The term ‘rivers of living water’ was used by Jesus on the last day of the feast of Sukkot (Note: Feast of Tabernacles), which was the greatest day of the festival (see John 7:37-39).

 

John 7:37-39:
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’
39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

 

On this day the high priest was accompanied by a multitude of people as He performed the prophetic act of taking water from the pool of Siloam to the temple. By this the people became witnesses to a special outpouring, because the festival of Sukkot is connected to the increase of the glory of God (see 1 Kings 8:2.10-11).

 

1 Kings 8:2.10-11:
2 All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival (note: Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles)in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month. …
10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord.
11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.

 

As Jesus Christ is also called high priest in the order of Melchizedek, His statement in John 7:38 clearly shows us that He is interested in a special outpouring or increase of His Spirit (see Hebrews 5:5-6).

 

Hebrews 5:5-6:
5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him (see Psalm 2:7), ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’
6 And he says in another place (see Psalm 110:4), ‘You are a priest for ever, in the order of Melchizedek.’

 

 

The Holy Spirit is the One who has an impact on our society or environment: The attributes of wind and water play a special role here, as the living water is linked to life and the breath of God as well as His order. Therefore it is no coincidence that the Spirit of God is first mentioned in the Torah in connection with water He was hovering or sitting over (see Genesis 1:1-2).

 

Genesis 1:1-2:
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

 

These waters already carried the dimension of heaven and of the seas on the earth within them, which the LORD made visible by establishing the firmament (see Genesis 1:6-10).

 

Genesis 1:6-10:
6 And God said, ‘Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.’
7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so.
8 God called the vault ‘sky’. And there was evening, and there was morning – the second day.
9 And God said, ‘Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.’ And it was so.
10 God called the dry ground ‘land’, and the gathered waters he called ‘seas’. And God saw that it was good. …

 

It is the Holy Spirit who flows through us into our future, thereby unlocking promises already implemented by God in the ground. This is similar to the river in the region of Eden that separated into four headwaters, bringing forth mineral resources/treasures in their respective regions (see Genesis 2:10-14).

 

Genesis 2:10-14:
10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters.
11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.
12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.)
13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.
14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

During the festival of Sukkot (Note: Feast of Tabernacles) every year the high priest performed the above mentioned prophetic act. He took water from the pool of Siloam and carried it up to the temple to pour it out next to the altar.

 

This symbolizes the petition to God in order to give the former and latter rain on all the land. The latter rain includes the rainfall at the end of the rainy season during the months of March/April, which are vital for the growth of the seeds of the winter crop. However, the former or early rain usually falls between the end of October and the beginning of November, at the start of the rainy season in Israel, which lasts about six months, and which is necessary for new sowing after the dry season of summer.

 

In this context, this act and the statement of Jesus about the ‘rivers of living water’ reveal that through the Holy Spirit we already carry the outpouring for our region or future within us, so that we are able to unlock the promises of the Heavenly Father.

 

This unlocking of God’s promises through the living water involves the Holy Spirit moving in the vehicle of prophecy, which is accompanied by prophecy, dreams and visions in peoples’ lives (see Joel 2:28-29).

 

Joel 2:28-29:
28 ‘And afterwards, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

 

 

It is essential for us that we make the measure set for us by the Holy Spirit full similar to Jesus at the wedding at Cana, where He revealed His glory for the first time and instructed to fill the empty jars to the brim with water. Only after the jars had been filled the transformation from water to wine took place, as well as the movement of the bridegroom (see John 2:1.6-9).

 

John 2:1.6-9:
1On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, …
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from eighty to a hundred and twenty litres.
7 Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’ They did so,
9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realise where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside …

We would like to note here that the act of outpouring during the days of the Feast of Tabernacles was performed daily by the priest, and on the seventh i.e. eighth day, the ‘day of the fullness of the water measure of glory’, Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit.

 

And at precisely this moment Jesus stood in that place and spoke about the living water, which carries the basic requirement of faith in Him, as is revealed by Him in the Tenakh (Note: God’s Word):

 

“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:37-38

 

When we seek and find Christ in the Tenakh – this is the Word of God in form of the ‘Old Testament’ – and find Him and believe according to the revelation made, an intensification of the Holy Spirit in our lives will take place. This intense power of the Holy Spirit in us works His way into our future, while interacting with faith in the Word of God.

 

The LORD desires that we believe in His hidden promises for our future, and in this advance with vision in intimacy with the Holy Spirit in order to take hold of them at the right time.

 

 

In connection with the statement of Jesus about the ‘living water’ we should note that we as God’s people are moving in the kingdom structure with its different levels of the heavens linked to the element of water, while gaining more and more understanding. This becomes apparent in the Hebrew word ‘mamlākāh’ used for the term ‘kingdom’.

 

This Hebrew word begins with the double Hebrew letter ‘Mem’, which is, among others, connected to ‘water’ as well as carrying the numeric value of ‘40’. The Hebrew word used for ‘water’ in the Word of God is ‘Majim’ and is used solely in the plural. It begins and also ends with the Hebrew letter ‘Mem’. (Note: part excerpt from the Elberfelder Study bible on the word ‘mamlākāh – kingdom’ with word key number 4542)

 

It is therefore no coincidence that, among other things, the creation account, as already mentioned describes the Spirit of God over the waters and that there is also a sea of glass in front of the throne of God (see Genesis 1:1-2; Revelation 4:6).

 

Genesis 1:1-2:
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

 

Revelation 4:6:
6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, round the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and behind.

 

Every level of heaven carries a realm of water connected to the instruction or commission to reign. In order to act as sons of God in this government, we have to undergo an important testing phase; this is revealed by the number ‘40’.

 

During this phase of testing and passing we are prompted and encouraged to seek Christ in the truth of His Word, to find Him and believe according to the revelation made, to experience a new dynamic of the Spirit in our lives that flows out of us as a result and contributes to blessing.

 

In all things Jesus Christ went before us, and after having been baptized in the Jordan river by John the Baptist, He went full of the Spirit into the desert and was tested over a period of 40 days. During this phase of testing He was repeatedly tempted by the devil, and without once falling into sin He resisted the evil (see Luke 4:1-2a i.c.w. Hebrews 4:15).

Luke 4:1-2a:
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2a where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. …

 

Hebrews 4:15:
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin.

 

As saints we have to know that the kingdom structure is closely aligned with each one of the twelve tribes of Israel, because God gave them the opportunity to be a kingdom of priests by their obedience.

 

In this we can see clearly that every tribe of Israel carries a spiritual dimension of heaven within, connected to a realm of ‘water’ including spiritual government, because God is Spirit (see Exodus 19:5-6 i.c.w. John 4:24a).

 

Exodus 19:5-6:
5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.’

 

John 4:24a:
24a God is spirit, …

 

 

In addition, the activation of the living waters is closely connected to true fasting linked to works of righteousness. This righteousness includes ‘release’ which requires us, among other things, to release people who have done us wrong into the freedom of our forgiveness in Jesus Christ. In the same way, we should also let go or release where we have wronged people consciously or unintentionally.

 

Moreover, it is indispensable that we recognize the need or indigence in our neighbor in order to release works of justice in the form of mercy (see Isaiah 58:6-12 i.c.w. Galatians 6:8-10).

 

Isaiah 58:6-12:
6 ‘Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: here am I. ‘If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

 

Galatians 6:8-10:
8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

 

The streams of the living waters of the Holy Spirit reflect our devotion and holy way of living by acknowledging mercy, grace and truth entrusted to us as carriers of Christ’s anointing for the blessing for our environment, region and the nations.

 

Blessing here means the will of God, so it involves the interactions of the various gifts of the Holy Spirit and our choices in obedience to the Father. If we allow the Holy Spirit to control, guide and direct us, the intensity of His streams in the form of living water will be able to increase accordingly.

 

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel and Tina Glimm

In order to be able to work with angels, it takes a lot to get involved. To start with it is vital to know the spiritual principle according to God’s word. Genesis 1 states that the Spirit of God hovered or vibrated over the waters while waiting for the manifestation of the Word of God to become active in the light of God (cf. Genesis 1:2-4a).

 

Genesis 1:2-4a:
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4a God saw that the light was good, …

 

In the book of Psalms and the letter to the Hebrews we can also see that angels are winds, and that the presence of God moves with the wind also (cf. Hebrews 1:7 i.c.w. 2 Samuel 5:24; Psalm 18:10).

 

Hebrews 1:7:
7 In speaking of the angels he says, (cf. Psalm 104:4): “He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.”

 

2 Samuel 5:24:
24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”

 

Psalm 18:10:
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.

 

The ‘wind’ is the spiritual impact of God moving in concealment, and saints can perceive it with a spiritual ear (cf. John 3:8).

 

John 3:8:
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

 

On the basis of these scriptures, we recognize a spiritual principle that is characterized by the presence of spirit (Note: wind/air/breath), water (Note: ‘carrying element’ of God’s presence), and the living word (Note: sound) to create (Note: light) in the ‘’erets realm’ (Note: spiritual realm in the earth).

 

Because God is the Father of lights and there is no darkness in Him, His angels are filled with His shining presence, so that you might also call them light-winds (cf. 1 John 1:5 i.c.w. James 1:17).

 

1 John 1:1-5:
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

 

James 1:17:
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

 

Therefore many people, when discerning angels and viewing this in a prophetic context, describe them as being connected with various forms and colors shaped from light.

 

The angels of God are ministering spirits who are assigned by the LORD to serve amongst others the people of God (see Hebrews 1:14).

 

Hebrews 1:14:
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

 

 

Furthermore, with regard to angels in the form of winds, they are also synonymous with horses, as the book of Zechariah reveals in chapter 6 (cf. Zechariah 6:2-5).

 

Zechariah 6:2-5:
2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black,
3 the third white, and the fourth dappled – all of them powerful.
4 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits [or winds] of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world. …”

 

Therefore, when wanting to work with angels it is beneficial to know just how horses behave.

=> One of the remarkable behaviors of horses, among others, is that when they are on a ranch, for example, they always look for an open gate and move there to enter the realm of greater freedom.

 

In this example the open gate equals the humble expectations of a saint, who according to God’s word, respects the ministry of angels and asks in faith for the ability to discern them (cf. James 1:6a).

 

James 1:6a:
6a But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, …

 

Horses are creatures who stick close to people they know and who care for them; likewise the angels: Angels stay more where their service is welcome and where they are not rejected because of unbelief, violence/aggression or by rebellious behavior (cf. Exodus 23:20-23).

 

Exodus 23:20-23:
20 See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.
21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him.
22 If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.
23 My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.

 

The recognition of the ministry of angels by faith leads to great results in the lives of saints.

 

Horses have a so-called soft spot which is called withers and is situated where the saddle normally goes. This is the area of the horse the mother gently caressed when it was a foal.

 

Because of this affectionate treatment of the foal by the mother, love and security are conveyed to the foal. This soft spot in horses allows to give and receive tenderness. By this we can see that when we as people of God move in His tender mercies, it encourages the angels of the LORD to increasingly get active under the authority of God’s will and according to His plan for our lives. <= (Note: Text set in ‘=>’ is based on an explanation from the book, ‘Working with Angels’ by Steven Brooks; paraphrased)

 

 

=> An angel is a heavenly/spiritual being, divine messenger, sent as an agent, ambassador, or emissary to conduct business on behalf of God in the affairs of men. May be stationed as a territorial ruler or despot in countries and nations as their spiritual power and authority.
The Hebrew word for angel is ‘mal’āk’ and means ‘messenger’. In the Greek it is ‘angelos’.They comprise the Creator’s ‘protocratic forces’ of creation. <= (Note: The text set in ‘=>’ is a part excerpt from the ‘Prophet’s Dictionary’ by Paula A. Price, PH.D.; page 47)

 

=> In the oldest Old Testament writings ‘angel’ means something like ‘messenger of God’. If the closer definition ‘angel of God’ or ‘angel of the LORD’ is used, it is often meant that it is the LORD Himself who shows Himself in human form or speaks to people in a revelatory way.

 

The name ‘angel’ is also used for the heavenly beings that belong to God’s environment. God is thought of as a king; the angels form His ‘court’, which praises the glory of God and carries out His will without restriction.
According to the Jewish view, angels once delivered the Torah to Moses at Sinai. In Acts 7:38.53 this idea is taken up positively. In the New Testament, angels appear as messengers of God (cf. Luke 1:26-38), but also as heavenly representatives of earthly communities, who at the same time have the task of a guardian angel (cf. Revelation 2:1-3.22; Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:15).

 

In addition, there are angelic powers hostile to God, evil celestial or elemental spirits (Note: ‘powers of the world’ = of the cosmos), which can receive worship from people or become dangerous to them. Christ has defeated these powers (cf. Galatians 4:3-5; Colossians 2:8-10). <= (Note: The text set in ‘=>’ is a part excerpt from the CD-ROM Bible Edition Luther Bible 1984.)

 

We can say from personal experience that angels are attracted by the devotion of saints to God, the Heavenly Father, as well as by their walking in the love of God and in the truth of His word (Note: Greek, ‘agąpē’) to contribute more light or revelation.

 

=> Unfortunately, some believers in Christ Jesus fill their minds with void movies, computer games or media that are characterized by violence, perversion, aggression, roughness, and impurity that are not pleasing to God. These negative influences contribute to the fact that the believers in question perceive the guidance of the Holy Spirit or even the angels inaccurately or not at all. These impurities pollute the spiritual waters of the believer’s soul or spirit.

 

The nature of the Holy Spirit is holy, it means that also the angels are sent by God from this realm of holiness. However, if a saint in Christ allows his human spirit to become defiled, then the doorway between the Holy Spirit and the believer’s heart is blocked by foulness. This results in a blurred spiritual vision. <= (Note: Text set in ‘=>’ is based on an explanation from the book ‘Working with Angels’ by Steven Brooks; paraphrased)

 

Saints, however, who live in close relationship with the Holy Spirit and advance in purity of spirit in the intimacy with Holy Spirit, will discern angelic movements through enlightened eyes of the heart, and work with the angels. This cooperation results in greater successes with God (cf. Hebrews 12:14).

 

Hebrews 12:14:
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the LORD.

 

Just when saints live in true love and God’s truth and speak good words (Note: from/with a renewed mind), that are like sweet water (cf. James 3:10-11), angels use this presence to convey the truth spoken by God to the spirits of the saints on earth from outside, which the Holy Spirit can then decode in their spirits (cf. John 16:13).

 

James 3:10-11:
10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

 

John 16:13:
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

 

Therefore, daily walk in sanctification and sincere obedience to the Holy Spirit are prerequisites to perceive angels and work together with them.

 

This way of life includes the trusting surrender under the sovereign guidance of God, which increases in the heart of a saint in the inner man where one breaks away from one’s own ideas. Furthermore, sanctification also results in a brokenness that leads disciples into that truly (Note: with all their heart) humble and meek attitude of life and heart in dealing with discipleship and opens access to intimacy with the LORD, which results in an increasing ease in dealing with anointing as well as assigned responsibility (cf. Matthew 11:28-30).

 

Matthew 11:28-30:
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

 

Unclean spirits, on the other hand, move in the spiritually desolate areas of ‘Asasel’, which means the place of separation from God, to make destructive ‘plans of return’ with the aim of binding people or bringing them down (cf. Luke 11:24 i.c.w. Isaiah 34:11-15; Leviticus 16:10).

 

Luke 11:24:
24 When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’

 

Isaiah 34:11-15:
11 The desert owl and screech owl will possess it; the great owl and the raven will nest there. God will stretch out over Edom the measuring line of chaos and the plumb line of desolation.
12 Her nobles will have nothing there to be called a kingdom, all her princes will vanish away.
13 Thorns will overrun her citadels, nettles and brambles her strongholds. She will become a haunt for jackals, a home for owls.
14 Desert creatures will meet with hyenas, and wild goats will bleat to each other; there the night creatures (note: Lilith) will also lie down and find for themselves places of rest.
15 The owl will nest there and lay eggs, she will hatch them, and care for her young under the shadow of her wings; there also the falcons will gather, each with its mate.

 

Leviticus 16:10:
10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat [Asasel] shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat [Asasel].

 

It is therefore no coincidence that when Jesus encountered the possessed Gerasener, he instructed the demonic horde to come out of the Gerasener and sent them into the bodies of pigs so that they were judged in the water.

 

 

In this context, we consider the realm of water as the realm of God’s angels, who are the bearers of His presence. And here it is no coincidence that there is also ‘water’ before the throne of God, which goes hand in hand with His covenant and His governing presence (cf. Revelation 4:6a).

 

Revelation 4:6a:
6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. …

 

The ‘function’ of the angels, namely to be ‘messengers’ (Hebrew ‘mal’āk – מַלְאָךְ’), is connected to the Hebrew letter ‘Mem’, which pictographically represents a ‘waterline’ or ‘surging water’.

In this regard, angels of God, as ministering spirits, bring forth their effect in spheres of individuals, assemblies, and regions due to the prayers of saints in order to establish the good that comes from the Father’s will. Angels bring supernatural access to the heavenly dimension into the realm of earthly life of people to stop evil and corruption through works of darkness, among others.

 

Another important key to getting in touch with the presence of angels and working with them is anchored in sincere hospitality (cf. Hebrew 13:2).

 

Hebrews 13:2:
2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

 

Because hospitality is connected with uncertainty in regard to angelic presence, it may be helpful to ask the Holy Spirit to open the spiritual eyes of the heart, so that by the gift of discernment the presence, assignment and ministry of the angels can be discerned.

 

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel and Tina Glimm

 

Translated by:
Margit Kelly