Bottled Water

 

"Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but 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."  (John 4:13-14)

 

     A few years ago some children got sick from the drinking water in Ontario.

This caused a panic across the country.  Every community became worried about e-coli.  A microscopic germ was in the water.  The sales of bottled water almost doubled overnight.  People wanted to be safe.  Water, a basic element in life became a sought after consumer product.  Who would ever guess that selling water would be a million dollar industry?  Any product that is rare is valuable.  Today I would say the presence of the Holy Spirit is rare, just like the water.  We need to seek after the Holy Spirit.  There are many advantages to having the Spirit in your life.  He is as important as having bottled water.

 

First advantage of bottled water is survival.

 

     Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of god unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."  (John 3:5-6)

 

     We can live a month without food, but only one week without water.  Water is essential for life.  We need the Holy Spirit everyday.  When you go to work everyday, you are drained.  It is hard to be away from the presence of God.  The atmosphere that you work in can be spiritually draining.  Perhaps it is that you walk alone; no one else serves God there.  We need that special touch from God to encourage us.  The Holy Spirit will give you power to not be discouraged by the unbelievers all around you.  He will give you power.

     Do you remember the woman at the well?  Jesus promised her water that would satisfy for a long time.  You won't just get enough to make you more thirsty.  Living in a desert, the Samaritan woman understood the full meaning of thirst.  Heat so intense that it drained every ounce of energy from your body.  Clothes drenched with sweat and lips cracked from lack of moisture.  You open your mouth and choke on the dry desert air.  A little bit of water would keep you alive.  Jesus promises that you will never thirst again.  Wow!

     Have you ever seen a little boy on a tricycle?  Peddling so fast that his feet get snagged up in the pedals.  Moving like the wind.  He is an endless powerhouse of energy.  His mother calls him in for supper and he stops everything and goes into the house.  The Holy Spirit is calling for you to come to Him.  Are you willing to stop everything and go?  If you go, your life will be forever changed.

     Arabian horses go through rigorous training.  They are worked to the point of almost utter exhaustion.  It takes weeks to train this beautiful animal.  The last test is the most severe.  The horse is deprived of water and is lead to an oasis where it can finally drink.  The horse stands in front of a pool of drinking water but can only drink when the signal is given.  It takes severe training to prepare an animal to survive the desert.  Sometimes life is severe and it seems that we are walking across a desert.  When the Holy Spirit comes, drink up.  Drink enough that your thirst is finally quenched.

 

The second advantage of bottled water is that it increases energy.

 

     "I baptize you with water for repentance.  But after me will come one who is more powerful and I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."  (Matthew 3:11)

 

     This Christian life is like a race and the road is long.  You start the race and can feel the sun beating down on you.  Your shirt becomes wet from sweat.  Yet you still continue.  The heat has left you totally exhausted, you feel like collapsing.  This would be a good spot to stop you think.  You stop and lay down.  Ahhh...this feels good.  The crowd cheers your name and you get up and start running again.  You feel dizzy and are about to faint from the heat.  It is at this point in the race someone splashes water on your face and gives you a bottle of water to drink.  You drink the water and you feel refreshed.  Now you know that you can finish the race.  This is just like life.  The Holy Spirit is waiting for you along the checkpoints to let you feel refreshed.

     In 1904 a Welsh preacher, Evan Roberts woke up at one in the morning and felt compelled to pray.  He ignored that small voice and went back to bed.  At two o'clock he woke up and felt compelled to pray.  He prayed for revival and in November revival happened.  The Holy Spirit helps put everything in the proper perspective.  He takes away all the clutter and lets you see more clearly.

     The Holy Spirit can change lives if we let Him.  We need that powerful fire that comes from the Spirit.  A church had a large banner that hung at the back of the church.  It read:  "Send the Fire."  Under the sign there was a fire extinguisher!  We only want a fire to a certain point, but not enough to change our lives.  The disciples gathered in a room until the Holy Spirit came and tongues of fire were above their heads.  They were forever changed in boldness and attitude.  They helped to change the world and created the church.

     A glass of water was on a table.  A group of people discussed how to remove air from the glass.  Great intellectual decisions were discussed about how to remove the air.  Someone mentioned a machine that would suck all the air out of the glass.  D.L. Moody came into the room and filled the glass with water and in doing so, removed the air!  We don't need to make things so complicated, we just need to fill ourselves with the Holy Spirit.

 

Third advantage of bottled water is that it keeps you healthy.

 

     All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the counsellor the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  (Matthew 14:25-27)

 

     Water has healing abilities in such areas as:  arthritis, cancer, rheumatism and it hydrates the skin.  The Holy Spirit is important to keep you spiritually healthy.  Just like a good doctor that looks internally for problems so does the Holy Spirit.  He wants you to be healthy and happy.  A small grey area in your life can hinder you spiritually.  This may interfere with you gaining more of God.  Let the Good Doctor deal with all those sins that have gone unchecked for a long time.

     A little boy named Luke had trouble going to bed.  Mom was tired.  She tried to put her son to bed three times yet he still would not sleep.  Mom was tired and fell asleep.  She woke up with little Luke looking over her bed.  Mom asked her son what he was doing.  He said that he was playing God and protecting her when she slept.  God is looking out for you even when you sleep.

     Imagine seeing a beautiful car on the side of the road.  A little cardboard sign reads: "free".  You get in the car.  Wow!  This is a nice car.  The vehicle had power windows, doors, leather seats and air conditioning.  You take the keys and start the engine.  Nothing.  No roar.  You lift up the hood only to realize that it has no engine!  That is like us trying to run with out the Holy Spirit.  He is our engine that keeps us going.

     Thirteen was a magical age for an Indian boy.  He was lead into a boat blindfolded and lead into the woods.  Once in the woods the blindfold was removed.  The young man was to stay alone for one whole night in these woods.  He was petrified.  Every time the wind rustled the tree branches, the boy jumped.  He could see eyes looking at him from the woods.  It was a long night.  When morning came, he could see the shadow of a man behind a tree.  Upon a closer examination, the Indian brave found out that this man was his father.  He was there to protect his son although the son didn't know he was there watching.  Whenever we feel alone, the Holy Spirit comes to protect us.

 

                                 Conclusion

    

     A youth pastor felt the urge to speak to a street kid in his youth group.  he ignored this feeling.  The next week he had youth group and the same feeling overwhelmed him.  After youth group he told the young man that he wanted to speak to him.  The youth brought his sister with him.  The pastor told the teen that God wanted this contact.  The young man and his sister began crying.  The youth told the pastor that he had been in a gang.  He got out but the gang did not like this.  They wanted to kill him.  Then the youth told the pastor that he had planned to go to school with a gun and deal with the gang.  The youth pastor was overwhelmed.  Listening to God stopped a dangerous situation.  We must listen to God and allow the Holy Spirit to rule our lives....we will have powerful results!!