From a Fountain to Rivers of Living Water
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:5-6)
The new birth experience is a prerequisite for receiving eternal life, and this experience is a work of the Holy Spirit. Without Him no one can say that Jesus is Lord. (See 1 Corinthians 12:3) He works with the Word of God to cleanse us (See John 15:3) and to reveal Jesus–-the Word made flesh–to us.
When Jesus spoke with the woman at the well, a sinner, He offered her eternal life by inviting her to drink of the water that He could give her. This water, He said, was not like the water in the well that quenched your thirst for a while, but is like a fountain bubbling up into eternal life. This fountain is a symbol for the Holy Spirit that comes to dwell inside you once you opened your heart to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but 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 4:13-14)
When the Holy Spirit takes up residence in a person, he stops looking for spiritual fulfilment as that fountain continues to issue new life into eternity. Thank God for that fountain that never runs dry!
A few chapters later Jesus made another invitation:
On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “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.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39)
This invitation is to believers-–people who already have the fountain of eternal life inside of them. “He who believes in Me…” Rivers often have a fountain as a source, and so it is also with the Holy Spirit. Jesus said “rivers of living water will flow out of his heart.” The heart is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The fountain of eternal life increases into rivers of living water–-more of the same. “This He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive…”
If you have received the fountain, be sure to embrace the promise of rivers of living water to flow out of your innermost being. There is more; don’t be satisfied with the fountain if you can have rivers of living water! The world is waiting on that living water.
That abundance came on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell of those believers who gathered in the upper room. They were waiting on the promise of the Father, as Jesus told them to do. The abundant life that flowed out of them touched the lives of thousands of people, and the church was born. When the rivers of living water flowed out of Peter on that glorious day, he opened his mouth and three thousand people came to faith in the risen Christ.
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:37-39)
Darkness is falling on the earth as wickedness increases everywhere. The devil is stepping up a resistance against truth by spreading his lies and deception, making it hard for the weak among us to stay faithful to the Lord. The Holy Spirit is here to strengthen and empower you to overcome during these difficult days. Nothing can stop a river in flood; be filled with the Holy Spirit!
