Rivers of Living Water John 7:37 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
In Jn 7:38, Jesus said, He that believeth on me… out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. He was speaking about the Holy Ghost. Those of us who are here tonight have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, but I haven’t seen any literal rivers flowing out of our bellies. So, what was Jesus talking about? What he said pictures a Spirit-filled life. So what do rivers of living water flowing out of a man look like? They picture:
A Fruitful life (in the word of God) – Ps 1:1-3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. When you get saved, if you will immerse yourself in the words of God and be filled with the Spirit, you will grow like a tree planted by rivers of water. You won’t look like all the other trees, since there are so many. And you will be fruitful. The word of God in you will prosper and bear fruit [Is 55:10-11; Jn 15:3, 7-8].
Words of Wisdom – Prov 18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook. Prov 20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. When you are saved and immersed in the words of God, the Spirit of God in you brings forth the words that you have been reading to provide wisdom and counsel to others. What a wonderful blessing it is to be led by the Spirit to minister the precise words that provide the wisdom and counsel that someone else needs at precisely that time.
Spiritual Offspring – Prov 5:15-18 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. The picture in Prov 5 is of a man who brings forth children from his marriage to his own wife with whom he rejoices. This picture is a suitable metaphor for Jesus Christ bringing forth spiritual offspring from the members of his bride. As the Spirit of God that is in you causes the waters of the word of God that are in you to flow outward, your witness brings forth others to Christ.
Tears of Compassion – Ps 119:136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law. Lam 3:48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. Jesus wept tears in his ministry [Heb 5:7; Lk 19:41]. Our gospel witness and our prayers are much too dry. We need more compassion in our prayers. As the Spirit of God fills us, the tears of compassion flow.
A Spirit-filled church – SOS 4:12-15 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. A church full of Spirit-filled Christians is a place where sinners can refresh themselves in the rivers of living water. There is certainly a noticeable difference between a church of Spirit-filled believers and a dead, dry church or a church where the glitz and glitter of a production has replaced the refreshing presence of the Spirit of God.
Conclusion: If you reject Jesus you will not have these rivers of living water. Jn 4:10-14 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Jer 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.