When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins. Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded. Ezekiel 47:3-5

There’s rich symbolism in those words that God inspired Ezekiel to write. The river is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and God has called every one of us believers to flow in it.

Ankle deep water symbolizes our walk in the Spirit. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Every day we are being invited to get out of our beds and not let our primal instincts govern us but, instead, to walk by the Spirit.

Knee deep water reveals the importance of getting on our knees and praying. “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18). We are at our best when we make our prayer life central.

Loin deep water represents serving in the Spirit. Your loins are the part of your body where your leverage comes from, and when these muscles are being worked, you have a greater bounce in your step. We are to translate our walk and prayer in the Spirit into action by serving in the Spirit. “Serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials . . .” (Acts 20:19).

Enough to swim in. Now you are completely saturated with the rivers of living water: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Let’s get filled with the Holy Spirit and let it spill out into all of life.

Jesus said, “‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.”’ But this He spoke of the Spirit.” (John 7:37b-38). Christianity is not meant to be a sub-culture contained in a reservoir, but a mighty flowing river of God bringing healing to the nations.

Jump in – the water’s fine!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2010 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 1 Corinthians 2:12-13

Jesus did not leave us to our own devices. God sent us a Helper, the wonderful Holy Spirit, to help with all the details of our lives (John 15:26; 16:13). There is a great deal at stake. That’s why it’s imperative we walk closely with God, crucify our flesh, be merciful, and cherish no other thought than to press on and flow with the Holy Spirit.

“This is the great day of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. You not only need to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, but you need to know how to help others receive the Holy Spirit. You are living in the midst of a generation that has awakened. Never has a generation, since the day the church started, been faced with more hungry, desperate, thirsty people who desire help from God. If we ever needed to know how to help people, it is today.” –John Osteen*

God wants to do something through you. The Holy Spirit is available to pull you out of the ordinary into the divinely effective. You are equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17): to lead your family members to Jesus before they die, to lay hands on the sick, to share the Gospel and break down walls.

We need to do everything we can to remove obstacles, increase our love walk, grow in the Spirit and go 100% with God’s will for our lives. God has a plan, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against what He’s about to do. Let’s deal with sin, get rid of hindrances and move to the next level. As we do so, we’ll be more effective than we’ve ever been.

We are equipped for every good work!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. *John Osteen, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Copyright 1980 by John Osteen.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 1 Corinthians 2:12-13

An advantage of giving your life to Jesus is that you’ve been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth and equip you for every good work so you can see biblical results modeled in your 21st-century life. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, that was poured out on the day of Pentecost, that changed Peter from an overly-nervous denier of Christ into someone who boldly led 3,000 people to salvation, is still at work in your life today (Acts 2:41; Romans 8:11).

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. 1 John 2:20, 27

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is not just reserved for those in the pulpit. You have an anointing! When God’s anointing comes into your life it keeps you from getting dry and cracked and gives you a fresh perspective and a rich understanding of the possibilities of what God has for you. Ask God to help you conquer any area that makes you less sensitive to His voice.

God will have His say in our North American modern moment. We are at a turning point in our culture, and He is reminding us of who we are in Christ. Our minds are being roused and our hearts are being focused. As we rely on the Holy Spirit to equip us for the call, we will increase in effectiveness and see the yoke of bondage broken and people set free.

We’re anointed!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.” John 14:16

When Jesus ascended into heaven, He sent us the Holy Spirit to be our Helper, to give us power to fulfill the call of God. “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning” (John 15: 26-27).

Get informed concerning things of the Spirit. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware” (1 Corinthians 12:1). Search the Scriptures and learn what it takes to flow in and obey the Holy Spirit.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

If you’ve let yourself become apathetic through disappointments in life, let the Scriptures revive you. If you’ve felt confused, the Holy Spirit is the very embodiment of understanding and wants to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17). Choose to wake each morning with an attitude of expectancy and take time to look in the mirror of God’s Word. We are not called to be observers on the sidelines but frontline participants of the great things God is doing throughout the earth.

Moving Forward,
Pastor Jeff

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit . . . 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5a

This Thessalonica church impacted their world and became an example to all believers because of three things: their work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfastness of hope. These people became imitators of Jesus and because of it the gospel went out in their city, in their region, and throughout their world.

The Thessalonians had their time, but now this is our time. We’ve received the gospel message not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:5a). God has called us to take our moment we’ve been given and express the love of Christ.

What I like about the Bible is it shows reluctant people, flawed people, and people with issues who were lost, but God shone His light on them and the gospel went into their lives—not just in theory, but also in power. We are not left powerless either. When Jesus ascended into heaven we received the amazing advantage of the Holy Spirit to equip us for effectiveness (John 16:7).

“The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (Daniel 11:32b NKJV). God has called us in our daily life to have a heart and expectation for amazing exploits but with a willingness to serve in the daily grind in faithfulness, steadfastness, and obedience strengthened by the amazing Holy Spirit. Plug in. Stay connected. Pray. As you do that, you will be effective in spreading the good news of Jesus in this time!

Press on!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6b

The advantage we have in this Spirit-filled life is beyond compare. The best of our commitments fail when done in our own strength, but when the power of the Holy Spirit is poured out on us, it goes way beyond mere human empowerment—it activates us for stuff we don’t even know about yet. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Acts 2:2-4

The early church is a model of what church is to be in the 21st century. These first-century Christians went into the upper room, they prayed, and came out changed. The disciple Peter went from being a cussing denier of Jesus to leading over 3,000 people to Jesus on the day he was filled with the Holy Spirit! (Matthew 26:74; Acts 2:14-41). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the same mission to make Jesus known!

God wants to empower you—not just for survival, but to pray huge prayers and minister to the lost. As you communicate the good news of the gospel, the Holy Spirit will be present to supernaturally reinforce the message of Jesus (John 15:26). The stakes are high. When you have a prayer, pray it; when you have good news, say it. You might just change the world.

God bless you,
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB). Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:7, 13

The Spirit who comes from God, who was hovering over the waters at creation, is the same Holy Spirit who was sent to be our Helper! He is someone who will guide you into all truth. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12).

When the Holy Spirit first came to the early church, He transformed Peter, who had denied knowing Jesus, into someone who boldly preached the gospel and led thousands of people to Jesus in one day! In the same way, the Holy Spirit activates us to be ambassadors for Christ, carriers of the presence of God to a lost and dying world. We aren’t navigating life alone; we have the Holy Spirit on the inside of us to say, “This is the way, walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21b).

It’s quite important that we learn how to rely on the Holy Spirit. The lost world needs people who know how to follow the Holy Spirit: people who stand in the gap and bring comfort to the hurting, light to the confused, good news to the afflicted, healing to the sick, and who push back injustice in the nations and address need and famine.

Don’t let the amusement and trivialities of the world prevent you from being a vibrant example of a follower of Jesus. There are hills to climb, mountains to conquer, souls to win, and miracles to experience. Since before you were born, God has prepared amazing things for you. Lean on the Holy Spirit; sensitize yourself to know His voice through the Word and prayer. He knows how to lead and guide through every step of life. He is “our God forever, who guides us till the end of time” (Psalm 48:14 The Message).

Pressing On,

Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.