Flow Spirit Flow

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

FLOW SPIRIT FLOW

John 7:37-52

37 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. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."  39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

We certainly cannot accuse Jesus of being timid. Here he is in the temple courts among hundreds, perhaps thousands of people, some who wish to get rid of him, such as the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. Jesus makes a very large and bold declaration. The key to what he is saying is people need to have a thirst for him, for his truth, for their very lives. Water is life, everything that lives requires water or it will die. We are told Jesus means the Spirit will flow within people who believe in him. This is the spring of living water. This would carry the meaning that without the Spirit flowing within us we will die. Being born again includes having the infilling of the Spirit at some point in the salvation experience. Many believe this happens instantaneous, others believe it is a second event, but the fact still remains that we have to have the Spirit or the spring of living water flowing within us or we will die. Does that mean that confession and repentance are not enough to be saved? No, the scripture is very clear, if we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, we will be saved. Still, it would seem we have met some pretty dull, timid, unassuming Christians who it would appear have no spring of living water flowing within. Are they dead? Of course not, but what then is the reason we have to have this spring of living water flowing within us. Why does Jesus say that he will give us the Spirit?

Acts 1:7-8

7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 

NIV

The Spirit gives us power, to live a powerful Spirit-filled life, being bold and living our faith out loud. It would seem without the Spirit, we could not accomplish the will of God, being his witness. So then flow Spirit flow.