The Scriptures use different symbols or emblems to describe the Holy Spirit. Among them are wind, fire, oil, water, and dove. Jesus spoke of life in the Spirit as an experience where streams or rivers of living water flow out from within the believer (John 7:38-39).
God gives an amazing picture and a vivid description of the ministry of the Holy Spirit even in the Old Testament. This was in the form of a vision given to the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 47:1-12). There are several lessons and truths contained in this account that will help each one of us to experience the work of the Spirit in its fullest dimension in our own lives.
1. Access to the River The man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple … (Ezek. 47:1). The access to the River was from the ‘entrance’ of the Temple, not from the side-doors or the exit. This shows that anyone who wants to experience what God has for them must approach Him in a straightforward without hypocrisy or hidden agendas. God wants us to come before Him with complete honesty. He is near to those who call upon Him ‘in truth’ (Psalm 145:18), reveals Himself to those who seek Him ‘with all their heart’ (Jeremiah 29:13), rewards those who ‘diligently’ seek Him (Hebrews 11:6), and satisfies the ‘hungry’ with good things while sending the rich away empty-handed (Luke 2:53). His eyes search for those whose hearts are ‘fully committed’ to Him that He may show Himself mighty on their behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9). Notice that Ezekiel was brought ‘back’ to the entrance. This indicates that he had been there before. It would have been easy for the prophet to say, “I’ve already been in this place. I’ve already seen all this. Why did you bring me back here?” This kind of reasoning may have been right but it would have stopped his progress. And here lies the cause for much of our own stagnancy and downfall. For we fail to understand that there are some places which need to be revisited in our own lives. We think that we are already too grown up for those things that we don’t need to keep pursuing or practicing them. For instance, certain fundamental spiritual disciplines that we tend to ignore or forget as we move along in our journey with God – disciplines like self-denial, prayer, Bible meditation, fasting, giving, doing good works, etc.
2. Origin of the River I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple … water from the sanctuary (Ezek 47:1, 12) Living water was flowing from ‘within’ the Temple; specifically, from the place where God’s presence dwelt. Fullness of the Spirit in our own lives comes from dwelling in the presence of God. It comes from walking in the light of His presence daily (Psalm 89:15). The fact that water was coming from inside the Temple shows also that our inner life is very important. Man gives importance to the external but God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). What goes on within us is very important- our attitudes, desires, motives, thoughts, character- and affects the flow of the Spirit. As we build ourselves up in the inner man, we can experience the ministry of the Spirit in its totality.
3. Path to the River He measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep … knee-deep … up to the waist … a river that was deep enough to swim in (Ezek. 47: 3-5) Ezekiel was taken step by step, little by little into the river. And this is how God works in our own lives. We are being transformed into the likeness of Christ from ‘one degree’ of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). This is why it is crucial that we always pay attention to the small details in our lives. It is as we prove ourselves faithful in the little things that we will be made ruler over much (Luke 16:10)! In both disciplining and blessing us, God deals with us only measure by measure. Notice how He speaks to the churches in the Book of Revelation. He does not try to change and correct them altogether at one time, but patiently tells them what is needed at that particular point of time. And when God blesses us, He does so to the extent that we can truly effectively handle (Deuteronomy 7:22; Matthew 25:15). There was a ‘leading’ and a ‘following’ in this entire process. And this is what will also get us into the depths of the Spirit. We need to daily walk in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). We need to be open and available to Him not only in the environment of a meeting or service but even outside the boundaries of a church building.
4. Effect of the River When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river … when it empties into the Dead Sea, the water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows … where the river flows everything will live. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river … their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing. (Ezek. 47: 7-10, 12) There is abundant life as a result of the River. A person who is filled with the Spirit will impact people around him. Before him, people dead in spirit and even situations that are totally hopeless will begin to breathe life again. There will be much fruitfulness and blessing through this believer for the sinner, the sick, the oppressed, the broken, and those of all categories!
5. Limits of the River But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt (vv 11). God deliberately left some things untouched. He left the swamps and marshes as they were because they were needed for salt. If everything became fresh, then how such a vital ingredient as salt could be produced and maintained! This is exactly how God deals with us as well. He leaves some issues or aspects of our lives untouched because He knows that it will do us much good. Think of how the Lord left Paul with a thorn in the flesh for the rest of his life because He knew that it would do him more harm than good were He to remove it (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). We can always pray like Paul did for aspects bothering or paining us to be totally removed from our lives. But we must also be ready to accept God’s answer of grace in the midst of our weakness rather than complete deliverance from our problem was that to be His final response to us!
Author: Mr. J. Varadaraj is a disciple of Christ, leading a prayer movement based in Bangalore. His mission is ‘Encouraging Divine Connections’.
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