FT111.com Forum

This season of rest, of resting in God, is like a river, ever-changing, always moving.
Rest is the river of life, not a stagnant pool.
Life is active, like the river, but when we are at rest we are not in charge.
The power of the river moves us.

Psalms 36:8 They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.

Psalms 65:9 You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; The river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, For so You have prepared it.

The river is the Holy Spirit on the move.

The rest of God does not mean flopping yourself out of the river and onto the bank to watch life go by.
It means yielding to the moving of the water (the Holy Spirit) and trusting it to carry you.

Again, the river is ever-changing, always moving.
The landscape (circumstance) is always different. There are always new things to learn.

Order -- The landscape causes the water to be winding, unpredictable and chaotic, yet as we yield to the flow of the Spirit of God, He produces change and instruction that brings order and stability.

Blessing -- The water overflows its banks and brings forth a harvest of the seeds that have been sown.

Warfare -- When we're in the rapids, we have to fight attacks against our health, against boundary violations, against the thief who comes to steal finances, against threats to destroy relationships, and against distractions.

Rest -- The water is deep and wide, a fairly smooth stretch with opportunities to deepen our faith and commitment.

Although the scenery is never the same, it is similar to what we have seen before.
These themes will be repeated over and over again: order, harvest, warfare, and rest.

The river was established from the earth’s foundation; it was finished long ago. The law of its movement cannot be altered. It flows from the mountain tops to the sea. We are in its flow as the Spirit of God brings mountain top revelation to the multitudes (the sea of humanity).

Revelation 17:15 Then he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.

The river moves us to our final destination – The New Jerusalem, the city of God, dwelling with Him.

The river is within!
Luke 17:20-21 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."

Oswald Chambers: “ It is a hidden, obscure thing. An active Christian worker too often lives to be seen by others, while it is the innermost, personal area that reveals the power of a person’s life.

”We must get rid of the plague of the spirit of this religious age in which we live. In our Lord’s life there was none of the pressure and the rushing of tremendous activity that we regard so highly today, and a disciple is to be like His Master. The central point of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.

”It is not the practical activities that are the strength of this Bible Training College— its entire strength lies in the fact that here you are immersed in the truths of God to soak in them before Him. You have no idea of where or how God is going to engineer your future circumstances, and no knowledge of what stress and strain is going to be placed on you either at home or abroad. And if you waste your time in overactivity, instead of being immersed in the great fundamental truths of God’s redemption, then you will snap when the stress and strain do come. But if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens.”

John 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

There’s freedom in the river and buoyancy! It’s never boring. But, we have to stay in the flow, endure, persevere, and trust!

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

When we’re in the river, our focus in on the water: always alert, always looking, discerning, listening, moving, yielding.

We navigate with good choices, avoiding rocks, whirlpools, and waterfalls -- the dangers of self-focus.

Our intercession – as moved by the river is not routine or by self-effort.

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Warfare – as moved by the river is led what we discern spiritually and understand.

2 Corinthians 10:
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

If we decide to make a career of a particular battle, we will have to get out of the river.
We can’t make warfare a thing of the flesh or we are beached!
Anything apart from the Spirit will put us on the shore.

Gifts of the Spirit – manifest by the movement of the river.
1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Fruit of the Spirit as an overflow and harvest of Him dwelling in us.

The river is defined by its terrain, but the characteristics and nature of the river never change. It always brings life and power wherever it goes. It carves out the path of destiny.

The river makes a place for God’s mercy, favor and grace.
It requires God’s knowledge, wisdom and understanding.
Gives opportunities to choose to believe the word of God, to develop faith, to submit.

Sometimes it seems like it would be easier to get out of the water and hang out on the bank, but you will not fulfill your purposes there. You will be trying to fulfill your own flesh desires.

Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Get in the RIVER! Be baptized again in the Holy Spirit. And, go with the flow.
This is the REST of God.

Marsha,

How beautifully this post flows together. It conjures feelings of deep love from Our Father and the truth of our reality.

I will take this posting to Coporate meeting at our church tonight. What powerful insight and discernments of the Holy Spirit.

Blessing,

butterfly101

Marsha, Thank you for this. I have never read anything like this or contemplated how this river is in all things, is everywhere and how we operate in it in all things unless we get out. This message is so deep and I was awestruck of how great God is and how His plan is in everything and how He has caused everything flow together. I also feel a strong pull towards how this river is coming together. The river being in us is so overwheming. I feel God pulling us toward something so great I can't describe or even think it.

More and more I understand the value of staying in the flow of the Holy Spirit, particularly in seasons of changing landscape, knowing that He is leading, guiding, and directing us.