disappointing.
Roper - After years of strenuous effort you finally complete the task. Then you step back and wait for your cistern to fill—and it leaks. You discover—too late—that all cisterns, no matter how well constructed, will leak. The story is a picture of the futility of our attempts to find satisfaction in life. It’s an age-old problem.
Henry Blackaby - Jer 2:13 - God said that He would be like an artesian well in the life of a believer. Artesian wells bubbled forth with a cold, fresh, never-ending supply of water from the depths of the earth, quenching any thirst and always satisfying. This is the picture of the spiritual refreshment that belongs to the person in whom the Holy Spirit resides. Have you ever heard people say they are experiencing a dry spell in their Christian life? What are they saying? Are they saying that the Lord ran out of water? It should never cross your mind that the fountain of living waters residing within you should ever be reduced to a trickle. You don't need to run all over the country trying to find sources of spiritual refreshment. Conferences, retreats, and books can all bring encouragement, but if you are a Christian, the source of living water already resides within you. Have you exchanged the living fountain for man-made cisterns that cannot hold water? Why would you exchange an artesian well for a broken water tank? Artesian wells do not dry up. Broken cisterns do. If you are experiencing spiritual dryness right now, is it because you have been attempting to find your source of spiritual refreshment from man-made sources, which will fail you every time?
Zech 14:8 (cp Ezek 47:1-12, Zech 13:1) And in that day (when Christ returns to set up His Kingdom) living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter." While this is a literal description it surely also is a symbol of that future time when there will be a "free flow" of the Spirit throughout the entire earth! O glorious day!
Isa 41:17, 43:20, 49:10, 62:8-9, Amos 9:14
Even as God provided water to the Israelites in the wilderness in the OT (Ex 17:1-6, Nu 20:5-11, Neh 9:15, 20, Isa 48:21, Ps 78:15, 107:33), in the New Covenant, He has provided each of His children with soul sustaining living water, His empowering Spirit, as we walk through the dark, foreboding "spiritual wilderness" of this present age.
Pritchard - Zechariah 14:8 looks forward to a time after the return of Christ when the climate and geography of earth will be changed as Jesus Christ sets up His kingdom on the earth. There will be a great earthquake, splitting the Mount of Olives in two (Zech 4:4), followed by enormous changes in the normal pattern of daytime and nighttime (Zech 4:6–7). On that day “living water” will flow from Jerusalem. This is no doubt both literal and symbolic. There will be a literal river, but the river will symbolize the free flow of the Spirit throughout the entire earth.
The first description of living water is of literal water - Ge 26:19 But when Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water, and the last is in Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life (living water - hudor zoe) without cost.
Jn 7:37-39 - Vine comments that Jesus uses rivers (potamos) to describe “the effects of the operation of the Holy Spirit in and through the believer.” NIDNTT - The assurance in all this is that God’s Spirit within is experienced as a mysterious ever-renewed source, upwelling in fullness of life. Figuratively in Jn 7:38 speaks of the great abundance and never ending flow of life giving "water," because the Holy Spirit is the eternal, omnipotent Source Who is in us and flows forth from us forever ! Am I blocking (quenching, grieving, resisting) His flow in some way?
Spurgeon on rivers of living water - it suggests that the Spirit's "operations are of marvelous power. Brethren do rivers of living water flow out of you? This is an inward work, the rivers of living water flow out of the midst of the man, from his heart and soul (cp Pr 4:23). The rivers do not flow out of his mouth--the promised power is not oratory. We have had plenty of words, floods of words; but this is heart work. The source of the rivers is found in the inner life. It is an inward work at its fountain head. It is not a work of talent and ability, and show, and glitter, and glare: it is altogether an inward work. The life (giving) flood is to come out of the man’s inmost self, out of the essential being of the man. O my brother in Christ, if you would be useful, begin with yourself. It is out of your very soul that a blessing must come. It cannot come out of you if it is not in you: and it cannot be in you unless God the Holy Spirit places it there." ---- I think I am not going beyond the grievous truth if I say that only here and there will you find men and women who have believed up to that point. Their thirst is quenched, as I have said, and they live, and because Jesus lives they shall live also, but health and vigor they have not: they have life, but they have not life more abundantly. They have little life with which to act upon others: they have no energy welling up and overflowing to go streaming out of them like rivers… Let us not be satisfied with the sip that saves, but let us go on to the belief (baptism) which buries the flesh and raises us in the likeness of the risen Lord… which makes us spiritual and sets us all on flame with zeal for the glory of God.
When we receive the living water through the living word, we in turn become a Spirit enabled spring of living water that flow forth from our lives.
Jesus is the Source of living water (Jn 4:10), and those who are born again become channels through which living water flows to others. Thus we need to heed Pr 4:23 to watch over our heart.
(Rev 22:17) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
In Ge 21 Hagar is certainly a picture of the needy multitudes in the world today: wandering, weary, thirsty, blind, and giving up in despair. How we need to tell them the good news that the water of life is available and the well is not far away! (John 4:10–14; 7:37–39) God is kind and gracious to all who call on Him, because of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
LIVING WATER - The Bible frequently pictures spiritual life as water.
• Jesus is the source of this living water
“Jesus answered her [the Samaritan woman], ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’ ” John 4:10
• This living water reaches our deepest needs. Jesus said:
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:38
• This living water is like a spring which never dries up:
“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.” Revelation 7:17
• This living water produces a fruitful life:
“On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:2
(The Gospel of John made easy)
When Jesus said Come and drink He was saying that spiritual satisfaction comes not by the Jewish religion but by a relationship with Himself through the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Jn 7:37-39) Only drinking by faith of the water Jesus gives can we quench the thirst of our parched soul.
While Rev 22:17 speaks primarily of initial reception of the Gospel, this great invitation is applicable to every saint who senses the dryness of their soul and their need of Jesus' water that alone quenches our deepest needs. Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. (And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.)
The Amplified Bible translates Jn 7:38-39: "He who believes in Me … From his innermost being shall flow continuously springs and rivers of living water. But He was speaking here of the Spirit, whom those who believe in Him were afterward to receive." Does this generally describe my life? Is there a spiritual river flowing out of me? If not, it may be because it is blocked. Am I keeping short accounts with God by daily confessing my sins to Him (1Jn 1:9 confess is present tense = continually)? Am I assuring adequate intake of spiritual water just as I do with physical water? In 1848 the Niagara Falls ceased to fall for a short time, because of an upstream blockage! Solomon spoke of the danger of "spiritual blockage" of the flow of the living waters of the Spirit of Christ, calling for us to "Watch over (guard) our hearts with all diligence, for out of it flow streams of water." (Pr 4:23) Are you guarding your heart beloved?
Jesus promised us "living water" and that this water He gives us "shall become a spring of water welling up, flowing forth, bubbling over in us to eternal life." (Jn 4:14) Beloved, have you ever seen an artesian well, which effortlessly spouts water as a result of the force of water flowing down from a higher position? What a picture of the Holy Spirit on flowing with power from on high! This is the life Jesus desires for all of us - that we would be spiritual "artesian wells," with living waters continually springing up (e.g., the fruit of the Spirit) refreshing the lives of every thirsty soul we encounter!
Every saved soul is a citadel of God, and although constantly besieged by the sins and sorrows of earth, they have an unfailing source of supply within. (James Smith)
"God, being so great, great gifts most willingly imparts;
But we continue poor that have such narrow hearts."—Trench.
How often I am foolish like Israel, fleeing from the fountain of living waters and "digging my own well" attempting to satisfy what only Jesus can satisfy. Jer 2:13
Blessed to be a Blessing - As the offspring of Abraham (Gal 3:29), we are called to bless all the families of the earth (Ge 12:3), remembering that "It is more blessed to give than to receive." And yet we can only be a blessing for God after we have been blessed by God, for this is always God's order. We are saved to serve in the power of the Spirit. The Spirit that flows into and from our heart like an Artesian Well, becomes springs of living water flowing forth on thirsty souls. It is out of those who come to Jesus and drink that the living water flows (John 7:37, 38).
The well of water springing up is the life of Christ in us and emanating from our inner being. -- Spurgeon - It is when by faith we look to Him that we begin to live, and it is in proportion as we live upon Him that we enjoy true life. At the same time, this life comes to us from the Holy Spirit, and is a result of the Holy Spirit’s graciously dwelling in us. He consecrates our hearts into a temple. He resides within our spirits. Then we, who once were dead, are made to live; it is the indwelling of the Holy Ghost within the soul which is the great secret source and spring of the grace which wells up within us and causes us to live in the life of Christ. Spurgeon,
Thirst connects one great physical need with the great spiritual need of man.
Spurgeon has a great description of the springs (fountain) of water springing up (Jn 4:14) - Springs are in perpetual motion, and no known power could stop them. If for mischief heaps of rubbish are piled upon them, they somehow percolate the mass, upheave and find a vent for themselves at last, for their force must win a course for itself. So brethren, when God puts the new life into a man, it is a very active and vigorous principle.
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The world offers a stale, stagnant cistern. Christ offers a sweet, soul-satisfying spring.
Spurgeon YOU have been busy all the week with external things. You have had to deal with the questions, “What shall we eat, and what shall we drink, and wherewithal shall we be clothed?” It is well that at least on this one day in seven we should turn our eyes away from the external to the internal; from the less to the greater; for as the life is more than meat, and the body than raiment, so is the soul more important than all that which surrounds it. It were most unwise in any man to be so continually attending to the exterior of his house as to neglect the comforts of the inner apartments, and the warmth of the fireside. ’Twere extreme folly in any of us to be very careful in the decking our person, and meanwhile to permit our body to pine away under some dreadful disease. That which is the more important should have the most of our thoughts;
Spurgeon - true Christian has found, for his life is hid with Christ in God. All his fresh springs are in God; he has struck into the eternal fountains of the divine life in Christ Jesus. None can go deeper, none can deprive him, therefore, of the hidden sustenance of his soul… those who depend upon the work of Christ which he has finished, and upon the indwelling power of the Holy Ghost, who shall abide with them for ever, shall renew their strength like the eagle’s; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Spurgeon (M/E) - The heart is as insatiable as the grave till Jesus enters it, and then it is a cup full to overflowing. There is such a fulness in Christ that he alone is the believer’s all. The true saint is so completely satisfied with the all-sufficiency of Jesus that he thirsts no more—except it be for deeper draughts of the living fountain. In that sweet manner, believer, shalt thou thirst; it shall not be a thirst of pain, but of loving desire; thou wilt find it a sweet thing to be panting after a fuller enjoyment of Jesus’ love. One in days of yore said, “I have been sinking my bucket down into the well full often, but now my thirst after Jesus has become so insatiable, that I long to put the well itself to my lips, and drink right on.” Is this the feeling of thine heart now, believer? Dost thou feel that all thy desires are satisfied in Jesus, and that thou hast no want now, but to know more of him, and to have closer fellowship with him? Then come continually to the fountain, and take of the water of life freely. Jesus will never think you take too much, but will ever welcome you, saying, “Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.”
Springs of Living Water - In 1896, Sherwood Eddy enthusiastically began his ministry as a missionary to India. But after just a year he was ready to quit—his energy depleted, his spirit broken. One morning after a sleepless night he begged God for help. Then he remembered the promise of Jesus to the woman at Jacob’s well, “The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (Jn. 4:14). Eddy wrote, “I resolved to stop drawing on myself so constantly and begin instead drawing on God.” From then on he daily set aside time for prayerfully drinking from the well that never runs dry—the inexhaustible, soul-renewing wellspring of God’s grace. “Since that day,” Eddy said, “I have known not one hour of darkness and despair. The eternal God has been my refuge, and underneath me I have felt the everlasting arms.” (Dt 33:27) No matter how much energy or talent we have, sooner or later we discover that the well of our personal resources is running dry. But when Christ, the source of living water, indwells our lives, we aren’t locked into the drudgery of drawing on our human abilities. Jesus becomes our unfailing source of spiritual renewal. We find that when we have nothing left, He is the well that never runs dry. You may have to lose everything to find that God is everything you need. By Vernon C. Grounds (Our Daily Bread)
Scofield - Christianity is not a kind of pump in Jacob’s well, helping us to draw life out of the law; it is the Spirit of life, and the life of the Spirit implanted in, and outflowing from the believer himself. That is the least understood fact of Christianity to-day, after nineteen hundred years of preaching. “The water that I shall give shall be in him a fountain of water, springing up into everlasting life.”
Woodrow Kroll - The importance of water can never be underestimated. Sixty percent of a lean, adult body is composed of water. A person can fast from food for 40 days or longer, but the human body can go only for about 7 days without water even under ideal circumstances. It's no wonder, then, that the Israelites were getting desperate. The wilderness was far from ideal. It was a hot, desert-like stretch of land dotted with huge rocks but little vegetation. Without water they would quickly perish. So God instructed Moses to strike a rock, and out of this flinty hardness flowed sufficient water to meet the needs of all the people and their livestock. The Bible writers later saw this rock as a symbol of Christ (1Cor 10:4). In the midst of a sin-parched life, Christ offers a well of living water that never runs dry, no matter how often we drink from it. Have you received Christ as your Savior? If not, trust Jesus today and you will never thirst again. If you want eternal water, come to Jesus who said, "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).
Thirst is a natural urge necessary to preserve our spiritual and physical life. It is good for us to experience these desires. Jesus promised "Blessed (makarios = fully satisfied, independent of our circumstances) are those who hunger and thirst (hunger and thirst are both present tense = continually) for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (spiritually filled)." (Mt 5:6) Observe the two benefits of spiritual thirst - blessed and satisfied. Observe the object of these longings - righteousness (right thinking and living). Note also that while we are satisfied, our soul has been so wired to as to produce an recurrent sensation of thirst, both physical and spiritual. It follows that every man and woman has a divinely given need deep in their souls, that nothing but Jesus, the Righteous One, the Living Water, will fully satisfy! And so, the question for each of us to ponder daily is: For what am I thirsting and is it satisfying my parched soul?
Spurgeon- Since our Lord Jesus Christ has taken away the curse due to sin, a great rock has been lifted out from the river-bed of God's mercy, and the living stream comes rippling, rolling, swelling on in crystal tides, sweeping before it all human sin and sorrow, and making glad the thirsty who stoop down to drink thereat.
Oswald Chambers - Springs of benignity - The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water. John 4:14. The picture Our Lord gives is not that of a channel but a fountain. ‘Be being filled,’ and the sweetness of vital relationship to Jesus will flow out of the saint as lavishly as it is imparted to him. If you find your life is not flowing out as it should, you are to blame; something has obstructed the flow. Keep right at the Source, and—you will be blessed personally? No, out of you will flow rivers of living water, irrepressible life. We are to be centres through which Jesus can flow as rivers of living water in blessing to everyone. Some of us are like the Dead Sea, always taking in but never giving out, because we are not rightly related to the Lord Jesus. As surely as we receive from Him, He will pour out through us, and in the measure He is not pouring out, there is a defect in our relationship to Him. Is there anything between you and Jesus Christ? Is there anything that hinders your belief in Him? If not, Jesus says, out of you will flow rivers of living water. It is not a blessing passed on, not an experience stated, but a river continually flowing. Keep at the Source, guard well your belief in Jesus Christ and your relationship to Him, and there will be a steady flow for other lives, no dryness and no deadness. Is it not too extravagant to say that out of an individual believer, rivers are going to flow? ‘I do not see the rivers,’ you say. Never look at yourself from the standpoint of—‘Who am I?’ In the history of God’s work you will nearly always find that it has started from the obscure, the unknown, the ignored, but the steadfastly true to Jesus Christ.
The world's "water" does not satisfy a thirsty soul (Jn 4:13), but only Jesus' living (life giving) water can satisfy our dry souls (Jn 4:14). How foolish we are when even as thirsting believers we forsake "The fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water." (Jer 2:13) Only Jesus, Who is now and forever our "all in all" is able to quench our spiritual thirst for meaning and He alone makes possible life at its richest and fullest.
Olford - The Christian who does not flow with Christ's life, like a spring (Jn 4:14), is a contradiction. Wherever Christ is, rivers of life flow." Beloved, is that true in your life? Or have you neglected the wise word to "Watch (not a suggestion, but a command to set a guard) over your heart with all diligence (vigilance), for out of it flow the springs of life." (Pr 4:23)
Knap - What Christ offers to His disciples is infinitely greater. His grace does not stay outside of them, but enters into their innermost recesses; it becomes a fountain there from which the waters spring continually, because it is fed by the Spirit continuously. For ever a springing fountain of comfort within us. An incessant rushing vein of the water of grace in our heart. Never without Christ, because He lives by the Holy Spirit within us. Never without His peace, that He commands uninterruptedly in our soul! We bear everywhere that overflowing fountain within us, in days of joy and in days of sorrow, in the wedding apparel and in the garments of mourning. We do not dip for water with the one. We do not seek our comfort with another. All that we need, does descend from above, but it also springs from the depths of the soul, because in those barren depths the Holy Spirit is poured out,—what a life of spiritual freedom, the blessed freedom of the children of God! … Blessed, if our soul knows of that springing up, and if it feels itself to be lifted up towards the eternal light by the power of the Spirit. Blessed, if inwardly from higher impulse such a springing up may be found, an arising in faith, a lifting up in prayer, an eager reaching towards Him, who made this fountain to spring within us, a fountain, that is only sealed up by our wilful sins, but that otherwise springs up into eternal life! (The Loins Girded)
Isaiah 55 - "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?" should be a banner announcement running across every advertisement on television! Personal happiness based upon early advantages is a mirage which promises but cannot deliver soul satisfaction. Only Jesus is able to satisfy a person's deepest need!
This passage is not a call to salvation but a call to revival for all who have wandered far from the Lord or from that grace which is the basis for our relationship with Him. The call is issued to the thirsty and the penniless -- all who will recognize their need for spiritual blessing and their inability to meet the need themselves.
Are you trying to find life in places other than Jesus Christ? Are you thirsty? Are you searching for that abundance in life? If you are still thirsty in your spiritual walk with Christ—if you are still thirsty in evangelism, still thirsty in your life itself—come to Jesus and drink. Too often when we find ourselves spiritually thirsty, we are tempted to go everywhere, rather than going to Source, Jesus! "Jesus quenches our thirst personally, not by proxy." (Cecil) The risk of not going to the Source is that “Untended fires soon die and become just a pile of ashes.” We need to kindle afresh our love for Jesus and the best kindling is Bible study and prayer. Notice that in John 7:37 "Come" and "Drink" are both in the present imperative, indicating that Jesus is calling for us to "Keep coming. Keep drinking from Him, the Source." Remember that life is not found in the broken cisterns of this world, but in the fountain of living water (Jer 2:13), the Lord Jesus Christ. Where do we find satisfaction and life? We find it by first going to the right source and continuing to come to the right source. "We know from John 4 that the living water is Jesus Himself. In John 4:10–26, Jesus says that He is the living water. He is the One who provides life and gives eternal life. But here in John 7, Jesus links that living water with the flow of the Holy Spirit in me. Whoever believes becomes a source of that living water for others. Whoever believes becomes a channel for that living water to flow to a world that is thirsty.In other words, the message of Christ flows through the believer by the power of the Holy Spirit to a lost world … unless there is a kink in the system."
Sometimes the trials of life drain our soul and spirit so that we are dry as a desert. Let us run to the Source of Living Water to revived, refreshed, and strengthened.
Camels can go for 3 months without water! Ps 42 describes the antithesis - a deer panting for water. A camel can function in a desert, but a deer can't, and neither can we function in a spiritual desert. As
Beth Moore - Christ's encounter with the woman at the well introduces us to some realities of life we desperately need to remember:
1) Our insatiable need or craving for too much of anything is symptomatic of unmet needs or “empty places.”
2) Salvation does not equal satisfaction. You can be genuinely saved and still be unsatisfied.
3) Satisfaction comes only when every empty place is filled with the fullness of Christ.
4) While salvation comes to us as a gift from God, we find satisfaction in Him as we deliberately surrender all parts of our lives to Him. (Breaking free day by day: a year of walking in liberty)
Joe Stowell says "We were built--in fact, redeemed--for regular, satisfying access to the refreshing presence of God in our souls. So what is it that keeps us from longing for and seeking Him? For all the things that make us more like the camel, none is so glaring as the sin of self-sufficiency. And why are we self-sufficient? Because we think we have all that we need apart from Him. Jesus is little more than a highly valued fire escape and Someone to whom we love to belong. But cultivating Him as our soul mate and supreme necessity of life has somehow escaped us. Are you thirsty for God? Fresh water waits … "
We cannot escape our deep inner longings for satisfaction. We can rummage in the world's pig pen or we can run to Jesus to satisfy our thirst. Ask God to give you an unquenchable thirst for the Word of God. It is the primary means by which God satisfies our soul.
We all thirst to feel significant, to have meaning and purpose and to experience contentment and security. Too often we attempt to seek to satisfy this thirst in another person, position or possession, instead of in Jesus, the fountain of Living Water, which alone satisfies our deepest needs. Like the deer in Ps 42:1-2, having our deep thirst for Jesus fully satisfied in Him should be the goal of our lives.
There is a sense in which our soul's spiritual thirst is quenched when a sinner first believes in Jesus (justification = past tense salvation) and as Jesus said he will "never thirst" again (Jn 4:14, 6:35). However there is another sense in which we are to continually "hunger and thirst (both present tense = continually) for righteousness" (sanctification = present tense salvation) which satisfies (fills) and blesses our soul. (Mt 5:6) Ultimately to crave continually for righteousness, is to long for Jesus Who is our righteousness (1Cor 1:30) "He must (continually) increase, but (we) must continually decrease." (Jn 3:30) As John Blanchard aptly observed "God promises to fill those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, yet the sign that He is doing so is that they go on hungering and thirsting." David cries "O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Ps 63:1) This truth begs the question "Are you thirsty?" "Desires for more grace, and groanings which cannot be uttered, are growing pains, and we should wish to feel them more and more." (Spurgeon)
Wiersbe - Wilderness experiences are good for you, for they teach you an important truth: You draw satisfaction from blessing on the inside, not from circumstances on the outside. When you face a wilderness experience, follow David's response. God will meet your needs.
(Ps 107:9) For He has satisfied (Lxx = chortazo = same verb in Mt 5:6) the thirsty (Lxx = kenos = empty) soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good." A thirsty soul is an empty soul. An empty soul should be a thirsty soul. Spurgeon " The Lord sets us longing and then completely satisfies us. That longing leads us into solitude, separation, thirst, faintness and self despair, and all these conduct us to prayer, faith, divine guidance, satisfying of the soul's thirst, and rest: the good hand of the Lord is to be seen in the whole process and in the divine result." Thomas Brooks - You may as soon fill a bag with wisdom, a chest with virtue, or a circle with a triangle, as the heart of man with anything here below. A man may have enough of the world to sink him, but he can never have enough to satisfy him.
Christ alone is the source of all satisfaction. While only the Bread of life can satisfy spiritual hunger, so too only the Living Water can satisfy spiritual thirst.
If I am not satisfied with what I have, I will never be satisfied with what I want! Only an intimate daily communion with Jesus can truly satisfy our soul. "Hallelujah! I have found Him Whom my soul so long has craved!/Jesus satisfies my longings--Thru His blood I now am saved." (Clara Williams)
Are you thirsty for the Lord's return? Or are you content with status quo?
Ps 36:9 For with You is the fountain (Lxx = pege) of life; In Your light we see light. Spurgeon - From the Lord, as from an independent self-sufficient spring, all creature life proceeds, by Him it is sustained, through Him alone can it be perfected (cp Ro 11:36). Life is in the creature, but the fountain of it is only in the Creator.
Ps 81:10 “I, the LORD, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it." Spurgeon - He had proved his power and his good will; it remained only for his people to believe in him and ask large things of him. If their expectations were enlarged to the utmost degree, they could not exceed the bounty of the Lord. Little birds in the nest open their mouths widely enough, and perhaps the parent birds fail to fill them, but it will never be so with our God. His treasures of grace are inexhaustible,
John 4:14 - Hallomai is in the present tense signifying that this source of "living water" will be continually leaping, jumping, gushing, bubbling up! This is "supernatural water" and in context (and comparison with Jn 7:38-39) is clearly a figurative description of the Holy Spirit in believers! Hallelujah! Thank God we have such a sure promise from Jesus of a permanent reservoir of spiritual strength for the long journey, a journey marked by many trials and tribulations !
Living water - Jesus uses this phrase again in John 7:38 to refer to the Holy Spirit flowing into, through and out from (so to speak) the believer.
THOUGHTS ON JOHN 4:14ff -
Keri Wyatt - Even a sacred well, when compared to the living water of Jesus, becomes a mere cistern. The things we think will bring us life are dry and lifeless in comparison to the wellspring of life that we can find in relationship with Him. (Deeper into the word: reflections on 100 words from the new testament)
Shall never thirst - Notice this is a double negative = never, not ever! This statement alone indicates that this water is "other worldly" for worldly water (including the "trinkets and baubles" of this passing world) can never satisfy our recurring thirst! Why? Because it is "spiritual water," supernatural "water," the only "water" that can penetrate into our deepest, innermost being and therein nourish our soul! Only Jesus gives this "brand" of water! Belief in Jesus equates with "drinking" from this ever flowing, supernatural stream, the "living waters" that come bubbling out being a beautiful picture of the Holy Spirit in us! Oh my, thank God for the Spirit's inspiration of such precious word pictures which open the eye of our heart to the beauty and greatness of our salvation in Christ! Amen.
"Lord I crawled across the barrenness to You with my empty cup uncertain in asking any small drop of refreshment. If only I had know You better I'd come running with a bucket." (Nancy Spiegelberg)
Remember that on the Cross Jesus in great agony and suffering cried "I thirst." What a divine paradox - He became thirsty so that our spiritual thirst would forever be quenched in Him.
To the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus said "If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you LIVING WATER… whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never THIRST; but the WATER that I shall give him shall become in him a WELL OF WATER springing up to eternal life." (Jn 4:10,14) Horatius Bonar said "Look into the Fountain, and the very looking will make you thirsty." Jesus said “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never THIRST." (John 6:35) And again, "Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man is THIRSTY, let him come (let him keep on coming) to Me and DRINK (let him keep on drinking). He who believes (explaining how to keep on drinking) in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow RIVERS OF LIVING WATER.'" But this He spoke of the Spirit, Whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." (Jn 7:37-39) As John Piper says Jesus' "promise is not only that we will be satisfied, but that we will be satisfying. He promises not only that our cup will be full, but also that it will be overflowing for others. In drinking from Jesus we become not merely a receptacle, but a spring or a fountain. Jesus promises that if we drink Him into our hearts, He will flow out from us with rivers of living water… My deepest soul-thirst is not just to be a RECEPTACLE but to be a RIVER! Experience has taught us that the joy we feel as Christ flows into us eventually turns sour if it does not flow out of us in praise to God and love to men. If our hearts are not rivers of love and praise, then all our religious experience will become a brackish pond." Am I more like a flowing river or like the "Dead Sea"? Does not this truth help us to better understand the great OT command to "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." (Pr 4:23) Am I guarding my heart ?
Piper - Let us "taste and see that the LORD is good!" (Psalm 34:8). Compared to his excellencies, all the world is an uncooked egg white. But the honey of heaven makes the eyes glow."
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Mt 5:6)
Robert M McCheyne (who was taken home at age 30) said "I thirst for the knowledge of the Word, but most of all for Jesus Himself, the true (Living) Word."
They fetid wells of this passing world are like sea-water, for the more we drink of them, the less we are satisfied and the greater our thirst becomes.
We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still;
We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead,
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill.
- Bernard of Clairvaux
Real soul-satisfaction is found only in Christ.
When Jesus is our sole satisfaction, We will have true satisfaction in our soul.
Jesus, Thou Joy of loving hearts,
Thou Fount of life, Thou Light of men,
From the best bliss that earth imparts
We turn unfilled to Thee again.
-Bernard of Clairvaux
Psalm 36:8 They drink their fill of the abundance of Thy house; And Thou dost give them to drink of the river of Thy delights. 9 For with Thee is the fountain of life; In Thy light we see light.
SOUL THIRST THAT IS NOT SATISFIED - "Christians can be miserably dissatisfied if they accept Christ's salvation yet reject the fullness of daily relationship. God offers us so much more than we usually choose to enjoy. Dissatisfaction is not a terrible thing. It's a God-thing. It's only a terrible thing when we don’t let it lead us to Christ. He wants us to find the only thing that will truly satiate our thirsty and hungry hearts. Realizing that God desires for us to find genuine satisfaction in Him helps us discover the third primary obstacle in our road to freedom: settling for satisfaction with anything else. God gave this practice a name I was unprepared to hear: idolatry! Anything we try to put in a place where God belongs is an idol." (Beth Moore) Am I trying to satisfy my soul thirst with anything other than Jesus ? The Rolling Stones were right "I can't get no satisfaction" from the things of the world!
God wants us to find our satisfaction in Him alone rather than waste our time and effort on things that cannot satisfy. But I believe He creates and activates a nagging dissatisfaction in us for an excellent reason, knowing full well that He has created us with a need only He can meet.
He wants us to find the only thing that will truly satiate our thirsty, hungry hearts. Yet He gives us a will so we can choose whether or not to accept His invitation to “come” to Him. See, dissatisfaction is not a terrible thing. It's a God-thing. It only becomes a terrible thing when we don't let it lead us to Christ. {Breaking free day by day: a year of walking in liberty},
The first mention of thirst in Scripture is Exodus 17:3, where Israel experienced thirst during their wilderness wandering, causing them to grumble and prompting Moses to cry to Jehovah, Who told him to "strike the rock and water would come out of it that the people may drink." (Ex 17:6, cp Nu 20:8-12). Paul explained that all Israel "drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ." The water they drank was literal water, but the Rock that "followed" them was not a literal rock, but the Spirit of Christ Himself, Who "brought forth streams from the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers." (Ps 78:16) The smitten rock pointed to the crucifixion of Christ, to His being "stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted, wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities." (Isa 53:4-5)
Blanchard on Ps 42 and Ps 63 - "These are not formal religious phrases, nor do they speak of superficial emotions. They are wholehearted, earnest, urgent cries from one for whom life without a sense of God’s presence is the spiritual equivalent of" dying of dehydration. How often am I thirsty like that ?
(1Pet 2:2) like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
"Jesus, the very thought of Thee with sweetness fills my breast; but sweeter far Thy face to see and in Thy presence rest. Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame, nor can the mem’ry find a sweeter sound than Thy blest name, O Savior of mankind. O hope of ev’ry contrite heart, O joy of all the meek, to those who fall how kind Thou art! how good to those who seek! But what to those who find? Ah, this nor tongue nor pen can show—the love of Jesus, what it is; none but His loved ones know. Jesus, our only joy be Thou, as Thou our prize wilt be; Jesus, be Thou our glory now and thru eternity."
And David cries "O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Ps 63:1)
Remember the Sprite commercial which had the tagline "Obey your Thirst?" Jesus is saying "Obey your spiritual thirst. Come and by faith drink of Me." No matter how much we drink from the wells of worldly wealth, fame and pleasure, we will only become more thirsty. The only real thirst quencher of our parched soul is Jesus the Giver of living water.
As Jerry Bridges says "The thirstier a man is, the more he’ll prize a cup of water; the more our sins break and burden us, the more we’ll treasure our Healer and Deliverer. Don’t avoid the voice of your conscience… return to the cross, the epicenter of the unfathomable greatness of Christ’s merit. Don’t be reluctant to feel thirst. It points you to Living Water where you can cherish every drop He gives for what it really is—precious beyond comparison."
We need to be like "David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah" crying out "O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Ps 63:1) When you find yourself in a dry wilderness situation in life, what do you do?
John Piper described how his father had "been in evangelism for about forty years, and he told me one time that the hardest work is not getting men saved but getting them lost. To put it another way, the hardest thing is not to satisfy their thirst but to make them feel thirsty for God. All men thirst. But not all thirst for God. We are the only species of God's creation afflicted and blessed with chronic longing. Dolphins are content to frolic in the sea, dogs are content to lie in the sun, frogs are content to bump their bellies from pond to pond. But man is not content. He is afflicted with chronic restlessness. Everything we set our hand to gets old. We fight without success against an epidemic of boredom… We are afflicted and blessed with a chronic restlessness, an insatiable soul-thirst, for this reason: that we might keep looking until we find Christ. And that having found him we might be turned back to him again and again when we taste of other springs and find them bitter. We were made for God. The taste buds of our souls were made to relish fellowship with the Son of God. But we have become sinners, and the fundamental meaning of sin is thirsting for things other than God. Our sinful nature is a condition of diseased spiritual taste buds. Therefore, the prerequisite for coming to Christ and finding joy in him is renewal of our spiritual taste buds. Paul said, "The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him" (1 Corinthians 2:14). The unspiritual man looks at a believer who delights in drawing near to Christ in worship, prayer, study, and witness, and all he can see is a fool or a hypocrite. He cannot imagine that any of those things is a delight. He has no thirst for Christ, and so the invitation of Jesus is a dead issue. But God is gracious. He frustrates the human race again and again. He causes every wreath to wither, every gold cup to tarnish, every muscle to sag, every face to wrinkle, every sexual exploit to go sour, every sin to sting, until we have put him off too long. He wants us for himself. He wants everything but himself to grow dim in our eyes. He offers to heal our spiritual taste buds.
Jesus declared "I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly" (Jn 10:10) and "from his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water." (Jn 7:38)
Jesus invited thirsty people to come to Him and drink (John 7:37). First and foremost, He was speaking to people who needed to put their faith in Him, allowing His Spirit to fill them with the joy of salvation. In another sense, when you live for Christ and serve Him, you will recognize the continual need for His Spirit to fill you so He can work in and through you. Perhaps you are experiencing a heart-wringing trial and you feel dry and thirsty today. Imagine a dry sponge in your hand, ready to absorb more water. Let it teach you that only those who recognize their need for living water will find their thirst satisfied by Christ.
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” When we came to Jesus the first time and drank of Him He gave us "living water" which became "a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (Jn 4:10) But many of us live like the well has dried up !
Jn 7:37-39 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, Whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."
Nothing can quench our spiritual thirst but Jesus. The wells of the world only make us more thirsty. No matter how much we drink from the wells of wealth and achievement, we will only become more thirsty.
Jesus said "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
Jer 2:13 - Joseph Campbell, a well-known authority on mythology, said that his friends were living “wasteland lives.” He said they were “just baffled; they’re wandering in the wasteland without any sense of where the water is—the Source that makes everything green.” That could also be said—and with deepest sorrow—about countless people today. They try one thing after another to quench the thirst of their souls. Many people even resort to an empty spirituality, which Campbell did so much to popularize.
In John 10 Jesus declared "I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly." (Jn 10:10b)
Sometimes life can seem like an arid desert. But God can quench our spiritual thirst in the most unlikely circumstances. When by faith we believe the promises of God’s Word, we can experience rivers of living water and grace for our daily needs. Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy our thirst for God.
In the 1960s, the Kingston Trio released a song called “Desert Pete.” The ballad tells of a thirsty cowboy who is crossing the desert and finds a hand pump. Next to it, Desert Pete has left a note urging the reader not to drink from the jar hidden there but to use its contents to prime the pump. The cowboy resists the temptation to drink and uses the water as the note instructs. In reward for his obedience, he receives an abundance of cold, satisfying water. Had he not acted in faith, he would have had only a jar of unsatisfying, warm water to drink.