Drinking Of The River Of God’s Pleasures - as a believer, you have already drunk of the Spirit, and you continue to drink every day as you commune with Him in prayer, feed on the Word, and fellowship with other Christians. Whenever we experience the activity or life of the Spirit, we drink of Him. The new birth was the first drink we had. But He has more for you every day. He wants to bring you daily into the full practical experience of the life of God

"They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; And thou shalt make them drink of theriver of thy pleasures" - (Psalm 36:8, KJV)

At God’s Table, there is food and drink: His children eat and drink while fellowshipping with Him. 

The Psalmist states they drink of His river of pleasures. 

Let’s unpack the divine mysteries and blessings for the believer in Christ hidden in these words, beginning with the term “river”.

Let’s begin with the term “river”.

A river is a collection of water that is abundant and flows continuously.

The key terms are water, abundant, and flowing.

Water satisfies thirst and meets needs. 

Spiritual water is God’s provision to meet every spiritual, emotional, and physical human need. 

A river is an endless, inexhaustible supply! 

In Philippians 4:19, Paul states, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” - (Philippians 4:19, KJV)

In the New Testament, John gives us a vivid interpretation of God’s river as the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39).

Drinking of the river of God’s pleasures means drinking of the Spirit. 

When you drink water, it becomes one with your body.

Drinking the Spirit is sharing deeply in Him and by extension, experiencing the life of God. 

The woman of Samaria asked Jesus for “living water” (John 4:15). 

Jesus fulfilled her request by giving her a sip of the living waters — through the word of knowledge, He brought her to experience the Holy Spirit, and she was transformed!

That experience of an activity of the Spirit was an example of drinking the Spirit.

There are different depths of drinking the Spirit. 

The greatest of these is the new birth when God’s nature is immersed in us, transforming us into His children. 

But He did not end there. 

He continued to add grace upon grace, bringing us into amazing daily experiences of His life — the river of His pleasures!

As a believer, you have already drunk of the Spirit, and you continue to drink every day as you commune with Him in prayer, feed on the Word, and fellowship with other Christians.

Meditate

How would you explain the terms “drink” and “river” as noted above?

Apply The Word

Whenever we experience the activity or life of the Spirit, we drink of Him. 

The new birth was the first drink we had. 

But He has more for you every day.

He wants to bring you daily into the full practical experience of the life of God in your home, job, neighborhood, etc. 

Keep drinking of Him!

Pray

Ask the Spirit to open your understanding to these truths and help you live in them daily. 

By Patrick Oben

I am Dr. Patrick Oben, M.D. I work at MercyOne Des Moines, Iowa (USA) as an Internist (Hospitalist) and the Founder of Patrick Oben Ministries, Inc. 

patrickoben.com 

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