Thirsting For God
Thirsting For God
Dr. Alan N. Keiran
AG Pastor’s Conference
May 29, 2006
John 7:37-38 “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
Jesus says to us, “Come to me.”
What a wonderful invitation from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Come to me…..
What a privilege to be invited to come to Jesus.
What an honor it is to be invited into the presence of the Lord.
He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt 11:28)
Come to me my weary servants.
Come to me my faithful, weary servants.
Come to me faithful, weary, thirsty servants.
I will refresh you.
I will fill your empty cup.
I will meet your deepest needs.
Jesus says, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”
He says, “No one can come to me unless the Father draws him.” (Jn 6:44)
Could it be that our weariness and thirst are gifts from God?
Could it be that the Lord has allowed our weariness and thirst to draw us deeper into himself?
Jesus says, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”
From what cups have you been drinking?
Have you been drinking from the cup of self-criticism?
Have you been drinking from the cup of worldly indulgence?
Have you been drinking from the cup of busy days and sleepless nights?
Have you been drinking from the cup of family stress and disagreement?
Have you been left dry in spirit, thirsty for His presence, dissatisfied with the course of your life?
Jesus says to you today, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt 11:28)
God promises to give us rest and refreshment.
God promises to heal your wounds and guide your lives.
“Come.”
“Come to me,” he says.
“Come to me…and I will give you rest.”
“I will refresh you.”
It is not wrong to be thirsty for God.
Jesus teaches us, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Mt 5:6)
Jesus makes it clear that thirsting for him is a good thing.
He tells us that he will satisfy our thirst.
He tells us that our cup will be filled to overflowing.
Our cup will be brimming over with His healing presence.
You must drink from the cup he is filling.
You must take it up and drink from it.
You must be like the woman at the well.
Jesus told her, “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (Jn 4:14)
She said, “Sir, give me this water…”
Do you feel thirsty for God?
Like King David can you say,
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
“When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalm 42:1-2)
Jesus us the source of living water.
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
Are you in a dry and weary place?
Are you feeling dry in spirit?
Jesus is your answer.
He is the source of vibrant spiritual life.
He is the one who releases streams of living water into us.
He is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.
He is the one who empowers His church.
He is the one who promises the Holy Spirit to us if we ask him.
Luke 11:11-13 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
God gives the Holy Spirit to all who ask.
God honors his word.
God fulfills his promises.
Are you thirsty for God?
Are you thirsty for His presence?
Are your thirsty for His word?
Are you thirsty for worship?
Come to him.
Come to him and drink deeply from the wellspring of life?
The Prophet Isaiah has issued the Lord’s invitation to come to him and be filled.
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;
And you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” (Isaiah 55:1)
Jesus promises to fill your cup with His Holy Spirit.
The times are difficult.
The enemy is winning many battles for human hearts.
It is easy to feel downcast and defeated.
Church work is hard…we face many criticisms.
Often we feel alone.
Our families feel the stress of our work.
Our children struggle for their identity.
But we are not alone.
Jesus says he will never leave us or forsake us.
God the Holy Spirit is with us to the end of the age.
He will never leave us.
He will be with us to the end of time.
Jesus tells us, “‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
Do you sense God’s anointing in your preaching?
Do you sense God’s anointing in your teaching?
Do you sense God’s anointing in your daily prayer?
Do you see the Lord’s miraculous gifts active in your life and ministry?
Are you able to rest or do you feel the weight of your ministry pulling you down?
Is God’s word living and active in your life?
Is your family doing well or do you have secrets you are afraid to share with others?
It is time to rise up and be blessed.
It is time to rebuke the devil and make him flee.
It is time to be refilled by the Holy Spirit.
It is time to let God heal our wounds.
It is time to stand firm in the power and authority that God has granted us.
Rise up pastors and lay hold of God’s blessings.
Rise up and renounce the sins that so easily entangle you.
Rise up and stand tall as a co-heir with Christ.
Rise up and let the Word of God dwell in your richly.
Rise up and be refreshed, renewed, and restored by His Holy Presence.
Rise up in victory and break the power of hell active in your church.
Fast, pray, seek God’s face, study the Word, worship daily, live in praise, and love God with all your heart.
Jesus says to us today, “He who believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Drink deeply, my brothers and sisters.
Come to the wellspring of life and drink deeply of living water.
Who can satisfy your soul like Him?
Drink yourselves full of his anointing.
Come and pray for a fresh filling of living water.
Come and lay down your burdens.
Come and be filled to overflowing.
Come to Him who is the wellspring of life.
He will wash away your sins.
He will fill you with His holy passion.
Come, come to him, the fountain of life and love.
Come to him and experience his cleansing flood.
Come and be renewed in body, mind and spirit. Amen.
