As I continue to study the scriptures, I’ve come to the conclusion that the closer I get to God and the more I’m able to comprehend His word, the more I realize the amount of untapped potential I contain, as a person who is possessed by God Himself! There is SO MUCH MORE! It’s almost like the closer I get to Him, the further I need to journey and the more I know about Him, the less I really do know.
Our life as Christians is more than attending church and serving in a ministry. It’s about unleashing the power of God, which resides within us, to our world – our environment. One of the many beauties of our redemption and salvation is the fact that Holy Spirit resides in us. God inhabits us. And He doesn’t just sit there; He’s described as a MIGHTY RIVER!
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive…” (John7:37-39)
Jesus didn’t just randomly shout this truth, He was, once again, redirecting His audience regarding Jewish customs. He was pointing out the messianic truths of scripture and the customs that came with them. He was attending the Feast of Tabernacles. And on the seventh day there was the Water Libation Ceremony.
The water libation ceremony began with the priest drawing water from the pool of Siloam. He did this with a golden pitcher that held about 1.5 pints of water. There was a procession of men and women who accompanied the priest through the south gate of the Temple (which was called the Water Gate). In the procession, people waved the lulab, a bouquet of palm, willow, and myrtle branches, and sang Psalms 113-118. The singing was accompanied by trumpet blasts and the music. It was joyful. The procession circled the altar seven times, and then the priest poured the water from the pitcher into the western half of an open-drained silver bowl on the south side of the altar. Isaiah 12:3 is associated with this custom, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”
The waters of the ceremony represented two things to the first-century feast goers:
- Prayer for rain. The water poured out on the south side of the altar, represented rain that the people hoped God would provide for the following year’s harvest.
- The Holy Spirit. Isaiah 44:3 says, “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”
This is why, I believe, Jesus couldn’t contain Himself. The very fulfillment of scripture and custom was present in the flesh. And now that this has been fulfilled, we know that within us is not just the rain that pours from heaven but a mighty flowing river! This river, when released, changes the world. When properly accessed, brings life to wherever it’s directed to. And that mighty river flows from anyone who is born again!
Yes, God is in us waiting for us to release Him! Lord, help me recognize your power that resides in me!
