Letting Jesus flow from your heart reflects what He is doing in your heart. This is how God can use you to influence those around you. John 7:38Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.[1]
Have you ever been in a room when someone walked in and anger followed them in? On the other hand, have you have been in a room where love, compassion, joy, and mercy follow a person’s entrance? Whether people follow Jesus or not, everyone prefers to be around those who bring love and happiness into a room rather than those who carry anger and condemnation.
As believers in Jesus, we can let rivers of water flow from us onto others. Scripture tells us how important it is to take care of our hearts. Proverbs 4:23Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.[2] The Hebrew translation of guard is “to watch, guard, keep above all being.” The heart is the very core of who we are as a person. It’s where our thoughts, feelings, emotions, our desires, and even our choices begin.[3]
Being Fruitful
In John 7:38, when Jesus speaks of rivers of living water, He is referring to Israel’s experience of thirsting for water. Exodus 17: 6 I (God) will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on. [4]
When Jesus speaks of living water, He’s referring to God’s Spirit. As believers, we not only enjoy this living water ourselves but also have the fantastic opportunity to become sources of blessing for a world that longs for hope. Just as water quenches our thirst and helps us grow, the Spirit of God nurtures our inner selves and empowers us to bear good fruit.
When we invite Jesus into our lives, we begin to bear fruit. The good news is we don’t have to be the person who brings anger into a room; we can change through the work of the Holy Spirit. Or maybe you are praying that God would multiply your fruitfulness to make a greater impact on those around you.
Being Pruned to Bear More Fruit.
Did you know the Lord loves you so much He will prune you so you can bear more fruit, and more living water will flow from your heart? John 15:2 I (Jesus) am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.”[5]
Successful gardeners know that pruning—trimming branches—boosts fruit production. Likewise, sincere believers see being pruned—God’s discipline—as strengthening character and faith, leading to a more fruitful life. Think about the lives the Lord wants you to influence with living water. We are truly blessed to be a blessing to others!
To learn more about letting Jesus flow from your heart, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/jesus-said-i-am-the-light-of-the-world
[1,2,4,5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.