Wherever the River Flows, It Will Bring Life
By: Pastor Eric GonyonPublish date: 06/10/2018
Foundation Scriptures:
Then the man took me back to the door of the temple. I saw water flowing from under the entrance of the temple toward the east. (The temple faced east.) The water was flowing under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 Then he led me through the north gate and around to the outer east gate. The water was flowing down the south side of the gate. 3 With a measuring line in his hand, the man went eastward. He measured off 1,500 feet and led me through the water. The water came up to my ankles. 4 Then he measured off another 1,500 feet and led me through the water. The water came up to my knees. He measured off another 1,500 feet and led me through the water. The water came up to my waist. 5 Then he measured another 1,500 feet. But the water had risen so much that it became a river which I couldn’t cross. The river was too deep to cross except by swimming. 6 Then he asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?” 7 Then the man led me back along the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw many trees on both sides of the river. 8 Then the man said to me, “This water flows through the land to the east, down into the Jordan Valley, and into the Dead Sea. When the water flows into the Dead Sea, it will replace the salt water there with fresh water. 9 Wherever the river flows, there will be many fish and animals. The river will make the water in the Dead Sea fresh. Wherever the river flows, it will bring life. Ezekiel 47:1-9 GW
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. Psalm 46:4 KJV
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Revelation 22:1 KJV
1. There is a River that Flows from the Throne of God. Wherever the River Flows, it Brings Life.
a. The river of God brings life, salvation, health, love, peace, joy, direction, provision, restoration, revelation, strength, and more.
b. Allow the river to touch every area of your life.
2. What Are You Thirsty For?
a. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) John 7:37-39 KJV
b. Before you can drink, you have to thirst. What are you thirsty for?
c. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 KJV
d. Jesus is the source of living water.
e. Will you allow the river of living water to flow out of you? Acts 1:8 & Acts 2:1-4
3. God Showed Ezekiel the Progression of Living Water.
a. Ezekiel sees water coming from the temple like a small stream. As he is shown the flow of the water, the stream begins to get longer, wider, and deeper.
b. Ezekiel is first shown the water level as ankle deep, then knee deep, and then waist deep. It started as a small stream, and then it turned into a flowing river.
c. The river was so deep that you could swim in it. It was too deep to cross through it. There are deeper levels with God.
d. The river flowed to the Dead Sea and brought forth healing and life.
e. All that the river came into contact with experienced life.
f. Wherever the river is flowing, life, growth, and fruit will come forth.
4. Who Is in Control?
a. You cannot control a river.
b. There is a flow to a river. Allow God to be in control.
c. Many who have a problem with revival have a problem with control.
d. We must follow Him – not He must follow us.
e. You cannot control or program God.
f. We must say, “I will go where You want me to go, say what You want me to say, be what You want me to be, and do what You want me to do. Not my will, but Yours be done.”
g. The enemy wants to stop the flow of the river in your life. Religion and tradition stop the flow of the river.
h. With great rivers, such as the Mississippi River, they build a dam. The dam prevents the flow of the river, and it disturbs the ecology of the area.
i. Abraham dug wells during his life. The Philistines came in behind him and blocked up the wells. Isaac then came and unblocked the wells that his father had dug. Isaac means laughter.
j. What will it take to unblock your well?
5. Joy Unblocks the Well.
a. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3 KJV
b. Joy unblocks the well. Joy is the cup that brings the living water up.
c. Heads are for thinking; hearts are for drinking.
d. Joy has a voice and you can hear it.
e. Joy is not an amusement of the mind but an overflow of the heart.
f. Proverbs 17:22, Romans 14:17, Isaiah 61:3, Isaiah 12:3, Psalm 16:11, Nehemiah 8:10, John 15:11, Job 5:22
6. God Does Not Want Dams Built to Stop the River of God. Be a Dam Buster.
a. Don’t allow the enemy to build a dam and stop the flow of the river in you. Don’t ever allow yourself to take an offense or be in strife.
b. What is an offense? The Greek word for offense is: skandalon, which means a snare, a noose, a stumbling block or a trap. The English word scandal comes from this origin.
c. Some things that could build a dam wall in a believer’s life: sin, offense, strife, religion, tradition, idleness, pride, stress, sickness, poverty, gossip, relationships, hardships, work, relatives, people, cares of this world, etc.
d. John 10:10
e. The devil isolates, divides, and conquers.
f. Dams change the way that a river flows.
g. Proverbs 18:19
h. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 KJV
i. Luke 6:45, Proverbs 17:14
j. The devil is defeated; he doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
k. Identify any areas in your life where the enemy has built dams. Allow the river of God to flow through you, and that dam wall will come down.
l. Wherever the river flows, life will spring forth