My Dear Friend,

It happened suddenly, and in the most unlikely place, a fruitless, hot, dry, dead, even deadly place: the desert! As soon as the Fountain Maker appeared there, everything changed. Psalm 114 describes this.

In a few brief verses, it tells a large, important story. After Israel's Exodus from Egypt, the desert came under the awe-inspiring influence of the God of the Exodus. The Creator was showing Himself His creation. Metaphorically, the mountains and hills skipped. Literally, the Red Sea, stunned, parted and the Jordan River, in shock, opened and stood at attention! Why?

Almighty God's Presence had manifested: "Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob" (Psalm 114:7). And His Presence did not quickly dissipate. Rather, it was sustained and concentrated. And God's children sat still, quiet, open, receptive, and in a calm state of wonder under the weight of that lingering, dense, covering of the divine essence.

Then it happened. The Fountain Maker began working His wonders and "turned the rock . . . into a fountain of waters" (Psalm 114:8). Immediately, the most unlikely source of life - a rock - became transformed into a new spring of sweet, fresh water. And not briefly but permanently. This fountain kept flowing to refresh and sustain God's people in the most hostile of environments, a desert, for forty years!

A more unpredictable transformation could not have been imagined. Think of it, a rock - which is dry, not moist with the water of life; and hard, not soft, responsive, or easily molded; and dead, not lively, animated, and likely to sustain life; and useless, good only to sit, stagnate, and slowly wear away without bearing fruit of any kind - became a "fountain," or artesian well.

How different the latter is from the former. A fountain is alive, with not stagnation but constant movement; fresh, not old or stale; wet, abounding with the water of life; clean, with fresh, free-flowing, oxygenated water; safe, unspoiled with salt, dirt, or toxins; and useful, enabling an entire community to drink, cook, grow, clean their clothes, and bathe. Could any objects be more different than a rock and a fountain? Certainly, no human being can make a rock into a fountain.

But this is easy business to the Fountain Maker. Not a problem! Everyday work! Business as usual! Done it for centuries - whenever He has found believers willing to let Him work His wonders in and through them. In short, He fulfilled His promises in John 4:10-14.

These willing believers first "knew the gift of God" (John 14:10), Jesus Christ, by being born again. After receiving Him, they "asked of him" the "living water" of His Spirit's fullness (John 4:10). Then they "drank" in His divine water in the effusive Baptism with the Holy Spirit. From this point onward, the Holy Spirit's presence in them became a spiritual artesian well, or "a well of water springing up into everlasting life" for their blessing, and others' (John 4:14). This continued the rest of their lives.

This inner Fountain transformed their lives into a fountainhead of the very River of God (see Ezekiel 47:1-12) and all its subsidiary rivers of blessing. Jesus promised they would flow from those who would: "thirst" with spiritual desire, "come" to Him in salvation, and "drink" in His mighty Baptism with the Holy Spirit (John 7:37). He further promised mighty "rivers of living water" would flow from their "heart," or innermost being (John 7:38). But we must realize something: this supernatural flow of heavenly life and fruit-producing spiritual virility is not sustained automatically.

We must walk in the fear of the Lord, as the Israelites (initially) lived in awe of Him. We should spend quality time in Christ's presence, as they spent their days under His covering Shekinah glory. Additionally, we should seek Him by offering Him praise and worship, praying for insights as we pore over His Word, and obeying His Word. Then, as He promised, Jesus will "manifest" Himself to us (John 14:21, 23). Our reaction is crucial.

If we impatiently rush away to the business of life, the Fountain Maker cannot transform us. But if we linger in the quiet, dense, permeating, peace-giving wonder of His Presence, blessing Him and soaking in His Spirit, the transformation will begin. If we do this every day, the transformation will continue, and grow. Increasingly, the Fountain Maker will do what He did in Israel - radically change our inner essence from a spiritually worthless "rock" to a spiritually valuable "fountain." And there is more.

Sin, unforgiveness, or bad attitudes (self-pity, envy, discontent) will block the Presence and halt the transformation. Repentance, confession, and, if necessary, reconciliation (Matthew 5:23-24), restart the transformation (1 John 1:9). If we consistently allow this transformation to continue, the Fountain Maker will make the most unlikely wonder appear again in our lives: a miraculous fountain of life steadily flowing through us in the hot, dry, spiritually lifeless desert of this world.

Spiritual blessings of every kind will flow: mercies; boldness in service; divine appointments to share the gospel; fair decisions; faithful labors; gifts of the Spirit; ministries, messages, and missions; miracles; inspiring Internet posts, emails, and texts; websites like spiritual oases; wise counsels; Bible interpretations; effective intercessions; hope-giving "word[s] in season" (Isaiah 50:4); life-turning warnings; exemplary Christlike living and leadership; and so forth.

This fount of blessings began at Pentecost and flowed out through the early Christians. They became walking, talking fountainheads of the river of God and, miraculously, "everything" lived wherever the river flowed in the spiritual desert of the idolatrous Roman world (Ezekiel 47:9). It flowed through Philip in Samaria, Peter at Cornelius' house, anonymous evangelists in Antioch, and Paul on multiple Mediterranean missions. And the fountain has never stopped flowing.

First through the church fathers, then through the pre-reformers, reformers, revivalists, and restorationists, and finally through various groups of Twentieth Century, Spirit-baptized believers, the Fountain remained opened and River flowing. Why? In childlike faith and humility, these Christians believed Psalm 114's revelation and obeyed Jesus' instructions.

Would you, too, like the Fountain Maker to transform you? If you know who the "gift of God" is, ask Him to fill you with His "living water." Then seek Him every day, as described above. Learn to linger in His Presence until His Presence lingers in you . . . and begins flowing out. And be humble: let Him determine how His river will flow through you in ministry. But be utterly confident that His waters will flow out in the same proportion in which they flow in.

Today, look around and see the dry, lifeless, hopeless "desert" of a world in which we live. Look at the millions of sinners - and Christians! - fainting and falling for lack of living water. Realizing Jesus has made a way to change this, determine to let the Fountain Maker transform you.

Pray with me, "Lord Jesus, our Fountain Maker, I wholly yield to you. Please do in me what I cannot do, nor any man, Christian education, or ordination: transform this rock into a fountain! To bless your people, build your kingdom, honor your name, and satisfy your heart. Amen!"

Praying,

Dr. Greg Hinnant

GREG HINNANT MINISTRIES