Ps.46:3,4 – Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
The River of the Holy Spirit causes upheaval everywhere it goes. The earth may quake and the sea may be stirred up but the River of God is unstoppable. There was a mighty outpouring of the Spirit in the 1990’s that many of us called the River. This outpouring was sudden, dramatic, and caused quite an upheaval. Many of my ministry friends no longer wanted to be anywhere near me and many of the members in our church who had been there for years were offended by all of the commotion and suddenly disappeared. At the same time many others were being filled with unspeakable joy and a supernatural peace beyond description. At this writing that was thirty two years ago, thankfully the River is still moving in our church and filling the downcast with supernatural joy. And by the way, the River is still causing quite a stir. Here is how Augustine described the River of God.
“Mountains quiver, the sea rages, but God stays faithful to his city by means of this impetuous river. What is it, and what are its impulses? They are the inundation of the Spirit.… When Jesus had been glorified after his resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost and filled the believers. They spoke in tongues and began to preach the good news to the Gentiles. At this the city of God was overjoyed, though the sea was heaving with its noisy waves and the mountains were quaking and asking themselves what they should do, and how they could get rid of this new teaching and how they might uproot the Christian race from the earth. But against whom was all this agitation directed? Against the irresistible impulses of the river that were giving joy to God’s city.”
As David said this River is making God’s people glad. For the hurting and miserable their life is already swirling because of the consequences of sin and the fact that we live in a world separated from God. Coming into the city of God and enjoying His presence found in the River of the Spirit will absolutely change the hearts of those who are tired of the misery found in that worldly lifestyle and are willing to step into the River of God. So go ahead, come to the River that flows through God’s house and get a big drink of this living water.
