Rivers Of Life Like Water
Study The Word
John 7:38-39
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
This is so powerful! Jesus Himself, in John chapter 7, verse 38, said something absolutely profound: “He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water!” And then, verse 39 explains it for us – “But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.” This was about the Holy Spirit, who had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
But listen closely to what Jesus is revealing here! What is He talking about when He says “rivers of living water”? He’s telling you that the life of being a Christian, that glorious life you received when you got born again, is only expressed and brought out by the Holy Spirit! And it will flow out from within your spirit like rivers! The life of a child of God, the life of a Christian, is brought out from within you like rivers by the Holy Spirit!
And when does this happen? Jesus was describing what happens when a child of God, has received the Holy Spirit and has started “speaking in other tongues!” That’s what He was talking about here! When He says “out of your belly,” what is He talking about? He’s talking about out of your spirit! Your inner most being. Out of your spirit shall flow rivers of life water; rivers of living water! So, here is the key: speaking in tongues is the one that releases those rivers of living water! It releases those rivers of life water, those rivers of the life of God that have been deposited in your human spirit! They are brought out by the Holy Spirit!
And what is it that’s going to begin to flow from you like rivers? – love, patience, kindness, boldness, faith, spiritual wisdom begins to flow, divine understanding, divine health, grace will begin to work, spiritual power will begin to ooze from out of you like rivers as you begin to speak in other tongues! The manifestation of the Spirit according to 1st Corinthians 12 is only given to those who speak in other tongues. This is the true life of the child of God.
λαλέω laleo speak – utter a voice or emit a sound, preach, speak
γλῶσσα glossa tongue – language, dialect, tongue
Let me tell you a story: one day I’m out at a school in Khayelitsha, Cape Town ministering to almost 2 thousand teenagers in a big school hall. It was the toughest crowd of rowdy teenagers I’d ever encountered to date, but still over a thousand of them gave their hearts to Jesus that day. The school had become so bad and so dangerous that the Head of School had to have armed police on duty so that I could have the meeting with them in that hall. This marked the first time the entire school body would be able to gather in the hall after many years during which it had been impossible.
The meeting went on, and I led many of them to salvation, with the exception of a few who were brought to me after the program. I started preaching the gospel to them, and just like teenagers would, they began making jokes and laughing at me. While this was going on, I simply switched from English to speaking in tongues. I continued to preach the gospel to them in other tongues as if nothing had happened, haha!
My goodness, everything shifted. They all went quiet; their eyes bulged, and their mouths dropped in silence. I was preaching to them in other tongues, and the Holy Spirit arrested them. Soon afterward, I asked them, “Who wants to receive Jesus Christ?” All of them received Christ and went home changed.
I didn’t plan to do this. Listen, if you had told me to preach the gospel in tongues to a group of 20 teenagers who were already making fun of me, I wouldn’t have done that. It would have made them laugh and mock even more. But the wisdom and the power of God through speaking in tongues was exactly what was needed to save those young boys.
This is one of the many countless miracles I encountered with speaking in other tongues over the years. This is the promise that God made to Abraham, for us to receive the blessing of Abraham through Christ. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the blessing of Abraham; “that the Gentiles might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14), and it has arrived, we now have it glory to God! This is what made Abraham who he was, the gift of the Holy Spirit.
That’s why it is paramount for every child of God to speak in other tongues, because to experience the true Christian life, you must receive the Holy Spirit and begin speaking in tongues. Speaking releases that living water! It’s what releases the life of God like water flowing from your human spirit! Glory to God!
Make sure you make it habit to speak in other tongues everyday, everywhere, every time and see the working of the power of God in your life flow like living waters.
Pray The Word
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your precious gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Father, like rivers of living water that flow from within me, the supernatural life of the sons of God is my everyday experience activated by speaking in other tongues. Heavenly Father I thank You, that as I speak in other tongues, Your eternal life and power are released from my spirit like mighty rivers, expressing and manifesting the true Christian life You have given me in Jesus name, amen.
Speak The Word
Out of my belly, out of my spirit, flow rivers of living water! I am filled with the Holy Spirit everyday and as I speak in tongues, the life of God overflows from within me! I experience and express the fullness of the Christian life through the power of the Holy Spirit everyday!