Waters of the Holy Spirit
Imagine a world without water. I doubt you’ve ever given that any thought. But when you do, it's a terrifying thought, isn't it? Water, often taken for granted, is the very essence of life itself.
Consider this: if water ceased to flow – if there were no more evaporation, no more snowfalls, no more rain – every plant, every animal, every person would cease to exist. Water is not just a commodity; it's a fundamental necessity for our survival.
Every day, more than 300 trillion gallons of water evaporate from the oceans, a staggering 3.5 million gallons every second. Yet only a fraction of that vapor finds its way back to the earth in the form of rain. The rest returns to the ocean, perpetuating the cycle of life.
Clouds, those majestic formations in the sky, are born when the air reaches a saturation point – a testament to the intricate dance of nature's elements.
Consider this sobering fact: the average person can survive up to sixty days without food, but they can only last about three days without water before succumbing to dehydration. Water is not just essential; it's a matter of life and death.
The impact of water extends far beyond our individual survival. Unsafe water claims the lives of 200 children every hour, highlighting a global crisis. In the developing world, a staggering 80% of all illnesses are water-related, underscoring the vital need for clean, accessible water sources.
Did you know that water plays a crucial role in the very composition of our bodies? Our brains, the seat of our consciousness, are comprised of 70% water, emphasizing the intimate connection between hydration and cognitive function.
But the wonders of water don't end there. Each day, as we breathe out, we expel more than a cup of water vapor – a reminder of the intricate balance between our bodies and the environment.
Indeed, water is not just a substance; it's a symphony of life – a symphony in which we are all participants, intricately woven into the fabric of existence. So, the next time you turn on the tap or feel a raindrop on your skin, take a moment to marvel at the profound beauty and significance of water—a source of life, health, and vitality for us all.
Just as water is indispensable to physical life, so too is the Holy Spirit to our spiritual well-being.
Paul says in Romans 1:20 that the things of the natural world reveal the greater truths of the spiritual realm.
LIVING WATERS
Twice in the Gospels, Jesus references the Holy Spirit as “living water.” The first occurrence is in John 4 and the second is in John 7.
In the first incident, Jesus intentionally goes to a Samaritan well where he encounters an unnamed woman. Their conversation reveals a lot about the woman’s broken and messy life. It reveals her prejudice and much more. And it is here, to this hopeless woman, that Jesus reveals the idea of “living water.”
Jesus says, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water” (John 1:10). And just four verses later he says, “But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life” (John 4:14 NLT).
Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman unveils the metaphor of living water, transcending the tangible to illuminate spiritual truths. Unlike stagnant pools, the Holy Spirit within us is a bubbling spring, offering eternal life and unceasing renewal. The act of “drinking” symbolizes the part we play in receiving the Holy Spirit.
A second time in the Gospel of John Jesus uses water to teach about the Holy Spirit. Only this time He talks about “Rivers of living water.” He says, “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’” (John 7:38 NLT). Immediately following John clarifies that when Jesus said “living water” he was speaking of the Holy Spirit.
Rivers are transformative. They drastically alter the landscape they cut through. Likewise, the more the river of the Holy Spirit flows from a person’s heart the more it will transform them.
And the greater the river the greater the impact. Over time rivers will carve out valleys, canyons, and deltas. They’ll reshape the landscape in significant ways. Rivers sustain entire ecosystems. The continuous flow of rivers cleanses away pollution. Rivers are dynamic – always changing.
This is the power of the “rivers of living water” that can flow through our lives.
DEAD WATERS
Twice Jesus spoke of “living water.” The phrase suggests water that is alive and life-giving, contrasting it with stagnant water. Where waters flow there is life. When water stops, life stops. It’s why the Dead Sea is so named.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God spoke of these dead waters. He said, “For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” (Jeremiah 2:13 NLT). It is a great condemnation.
The first evil mentioned is the abandonment of God. God is the provider of “living water.” This imagery portrays God as the ultimate source of life, sustenance, and spiritual nourishment. Just as a fountain continually gushes forth fresh, life-giving water, God continually offers His Spirit. Sadly, the people had turned away.
The second evil mentioned is the people’s attempt to find satisfaction in cracked cisterns that cannot hold water. A cistern was a manmade reservoir. In this metaphor, the cracked cisterns symbolize the false gods and worldly pursuits that the people have turned to in place of God. These substitutes promise love, happiness, peace, fulfillment, and security, but they ultimately prove empty and incapable of satisfying the deep spiritual thirst within the human soul.
Through prophetic imagery, we witness the tragic choice to forsake the fountain of living water for broken cisterns; worthless substitutes unable to contain the divine flow.
The prophet Ezekiel also warned about dead waters. He warned of waters where nothing could live. He says, “But the marshes and swamps will not be purified; they will still be salty” (Ezekiel 47:11 NLT).
Keeping the idea of “living waters” in mind, consider Paul’s admonishment to the Thessalonians and us when he wrote, “Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19 KJV). To quench is to stop, to suppress, to put out. In other words, don’t stop the flow of the Holy Spirit in your life.
Avoid stifling the life-giving current of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
HEALING WATERS
The prophet Ezekiel (47) saw a vision of a flowing river that brought healing. The prophet Ezekiel stands at the entrance of the Temple, he beholds a remarkable sight, there is a stream emerging from the sanctuary itself. Ezekiel, led by a mysterious man, follows the course of the stream, and with each step, its depth increases. Meticulously he describes the progression of the stream …
Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles. He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist. Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through. (Ezekiel 47:3-5 NLT).
This vivid imagery portrays the inexhaustible abundance of God’s presence. This is how much He wants to surround you with His glory – waters deep enough to swim.
But there’s more …
He asked me, “Have you been watching, son of man?” Then he led me back along the riverbank. When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river. Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure. There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows. (Ezekiel 47:6-9 NLT).
The waters are life-giving waters. The polluted waters are purified. What was dead is brought to life. Trees thrive along its banks. Fruit is produced in abundance. New birth is taking place.
The destination of this life-giving river is equally significant. It flows eastward into the barren desert, ultimately reaching the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is devoid of life due to its high salinity. Yet, the waters of the river possess transformative power, miraculously turning the bitter, lifeless waters of the Dead Sea into fresh and pure.
This is a picture of the transformative, life-giving work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Just as the river brings life and renewal wherever it flows, so too does the Holy Spirit invigorate and revitalize our souls, leading us to spiritual abundance and fruitfulness.
As you immerse yourself in the flow of God's Spirit, you will experience the transforming power that turns desolation into abundance and barrenness into life.
CONTINUOUSLY FILLED
The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18 NLT).
Paul wrote this to Christians, people who had already been filled with the Holy Spirit, and yet he still wanted them to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.
If the process of evaporation and rain ceased entirely, life on earth would face catastrophic consequences. Without rain, plants would immediately begin to die. This, of course, would disrupt entire ecosystems. Then animals would begin to go extinct. Finally, without water, life as we know it would be unsustainable. The earth would become a barren, uninhabitable planet.
How long would it take for this catastrophe to occur? According to scientists, just 100 days. That’s it, just a little more than three months and everything would be gone.
How long can you continue without being filled with the Holy Spirit? How long until you are spiritually dead?