FEATURE ARTICLES

Living in The Overflow

LLife in the overflow of the Holy Spirit - [we have become] We have been justified by faith unto good works prepared for us by God. (Gal 2:16) We have objectives to fulfil for the Kingdom of God. God’s Spirit is available to us in unlimited measure God will pour into us as long as we are willing and available to be filled by Him. He wants to fully inhabit the temple of our lives. Let us say we are like a well; then we are meant to be filled with good, clean water fit for purpose. My deepest desire is to see ALL the saints/the Ecclesia come into this reality in the Kingdom of God.

God explained it to me in a picture of a well being so deeply dug that it is filled to overflowing from a wellspring, that bubbles up from underground. It keeps the well pure and the water free of contaminants. Since the water is churning with life there is no possibility of it becoming stagnant; it spurts out and over like a fountain onto everything that is close by. This is a picture of God’s desire for you and me. The question is how deeply have we dug our wells and are they flowing freely? If not, what is blocking up our wells?

Now that we ARE we therefore DO: 1. Submit to the Lordship Of Jesus We give Jesus the right to reign from the throne of our hearts. That is, obeying His word by coming to a place of submission in our hearts/ soul so that God can begin the work of transformation in our souls (mind/will/emotions). The flesh has already been left on the bronze altar as a consumed sacrifice; now it’s the soul that needs transformation; it has been contaminated by the sin of this fallen world.

That means we must willingly let go of the old ways of thinking that are blocking up our wells. Some common contaminants of our thinking are Judgement & prejudice of others, offence & contempt for others and stubbornness. In submission we instead develop the fruit of the Spirit and forbearance and reconciliation with others is one marvellous indication of transformation taking place within our hearts. No more silly offences and misunderstandings among us as believers. As our hearts are fixed on not leaving anyone behind but going on with God together. We recognise that we need each other; we are one, an intrinsically joined body.

When the Holy Spirit tugs at our consciences and points to something that is junk we need to let it go. Let the living waters of God’s word wash them away. The word of God is living water, a ‘dynamic’ powered fountain of power! We become like a hydro station, churning out zoe` life!

2. Live intentionally - [we do because we have become] That is having a determination to yield our will to the will of God and His teachings. We choose righteousness over our own reasoning, mercy over judgment and love over justification. Our objective is a life that reverences God because we understand and appreciate His holiness. Joshua 5:15 says, “Take off your shoes where you stand is Holy Ground”. Our temple [whole being] is the current Holy ground of God no longer a building structure. We give Jesus preeminence in our daily life. He is top of our priority list. We choose friends, jobs, interests etc. with care as we guard our hearts against being corrupted.

3. Dig deep wells - In His presence is where we want to remain, and the deeper our wells the more of Him we can contain. We dig wells by spending time alone with God practising to know His voice, His nature and His ways. We nurture and develop our relationship with Him. If we draw near He will also come to us in revelation and power. He will also pour into us. “The presence of God is not a quick shower but a long soak,” Homer Slack. Come away with God and rest a while with Him, let Him fill you to overflowing. Jesus changed the world every day because He walked in the overflow. He already knew what each day had in store before He faced it since God the Father had already told Him in their quiet time alone together. This has been the pattern of Jesus’ life and He taught the disciple this.

Peter Healed A Lame Man “Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, ‘Look at us.’ So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” Acts 3:1-10

Peter, the Apostle, could boldly say, “silver and gold I have none but such as I have I give you.” The ‘such as he had’ was the demonstration of God’s authority and power flowing out to others by faith and grace! This is the Spirit-filled life, living in the overflow!

Prayer: Lord Jesus help me to dig deep wells in my heart and allow the Holy Spirit to keep my well unclogged by everything that will block your flow in my life; so that I will become a fountain of life, overflowing onto all those around me; bringing Heaven on earth with each step that I take… Keep me living in the overflow of God’s grace and power. p

By Angela Slack educator, curriculum/ literacy specialist, technical author and editor