THE SHIELD #10 LIVING WATER 🌊
Jeremiah 2:13 ESV… for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
When we talk about living water, we refer to that quality of water that gives life to dead things. Living water needs a source; a fountain or a spring to burst from.
Our opening verse shows the source of Living Water to be Almighty God. Let's look at other instances within the Bible where reference is made to this water.
The Prophet
In the first instance we consider Ezekiel's vision.
Ezekiel 47:1 GNT
The man led me back to the entrance of the Temple. Water was coming out from under the entrance and flowing east, the direction the Temple faced. It was flowing down from under the south part of the Temple past the south side of the altar.
Ezekiel 47:8 GNT
He said to me, This water flows through the land to the east and down into the Jordan Valley and to the Dead Sea. When it flows into the Dead Sea, it replaces the salt water of that sea with fresh water.
Ezekiel 47:9 GNT
Wherever the stream flows, there will be all kinds of animals and fish. The stream will make the water of the Dead Sea fresh, and wherever it flows, it will bring life.
Remember what you read here: Living Water from the Temple to the Dead Sea. It changes and upgrades quality, creates what was missing or lacking and brings LIFE.
THE APOSTLE
In the second instance we look at John's vision.
Revelation 22:1-2 GNT
[1] The angel also showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal, and coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb [2] and flowing down the middle of the city's street. On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month; and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.
Notice the source here, the surroundings and the setting. Again the water flows from the Temple, but another, higher type of TEMPLE …
Revelation 21:22-23 GNT
[22] I did not see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. [23] The city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God shines on it, and the Lamb is its lamp.
THE LAMB
We have determined by comparing scripture to scripture that the Lamb is the source of Living Water … the Lamb is Almighty God.
John 14:11 GNTBelieve me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.John 1:35-38(a) GNT
The next day John was standing there again with two of his disciples, [36] when he saw Jesus walking by. “There is the Lamb of God!” he said. [37] The two disciples heard him say this and went with Jesus. [38] Jesus turned, saw them following him, and asked, “What are you looking for?”
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?You are following Jesus. What are you looking for?
John 10:10(b) GNTI have come in order that you might have life — life in all its fullness.The answer to the question is … LIFE.
What you are looking for is … LIFE.
John recognised that this was the purpose found in the Lamb, that in Him came to earth the Life …
1 John 1:2 GNT
When this life became visible, we saw it; so we speak of it and tell you about the eternal life which was with the Father and was made known to us.
John 1:4 AMPIn Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. That answers our next question: can this LIFE be transferred?
Let us hear from The Master himself:
THE WOMAN
Many extraordinary women appear in the records of the ministry of Jesus, but one stands out for me as a prime example of someone who drank and was filled to overflow.
From sinner to Saint in a moment of time. From stranger to Saviour as she memorably brought her town to Jesus and revival to her town.
Let's listen to some of what the Bible reveals to us about their conversation …
John 4:9 AMP
The Samaritan woman asked Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (For Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans.)
John 4:10 AMPJesus answered her, “If you knew [about] God’s gift [of eternal life], and who it is who says, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him [instead], and He would have given you living water (eternal life).” † Wow, then, Living Water = Eternal Life!
John 4:12 AMP
Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and who used to drink from it himself, and his sons and his cattle also?”
† Going back to our opening scripture… wells of religion vs the Fountain of Living Water… self-made vs God-given.
John 4:13-14 AMPJesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. But the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water [satisfying his thirst for God] welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within him] to eternal life.”† That's our answer: Living Water is transferrable!
John 4:15 AMP
The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water…”
† “Give me this water”
How is this water transferred?
† Jesus could give it in His personal capacity.
John 5:21 AMPJust as the Father raises the dead and gives them life [and allows them to live on], even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. Now, finally, the Lord wanted this Living Water to keep flowing from one to another, even after He ascended to heaven.
For this to happen, He gave us not only the Water, but also the Spring/Well/Fountain!
THE SPIRIT
John 7:37-39 MSGOn the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.” (He said this in regard to the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive. The Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.)★ God's plan was for you to have this Living Water and to pour out from your innermost being LIFE to all around.
★ Have you received The Spirit?
★ We saw that the water flowed from the Temple to the dead sea and gave life and creation along the way.
★ Now you are the temple of the Holy Spirit!
Hebrews 2:3-4 GNTHow, then, shall we escape if we pay no attention to such a great salvation? The Lord himself first announced this salvation, and those who heard him proved to us that it is true. At the same time God added his witness to theirs by performing all kinds of miracles and wonders and by distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his will. Here, when He says, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, He refers more markedly to distributions of the Holy Spirit, meaning…
★ You distribute the blessings, graces and wonders of Eternal Life through the Holy Spirit to your environment and sphere of influence.
This is the glory of God revealed in and by the Body of Christ. Everyone is invited to come…
Revelation 22:17 GNTThe Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” Everyone who hears this must also say, “Come!” Come, whoever is thirsty; accept the water of life as a gift, whoever wants it.