In the flow

September 4, 2006

By Gary Rogers

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

“If your outflow exceeds your inflow,” a wise person once told me, “then your upkeep will be your downfall.”

An important part of the Christian’s purpose in life is for a flow of God’s presence and influence to stream from our lives. The Holy Spirit inside us should not be a limited reservoir, but a steady stream flowing through our lives. God’s anointing, equipping and gifting should not be contained behind a restrictive barrier, but should be released to flow freely through us to others.

This outflow of God’s presence must not exceed the inflow. The inflow comes through our personal time with God. It is our seeking Him through prayer, Bible study, meditation and worship. When we draw near to the Lord, He will draw near to us (James 4:8), and the result of His nearness is an infilling of His Holy Spirit.

Scripture tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). This is not a one-time event or experience. This is a daily quest. Our hungry heart and thirsty soul will be honored by God with a deluge of His Spirit flowing into our lives.

When we attempt to give something we don’t have, the outcome is an imitation and cheap substitute for the real thing. You can’t give from God’s Spirit without drawing from God’s Spirit. You can only give from what you have.

Some people try to fake it. But trying to maintain an overflowing life without a continual inflow of God’s Spirit is impossible. The attempt to stay positive, to show unconditional love, to keep your thoughts and words edifying and uplifting, and to be that constant, consistent example of a life dedicated to Jesus Christ — to attempt that without the inflow of God’s Spirit will ultimately bring a great fall.

“If your outflow exceeds your inflow, then your upkeep will be your downfall.”

Gary Rogers is senior pastor of First Assembly of God in Coweta, Okla.