Water Part 5

Genesis 26:18 NKJV

And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them.

Abraham had dug wells to provide water for his household and animals. After he died, wicked people stopped up the wells. So, Isaac repaired the wells so they could give water once again, and identified them by the names Abraham had given them.

Spiritual Parallel: Sometimes we may find that sources of the Word and the ongoing filling of the Holy Spirit have been stopped up in our lives, and we must once again dig the spiritual wells and regain access to the water we once had. We must dig out the things that are in the way so we can get the water again – the water of the Word, the water of the Spirit.

Water Part 4

Genesis 24:32 NKJV

Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

Laban brought water to wash the feet of Abraham’s chief servant and the other servants that accompanied him on his mission to find a wife for Isaac. The washing of the feet was common in their culture because a lot of people traveled by foot, wearing sandals. The openness of the shoes would permit the feet to get dirty as they walked on dusty roads. What a relief it must have been to rid themselves of the dirt and feel the refreshing the foot washing brought to their tired feet.

Spiritual parallel: Traveling on earth amidst the dirt of humanity influenced by the devil requires a regular washing. Jesus used this parallel with His disciples before He left the earth. (See John 13:3-17)

Peter was resisting Jesus who was washing His disciples' feet. Peter thought it was inappropriate for Jesus to be doing the lowly task of foot washing. Jesus told Peter He had to wash Peter’s feet or Peter would have no part with Him. The Amplifies version adds “we can have nothing to do with each other.”

We know from the scriptures that water is a type of the Word and Ephesians specifically uses it as a method of washing.

Ephesians 5:25-26 NKJV

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 

Jesus said when we are clean, we only need our feet washed. It could mean that once we are saved – washed in the blood of Jesus, all we need is a periodic washing to free us from the constant contamination we are exposed to as we live in this world. Periodic washing means from time to time each day – based on how much exposure to the world we experience. Because we are constantly exposed to the world’s ways, news and propaganda, without the washing of the Word, we can begin to conform to the world’s system. If we conform to the world’s ways, we can reach a place where we have nothing to do with Jesus and He has nothing to do with us.

 There are other reasons we need the Word. “Washing our feet” is just one of them.

Water Part 3

Genesis 21:15-19 NKJV

And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, "Let me not see the death of the boy." So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, "What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation." Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink.

When the water Hagar had for her and Ishmael was used up, she knew they could not survive. She did not know where any more water was. They could go a long time without food, but not without water.

Spiritual parallel: Water is a type of the Word. When He was tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread, Jesus quoted from the Torah which says:

Deuteronomy 8:3 NKJV

“….man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

What water is to the physical man, the water of the Word is to the human spirit.

God opened Hagar’s eyes and revealed a well of water to her. Apparently the well was there but she did not see it.

Spiritual parallel: We need our spiritual eyes opened to see the Word of God – to get revelation of it. It can be just ink on paper or digits on a screen without the Holy Spirit illuminating our spiritual minds to understand the Word so it becomes flesh in us. When we approach the Word, let us pray for the Lord to give us revelation of it.

Water Part 2

Genesis 2:10 NKJV

Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads.

There was dirt in Eden. Water can sustain life without dirt, but dirt cannot sustain life without water. A river was used to water the garden of Eden. The water had to be added to the dirt to sustain life.

Spiritual parallel: We are made from dust. Jesus said:

John 6:63 NKJV

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing….”

We cannot be life-givers without the water of the Word and the Spirit. We must always be aware of our need to partner with God and never go out to minister to others dependent on our flesh – our credentials, skills, experience, etc. It behooves us to say like the songwriter, “I need thee, Oh I need thee…”

Water Part 1

I hope you enjoyed the series on Oil. We are now doing a study from scripture on water. I pray it will help and strengthen you spiritually.

Genesis 1:20a NKJV

Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures..........."

When waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, they are living waters, or life-giving waters, or waters that are equipped to sustain life. The water of the Word is equipped to give and sustain life. Jesus said:

John 6:63 NKJV

“……The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”

The water of the Spirit gives and sustains life.

John 6:63 NKJV

“It is the Spirit who gives life……”

Jesus refers to the believer’s infilling with the Holy Spirit as “rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-39) Let us avail ourselves to living waters by filling ourselves with God's Word and stirring up the gift of the Holy Spirit within us.

Oil Part 26

James 5:14-15 NKJV

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

When the elders ministered to the sick in the church, they were instructed to apply oil in the name of Jesus. The process was to be as follows:

1.       The sick members would request ministry from the elders.

2.       The elders would pray the prayer of faith over them while anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.

3.       The prayer of faith administered as described would result in the sick being saved (from their sickness) and raised up by the Lord. (They would also be forgiven if sin was involved.)

The oil would primarily represent the anointing of the Holy Spirit in this case. This lets us know that we are to expect the ministry of the Holy Spirit to be active in our healing. This is consistent with what Paul taught.

1 Corinthians 12:4, 7,9,11 NKJV

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 

[7] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 

[9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 

[11] But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Although this passage is dealing with the gifts of the Spirit as a whole, it reveals that the Holy Spirit is involved in the ministry of healing. Jesus told His disciples that they would be His witnesses after being endued with power as a result of the Holy Spirit coming on them. Their demonstrating the works of Jesus, including healing in His name, was a part of them being His witnesses to show Jesus was alive and well. It was made possible by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. So, the oil used by the elders was symbolic of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.