John 7:37‭-‬39

“The last day of the festival came. It was the most important day. On that day Jesus stood up and said loudly, “Whoever is thirsty may come to me and drink”.

Here we see the Lord extending an open and eternal invitation to all mankind.
Men are naturally hard-wired to forget two basic things;
First, they forget the temporal nature of life on this side of eternity.

Secondly, men (especially those enjoying financial success) soon forget that God is the source and that we ultimately rely upon God for sustenance.

Col 1:17

“And he is before all things, and by him all things consist”.

In our text above Christ prescribes a three-in-one approach.
First, “If any man “thirst”….
Thirsting is the only qualification. It’s a gift. God giveth freely but you must make a deliberate choice to earnestly yearn for God.

Secondly, you must come to Christ, not with a lackadaisical attitude, not with philosophical argument, but with expectation from God.

And when you come, you will have to open your mouth(your heart in this case) and drink.
Vs 38, says that :’out of your belly shall then flow out, rivers of living water’.

This refers to an observable consequence or outcome. A proof of close acquaintance, an evidence of being in Him.

John 7:38

“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water”.
John 7:38-39

The phrases ‘out of his belly’ and ‘rivers of living waters’ are very instructive and defining.

‘Belly’ expresses the core or midst of a person. True acquaintance with Christ through the Spirit of grace is a treasure stored in the innermost core of a being. Some Bible translations use the word ‘heart’ to connote it.

‘Rivers’ on the other hand expresses an ever-and-over flowing stream of grace.
The gospel revelation in the life of a believer is diffusive. It ought to flow naturally unto the next person you come in contact with.

2 Cor 2:14
“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place”.

Wherever you come, the grace of God is present.

No man can truly receive the love of God and not desire that others should also experience same. That’s why we witness; and that’s why we give towards sending the Goodnews of God’s grace across the world.

‘Rivers’ also connotes that this desire be large and liberal. But this cannot be achieved by human abilities alone.
Why ?
Because it’s contrary to human nature and common reasoning that ‘scattering could bring increase (Pr 11:24).

So, this can only be achievable when the believer is connected with the influence of the HolySpirit, and in that way, believers are to be like rivers of living water…..GLORY BE TO GOD!

The next verse
buttresses this:

v 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 7:39.

www.gifma.us/spirit-of-grace-hour

– Dr Nich Mbaezue