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“Everything that touches the water of this river will live. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will be healed. Wherever this water flows, everything will live. Ezek. 47:9  NLT

 

Wherever the river goes, everything will live. Everything the river touches will live. What an amazing prophecy: a river of life for the whole world.

This vision is very important for us today. If you read the news, it seems like death and destruction are filling the earth. It can seem that only darkness and death are what we can expect as we get closer to the return of Jesus to the earth.

That is only half of the story. Yes, Jesus clearly taught that “birth pangs,” and signs of great difficulty and darkness would fill the earth before His return (read Matt 24). But just as clearly, the Scriptures teach that a mighty flood of life will cover the earth as we see that day approaching. Ezekiel’s vision is a key passage in this reality.

During a period of great devastation, destruction and national decline, God gave the prophet Ezekiel a vision of the future when God would release a mighty rushing river of His Spirit across the earth. Today, we are experiencing the reality of that vision. Oh Lord, let the River Flow!

Ezekiel saw a time when the water level of God’s Spirit would continue to rise. Life-giving, joy-producing, refreshing water from the throne of God would touch the lives of thousands upon thousands. Hope, life, healing and blessing will go wherever the river flows. This is one of the greatest promises in all of Scripture.

Is that river flowing in your life today? Are you experiences gushes of life-giving peace, love and joy? Is your heart more alive today that it was yesterday? These are important indicators of whether you are experiencing the living water of the Spirit of God.

How can you and I experience more of this river of life? I think we begin by thirsting for more. Never satisfied with a little bit of God, we begin to hunger and thirst for the flow of God to rise in our lives. We pray for more of His Spirit. We search the Word of God to know more about the Person of the Holy Spirit. We are not satisfied with a little bit. We must have MORE.

The next place to find the river is worship. Worship is the place where the river begins to flow in greater depth and power. When we worship the Father in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24), heaven’s flow of life starts to trickle into our inner beings. We begin to experience this life-giving river personally. When we worship corporately, the river can flow into a mighty tide of revival. It all begins with thirsty worshippers.

Next Saturday night, Dec. 6 at 7 pm, we will be worshipping together for a NIGHT OF WORSHIP at Blue Ridge Vineyard. As I prayed about this evening, the Lord gave me the word, “Soaking.” I believe He wants to saturate the atmosphere of our lives and community with His presence. Worship is our great privilege and our great mandate as the people of God.

Let’s ask the Father to take us deeper and deeper into His rivers of worship and love. Let’s pull away from the activity of the season and draw closer to His side. Let’s learn how to ascend the hill of worship together as a community of faith. Let’s plunge headlong into the river of life.

God Himself is the goal. Communing with Him is our pursuit. His presence fully satisfies.

The river is rushing, and the river is here. Don’t stand on the banks. Don’t stay dry in your own comfort zone of safety. The river is flowing.

Dive in!