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. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He said in reference to 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 7:37-39)
The Promise: Rivers of Living Waters
"The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He said in reference to 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 7:38-39)
Paul knew full well about these rivers of living water flowing through us as we abide in Christ, (John 15:4) staying in step with the Holy Spirit of God! (Gal 5:25) In doing so, we allow God the Father to sit within the very throne room of our hearts. "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim 4:6-10) We who are abiding in Christ are being poured out as drink offerings unto Him. As we abide, His Spirit is constantly bringing forth waters of life from deep within us to others.
"…but even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.” (Phil 2:15-19) Being poured out as a drink offering is to give oneself totally to something, In its highest form it is giving oneself completely to God the Father through Christ Jesus. It is to allow Him to sit on the throne of our hearts.
How: Submit yourself to God the Father
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. (Rom 12:1)
We are to present our bodies, every part of us, to God the Father as a living sacrifice! Brothers and sisters, we see within the church at Corith that we can be carnal. There is a danger of not allowing God to have first place within our lives. Without reading far within its chapters, we can gather that many Corinthians were immature in our Lord. Their hearts were blocked by the things of this world. The apostle Paul kept rebuking them in love and pointing them to a closer relationship with Christ. He exhorted them to put Christ first, He who paved the way so our Heavenly Father could rightly occupy the throne of their hearts. Sadly, many were not abiding in Him; instead, they were allowing things of the world to sit within the thrones of their hearts. Was it not the same with many in Israel? Their hearts’ throne rooms were given over to things within this fading world instead of to God the Father through Christ Jesus. Let us repent of any sin that so easily hinders us and present ourselves to God, dethroning anything sitting in His place. Submit to God the Father through Christ, and Satan and idols will fall away from us. (1 Sam 5:1-12)
How: Guard your Heart
My heavenly Father "does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7) "Watch over your heart [beloved] with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Prov 4:23) Through Christ, those twice born have been given a new heart. (Eze 36:25-27, John 3) Keep close watch over your new heart. Willingly allow God to sit on your heart’s throne! Our relationship with our Heavenly Father through Christ is of upmost importance! "…where [our] treasure is, there [our] heart will be also.” (Matt 6:21) A genuine relationship with God the Father is the greatest treasure above all the galaxies and man-made things this world has to offer, which only block our heart from allowing Him to have His way with us. So, if you see your heart trying to kick Him off His throne, repent and cry out to Him to take control of it! Our devotion to Him is to be first. As our Savoir commanded, "love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30) Then living waters through His Holy Spirit can freely flow out of us as the Holy Spirit wants, glorifying Jesus Christ within the outflow!
Warning: What’s Stopping the Outflow?
We are each spewing out waters, whether they are living or dead! Guard your hearts for whatever is first in our heart pours out to the world around you, knowingly or unknowingly! Others can see what is coming from our hearts within our daily actions and speech. It might seem a bit cliché, but we are what we spiritually digest. Are we digesting things of this world, things blocking the Holy Spirit’s flow within our lives? "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So, if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matt 6:22-23)
"Now these things happened to them [Israel] as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1 Cor 10:11) "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.” (Jer 7:18) "The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like the place Topheth, because of all the houses on whose rooftops they burned sacrifices to all the heavenly lights and poured out drink offerings to other gods.” (Jer 19:13) "And He [God] will say, ‘Where are their gods, The rock in which they took refuge? Those who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise up and help you, let them be your protection! (Deut 32:37-38)
Conclusion: Rivers of Living Water
An idol is anything that takes the place of God within the throne room of our hearts! It blocks the flow of His Holy Spirit through our life. Is anything put before God within your heart? Perhaps television, gaming platforms, favorite sports teams, some sort of collection, yourself, money, sex, sins of various kinds? Anything that is before your relationship with God is an idol and blocks the Holy Spirit’s outflow of living waters. Our God is a jealous God, who demands to be first within our lives. If not given His rightful place, the rivers that flow through us are of the world and not of God! Remember whatever is first in your heart is what speaks through us. "Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 1:21)
If the Holy Spirit is calling out to you through this message my heavenly Father”‚says, "Come now, and let us debate your case,” Says the Lord, "Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall become as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.” (Isa 1:18) Now is the time to break away from the idols of this fallen world, from anything you have put before God the Father. Now is the time to repent and let Christ Jesus release you from the blockages within the throne room of your heart. Now is the time for repentance and a turning back to God Almighty through Christ Jesus. Then with God in His rightful place within your heart, rivers of living water can flow through you onto others through His Holy Spirit as Christ promised. Then you yourself can be poured out as a drink offering onto the Sacrifice of sacrifices, Jesus Christ, King of kings, and Lord of lords!