If Any Man Thirst

If Any Man Thirst 

How To Live A Truly Satisfying Life 

The polluted rivers of liberal America are poisoning the souls of a thirsty generation. “Drink, drink,” they say, “and you will be satisfied”—but it is a lie. Their promise of satisfaction is an elusive dream never to be realized. You can spend your life drinking from every river and stream the world offers, but they will never quench your thirst. Just as the alcoholic seeks his drink of choice day after day, subsequently he awakes to an empty life thirsting for real satisfaction. The same can be said of all who continually drink from the polluted waters of this world while ignoring the fountain of “living water.” Tragically, so few grasp the priceless value of this life-giving water.

In John 7:37-39 we find Jesus declaring to the festival crowd, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” Jesus called this drink “living water,” and once you drink it, you “will never thirst again.” Now this water being offered by Jesus contains supernatural properties from beyond our natural world. Countless millions have tasted this living water and discovered the innerspring of satisfaction.

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. ³⁸ He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. ³⁹ (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39)

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)

There are 3 conditions necessary for experiencing this “living water” and truly living a satisfying life now and in the life to come.

If Any Man Thirst 

All men thirst, but not all desire to drink from the fountain of life Christ offers. Some settle for the streams of worldly pleasures that afford a great deal of contentment in this life but never true and lasting satisfaction. Such worldly pursuits entice our thirsty souls like the deceptive allurement of a desert mirage. It is only an illusion of refreshment leaving its seekers unquenched and thirsting for something more. The insufficiency and emptiness of these pursuits leave us longing for true satisfaction. Jesus knows we are thirsty and unsatisfied with the empty promises of worldly satisfaction. He knows exactly what we truly need to quench our thirst. Just one sip from the fountain of “living water” and it becomes obvious that all that we have been seeking, all that we have ever truly desired is made complete by this “living water.” Never again will we thirst for the cares and pleasures of this life.

Let Him Come To Me

Now there are 3 possible responses to Jesus’ invitation “Let him come to me.”

1. You can stand your ground and remain unmoved as if Jesus were not speaking to you. It is not enough to listen to Jesus’ words and then do nothing. Our churches are filled with Jesus spectators, people who weekly file in and out the door without ever tasting the “living water.” They highly admire the miracle-working Jesus and speak of God’s goodness but have never tasted the “living water.“
2. You can reject Jesus and His invitation by turning around and walking away. There are many who respond with disbelief, disapproval, and open disgust to Jesus’ invitation to drink His “living water.” I have witnessed this in the church, family gatherings, the workplace, and social gatherings. The mere mention of Jesus is enough to stir up contempt for you and the message of Christ and His “living water.“
3. You can respond by moving toward Jesus. This is the only response that brings us to the fountain of life. It is a genuine thirst mixed with faith in the promise of never thirsting again. The answers to all my questions, all my problems, and all my successes are in drinking the “living water,” and Jesus says, “come to me.“

I shall never forget the moment I stepped into the aisle and started walking toward the Savior. Jesus was calling, come, come to me and drink. But I was so unworthy to drink this blessed water of life. Jesus was in the room and I knew He knew that I had lived a life unfit for anything but condemnation. There was no way to hide the shame of who I was. I had no right to drink from this river of life. The sum of my life was one gigantic rejection of God. Yet, he called me to come and so I did.

Drink The Living Water

Your thirst may lead you to the river of life, but still, you must drink the “living water.” I am unaware of any benefits that arise from coming and looking at the fountain of life and not actually drinking from it. Such hesitance will leave you thirsting in this life, never knowing the satisfaction Christ’s “living water” provides. To drink we must surrender our complete lives to Christ without reservation—hearts, minds, will, and total being. All that we were, all that we are, and all that we will ever hope to be we now surrender over to Christ. We must invite Christ into our lives as our Savior and Lord. We are now drinking in Christ. His supernatural presence in our inner being through the Holy Spirit establishes an innerspring of living water that supernaturally flows from the throne of God into every area and aspect of our being. But there is more, something that Jesus called being baptized into the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). It is more than just drinking from the river of life or having the living water in you, it is more like jumping into the river and being completely immersed in the “living waters” of life. When you are baptized into the Holy Spirit, you will receive strength, power, and boldness through the Spirit to live and accomplish God’s will for your life.

Conclusion

The polluted rivers of this world will never satisfy our thirst, only “living water” can do that. Indeed, there is a river of God, a river of life filled with “living waters” that flow from the presence of God and bring eternal satisfaction and eternal life to all who drink. These miraculous waters provide forgiveness, healing, peace, joy, refreshing, and eternal life to all who drink. Isn’t it time to come and drink?

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. (Acts 3:19-20)

So, my friend, if you do not belong to Christ I would encourage you today to call upon the mighty name of Jesus, for there is power, miraculous wonder-working power in the name of Jesus! Forgiveness, healing, deliverance, restoration, and life everlasting are available to all who call on His name.