A river of living water that flows out through us to bless those around us.
What is the Life that Jesus came to give (John 10:10) in abundance, to the full, until it overflows? I believe it is the fullness of Jesus. Of course, that is impossible if I’m already full of myself. I want to be so filled with Jesus that there is no room in me for me anymore. How does that work out in the practical ways of everyday life? It must start with surrender. To present my body as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) to the Lord so that all the faculties of my mind and body are always and totally available to God alone for His will and purpose. I sign away all my rights to myself, give up control and the luxury of asking questions, in complete abandonment to God. One of the great benefits of this is that I am delivered from all stress and worry. (Oswald Chambers) “God will take me (John 17:11) into union with Himself”. If I am not living in Christ Who (Colossians 3:4) is my very life - - if He is not absolute Master and Lord in my life - - then I am not living the abundant Christian Life. I will be living a life of self-effort trying to do right (Romans 7:24) which is the life of the flesh and that is human nature without God. It always fails miserably and even if it looks good it is nothing but sin because it arrogantly rules God out. I need to go on to (Romans 7:25) and realize that only Jesus can live the genuine Christian life, the abundant life.
Jesus is (John 12:24) the Corn of wheat which God planted in order to bring a glorious harvest. The first fruits of that harvest were (Matthew 27:52-53) the bodies of previously dead saints who came alive out of their tombs and went into Jerusalem after the Resurrection of Jesus. The climax and full reaping of that tremendous harvest will be (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) the Rapture of the Church which will be followed by (Zechariah 9:9) the restoration of Israel. When our bodies are changed at the Rapture we will have glorified bodies, like Christ’s own body. We will no longer need physical blood or any of the temporary things we need now as temporary earth-dwellers. We will never be restrained by any limitations but live forever to the fullness of the eternal life of God. As God’s children we now wait and long for the harvest, the Lord’s Coming. But are we doing (1Peter 3:11) what we should be doing – what we should be doing - - praying (Matthew 9:38) for the reapers - - and joining (Matthew 4:19) the reapers, building to increase the harvest?
Very early every morning when God withdraws another day from my lifespan bank account on earth, He also withdraws lavishly (Malachi 3:10) everything I need for that day from His storehouse of love in heaven. I can see how my relationship with the Lord becomes richer, sweeter, deeper, more intimately personal by daily dependence on Him and constant interaction with Him, than if He met all the needs of my lifetime in one fell swoop.
If my life is fully surrendered to God I will know that His Word will guide me (Psalms 119:105) and make my path brighter all the way Home. Having redeemed me through His death, now the saving Life of Jesus Christ delivers me daily (Romans 5:10) from the power of sin through His victorious Resurrection.
Last night I had a sense that there was something more I needed to grasp and share about the Blood of Jesus but I couldn’t get it. At waking times through the night, I discussed it with the Holy Spirit but nothing of order came to me until morning. I hope the pattern of eternal Truth which God is developing in me and fills me with awe, worship and longing, will also be a blessing and encouragement to you. No Christian who is persecuted, tortured and/or murdered suffers in shame for sin but for the triumphant glory of loyalty to Jesus.
Jesus willingly (John 10:17-18) laid down His life, knowing the shame, guilt, death He would suffer. The only sinless Blood that ever existed came from the Bethlehem Baby, the Corn of wheat, the Lamb of God. His Blood was poured out on the Cross, He didn’t need it for Himself anymore (Luke 24:39) to survive but we do. His risen body had only flesh and bone. Where is His Blood now? Jesus had used it to fully accomplish God’s purpose of amazing grace. After Jesus had finished His work on the Cross, he entered (Hebrews 9:12) the Holy of Holies with His own matchless Blood. That precious Blood remains there and bears witness that it continually cleanses (1 John 1:9) believers from all unrighteousness and forgives repentant sinners. The physical life of our mortal bodies depends on (Leviticus 17:14) our own blood for a matching type constantly circulating within us. The spiritual life of our immortal souls depends on (Hebrews 9:22) the Blood of Jesus being poured out and for His Blood there is no match. It is His Blood alone to cleanse us or we will never be clean. The life is in the Blood and Jesus poured out His very Life in a healing stream for all who will respond to His love and mercy. We must never take the wonder-working, sin-destroying power of the Blood lightly - - we must never lose awareness of the tremendous cost.
If we love, trust and obey the Lord, our safety, security and spiritual riches are increased by God’s Sovereign Control in His wisdom, power and goodness. The outflowing of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit will flush out the works and desires of the flesh and change them into (Psalms 42:1) desires, longing for more of God.
We know that (Revelation 22:1) the river of life is in heaven. But consider this holy privilege granted to believers who are still on earth. Through the abundant life in us (John :38) a river of living water will flow out through us to bless those who are around us wherever we are, wherever God has placed us.
(Dr. Tozer) “Jesus Christ Himself is the Abundant Life”.