(John 4:13-14) “Everyone who is drinking of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst, indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Introduction
The Lord Jesus spoke these words to a woman who was an outcast in society. She had been deeply hurt and scarred emotionally because of her sinful lifestyle. It was no accident that Jesus was sitting on the side of the well that day. He was tired and thirsty, but suddenly a new thirst took hold of Him. It wasn’t a thirst for water but a thirst for the salvation of this woman. The Lord Jesus was always led by the Holy Spirit to the people who really needed Him most. When she approached the well Jesus said to her “will you give me a drink?” The woman was utterly surprised at his request because usually Jews didn’t associate with Samaritans especially a woman of her profession. She was probably the town prostitute and quite notorious.
At first she was quite cynical and abrupt towards him but Jesus lovingly replied “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and he would have given you living water.” As Jesus continued to talk to her she came to see that the living water Jesus was speaking to her about was a brand new way of life, a life that brings deep satisfaction, joy and fulfilment that continues on into eternity. The Lord Jesus was speaking of the Holy Spirit Himself who wanted to impart to her His Eternal quality of life filled with His love, His peace and His power. There are several things that we need to see concerning this Living Water that Jesus gives to all that thirst to know God.
1. The water of life that Jesus gives will bring about a satisfaction and joy that the world cannot give.
(John 4:13-14) “Everyone who is drinking of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks this water I give him will never thirst, indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to everlasting life.”
Notice particularly Jesus words. “Everyone who is drinking of this water will be thirsty again.” Jesus was in fact saying the person who is drinking from the fountains of this world’s pleasures; pursuits and desires will be thirsty again no matter how deeply they drink. They will never be completely satisfied with their life. They will always be thirsting for more but never able to achieve their desires. If we drink from the fountain of wealth and possessions we will not be satisfied for long but will continue to thirst for something more. If we drink from the fountain of fame, honour and great power among men we will soon become tired with them and thirst for something more. If we drink deeply from the fountain of human knowledge, science, philosophy, Psychology or literature we will become thirsty again for something more, something further. Yes, if we drink deeply from that deep fountain of human love we will soon thirst for something deeper, something more.
Not one of these things satisfies for long; neither do they satisfy forever. Jesus goes on to say, “But whoever drinks of the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to everlasting life.” Jesus plainly say’s “Drink deeply, and keep on drinking the water of life that I am giving you and you will be fully satisfied forever.” But what is this water of life that Jesus gives?
2. The water of life that Jesus gives is the indwelling presence of The Holy Spirit Himself.
(John 7:27-39) “If any man is thirsting, let him come to Me and drink. He who is believing in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly (hollow) (inner being) shall flow rivers of living water.” But this he spoke of the Spirit, which those believing in Him were about to receive….”
In these verses we are told that the living water Jesus gives to everyone who believes in Him is the Holy Spirit. This is clear from what Jesus said. “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water” (John 4:10). The Lord Jesus also said on another occasion “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those asking Him” (Luke 11:13). Without the Holy Spirit living in us we will always be dissatisfied with life deep down on the inside. Anyone who receives the Holy Spirit into his or her life will be deeply and fully satisfied forever. Anyone who has the Holy Spirit in them has the true source and sustainer of joy. This joy will be their strength in life. (Nehemiah 8:10) This joy is not dependent on any outward thing or circumstance. If our joy is based on our circumstances, possessions or even loved ones then it will disappear when sickness or poverty strikes or when that loved one is taken from us.
We can be in the worst crisis of our life and even though emotionally, mentally and physically we feel devastated we will still have the joy and peace of the Lord deep down on the inside. We will still have the confidence that dear Job expressed when he said; “Even though He slay me yet will I trust Him.” Again Job said; “I know that when He has tested me I shall come forth as Gold.” One of the reasons God allows us to be tested is to enable us in His power to pass the test. When we fail to pass some tests in life God has to send them to us again packaged differently but with the ain that we might pass with flying colours! At such times we have the blessed Holy Spirit to comfort, to guide and to strengthen us.
Now we may even loose a loved one and naturally there will be grief and sorrow and this is the normal grieving process but if we have the Holy Spirit as an indwelling source of strength and support then we will have the joy of the Lord. (Habakkuk 3:17-19) So then if we are emotionally and physically exhausted we will still know the joy of the Lord if we lean upon the Holy Spirit at such times. After all he is the comforter.
How people survive without the Holy Spirit is amazing because they drink and keep on drinking from the fountains of this world but are never satisfied. When we have this fountain within we will not desire to drink heavily, go to parties and dances or to an endless run of places of entertainment. Who would go to an old slimy green pool to drink when they had a clear crystal spring right at hand? The joy and satisfaction of the indwelling Holy Spirit far exceeds the joy of any pleasure that the world can offer. Now you might say, “Look at all the Christians who pursue the world’s pleasures who claim to know Jesus, are they really Christians?” There is an answer to this question….
3. The Water of Life that Jesus gives can be obstructed by the activities of our sinful natures when we allow them to operate in our lives.
There are two reasons why professing Christians run after the ambitions, pleasures and pursuits of this world. Firstly, they have never really been born again. Secondly, they have blocked the Spirit flowing through their lives through disobedience or sin. It is the second reason that we will deal with here. The joy of the Lord is lost when we refuse to confess and renounce sin or when we are disobedient to God’s Word the Bible. This is what happened to David when he committed murder and adultery. He lost his joy and keenness for spiritual things. David really did love the Lord and when he confessed his sin God forgave him and restored his joy. In Psalm 51 we find him praying “Return unto me the joy of your salvation and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.” Another reason the joy of the Lord is lost is because the Lord has called us into some form of full-time ministry or to the mission field and we have resisted His call. In some of us the well of life is obstructed and plugged up by some old rag of sin or worldly attitude to life. Let’s pull out that old rag right now!
If you have lost the joy of the Lord find out what has caused it, pull it out and throw it away and you will find that the joy will come back, sometimes with a greater intensity that before. Ask the Lord to show you right now what it is that bottles up the fountain and promise him that if He will show you what it is you will give it up. If you really mean business with the Lord He will show you what it is and how you can deal with it. Again the blessed Holy Spirit will be on hand to strengthen your resolve.
The Lord Jesus stands next to you right now and holds out to you the golden cup that contains the water of life and say’s to you “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Will you drink now? “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” Just ask the Lord Jesus, but be sure when you ask, that you really mean it and that you will have it at any price. Make sure that your will is fully surrendered to Him because he only gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him. (Acts 5:32)
