Rivers In The Desert Part I

      Our main scripture text for this weeks message is found in
  John 7: 37 & 38.
                                  
            Verse 37:  In the last day, that great day of the
  feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man
  thirst, let him come unto me and drink.

            Verse 38:  He that believeth on me as the
   scripture hath said, our of his belly shall flow
   rivers of living water.

       Right now I want to focus in on two words from verse 38 and 39, they are the words belly and rivers. 

       If we look up the word belly in the Greek, this is what it means:  A cavity, specifically the middle part of the abdomen and also refers to the innermost being or part of man which is "The Spirit" 

     And our second word "River" is defined as:  A volumious stream of fresh water that flows either permanently or seasonally in a natural channel.

     Ok, we all know what a river is and what it looks like.  We also know that there are big rivers and there are small rivers. But the point I want to get across to you is that just as there are rivers in the natural, there are also rivers in the spiritual.

     Almost all river water comes from rain or melted snow.  In some cases, water called surface rain off flows over the land to the river.  In other cases, the water soaks into soil and rocks that become ground water which is water beneath the surface of the Earth.  The ground water then moves slowly through the soil or underground rocks to the rivers.  This subsurface supply of water can keep a river flowing between "Periods of Dryness", (hear what the Spirit is saying).  In some area's there are rivers that over flow there banks during the rainy season, yet dry up almost as fast as they came.  And this act of God that functions in the "Natural realm" is what happens to us in the "Spiritual Realm".

     Many times in the history of the church we've read about and maybe even experienced 
great out pourings of God's Spirit upon His people.  We heard how it blessed and brought refreshment to the their thirsty Soul and Spirit, and that's a good thing, but we can't depend on movements or seasonal out pourings of the Holy Spirit to keep us refreshed and filled with the Spirit.

     I know as believers we all have to experience those dry seasons and some of us will have to walk through a spiritual desert in order for God to prune us, humble us and test us, because in that desert place, is where character is born and ministry is created.  It's a place where faith is stretched beyond our own limitations and trust sees beyond our understanding. 

     All through the Old and New Testament, God used the desert experience to develop His qualities in the lives of great leaders and ministers. 

     Some example's are:  When the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the desert to be tempted and tried by the enemy before He began His ministry on Earth.  And Paul also was lead into the desert to teach him, instruct him and prepare him for his destiny and purpose.  John the baptist lived and preached in the desert and was a forerunner of Jesus and used mightily of God.

     Ungers bible dictionary says this about the desert:  In the desert is where sheep are driven, it's a wild uninhabited region, a sterile tract of country that looks like it couldn't support human life.  It's an unfruitful waste, a dry and thirsty land where rain is scarce and water is not accessed easily.  The water table may be hundreds of feet down and must be accessed by drilling and pumping the water that lies deep within the desert floor. Once those wells have been tapped into and begin to flow out onto the parched and thirsty land, the desert begins to blossom with life and a transformation takes place. 

       In Psalms 63:1 it tells us:  O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee, my Soul thirsts for thee, my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thrist land, where no water is.

     Is this your hearts cry today? Hear what the Spirit is saying!

     I know all to well how difficult it is to try and press into the Spirit during these dry seasons.  You feel like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and falling to the ground.  You're wanting to tap into that deeper place with God, you feel dry and unsatisfied, yet there's a drawing, pulling and longing in your heart that says;  Deep Calls Unto Deep.

    When we find ourselves in that desert place spiritually, it's vital that we learn to dig deep from the wells within us, because this is where the Spirit abides and where we must learn to draw from.  When we draw from something it means:  To cause to move continuously toward, to pull up or out of a receptacle or from the place where it has been contained. 

     If you find yourself in that desert place remember:  He has drawn you there for a reason and a purpose.  It's not a place meant for defeat and death, but for resurrection and life.

     Next week Part II of our message and we will learn how to unstop the wells within us.

Blessings,

Elma Garlock