Rivers of Living Water
To experience the power of the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge our need, confess our dryness, and ask God with thirst and faith.
Zac Poonen preaches on the imagery of the Holy Spirit as a river flowing from the throne of God, emphasizing the baptism in the Holy Spirit as being immersed under this waterfall to have rivers of living water flow from within. He contrasts the struggle of the average believer to a hand-pump, drawing only a few drops of blessing, but encourages turning to the Lord in our dryness to experience abundant blessings. Poonen highlights the importance of acknowledging our need for the Holy Spirit's power over engaging in theological debates, stressing the necessity of thirst and faith to receive this baptism.
Text
The Holy Spirit is pictured in the New Testament as a river flowing from the throne of God and falling to earth (Rev. 22:1; Acts 2:33). To be baptised in the Holy Spirit is to be immersed under this waterfall. Jesus said that all those who thirsted could come to Him and receive the Holy Spirit so that rivers of living water could flow out from their innermost being (Jn. 7:37).
The experience of the average believer, however, is more akin to the hand-pump - a life of struggling and pumping up a few drops of blessing from a dry heart. Yet it need not be like that. If our dryness would only drive us to the Lord, things could be different. To have rivers of blessing flowing out from us to all who come in touch with us is the will of God for our lives.
The first step towards this is to acknowledge our need. Many believers are caught up in foolish arguments about words. But it is power that we need, not correct terminology. What is the use having our terminology right, if we are as dry as a bone? It's far better to be honest and to come to God, confessing that rivers of blessing are not flowing out through us. Having taken that first step, we can then trust God to grant us what we ask for.
All we need in order to be baptized in the Holy Spirit are thirst (an intense desire, born out of a great longing to glorify God) and faith (the absolute confidence that God will give us what He has promised). Let us ask then, with thirst and with faith, for this power, and God will not deny us our request.
Sermon Outline
- The Holy Spirit as a River
- The Experience of the Average Believer
- The Will of God for Our Lives
- The First Step Towards This
- The Power of Thirst and Faith
- Thirst: an intense desire to glorify God
- Faith: absolute confidence in God's promises
Key Quotes
“To be baptised in the Holy Spirit is to be immersed under this waterfall.” — Zac Poonen
“What is the use having our terminology right, if we are as dry as a bone?” — Zac Poonen
“Let us ask then, with thirst and with faith, for this power, and God will not deny us our request.” — Zac Poonen
Application Points
- We must acknowledge our need for the Holy Spirit and confess our dryness to receive His power.
- Thirst and faith are the keys to receiving the Holy Spirit and living a life that glorifies God.
- We must ask God with absolute confidence in His promises to receive the Holy Spirit.