ARE YOU LIVING IN THE RIVER OR JUST VISITING ?????

In Psalm 65:4  speaks of the “River of God is full of water”. I immediately began to mediate on this awesome truth. Water is a type of the Holy Spirit, and here prophetically king David is speaking of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
Ezekiel in chapter 47 of his prophecy speaks of water that flows from the altar that becomes a river, in which one must swim as it cannot be crossed otherwise. Again speaking of what would come through the New Covenant.
Jesus in John 3 tells us we must be born of water and the Spirit. There is a Hermeneutical principle (Principles of Interpretation)  called Hendyadis, I may not have spelt it correctly, but it means 2 for one. That Jesus was saying we must be born of spiritual water, and we know that it is the Holy Spirit who convicts and convinces us of our sinful state, and draws us to that place of commitment and produces in us that spiritual birth.. Jesus goes on in John 7:38-39 and says out of our heart will flow rivers of living water, this He said speaking of the Holy Spirit  that they would receive but He the Spirit has not yet been given as Jesus was not yet glorified.
At the birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost the river began to flow as the 120 disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. God plan was and is that the River would continuously flow and that we would learn to live in it.
Paul tells us in Eph.5:18 that we must learn to be continually filled with the Spirit, that we learn to live in the River. Sadly, the reality is that through lack of discipleship, and  ignorance of what the Scriptures teach many believers do not live in the River, but visit from time to time. God wonderfully sends the “times of refreshing Acts 3:19) not only to refresh us but help and teach us to live in the River.  So many Christians think this is the norm, that they go to the River for their Charismatic “fix”, Paul tells us in Galatians 5:16 it is only as we walk in the Spirit (live in the River) we do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. Paul repeats himself in verse 25 (same chapter) If we live in the River, we can learn to walk in the Spirit.
Flowing out of the Reformation came the “Holiness movement” that restored this wonderful truth to the Church, that we can live a victorious, pure  and holy life, if we learn to live in the River. An extension of this teaching came with the Pentecostals but sadly  by some often their emphasis was upon Charisma, power, signs & wonders etc. and NOT enough on CHARACTER and Holiness.
So, I believe with all my heart, God is calling His church to come back to the River (not just visit from time to time but to step into the River, and make a decision that by the grace of God you would live in the River. The Bible does not tease us and say we can live holy lives but not give the ability to do it. We must make the decision that we will not just visit) but LIVE IN THE RIVER.
HOW CAN WE DO IT ?

1. Jesus must be the Lord of our life. (The King, the Boss The Master, The Owner)
2. This must be the constant re-affirmation every day and all day.
3. We must spend quality time every day in the Word of God, letting Him speak to us.
4. We must spend quality time every day in prayer alone with Him.
5. We must learn to keep short accounts with God and man, not let sin hang around in our lives.
6. We must be committed and serving in a local church.
7. If you have a prayer language use it regularly, it can be life changing.
8. Seek to keep the above fresh and vital, and not slip into just being religious.

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF LIVING IN THE RIVER ?

1. You will have a growing vital Christian life (no longer up and down).
2. You will want to set aside time daily to meet with the lover of your soul.
3. Your love for the Word of God will increase.
4. You will hear His voice speaking to you (through the Word) more than ever.
5. You will learn to clearly hear His voice speaking to you in your spirit.
6. Sinful areas in your life that were once controlling you will become a thing of the past.
7. You will feel God’s heartbeat for a lost and dying world.
8. You will learn to love God’s people and love to be a part of a local church.

This list goes on and on. If your life is currently like the stock exchange (up today and down tomorrow) or there are bursts of going forward then slacking off, This can stop today, as you make the decision with God’s help to live in the River. God promises to satisfy you with “spiritual fatness:  Jeremiah 31:14, you will be fresh and flourishing Psalm 92: 14 and bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God and for His Glory. people will see Jesus in you.
This truth has really blessed me as I have meditated on it, Brothers and Sisters, there is so much more, let us not be satisfied but step in and live in the River.
I trust this blog has made you think, you may not agree with me, please respond ok ?