Streams of Living Water

It was the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, where the water libation ritual was practiced year after year. Water would be drawn from the pool at Siloam. This water, originating from a spring, could not be stagnant, it had to be fresh and able to give life – it was running or living water.

Three Pools at Maracas Valley Waterfall Trinidad

John 7:37-39, as it is written,

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whosoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.”

Jesus is speaking here of a spiritual thirst, not a physical thirst. He is telling us that “whosoever” you may be, once you believe in Him you will receive, coming from inside of you, streams of water that are alive and “do not fail” (Isaiah 58:11). As the above passage tells us, Jesus is in fact referring to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the “living water” that never runs dry.

It is not insignificant that it was at this very important Feast that Jesus chose to declare that He was the true water, the true giver of life through whom the Spirit is given – only through Him can you receive lasting salvation and truly experience the reality of Life.

As streams of natural living water transforms dry, barren places, so Spirit, the true Living Water, will transform the dryness and barrenness of your spiritual life. Just like the woman at the well in John 4:13-14, you too will never again be thirsty.

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (ESV)

To feel a personal connection to Jesus, the Lord of your salvation, you need to connect to His Spirit, Who animates the true meaning of life.

“whoever believes in me should drink. As the scripture says, ‘Streams of life-giving water will pour out from his side.’” – John 7:38 (GNT)

It is Spirit flowing through you, an outflow from your innermost being, after you have yielded yourself to Him. However, this is not just for your benefit, for as this Spiritual stream gushes forth from deep within you, you are to share this eternal life water with others, so that they too may experience the touch of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. And as their lives are touched by Spirit’s refreshing water that feeds the soul, they too will be drawn to Jesus.

Amen †

 

 

Shelley Johnson “Streams of Living Water” © 2012 revisited April 7, 2025