I have a desire in my heart for streams of living water out of my belly (or spirit). I don't see this fulfilled yet, but am seeking God for this. God is doing this in my live that are really nice, burdens me with a desire to share to gospel, giving me more and more brokeness in prayer, teaching me things from His word.So that's great, but I see such a lack of power/brokeness in prayer, Most of the time I am afraid of sharing the gospel with people (even though I desire it intensly) and when I do share something, it does not save souls (yet).But I would love to hear some ideas/testimonies on this subject! Therefor I opened this topic. Could some of you share on this topic please with you're ideas/testimonies or maybe even correction/rebuke in some area?With love,(Brother) Wijnand
_________________Wijnand de Ridder
Hello wijnard What you have written I find that amazing. Here is a link a man dies and goes to heaven. If you pop that around the internet.it will help other Christians in there walk with the lord, add this link. Gospels of Jesus Christ, plus Old testament. There are a lot people around the world, cannot buy a bible they have no money. And they do not know they can read it online for free. PLUS KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOUR ALREADY DOING AMEN. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgF_iwUNqFU http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/
Dear brother,The streams of living water you desire are a holy, Spirit-given desire. This stream is not of yourself because it makes you do things that are counter to your flesh, good things that can only come from God. When the streams are flowing from you, you are given grace to listen to others as the Father who hears our prayers. It is there when you feel pain over sin in the Church and desire that God would grant those people repentance. It is manifest when you speak in grace and truth not of yourself and hearing yourself speak, you know that this graciousness is only of God. The streams of living water are in us any time we are walking according to the Spirit.
Thank you Jeremy... what is you're own experience in this if I may ask? :-)
I'm actually Joe. Walking in the Spirit takes many forms but I'll give a few examples. One of the simplest comes in the example of prayer. I've had many times where the Spirit has prompted me to pray for people and conditions different from what has been common knowledge only to discover that the person and the things they were going through were addressed in the prayer. Then there are the times the Lord has prompted me to bake bread for people whether individually or for the local assembly and to discover that they needed encouragement or would need it in short order because of unexpected circumstances or those in charge of refreshments had not brought enough. Having the Spirit move on me to share something during the breaking of bread that is contrary to the theme of all the others only to have it enrich the rest of the teaching that day. Preparing to speak and being vexed by the sin and corruption in the Church, having my own ire rising but standing to speak and hearing the Spirit speak gentle words that exhort kindly contrary to my condition. Having the grace to rebuke an older brother who turns an honest, gentle rebuke, to insulting and degrading you but the Lord restraining you to not speak your own words but those of life prompting Scripture you didn't know existed and reminding you of passages you couldn't naturally locate. I've seen it turn both ways, one who was granted repentance but the other not. Having the Spirit prompt you to go to a place immediately only to find that you were meant to meet someone who would have been gone if you had tarried for five minutes. I'm sorry to not be more specific but the fruit of walking in the Spirit are plentiful and varied.
Brother, the proof of streams of living water is not in your external testimony. Even old testament Prophets had a good external testimony and they bought people to repentance. Which is equivalent to a successful evangelist. But the real proof of living water which is a new covenant gift inside you, is internal testimony. By internal testimony, I mean that part of life that only you and God knows. Is there purity in that area? Is there Holiness in that area. If it is not there then it is like old covenant ministry where the spirit was only upon them and not in them. Without Holiness it is impossible to bring people to Christ. All these people who evangelize without personal holiness are actually making people believe in another Jesus. For example will you go for treatment to a doctor who is suffering with the same disease as yours? You won't go because you know this doctor has no knowledge of actual medicine, if so he would have cured himself first. How do we expect people to accept Christ when Jesus has not worked in our own life.
_________________Sreeram
This testimony by our brother Farhad clearly demonstrates both aspects of the streams of living water. God bless you brother. https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=43841&forum=34&1