◄ What Does John 7:39 Mean? ►

But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 7:39(NASB)

Verse of the Day

On the last day of the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles, Jesus cried out to the lost sheep of the house of Israel: "If anyone is thirsty, come to Me and drink, and from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water." It was not a literal river of water that would flow from their belly: "But He spoke of the Holy Ghost, Whom those who believed in Jesus would one day receive."

Jesus knew that His death was fast approaching. He knew that He was to return to heaven after His Resurrection. He knew that the Holy Spirit would soon be given to all who would believe on His name, and He would be like unto a river of living water flowing within their heart.

Jesus' death was only six months away and His pleading cry was for all to believe on Him, for in so doing, their thirsty souls would be satisfied eternally through this gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, welling up within unto eternal life, and they would be used of God to draw others into His arms of forgiveness.

Christ's call to thirsty souls today, is still open to whosoever will. His cry to lost sinners to come and drink and be filled with Himself still stands fast today, for as the Scriptures have said: "Whosoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life, and out of his inner being will flow rivers of living water." And by "living water," Jesus was speaking of the Holy Spirit Who would be given to everyone who believed in Him as Saviour.

At the time that Jesus spoke these words: "The Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet died, resurrected, ascended into heaven and entered into His glory where he is now seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven."

Today, He is still calling thirsty sinners to come and drink and live. But we do not have to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit to be sent like the disciples of Christ's day, for Jesus is our risen Saviour.

Jesus is the Living Water that is poured into our hearts by His Holy Spirit the moment we believe. At that moment, He comes to take up permanent residence within our hearts, for our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

My Prayer

Thank You, Lord, for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Fill me, I pray, day by day, with more of Yourself, so that Your rivers of living water may flow through me to others who need to taste and see that Lord is good. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.