“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit. John 7:37-39
“‘Ah,’ you say, ‘I have not reached to that.’ A point is gained when you know, confess and deplore your failure. If you say, ‘I have all things and abound,’ I am afraid you will never reach the fullness of the blessing. But if you know something of your failure, the Lord will lead you further. It may be that the Spirit of Life which comes forth for you is but a trickling brooklet or even a few tiny drops. Then be sure to confess it and you will be on the way to a fuller blessing!
What a Word of God is this! Rivers of living water! Oh, that all professing Christians were such fountains! See how spontaneous it is—’Out of his heart shall flow.’ No pumping is required! Nothing is said about machinery and hydraulics! The man does not need exciting and stirring up but, just as he is, influence of the best kind quietly flows out of him.
Did you ever hear a great hubbub in the morning, a great outcry, a sounding of trumpets and drums? And did you ever ask, ‘What is it?’ Did a voice reply, ‘The sun is about to rise and he is making this noise that all may be aware of it’? No, he shines, but he has nothing to say about it. Even so, the genuine Christian just goes about flooding the world with blessings and, so far from claiming attention for himself, it may be that he is unconscious of what he is effecting. God so blesses him that his leaf does not wither and whatever he does is prospering, for he is like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bring forth its fruit in its season—his verdure and fruit are the natural outcome of his vigorous life. Oh, the blessed spontaneity of the work of Grace when a man gets into the fullness of it, for then he seems to eat and drink and sleep eternal life!”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “The Indwelling and Outflowing of the Holy Spirit,” May 28, 1882.
(HT: Ray Ortlund)
Already Not Yet 