Give Jesus Your Best!

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising (Isaiah 60:1-3 - NKJV).

It’s time for us in the body of Christ to fine tune ourselves and get ready to be the best we can be for God! The world situation is changing rapidly and all signs point towards the rapture of the church and the second coming of Christ.

 

I believe that as calamity and disaster continue to increase, many will turn to the Lord and be opened to receive ministry. We have the help our needy world is looking for! Here are some things that we can do to be ready to minister to others in the days ahead.

 

First, commit to an attitude of excellence in all that you do. Colossians 3: 23-24 reads, And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

  

Give everything you do the best you have, both on your job and also in your church life. If you volunteer in an area of ministry at your local church, give it your best. Be on time to events! Do what you do as if Jesus were your boss. Volunteer as unto Him.

Ephesians 6:6-8 reads, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good-will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

 

Secondly, think unity. There is strength when we unify with fellow believers. The power of the early church was in their being in one accord. How we treat fellow believers is how we treat Jesus Himself. An atmosphere of unity is a breeding ground for the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself. Be quick to forgive and quick to love. Believe the best of others.

  

Thirdly, ask the Father to manifest spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 14:1(NIV) reads,

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. Ask the Father to use you in spiritual gifts. Before you attend church services, ask the Father for to manifest His love for the people through spiritual gifts. Be open for Him to use you if He so chooses.

  

In your daily life, walk in love and ask the Father to make you a blessing to others. He may choose to manifest the Word of Knowledge or Gifts of Healings through you. Remain conscious throughout your day that He wants to use you.

  

When we gather in church meetings, we actually become collectively a temple of the Holy Spirit. Yes, we individually have Him living in us, but there is a special manifestation of the presence of God among us when we gather together. The depth of the manifestation is determined by our desire for Him. So it honors God when we choose be on time to our local church services. We can show by your actions that we want the best that God has and that we want others to receive. Think about this, chronically arriving late to a church service on purpose is really showing disrespect to the Father and a lack of desire for Him to give His best. And being late signals others who may be visiting (and that need the Lord) that we really aren’t all that committed to what we believe!

  

These are important days for the kingdom of God. Jesus is coming soon. So many need ministry. Let’s go the extra mile in all we do. It’s time for the Father to show Himself strongly through each one of us!

God's Power Shows Up When We Choose Praise!

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD (Psalm 149:6-9).

In the verse above, notice that offered praise becomes a double edged sword in the realm of the spirit. The plans of those opposing the Word and the purposes of the kingdom of God are hindered when we choose to praise God. The binding of their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron refers to the demonic forces In the unseen realm. Praise stops them in their tracks!

God inhabits praise. There is a manifestation of His kingdom power where praise is offered. The principalities, the powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, the wicked spirits in the heavenlies mentioned in Ephesians 6:12 are hindered in their exploits of stealing, killing and destroying when saints begin to praise!

  

The children of Israel noticed that when they put the tribe of Judah (their job was to lead Israel in praise) in the front lines of battle that the fight was easier and they won:

2 Chronicles 20:21-24 - NLT

After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!” (22) At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. (23) The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other. (24) So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.

Paul and Silas’ prison chains fell off during an episode of praise:

Acts 16:22-26 - KJV

And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. (23) And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: (24) Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. (25) And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. (26) And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

Don’t take praise lightly, it works! Praise is an effective weapon against spiritual opposition in your life too.

Take up praise as a weapon of spiritual warfare today. When doubt, fear, discouragement, depression, sickness, or lack attacks your life, get out the weapon of praise!

   

Back in 1985, I was attacked with terrible flu symptoms. Everything hurt! I called my secretary and cancelled my appointments for the day. I was listening to scriptures on healing as I lay in bed, and the Lord spoke so clearly to me. If you believe you’re healed, get up and act like it!  I knew He was right, and got up and began to walk around my bedroom with my hands lifted praising God for my healing. For about ten minutes I ached and hurt and praised! Then, just like a bird flying away, every flu symptom disappeared! I was totally healed. That episode taught me a great lesson about praise in my early years.

  

Right in the middle of your life circumstances today begin to offer the sacrifice of praise. You’ll find God kingdom manifesting in your life and you’ll find that the enemy will back up. Praise is an awesome weapon!

 

God Longs For You To Occupy Yourself With Him!

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. They shall be Mine, says the LORD of hosts, on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him (Malachi 3:16-17).

  

It’s a special thing to the Father for us to think about Him, to talk about Him, and for us to occupy our minds with thoughts of Him. He takes notice when we make Him the object of life’s pursuit. He has a book where He records the times we spend with our focus on Him!

  

In the New Testament we’re admonished to let the Word dwell in us richly. Jesus encouraged us to allow the Word to abide in us. The Greek word for abide is meno and it means to settle down in, to remain, or to make a home with. The idea is that the word finds a permanent home in us. The Word is our link with the Father as we walk through life.

  

Jesus told the disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit when He left the earth to go to heaven. He called the Holy Spirit the Spirit of truth. You see, the Holy Spirit is attracted to the Word in us! Really, we are no more filled with the Spirit than we are filled with the Word! Taking time each day to absorb the Word is also taking time to allow the Holy Spirit full reign in us. When we choose to obey the Word, we’re choosing to yield to the Holy Spirit.

 

Never neglect the Word. The Word is precious to God. The Word is precious to the Holy Spirit. The Word is our connection with heaven. Occupy yourself with the things of the Word today. If you do, you’ll become a favorite with the Father. He longs for you to want Him!

The Floods and Winds Of Life Will Destroy A Person Who Willfully Chooses To Ignore God's Counsel

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall (Matthew 7:24-27).

The foundation of a house determines its strength. Wind and water are powerful forces of nature, but a house built on the right foundation can remain strong when they rise against it.

 

Likewise, a person who chooses to be a doer of the Word of God, that is ,to put the Word into practice, has a firm foundation in life. Adversity has many faces and comes to us from so many sources, but a person who chooses to live life by obeying the Word will come out on top every time!

  

The Word of God never changes nor will it ever fade into useless nothingness. It’s eternal (Matthew 24:35). The Word of God will always accomplish the purpose for which it was sent (Isaiah 55:11). The Word has been sent by the Father to produce forgiveness, healing, strength, love, joy, patience, victory, prosperity, and abundance.

The Father is always watching over His Word to make it good where believed (Jeremiah 1:12). Earthly things wear out, but the Word of God endures and is ageless (Isaiah 40:8). It is stronger than rock, and is forever established and settled (Psalm 119:89). The Father will never break the covenant He has with His Word. It will always produce fruit, and will be honored by the Father in the life of whoever believes it (Psalm 89:34)!

  

Since the Father’s Word is so sure, the best assurance of a blessed future is obeying and lining your life up with the Word of God right now. A step away from the Word is inviting disaster. A decision to go your own way at the neglect of the Word is an invitation for the thief to invade your life by stealing, killing, and destroying in some way. It’s a real bad idea to forsake the Word of God for your own way!

  

I’m still amazed at how a person can hear the Word week after week, month after month, and year after year, and still refuse to act on it when challenges come. Don’t ever let yourself get so burdened that you make a decision that is contrary to the Word. Never turn a deaf ear to God’s will as found in the Word. That decision is a disaster in the making. The flood and winds of life will destroy a person who willfully chooses to ignore the Father’s counsel.

   

Over the years I’ve seen people overcome great adversity and succeed when failure seemed apparent by simply firmly choosing to obey God’s Word when it was not the most convenient or the most comfortable thing to do. You’ll always come out on top if you’ll obey God and stand on His Word. It’s not always the easiest route. And yes, there are challenges when you choose the Father’s way through the Word. But the end result will always be the same. Victory, success, peace, and joy will rule your life!

Obedience, Prayer, Spiritual Strength, And The End Of Self-Effort

The last couple of days I’ve been talking about Ezekiel 47 and the river that flows from the Millennial Temple and how it speaks so strongly in our day of the moving of the Holy Spirit among us. Today I want to look more closely at Ezekiel 47 and the different levels of water that may give insight into what it takes to allow the Holy Spirit to use you in this hour.

Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles. 4 He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist. Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through. (Ezekiel 47:3-5).

Water up to my ankles is literally water to the soles of the feet. This speaks of our walk of obedience to the Father. The Father tells us in Isaiah 1:19 that if we are willing and obedient we will eat the good of the land, but that we will be consumed by the enemy if we walk disobediently! God told Israel that they could have the land that their feet treat on: Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours… (Deuteronomy 11:24). A life of blessing is not automatic. We must purposely pursue God’s best for our lives. We must pursue the will of God!

Water up to the knees speaks of the power of a consecrated prayer life. Jesus tells us that if we will meet Him in the secret place, He will reward us openly with His Spirit and power (Matthew 6:6). We are as powerful as we are prayerful! Only as we pray with fervency can we see the full purpose that God has for us individual and corporately fulfilled!

Water up to the waist speaks of spiritual strength. Paul encourages us to gird our waist with truth (Ephesians 6:14). It’s the Word of God that provides spiritual strength! …I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one (1 John 2:14). Isaiah 33:6 reveals: Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation. Wisdom and Knowledge is the Word of God! We can only be strong in the Lord as we are strong in the Word! This provides a foundation for the Holy Spirit to be able to use you!

Finally, Ezekiel mentions water deep enough to swim in. This speaks of the end of self-effort in the life of a Christian. The Lord wants each one of us to come to place that we  turn over to Him the reigns of our life or the the control of our life! Smith Wigglesworth perhaps summed it up well when he said: All of me-none of God; less of me-more of God; none of me-all of God!

Lord, help us all to relinquish control of our day through obedience and prayer. May we step out into the deeper water of Your Presence, Your Word, and Your Spirit where You carry us where You will, and where you enable us to be a blessing to others!

Three Important Traits We All Need To Develop to Be Used By God

I believe the Lord is endeavoring to move the church into a place where the Holy Spirit can flow freely to through us to others. His passion is for every believer to be used to minister life to others. As we open ourselves up to be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s  promptings, expect the signs and wonders that follow the ministry of the Word to increase! (Mark: 16:20).

Yesterday I began discussing the river that flows from the Millennial Temple of God and how that is analogous to the moving of the Holy Spirit right now in our day. The water flowed from the temple, and the farther it flowed the deeper it went; ankle deep, knee deep, waist deep, and waters to swim in (See Ezekiel 47:1-9). Here are a few thoughts about the water flowing from this temple and how it applies to the moving of the Holy Spirit among us right now at the end of the church age.

Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar (Ezekiel 47:1).

Notice that the water flows out, not in! The Holy Spirit will work in us only as we get our eyes off of ourselves and began to live to bless others. Put yourself last and others first. An acronym for JOY is Jesus, Others, You. Remember that Job was delivered from his terrible plight when he prayed for his friends (Job 42:10). Jesus said give and it shall be given to you (Luke 6:38). The Spirit can flow from us when we put others first!

Notice in this verse also that the water flowed from the Temple, a Holy place. Only as we pursue the holiness of God will the anointing of the Spirit flow. We’re encouraged to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1)! We are to be holy in all our conduct, for it is written, be holy, for I am holy (1 Peter 1:14-15). Purity precedes power!

Lastly notice that the water flowing from the temple flowed from under the threshold. This speaks to us of the humility of spirit by which we should live. Notice Isaiah 57:15:

For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Personal humility draws the presence of God!

Peter tells us, Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).  John the Baptist proclaimed, He must increase, but I must decrease! (John 3:30).

Let’s make a choice today to put others first, to pursue holy living, and to live in humility so that the Spirit of God can use us with His might and power to give glory to Jesus and to bless others!

Mitch Horton Live: Are You Willing To Step Into The River of God?

Mitch Horton Live: Are You Willing To Step Into The River of God?: In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple...

Are You Willing To Step Into The River of God?

In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side. The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the water flowing out through the south side of the east gateway. Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles. He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist. Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through. He asked me, "Have you been watching, son of man?" Then he led me back along the riverbank. When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river. Then he said to me, "This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure. There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows (Ezekiel 47:1-9 - NLT).

We’re living in the time that the Father will be fulfilling the prophecy of Joel 2:28 in full! He desires to pour out His Spirit on all flesh! And this is the time for the body of Christ to take full advantage of our personal relationship with the Father through the Holy Spirit.

In the above passage, Ezekiel saw the future Temple of God and saw a river flowing from it. The water began as shallow as ankle deep and grew in depth; from ankle deep to knee deep, to waist deep, until it became waters to swim in!

The river speaks to us church age folk of the anointing of the Holy Spirit and its rise in our lives and ministries, and of the harvest of souls that we should seek to bring into the kingdom of God.

There is rising a stream as it were of the Holy Spirit that the Father desires that we jump into. We must be willing to get wet if we want God’s best. We must be willing to go where the Holy Spirit through the Word is leading us! At first, we’re ankle deep, and for the most part we can choose our direction.

Then as the water of the Spirit gets deeper, we feel the tug and weight of the water. Knee deep, we can still push ahead in some self-effort. Waist deep water is more difficult to navigate. It takes a lot of flesh effort to resist the waist deep water’s tug.

But when the water becomes deep, perhaps over the head, and becomes waters to swim in, we become completely controlled by the current of the water! And that’s where the Lord wants to take all of us; to a place where we are no longer in control of our lives. He is in control. We simply allow Him to take us where He wills!

Jesus called this abiding in the vine in John 15. Paul said it this way in Acts 17:28, In Him we live and move and have our being! Paul also referred to this process of giving control of us over to the Father in Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Be willing to step out into the River of God! Allow Him to work in you to the point that you’re willing for Him to decide what is best for your life; you’re willing to risk letting go of the reigns of your life and you’re willing to do whatever He says! He wants us to allow Him to use us to minister to others. People are desperate to experience the Jesus that lives in us. It’s not about trying to be a good Christian. It is about us relating personally with Jesus in His word and in prayer until we experience overflow. And then from that overflow, we minister God’s life, compassion, love, kindness, peace, mercy, and forgiveness to those around us who are walking in darkness.

God Wants Every Christian Involved In Ministering Life To Others!

And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs (Mark 16:20).

I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father (John 14:12).

I believe that God is doing something new and fresh in the church as a whole today. He is seeking to move every Christian out of their comfortable spot and into the front lines of ministry to the individuals around us everyday.

I believe that God’s emphasis today is to empower us as individuals to go out into our world of job, school, social activities and the normal routines of life and be used by Him to minister to those we come in contact with!

Those that do not have a relationship with God are in a quandary of doubt and fear as they see the world as a whole escalating out of control with no answers to the huge problems we all face. Jesus is the hope of the world, and the light of the world. And faith in God’s promises and in His love can ready and prepare all of us for the days ahead. Simply put, we have a lot of hope to share! But sanctify the Lord God[a] in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15).

The emphasis is now on the ordinary believer to go and do the work of ministering life to those we come in contact with! In the past the emphasis in some circles has been on the anointed man or woman of God. God wants us to broaden our thinking. Every believer is anointed with a gifting that God wants to use them in to bless others! God will answer believing prayer, regardless of who prays that prayer!

Let’s begin now to see every single day as an opportunity for God to receive glory in the way we live on the job, in the home, at school, in our social and leisure activities. Let’s begin to see every person we meet the way God would see them, as a person made in His image created to give him glory. Let’s look through the outer package as see the real person with hurts, pain, insecurity, in need of a loving Savior.

Let’s begin now to ask God every day to make us a blessing to others. When I came to the Lord forty years ago, Kenneth Hagin was one of my spiritual mentors. I read his books and listened to his messages voraciously. One things he mentioned struck a note in me. He said that many Christians pray and ask God to bless them. He said that we don’t need to pray for things that God has already given us.  We are already blessed according to Ephesians 1:3: All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

Instead of praying to be blessed, Kenneth Hagin said we should rather pray that God would make us a blessing to others every day. That challenged me and changed my thinking. Then God gave me a scripture in Isaiah that really changed my focus. Isaiah 50:4 reads: The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.

Let’s go about our affairs today and every day from now on, asking God to use us to minister life to others. Our obedience to speak words of life and encouragement may make the difference between heaven and hell, success and failure, sickness or health, marriage or divorce in the people we contact today. Let’s choose to be a blessing! Let’s be ready for God to use us!

Our Prayer Life Determines What God Does In And Through Us!

And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. (Luke 24:53).

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers (Acts 1:14).

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart (Acts 2:46).

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31).

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God (Luke 6:12).

  

The foundation for all that God does in us and through us is in our prayer life. Jesus set the standard. Jesus’ days of ministry were preceded by nights of intense praying. The early church was formed in the incubator of prayer after Jesus ascension.

  

The kingdom of God functions on the prayers of the saints. The mighty forces that shape the world are not physical but spiritual. The answer to every challenge we face is first of all found in that place of solace in prayer with the Father. If Jesus heeded the importance of praying things out in His earth walk, should we not heed His example?

We’re facing pressures unheard of in previous generations. The climax of the ages is upon us. God has a grand and glorious strategy for the church in this hour. And it begins and ends on our knees! To neglect the place of prayer is to neglect the very purpose and plans of the Father for life.

  

Start today. Move yourself into a deeper place of prayer. Find a private place, and begin to tell the Father how wonderful He is to you. Ask Him to help you pour out your heart to Him. Then, take to Him every concern and problem. Give Him the details of what bothers you. Then ask Him to intervene and bring the solution. Remind Him of the promises of His Word to you. Spend time in thanksgiving for the answer.

 

While praying, take time to pray in tongues. This is the most effective form of prayer. Praying in the spirit enables you to pray the perfect will of God about the unknown future. It enables you to pray the will of God into manifestation in so many ways! Don’t neglect this secret weapon God has given to you! Use it regularly and watch the forces of the enemy back up!

  

The success of your day today begins in your prayer closet. Make it count!

Where Are You In The River Of God?

In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side. The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the water flowing out through the south side of the east gateway. Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles. He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist. Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through. He asked me, "Have you been watching, son of man?" Then he led me back along the riverbank. When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river. Then he said to me, "This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure. There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows (Ezekiel 47:1-9 - NLT).

We’re living in the time that I believe the Father will be fulfilling the prophecy of Joel 2:28 in full! He desires to pour out His Spirit on all flesh! And this is the time for the body of Christ to take full advantage of our personal relationship with the Father through the Holy Spirit.

In the above passage, Ezekiel saw the future Temple of God and saw a river flowing from it. The water began as shallow as ankle deep and grew in depth; from ankle deep to knee deep, to waist deep, until it became waters to swim in!

The river speaks to us church age folk of the anointing of the Holy Spirit and its rise in our lives and ministries, and of the harvest of souls that we should seek to bring into the kingdom of God.

There is rising a stream as it were of the Holy Spirit that the Father desires that we jump into. We must be willing to get wet if we want God’s best. We must be willing to go where the Holy Spirit through the Word is leading us! At first, we’re ankle deep, and for the most part we can choose our direction.

Then, as the water of the Spirit gets deeper, we feel the tug and weight of the water. As long as we are knee deep, we can still push ahead in some self-effort. Waist deep water is more difficult to navigate. It takes a lot of flesh effort to resist the waist deep water’s tug.

But when the water becomes deep, perhaps over the head, and becomes waters to swim in, we become completely controlled by the current of the water! And that’s where the Lord wants to take all of us; to a place where we are no longer in control of our lives. He is in control. We simply allow Him to take us where He wills!

Jesus called this abiding in the vine in John 15. Paul said it this way in Acts 17:28, In Him we live and move and have our being! Paul also referred to this process of giving control of us over to the Father in Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Be willing to step out into the river of God! Allow Him to work in you to the point that you’re willing for Him to decide what is best for your life; you’re willing to risk letting go of the reigns of your life and you’re willing to do whatever He says! The end result of this type of living is the fullest satisfaction you can have in life!