It is written in John 7:37-38 “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. He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
What Is Your Innermost Being? How Deep Are You?
For those who don’t know, the scriptures in the New Testament were originally written in Greek. The word used here for belly is koilias (κοιλίας). This word can be translated in several ways. It can literally be interpreted as the physical belly and digestive organs. It can also be translated as a woman’s womb. The implication here and as properly interpreted in some modern translations is our innermost being. As I was pondering this scripture, the Holy Spirit shared some insights with me on this that I would like to share with you. I have heard this scripture interpreted as the belly being the soul, the spirit, the heart and many things. But consider this: It really depends on how deep your innermost being goes. Think about it. A person that is subject to the flesh, a worldly thinking person who is probably not even saved, is going to gush out fleshly, worldly things, even selfish, lusty things. The soul is the seat of your mind, will, emotions and volition. So, if a person is only as deep as their soul, they gush forth emotional responses or things of the intellect, not really comprehending spiritual things. You know the type. They have to be able to understand with their mind and intellect. It has to be logical, scientific and explainable. If a person is spiritual though, as in being born again and in a relationship with God, they are going to gush forth with spiritual insight and understanding. They will speak and understand things with a spiritual depth. They are not subject to their emotions or have to figure things out with their mind. They walk by faith and trust in God and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). They see beyond what circumstances appear to be.
Consider Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” People love to make T-shirts and bumper stickers stating boldly ‘the Word of God is a two-edged sword’ but miss the deeper meaning of this verse. This scripture is saying that the more we listen to God’s Word speaking in our spirit, teaching us, the more spiritual we become.
There is a distinction and a division that takes place. We should even pray that the Holy Spirit will divide that which is
–Body (flesh, physical gratification, lust)
–Soul (emotions, mind, intellectual)
–Spirit (most like God, intuition, spiritual discernment).
Don’t mistake an emotional experience for a spiritual one
Otherwise, we can mistake an emotional experience for a spiritual one. How often I have observed people crying off a little conviction and not truly repenting. Just because a ‘worship team’ gets a congregation all worked up and shouting doesn’t mean they had a spiritual experience. What God does goes so much deeper than an emotional experience. This is something that has to be nurtured. We have to desire to be spiritually-minded rather than subject to wrong thinking (worry, doubt, fear). Nurturing takes feeding our spiritual side more than what our flesh and emotions desires. You have probably heard the story of the native who told the missionary that since he got saved it was like a black dog and a white dog fighting inside him. The missionary asked, “Which one was winning?” He answered, “The one I feed the most.” It is up to us which side of us we feed the most. If we choose instant gratification then our flesh will rule over our spirit which is trying its best to ascend to its rightful place. It is up to us to encourage it and to draw our spirit out into the light and restore the balance of body, soul and spirit in the measure it should rule. It takes effort on our part. It is a struggle we all have. Even Apostle Paul struggled, read Romans 7:7-25.
For a deeper understanding, let’s go back and look at the early Jewish temple that God ordained and told them how to build. If you want to read in detail, go to Exodus 25-27. The feature I want to focus on, though, is how the temple was divided into three sections. There was the outer court, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was the innermost part of the temple. Only the priests were allowed in there. It is where the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat were located. It was where the blood of sacrificed animals was taken and poured out upon the mercy seat to atone for the sins of the children of
Israel. This is significant and parallels to us for we are made of body, soul and spirit. Three parts, just like the temple. In fact, the Bible says we are the temple of the Holy Spirit now (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19). God’s Spirit dwells in the innermost part of us, the spirit, if we are born again. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil that separated the innermost Holy of Holies was torn in two from top to bottom. “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.“ (Matthew 27:51). This was a sign to all that we no longer needed a priest to intercede for us but that all were welcome to approach God for themselves for Jesus, God’s own Son, had atoned for all our sins. It is significant that it was torn from top to bottom, not bottom to top. It came from above. It was something only God could do. No man could do this. It is also a symbol that we now have access and can draw deep from our spirit and that only God can tear the veil that separates us from our spirit and where the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, dwells when we are born again. Jesus accomplished this and made it possible and it is His desire to draw us into a deeper place. And only God can do this work in us.
Read with me in Ezekiel 47:1-12. Please take time to read this from the Bible before continuing. Let the Holy Spirit speak as you read. In this passage, the prophet Ezekiel has a vision of someone leading him into the waters. He says at first it is only up to the ankles, then to the knees and eventually he is led into waters deep enough to swim in. How deep is your walk with God? Way too many people only want to wade around up to their ankles. They just go to church, but they never really want to get any deeper. They are content with just enough church attendance to make them feel good, get a little guilt off of them, appease that still, small voice in them that they know deep down wants to draw them into a deeper experience with God. God is always drawing us deeper into a relationship with Him. Psalm 42:7 says, “Deep calls to deep.”
“Deep calls to deep.”
Psalms 42:7
God so desires to draw us into a deeper relationship and understanding. He is so deep and knows all things and He calls to that deepest part in us, our spirit. We are spiritual beings whether we want to deny it or not. That is why the unsaved person or even the saved person that doesn’t have a relationship with God is always searching and unsatisfied. Deep is calling to deep. Our spirit and God’s Spirit is calling to us from deep within, calling us to what we are meant to be. It is a hunger and a thirst. If we try to feed that hunger or quench that thirst with any other thing but God, we will always be unsatisfied. Many try to fill this hunger with drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, power, careers and more. These things can never satisfy. Neither can you fill this place with religion, legalism, self-righteousness or pompous piety. Ah, but he who hungers and thirsts after righteousness shall be filled, shall be satisfied (Matthew 5:6).
How deep are you? What is really in you?
How deep are you? What is really in you? Luke 6:45 says, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” This verse isn’t just about what we say. Speaking is an outward manifestation of what is within. So, what is in us and the depth of our innermost being is what will come out of us. How we speak to other people, how we respond in trying situations, how we view others, the things we talk about and laugh at, the way we treat people, the way we treat our families, our priorities, what entertains us, our desire for God and lost souls, our desire to spend time in the Word of God and prayer…..All these things are indicators of how deep we are and what depth our innermost being is at.
So, how do we go deeper? Only one way. Spend time in God’s presence. Get in relationship with God. Get in an interactive relationship. You, speaking to God and Him, speaking to you. He speaks to you in your life circumstances, He speaks to you when you read the Word, He speaks when you fellowship with other believers who are in relationship with God, He speaks to you when you pray. In brief, be a student of the Word, know who you are in Christ, follow His example in serving God and your fellowman. Listen for His voice. He is speaking everywhere and in everything if you will only develop a habit and a skill of listening. That’s right, listening does not come natural it is a skill that must be learned. It is in His Word and interacting with your world as a Spirit person that you go deeper. As you do things God’s way, not in a legalistic fashion but in a love relationship, it will become more and more natural as you walk in it. This is what is meant by walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). This is what is meant by not yielding your members as members of unrighteousness. “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” (Romans 6:13)
“I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.” (Romans 6:19). You understand that ‘members’ in this context is talking about your mouth, your hands, your feet, your mind…every part of who you are that you have control over. And you do have control over yourself, whether you want to admit it or not. You chose to do evil. You chose to do nothing sometimes when you should have done something. You choose to do good. Every day, every moment you live is about choices. God gave you the power to choose. He will not take away your power of choice. God isn’t forcing you to live for Him. If you choose sin and hell, he will honor your choice, although I am sure His heart is broken when you choose death instead of life. “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
That which God has put in you was meant to flow freely. Are you a stagnant pond or a flowing river? What God gives you is meant to flow out to others. By giving daily what God gives you to others you make room for his fresh new blessings to be received. “Such as I have give I to you,” (Acts 3:6). We are meant to bless others with what he gives to us not just hoard it up for ourselves. It is up to you. How deep do you want to go? What are you afraid of? I think many people are afraid of what God will require of them. I have actually heard someone say they were afraid to yield totally to God because they felt sure He would call them to be a missionary in the deepest, scariest part of Africa. Believe me, God knows what you are made of. “For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” (Psalms 103:14). He knows what you are best suited for. He isn’t going to call you to do something you are not ready for. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). God doesn’t hurt. He only wants the best for you. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11). Trust God, my friend. Trust God. Deep is calling to deep. What will your answer be?
LISTEN TO THIS SHORT MEDITATION ON GOD’S LOVE
“We are spiritual beings that have a soul that lives in a body. Human beings are capable of deeper thinking, enlightened thinking, understanding that cannot be tested in a laboratory. Our spirit is crying out that we are so much more than our five senses and when we ignore it we get the ills of society. It becomes all about temporary satisfaction, instant gratification and fulfilling lust when we could have love. Human beings have the power to choose. We do not have to be puppets whose strings are being pulled by the modern-day selfish culture. Take time in every situation to look a little deeper, think a little deeper, listen to that still small voice that challenges us not to react the way we initially may want to. Deep calls to deep. Don’t settle for less. Be the superior human being you were meant to be. Be the world shaker and the dream maker. Fly on wings of eagles rather than scratching around the chicken yard. Look up and think about how high you can fly today. Looking down and settling for the scratch of this world will only keep you penned up when you could be flying. As for me…. I’m gonna fly!”
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