FLOW RIVER, FLOW

 I want to show you a river today, the mighty power of the Holy Spirit as He comes and brings salvation, healing and drawing us into a new commitment in our walk with Him and then fruit which continues to grow in our lives.  Are you hungering in your life for more of this water flowing in your life?  Many today are hungry and dry, and Jesus offers us living water, Praise the Lord!

 One of my favorite studies in the Old Testament is the beautiful types and shadows of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It has been said that the “New Testament fulfilled is the Old Testament Revealed.”  We shall be looking at the river in the 47^th chapter of Ezekiel.  It pictures God’s river flowing.  And in the New Testament we see the fulfillment in the life of Jesus as He proclaimed Himself the living water, and again we see this river in the Book of Revelation.

 “Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar” Ezekiel 47:1

 This reminds us that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  This water is fast moving, flowing up and out.  In John 4:13-14, Jesus talks to the woman at the well: Jesus answered: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never thirst.  Indeed the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

 The expression “welling up” is a vigorous one, with a meaning like “leaping up.”  Jesus was speaking of a vigorous, abundant life.  Abundance every day as we walk with the Lord, a life full of His joy, His peace, and a walk of faith no matter what may be the trials and circumstances of our lives.

 On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”  By this He meant the Spirit whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.  Up to that time the Spirit has not been given, since Jesus had not been glorified. John 7:37-39.

 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 continuously flowing.  Keep at the source, guard well your relationship to Him and there will be a steady flow for other lives, no dryness, no deadness. We are to be centers through which Jesus can flow as rivers of living water to everyone we meet.  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 Christ.  How is your relationship to Jesus today?  Are rivers flowing out of you as abundant, life giving water to those around you?

 “Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters, the waters were to the knees.  Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.  Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over” Ezekiel 47:4-5

 This speaks of the “unsearchable riches of Christ.”  How far do you want to go with Jesus?  Are you willing to count the cost and go all the way with Him?  Are you just tickling your toes at the edge of the river, afraid of getting your feet wet?  Or are you going to wade in with Jesus?  He is inviting you and me to come with Him and experience more of His power in our lives.  There is a sacrifice to make, but are we willing to count the cost and make a new commitment to walk with Him all the way?

 “And it shall come to pass, that everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and everything shall live whither the river cometh” Ezekiel 47:9.

 As this mighty river increases, there is abundant life.  This is living water!  There is no deadness or dryness when the Holy Spirit touches our lives.  These are healing waters, because everywhere this river flows there is healing in its path.  There is salvation in these waters.  There are large numbers of fish.  This water makes salty water sweet, and fish can live in its waters.  This speaks of our Wonderful Jesus, because He brings sweetness of salvation and turns bitter unhappy lives into lives of wholeness.  Is this what you long for, my friend, a life with Jesus, who can turn your bitterness into sweetness?

 The Lord has promised a great harvest:  “open your eyes and look at the fields, they are ripe for harvest” John 4:35.  As this river continues to flow (vs. 10), we see all kinds of fish, like the fish in the great sea, or the ocean.  This speaks of every nation, tribe, color and race coming into His kingdom.

 Are you weeping for lost loved ones today?  Do you have unsaved children and you feel sometimes like your heart is breaking for them?  “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.  He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves with him” Psalm 126:5-6.  Someday, after much weeping and sowing in tears, there will be reaping of a great harvest of joy.  Praise the Lord!  So, don’t give up the battle, don’t get weary in well doing.

 “Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves shall not wither, and their fruit shall not fail” Ezekiel 47:12.

 All along this river are fruit trees whose leaves never wither and die and the fruit never rots or falls off of the trees.  This is a beautiful picture of God’s people bearing fruit, overflowing with Living Water.

 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is in the LORD.  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of draught, nor will cease from yielding fruit”  Jeremiah 17:8.

 What a beautiful picture!  We who trust in the LORD, and who hope in Him are blessed people!  We are like trees planted by waters, and our roots go deep into the river of life, drawing nourishment from Jesus who is the Living water.  And when draught comes, a place of dryness in our lives, we will still stay green and fruitful, not becoming anxious, but will always bear much fruit.  Praise the Lord!

 So, my friends, let the river flow in your life, drink deeply of those waters, and then there will be many souls born into His kingdom, and Oh, the joy when even one soul enters His kingdom.  But this river of life promises much fish, many souls for His kingdom.

 Blessings,

Pastor Sharon