Freedom is Good News Part 183

In our previous articles we have been considering, what I’ve been calling, the four phases of the Gospel.  The first phase was creation, some 6000 years ago, when the Father ordained that man would need a Savior; “The precious blood of the Messiah, a lamb without blemish or defect was chosen before the creation of the world” (1 Peter 1:19).

The second phase is the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ upon this earth; “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you. …For I delivered unto you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

We began looking at the third phase in our previous article.  It started with Christ’s ascension to the “Right hand of the Majesty on High” as it is stated in Hebrews 1:3.  We also saw, as a direct result of His resurrection into the heavenly realm, that we might become recipients of the Holy Spirit!

This is an awesome piece of information.  You and I, whom-ever we may be, have the incredible opportunity to have a part of the Godhead residing within us.  Does that understanding affect you in any way?  It should!

This understanding is taught throughout the scriptures.  In the book of Ezekiel 36:26-27 it says this, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new Spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my laws.”  The prophet Isaiah says this, “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your offspring and my blessings on your descendants.”  And Joel has this, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.  Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit”.

Our God is a holy God.  The Spirit of God is a holy Spirit.  And this Holy Spirit of God is that which is to be poured out upon the children of God!!  Wow!

In the Gospel of John chapter 7 verse 37, Jesus says, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within him.”  The next sentence reveals what Jesus meant, “By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.”

And by these words we have come full circle in these articles going all the way back about 6 articles.  So what is this living water and what does it mean to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?