THE HOLY SPIRIT 3 THE RIVER OF GOD Introduction WATER, RAIN, DEW, SNOW, CLOUD A. Essence of life a.

No substitute for water b. A man who is thirsty will sacrifice anything to quench his thirst c. You can live without food for 40 days but not water Isaiah 55:1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. a. Consider the power and influence of a river? b. Wherever a river flows there is life, c. When the flow of a river ends we often find marshes and swamps contaminated with malaria and many other waterborne diseases. d. Rivers are like channels of life. Water is the one thing no one can live without. e. If a river changes direction and we dont stay with it, we well find ourselves on dry ground. Dry ground in the Bible was always a result of a curse. 1

a. The river refreshed the garden of Eden but ceased because of sin b. Elijahs prophecy no rain, river drying up IKing 17:7-9 If a river hits a city it can impact all who live there brings life Carry the unclean and also depositing rich new fertile soil. Power Electricity The curse in broken. THE RIVER OF GOD a. Found in the book of Genesis and the book of Revelation Many things found in Eden are found in Revelation in a completed form Jewels, Marriage, Tree of life A garden - but a city = planned c. The river in the wilderness kept providing refreshment for them 1 Cor 10:4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. (NIV) RIVER - Jn 7 a. Feast of Tabernacle and celebration b. Religion can make something look like the real one

c. Ceremonies want satisfy the longing in the hearts of man d. Jesus inviting the THIRSTY ONES to come forward for only they will be satisfies by God e. Revival does not come by prayer and fasting but because of the thirst people have for God RIVER - EZEKIAL AND REVELATION Rev 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (NIV) 1. From the Lamb a. The river flows from the LAMB - cross 1) He does not flow from a person 2) Jesus said come to ME b. Throne - He is being made the Lord - seeing his Lordship 1) The purpose of the Holy Spirit to make Jesus Lord 2) It is the Lordship of the Jesus that causes the H.S to come down 3) Jesus' glorification is what brought the H.S 2. THE RESULTS OF THE RIVER Rev 22:2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve 3

crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. a. Fruitfulness - Gal 5:22 1) If you allow the H.S move in you then fruitfulness is guaranteed 2) Seasons will have no effect on it, always be fruitful John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (NIV) 3) It is the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 4) Victory over the flesh Gal 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (NIV) b. Healing - Physical, mental, emotional, national And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 1. The spirit of God can cause physical healing to take place Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (NIV) 2. God is concerned about our emotional and mental 4

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, (NIV) 3. Spiritual healing - healing the backsliding, deliverance 4. Healing for the nations - Revival is the answer for the healing of any nation c. Fish - large number of souls will be saved Ezek 47:9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. (NIV) 1) The purpose of the flow of the river is to bring life to the life less and to bring the largest influx of people to the kingdom Is 2:3-4 3 Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

3. HOW TO COME TO THE RIVER 1. Thirst 2. Come to Jesus 3. Drink from him until you are full How to drink Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual songs Is 54 Sing barren woman 4. Ezek Ankle deep 5. Measure 1000 get into the word 6. Only those who have gone ankle deep who will be able to go deeper 7. Bathe, swim 8. Get caught in the current of the river and allow him to take you where he wants - loosing total control