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Devotional Monday July 12, 2004 |
Truth at First Light: The Words of Jesus Christ He that believes on me as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. --John 7: 38 |
Truth at First Light: The Words of Jesus Christ, Copyright 2004 Jeff Pate and Branches of the Vine Ministries |
Overflowing Vessels When Jesus made this statement, He was referring to the Holy Spirit and how the Spirit should flow out of a person like a river. The manifestation of the Spirit should be obvious in every believer as the Lord said. However, in many Christians, there is no evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at all. I believe this has occurred because Christians have not been taught the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit, and once being filled, to release the anointing, only to be filled again--thereby creating a flow of living water. The Bible teaches that we are vessels; and in order to be useful as vessels, we must be filled with something for God's work. To a man dying of thirst, a cup offers nothing, but a cup filled with water sustains his life. The same principle is true for followers of Christ. We have to be filled in order to be useful to God. Jesus demonstrated this truth in His first recorded miracle when He turned water into wine. In John 2: 7, Jesus said, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. The miracle didn't happen because of special vessels or water, but because the vessels were filled to the brim. In fact, the water pots were not used for drinking, but for washing, (v. 6) which illustrates the fact that God will use any vessel available--and usually one that seemingly is inferior in man's eyes. And to seal this point, only when the water was drawn out was it made into wine (vs. 8-9). The power of God is manifested only by a release or drawing out of what you have been filled with, which is the Holy Spirit. The Bible refers to this perpetual filling, emptying, and filling again in 2 Corinthians 3: 18: But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. And also in 2 Timothy 2: 21. The more we are filled, the more we are transformed into the image of Christ. Psalm 23: 5-6 says: You have prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The Holy Spirit here is illustrated as oil and as David's cup is running over (overflowing), the consequences are that the manifestation of God's love and power (v. 6) will follow him the rest of his days. The Bible also describes the constant filling and refilling of the Holy Spirit in the ministries of the apostles. Both Peter and Paul were filled with the Holy Spirit on multiple occasions and whenever they were filled, there was a release of God's anointing. This is what all of us must do--be filled with the Holy Spirit and release or empty ourselves of the anointing so we can be filled again only to do the same thing, but with a greater manifestation. Let me illustrate what happens when a vessel is filled and there is no release. Take a pond for example. It is filled with water, but the water has no escape or flow in order to receive fresh water. What happens? The water becomes stagnant and good for nothing--a perfect breeding ground for bloodsuckers like mosquitoes. The Lord has promised to pour out His Spirit to us and in us, but we must have a release of the Spirit to prevent stagnation and becoming vulnerable to the devil. How do we release the anointing? By doing the works of Christ. Have you ever been around someone from whom the Word of God, testimonies, etc. are just flowing like a river? This is the true manifestation of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but unfortunately, this characteristic has been given only to new Christians who are "on fire" for God immediately after their new birth. The problem is that once we've been in Christ for a year or two, we come "sophisticated" (or mature) Christians, never getting excited about God, rarely talking about God in a passionate way, or occasionally seeking to do the works of Christ like we did when we first met the Lord. Every Christian should be "on fire" for God. This is not simply a term to be used as a novelty as if it were a Christmas toy. Jesus said, He that believes on me...out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. The Holy Spirit should be flowing from each and every believer--not just the new ones. Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven. Thank You for the Holy Spirit and for making me a vessel to be used for Your purposes. Lord, fill me again with the Holy Spirit so I can release the anointing by doing the works of Jesus. I want to empty myself only to be filled again and refreshed in You so I can be of greater use to You and prepared for the works of Christ. In Jesus' name. Amen. |
