ESOCS Devotional 5 February 2021
TEXT: ISAIAH 44:1-5
MEMORY VERSE: “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry land; I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” Isaiah 44:3
Water is an emblem of the Holy Spirit. As dry ground without water is an unfruitful land, so a man without the Holy Spirit is barren of spiritual fruits. Once the dry ground receives enough water, it is set to make whatever is sown in it fruitful. In the same way, once a believer receives the Holy Spirit, he begins to bear fruits to the glory of God. This great promise of the Father to pour out His Spirit upon His children was prophesied by several prophets. More often than not, the word “pour” is employed, which is indicative of the abundant filling of the Spirit upon believers. It is also represented as “floods upon the ground”.
Now, “him that is thirsty” and the “dry land” reveal to us the simple requirements for the Spirit to be poured upon us. It is he that:
Thirsts after righteousness: Hear our Lord Jesus in Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Tarries with the Lord in faith and prayer: The Lord commanded them saying, “Tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24: 49). We see example of that tarrying in Acts 2:1-4. When on the day of Pentecost, they assemble together in one place, obviously in prayer and supplication, which was their tradition (Acts 1:14); and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
Cometh to Jesus Christ: Christ holds out the invite to everyone that is thirsty and that hungers after the Spirit of God. The invite is “come to the waters and drink freely, come, take wine and milk freely without paying a dime” (Isaiah 55:1). The assurance to him that honours the Lord’s invitation is that “out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Verse 39 interprets “rivers of living water” to mean the out pouring of the Holy Ghost to all that will come with a believing heart to Christ Jesus.
Peter the Apostle reveals to us that the out pouring of the Holy Ghost upon believers began at the event of the Pentecost day (Acts 2:33). Jesus Christ, while physically on earth, promised that His departure will give way for Him to send us the Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost (John 16:7).
CHALLENGES
How would you assess your relationship with the Holy Spirit? In what areas is He using and benefiting you?
PRAYER POINT
Worship God in the beauty of holiness and ask for more filling of the Holy Spirit.
FURTHER READING: Acts 1:8; 2:1-33; John 7:37-39; Ephesians 1:13.
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ESOCS Devotional 5 February 2021
