Up to Our Necks

Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. Ezekiel 47.1

In Ezekiel’s vision there is a torrent of water that flows from the temple, past the altar and it becomes a river. In fact it is a river that gets deeper and deeper and the prophet goes. It first reaches just to his ankles, then to the knees, then to the loins, then it was up to his neck, deep enough to swim in.

I long for a deeper walk with Jesus; I hope that you do as well. I long for a deeper work of the Holy Spirit in my life, that ultimately I would be covered, overwhelmed, filled with His fruit, His gifts, and His presence.

But notice the path of the river; it flows from it source, pass the altar. The altar in scripture speaks of the cross. If I am going to experience the deepest work of God in my life, I must first go there. You can not get to Pentecost before first coming to Calvary. Death comes first, an emptying of my vessel before it can be filled. First the Cross, then the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord will not anoint the flesh with power.

Jesus alludes to this same picture when speaking of the Holy Spirit:

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7.37-38

I am beginning to get my mind around the direction of the flow here. The river will flow out of us, the torrent gushes away from us. What does this tell me? It tells me that the work of the Holy Spirit in my life is to be used for the benefit, the refreshing, the quenching and ministry to others. The work of the Spirit in my life is designed really to flow from my life.

Oh Lord fill us afresh with the work of your Spirit. If there is in us any area that has not yet been laid upon the altar, not yet crucified, reveal if to us Lord that we might go deeper.