I THINK I NEED A DRINK

Jn.7:37-39 – On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

This passage was vitally connected to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that occurred during the 1990’s. There are several interesting things that stand out in this simple yet profound declaration uttered by Jesus in the temple that day. The first thing that stands out is the initial declaration, “if anyone is thirsty”. Jesus is still asking the same question today, “is anybody thirsty?” Spiritual thirst is the prerequisite for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual thirst is literally our hearts yearning for the Lord. You may not know what the yearning is or how to express it but it is this thirst that brings us to Jesus. Thirst demands satisfaction, you have to have a drink to be satisfied.
Next Jesus tells us how to get this drink, we just simply come to Him. This Living Water literally flows out of Jesus and fills the hearts of all that come to Him. We come to Him and drink. What does Jesus mean by drinking? Drinking is another way of saying receiving or taking in. If you are thirsty come to Jesus, open your heart and begin to receive His presence into your life. This river that Jesus is describing is literally a person, not just an experience. We come thirsty to Jesus and begin to drink or receive and we are filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the beginning of a new way to live our lives, a life characterized by receiving more and more of the Lord into our lives.
Finally John gave us a prophetic look into the coming day, the Holy Spirit would be poured out beginning when Jesus had been raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of the Father. We live in that day. If you are thirsty it is time to come to Jesus and have a drink, when you do rivers of living water will flow into you and then through you. Jesus is still calling for all the thirsty ones to come to Him and to drink.