Holy Spirit Flowing Jn.  7:37-39 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Jesus said, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water,” [Jn 7:38].  This flowing pictures the Holy Spirit in his life after he gets saved.  The flowing of the Holy Spirit like rivers of living water is:

For continuity in the ministry – in Num 11:16-17, 25, the spirit what was in Moses went from his to 70 elders [contrast Ex 19:17-23, where getting other men involved in judging Israel wa merely delegation].  This spirit that God put on the elders was God’s Holy Spirit [Is 63:11-12].  Notice the spirit in Moses was never intended to just reside with him.  In Zech 4:11-12 he and Elijah empty the oil [typifying the Holy Spirit] out of themselves.  This is because God’s work is done by his Spirit [Zech 4:6].  Those who provide assistance in the ministry are bound to each other by the unity of the Spirit [Eph 4:3].  Each helper is an extension of the pastor’s ministry.  The Spirit that God put in the pastor is the same Spirit that flows through the church and through each person helping in the ministry.  There is continuity in the ministry as a result.  Men who attach themselves to a ministry in order to build their own ministry are like parasites

For continuation of the ministry – The Spirit of God went from Moses to Joshua [Deut 34:9]; from Elijah to Elisha [2 Ki 2:9, 15]; and from Jesus to his disciples [Jn 16:7].  That same Spirit that was in the disciples has continued through nearly 2,000 years and is in us.  Therefore, we do what we do through the Spirit of God in us.  We don’t need fancy programs and new fangled stuff in order to succeed in the ministry.  We need the Spirit of God, the word of God, and the Son of God.

Conclusion: For the ministry of Bible Believers Baptist Church to work we need to be filled with the Spirit [Eph 5:18] and the Spirit needs to go from us to others for the continuation of the ministry.  The Spirit is not is us to draw attention to us or to himself.  He does not glorify himself; he glorifies Jesus Christ and manifests his truth [Jn 16:13-14].  For God’s work to continue we need to pass it on like Jesus did [Jn 4:10].