Living Water Larry W Peebles April 2, 2021 21.13
Living Water is a popular church name. In the greater Atlanta area where I live, here is a sampling of churches carrying that name:
Living Waters Church (Free Methodist), Living Waters Fellowship, Living Waters Outreach, Living Waters Ministries, Living Waters Baptist Church, Living Waters Community Church, Living Waters Pentecostal Church, Living Water of Life Church, Living Waters International, and Living Waters Vineyard Church.
During a writers’ conference several years ago, I was in attendance at a small-group break-out session. The leader asked me to define “living water”. As popular as that term is among Christian churches, my answer did not come quickly. At first I stumbled as I gathered my thoughts. Is it the life-giving water that Jesus said was to flow out of our belly? The instructor opened the question to the small group. Some said it was synonymous with the living word- the word of God. Another said it was a special power that gave life. When I regained my mental footing, I said we should stick with Jesus’ definition. His thoughts on the matter should be sufficient.
The subject of living water was introduced by Jesus when He asked the Samaritan woman at the well for a drink of water- “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10. But the verses that really define living water are found in John 7:38-39- “Whoever believes in me [Jesus], as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he [Jesus] meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” [Emphasis mine] The short answer to the question was simple- Jesus said the living water is the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said this living water would flow “from within” the believer. Other translations say “out of our belly”, or “out of our inner-most being”. The Greek word used here is kollia (Strongs #2836), which is interpreted as belly, stomach, or womb; the source of feelings and emotions. Use of the word “womb” would suggest we (men and women) have a role in giving birth to this flow of the Spirit that is to come from within us.
That role is two parts. First, Jesus said we had to believe in Him as not only Savior, but also Lord. Second, we must then receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit first comes into our heart and dwells in our bodies, which is His temple or dwelling place. Then we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is His power that comes upon us to do the works of Jesus. When this power is used, there is more available to refill us. Scripture is clear that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate event (see Acts 2:1-4; Acts 2:38; Acts 4:7-8, 31; Acts 5:32; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 8:38-39; Acts 10: 44-46; and Acts 11:15-17).
There is not space here to detail all these Scriptures, but here are two that reveal the power and new life that comes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. First, Acts 4:7-8-“By what power did you do this? [Peter and John made the lame beggar walk.] Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said [boldly] to them: ’Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple, and asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified.” Second, Acts 4:31- “After they [Peter and John in a believers’ prayer meeting] prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” [Emphasis mine.]
This is what Jesus described as “being born again” in His conversation with Nicodemus. In John 3: 3, Jesus said to Nicodemus- “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Then in verse 5 He said- “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water
[baptism of salvation-the forgiveness of sin]and the Spirit [baptism of the Holy Spirit].” [Emphasis mine.] The salvation experience, where we acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior, and ask for and receive the forgiveness of our sin, assures the Holy Spirit will come to live within us. That is for our benefit. When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit comes with incredible power to enable us to do the works of Jesus, and is often accompanied with the gift of a heavenly language- the ability to pray directly to God in “new tongues” in accordance with His perfect will. That is for the benefit of others- those we are to minister to.
Let’s lay down a bit more background on this living water. The apostle John saw the living water in a vision recorded in Revelation 22:1-2- “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Down the middle of the great street of the city, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
This is a clear and interesting picture of the living water, especially when compared to the vision Ezekiel had some 600 years earlier. Ezekiel 47:1, 7, 9, and 12 says-“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the temple faced east…When I returned there [the bank of the river], along the bank of the river, were very many trees on the one side and on the other…Everything will live wherever the river goes…Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
John and Ezekiel saw the same thing, and attributed the same characteristics to the water: the living water flowed from the throne of God, and from Jesus, the Lamb. It brought life, it yielded fruit year-round (see fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22) through the trees lining the bank of the river where it flowed, and it brought healing through the leaves of the trees.
So we see the living water is the Holy Spirit, and it originates from the throne of God. Its purpose is to bring growth, life, fruit, and healing wherever it flows. Is this the same water that is to come out of our inner-most being? In both the Greek and Hebrew translations, the words are the same. The Greek words (N.T.) for living/ life are zao/zoe, Strong’s #2198/2222, meaning to be alive physically or spiritually. The Hebrew word (O.T. Ezekiel) is haya, Strong’s #2421, meaning make to live, or to recover, spare, save, preserve, or restore life. The Greek word for water is hydor, Strong’s #5204, and is where we get such English words as hydrant, hydro-power, and hydration. Combining all of this, in both the O.T., and N.T. scriptures, all references to rivers of living water, rivers of life, or waters of life, refer to water that gives or restores physical or spiritual life. It is water that contains, and in fact is, the Holy Spirit. Natural water might restore life to someone dying of thirst. It could also be said to bring life to a dormant seed, but only the water of Holy Spirit could address the spiritual life component.
As in any water system, the pipes have to connect for the water to flow. How does the water get from the throne of God to the point where it flows out of the believer’s belly? It is birthed within us by faith when we come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Then the living water comes on us as power when we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
But as to the actual point of connection, I will turn to the prophet David. We know David as giant-slayer, warrior and king of Israel, but his writings in the Psalms are also very prophetic, containing prophecy of the coming of Jesus, his death, resurrection, and eternal reign. I believe Psalm 1 is a prophetic picture of the Holy Spirit coming into the earth after Jesus’ ascension into heaven. When that occurred at Pentecost (Acts 2), believers in Jesus became “like a tree planted by rivers of water, [a tree] that brings forth its fruit in season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:3) That tree planted by the river (of life) will grow even in the drought, will bear fruit, and will cause/preserve life because of its influence. We can be that tree! We can receive that water into our core and limbs, and pass it on through our “leaves”-hands, fingers, etc. For example, we should lay hands on the sick and command or declare their healing as Jesus did!
There is no limit of the supply. We should take in and give out all the living water we possibly can. We should be the water dispenser for every hot spot, dead spot, and dry place around us. I picture us as a giant water sprinkler, like those used to water a sports field from sideline to sideline.
God invites us to be a part of His distribution system for living water. Believe it, receive it, and dispense it!
