Welcome back to our final lesson on the subject of the Holy Spirit. I want to end this series of teachings like we began, by emphasizing the ministry of the Holy Spirit. I want to talk about allowing the river of the Holy Spirit to flow in and through our lives.

John 7:37-39 - In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

(But this spake of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

John Wesley made this statement, “It seems God is limited by our prayer life. God can do nothing for mankind unless someone asks Him.” What a powerful statement. If that statement is true, then God is waiting on us, the church, to accomplish His will on this earth.

In the past, we have prayed and prayed, asking God to send revival. Asking God to awaken us or to create in our hearts a hunger and a desire for the things of God. Actually, that kind of prayer is unscriptural.

When we study the New Testament we find the scriptural way to pray.

The Bible says in John 7:37 – “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”

In James 4: 8 we read – “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you….” Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.”

2 Timothy 1:6 – “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”

In Acts 4:31 (this is talking about believers gathering together to pray) we read - “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they speak the word of God with boldness.”

In Acts 16:25&26 – “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed.”

And finally in James 5:13 – “Is any among you afflicted (tests and trials) let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing songs.” The Williams translation reads, “Is any one of you suffering ill-treatment? He should keep on praying. Is anyone in a happy mood? He should keep on singing praise to God.”

I want you to notice in that verse we just read – regardless of our situation, we have to initiate our contact with God – through prayer or through praise and worship. We cannot wait for a special feeling or a special anointing – it is wonderful when we have those things – regardless of how we feel or what we see, we must act like the Bible is true – when we act is when we receive.

I want you to notice in all of the verses that we just read there is a clear pattern – the believer must first move toward God, either in prayer or in worship or in stirring up the Holy Spirit. What does that mean? God will only move when we do something; when we act on what God is saying to us.

The verses of scripture that we read earlier in John 7:37-39, illustrates God’s will concerning every Christian. God desires that His Spirit flows through and out of every believer like a mighty river. These rivers of living water are not to be poured out at random or only when the Church needs revival. These rivers are to be a continual stream of God’s blessing and power, that creates and maintains a might movement that enlarges the Kingdom of God around this world.

We read in Acts 2:16-18 – “For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit: and they shall prophesy.”

These words that Peter spoke refers to a fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy that happened on the Day of Pentecost nearly 2000 years ago. God has already poured out of His Spirit upon all flesh. The rivers of living water, that Jesus spoke of in John chapter 7 began on that day in the upper room with 120 disciples being baptised in the Holy Spirit.

God intended for the rivers of living water to continue to flow through the church; through every believer. For what purpose? For God’s power and love to be revealed in this earth. For the Kingdom of God to expand and the will of God to be accomplished before Jesus returns.

It is not God’s will for the rivers of living water to flow for only 100 years, or for 200 years, or for 500 years and then stop. No, it’s God’s will for these rivers of water continue to flow until Jesus comes back.

If the rivers are not flowing in our lives, it is simply because we have stopped the flow. We can stop the flow of God’s river through doubt and unbelief, through pride, through substituting natural things for spiritual things, through dependence on man’s wisdom instead of dependence on God’s wisdom, through minimizing the person and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our church.

My desire is for you to prayerfully seek the Lord concerning what He wants to do in and through your life. Come to Him with an open heart and a willingness to listen to what He is saying to you.

My prayer for you is for you to allow the words of the writer of Hebrews 3:7&8 to speak to your heart. “Wherefore (As the Holy Spirit saith, Today if ye will hear His voice, Harden not your hearts….”

My friends, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. It is a plan for you to experience the power of God and the love of God flowing through your life. God has given you Jesus, His Word, the precious Holy Spirit, every good gift and every perfect gift so that you can fulfil the purpose for your life.

As we close this series of teachings, my prayer is for you to open your heart and your spiritual ears to God. As Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.”

Jesus, the head of the Church, your Lord and Saviour, is standing at the door of your heart. He is knocking. He desires to speak to you, reveal Himself to you in a greater way. He desires for you to experience the fullness of God’s blessings in your life.

I trust that these lessons on the Holy Spirit have enlightened you and have encouraged you to hunger and thirst after God in a greater way. It has been both my privilege and my honour to share God’s Word with you. Remember, it is God who is working in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. God Bless You as you follow Him.