Lesson 15: Washing, Walking and Warring: An Illustration
Questions 5 and 6
But not only did Jesus remove all the penalty of sin from you, through His death, but He also provided the Holy Spirit to you. Jesus breathed out His last breath on the cross so that all who believe could take our first breath of new life, filled with the Spirit of God.
The Holy Spirit is connected with water, a flowing river, satisfying and drinkable water.
Please read the following passage:
“On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)” (John 7:37-39 NLT).
Question 5. In John 7:37-39 NLT, how is the Holy Spirit described?
In John 7:37-39, Jesus may have had the story of the rock being struck and pouring forth water in mind when He invited all to come to Him and drink, even as the Israelites only had to come to the rock that was struck to drink. “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!”
And as we come to the place where our Rock, Jesus, was struck, His cross, we receive the Holy Spirit, and our thirst is quenched. We learn to walk by the Spirit, and as we do, we do not gratify the lusts of our flesh. “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
Studying Old Testament passages like Exodus 17 alongside New Testament passages like John 7 is how God showed me the truths of washing at the cross and walking by the Spirit. Do you also see how washing at the cross leads naturally to walking by the Spirit? How coming to the cross is where we receive the Holy Spirit and His power?
Question 6. Why is it necessary to come to the cross of Christ to receive the power of the Holy Spirit?
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