“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, BECAUSE HE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD.” - I John 4:4 -

     Deep calls unto deep (Psalm 42:7). The deep calling unto deep is Jesus calling unto the Jesus in us. He alone is deep, and He is calling the deep in us to come to the fore. He is calling us to get out of the shallow boat of our flesh and into the deep water of His Spirit. And as we purposefully and deliberately step out of the boat onto the water to draw nigh unto Him, God promises, that if we draw near unto Him, that just as He reached out for Peter's hand, that He will likewise draw near unto us. (James 4:8). Even if the experience is completely uncharted waters, and even if we are subsequenty overwhelmed and feel like we are sinking, He will be there to take us by His hand. Without fail, He will be there for us, as a lamp unto our feet, to personally shepherd us through the unknown.

     For many, the spirit is an unfamiliar domain. It is largely uncharted or fathomed. And infrequently navigated, if at all. And given that we are spirit, that really shouldn't be the case. The realm of the spirit is largely an unknown quantum. And yet it should be deeply known. This phenomenon is partly owing to man having learned to fear the unknown. The other is due to a deliberate laziness and stubborn ignorance. Just like Peter, when he suddenly took his eyes off Jesus and began drowning. Peter suddenly drowning was nothing more than his own fear of the unknown momentarily overwhelming him. But just like Peter, in getting to know our Father, and getting to grips with who we really are as the image and likeness of Him who created us, we really should have nothing to fear. Instead, we should be panting as a deer to know more (Psalm 42:1).

     In reaching across the chasm between ignorance and wisdom, Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us. He is always near. He tells us individually and corporately to cast ALL our care upon Him, and to HUMBLE ourselves under His mighty hand, for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:6-7). For we are all "Peter's in the boat", and God is calling us ALL to come unto Him. God is calling us all onto the water. And as we come, forget not that it was also to Peter that Jesus said these formidable words: "I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven."

    And, so, as deep calls unto deep, we become like rivers of living water. When the deep of Jesus in us responds and overflows, and then draws and touches another person, and that person then awakens and comes alive to Jesus in the spirit, this living motion of Jesus' Spirit is like "a river of living water", flowing from one person to the next from the life source, Jesus. And so it is that together we all become one river flowing and producing life wherever the river takes its course. “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” - John 7:37-39.

      The image of a living river of life is the horizontal mirror portrait of the vertical "tree of life". As for the tree of life, the trunk is God, and we are His living branches. "We are His branches and He is the vine" - John 15:5. This visually represents His promise that if we abide in Him, He WILL abide in us. However, to abide in Him, we need to take a personal leap of faith, and get out of the boat onto the living waters of His Spirit. In fact, for each moment, and circumstance, and season of life, we are to get out of the boat and onto the same water. And then, as we turn to Him in every moment, we shall collectivelky become known as the overcomers. And it is to the overcomers who Jesus promises to make as His bride. For as we overcome every moment, and every circumstance, and every season through Jesus, one moment at a time, so it is that we then take upon us fine linen, bright and pure, the brilliant white bridal garments of His righteousness (Revelation 19:8).

Forgetting not that the Lord says: "“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, BECAUSE HE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD.”
- I John 4:4 -

- To God be all the glory. Forever and ever. Amen and amen.

- Blessings, Wayne Biehn