WALKING IN THE SPIRIT RIVER OF LIFE

April 15, 2007 pm
Mike Blume

  Scripture Text:

 
 Psalm 1:1-6   Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  (2)  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  (3)  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  (4)  The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.  (5)  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.  (6)  For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Ezekiel 47:1-7   Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.  (2)  Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.  (3)  And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.  (4)  Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.  (5)  Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.  (6)  And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.  (7)  Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

Galatians 5:16   This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.


  Message:


In the past we've shown that Psalm 1 and Ezekiel 47 relate to one another and are instances of spiritual imagery that are associated with the Holy Spirit of God which Jesus called Rivers of Living Water.
  • We want to show how all of this is associated "walking after the Spirit", and the "Law of the Spirit of Life" in Romans 8.

Ezekiel is shown a vision of a river flowing from the temple of God.
  • And he sees a man with a measuring line who measured the temple itself back in chapter 40.
  • Just like John in Revelation 21, Ezekiel was on a mountain and saw a city.

Ezekiel 40:3   And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

The man had a measuring line made of flax.
  • Flax is what linen is made out of, and linen represents righteousness in the Bible.

This man is Jesus Christ.
  • His LEADING is seen in guiding Ezekiel through the river.
  • The river flows eastward from the temple in 47, and the man measures the river water 1000 cubits eastward.
  • That means he has Ezekiel in the water and walks downstream with Ezekiel as the water gets deeper and deeper.

The Holy Ghost is able to LEAD PEOPLE.

Romans 8:1-2   There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  (2)  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

That is why Romans 8 speaks of walking after the SPIRIT.
  • But not only does Romans 8 mention walking after the Spirit, but it mentions the LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE.
  • This is interesting, because the same river in Ezekiel 47 is the River of Life in Revelation 22.
  • So when the RIVER OF LIFE represents the Spirit, it is no wonder Paul mentioned the LAW OF THE "SPIRIT OF LIFE."

Romans 8:1-2   There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  (2)  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

You can only walk after the Spirit if you understand the LAW OF THE SPIRIT.
  • This is exactly like Ezekiel 47.
  • Ezekiel walked AFTER the man who MEASURED the RIVER with a measuring line.
  • The measurements represent the LAW of the Spirit.
  • It can be measured.
  • That means it can be understood as a Law.
  • Laws are consistent ways in which something works.
  • There is a certain way in which the Spirit works, and if you allow Jesus to, He will LEAD you through the Spirit so you can learn how to walk in it.
  • he will measure it for you.
  • That means He will help you understand how the Spirit works, and how you can benefit from it.
  • If we want to benefit from the Spirit of God we have to go beyond talking in tongues and learn THE WAYS OF THE SPIRIT.

Something happens the more you FOLLOW the Spirit by LEARNING how the Spirit works.

Just as Psalm 1 says we must not WALK in counsel of ungodly, STAND in way of sinners nor SIT in seat of scornful, but instead DELIGHT in the law of God (1:2), Ezekiel FOLLOWS THE LEADING of the man into the river until the level reaches his ANKLES, then KNEES and then LOINS.
  • The law that Psalm 1 said we should delight in is actually the LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE, represented by the measurements of the River.
  • When you open your heart to the Lord and LET HIM LEAD YOU, because YOU WANT TO BE LED and LEARN of Him, the river will INFLUENCE MORE AND MORE OF YOU until first you DO NOT WALK after the counsel of the ungodly, because YOUR ANKLES are in the River now.
  • Then you will not STAND in the way of sinners because your KNEES are in the river.
  • Then you will not SIT in the seat of the scornful because your LOINS are in the River.
  • Then the river becomes waters to swim in and at that point, YOU ARE FULLY LED BY THE SPIRIT.

Gal 5:16   This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

WALK IN THE RIVER, and you will not commit the sins that will cause this to happen:

Psalm 1:4-6   The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.  (5)  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.  (6)  For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Do you want to remain forever, instead of perishing and being lost for the lake of fire?
  • Start delighting in the Law of God.
  • Delight in the Law of the Spirit of Life.
  • Start to crave to LEARN TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT.
  • Do not come to church and watch and spectate, but come to actually START BEING LED OF THE SPIRIT.
  • Let us GUIDE YOU with the WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS -- the measuring line -- into the Spirit and teach you how to walk in the RIVER of the Spirit.
  • DELIGHT IN THIS!

Get your HEART involved.
  • So many just hang around for a while and clap and sing with us, but they never cross INTO THE RIVER, themselves, and actually delight in the law of God in order to actually BE LED OF THE SPIRIT.
  • They think of it as coming to a boring ritual every week.
  • But it is not.
  • It is a chance to WALK IN THE SPIRIT and see the Spirit lead your life!

Both in Psalm 1 and Ezekiel 47 we read about trees with LEAVES AND FRUIT.

Psalm 1:2-3   But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  (3)  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Ezekiel 47:7   Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

Ezekiel 47:12   And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

You read the same thing in Revelation 22:2.

Psalms says the one who stops walking, standing and sitting like sinners delights in the law of God, and THAT ONE is like a tree with leaves and fruit.
  • Ezekiel walked in the river to his ankles, knees and loins, and returned to see MANY TREES by the river with leaves and fruit.
  • So by putting these visions together, as they are obviously connected, we see that Ezekiel saw HIS SORT OF LIFE when he returned from swimming in the river when he saw trees planted.

It is a natural fact that where there is an abundance of water, trees flourish.
  • This tells us a message.
  • If you want to have a whole bunch of trees of righteousness, then you have to learn to walk in the Spirit by delighting in the law of the Spirit so much so UNTIL YOU TRULY SEEK TO KNOW HOW TO WALK IN IT.
  • Come to church with your heart crying out to WALK IN THE SPIRIT.

Psalm 42:1   <To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah.> As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

The Psalmist said his soul longed after God like a hart pants after the water brooks, because GOD IS A SPIRIT.
  • GOD IS THE RIVER.
  • And we must delight in WANTING SO MUCH TO LEARN TO WALK IN HIS SPIRIT.
  • This delighting in the law of God is not common enough amongst many.
  • Some like the feel of the Spirit.
  • Others like the song service.
  • Some like the club membership of church.
  • But who comes here to delight in GOD and HIS LAW and in the adventure of learning to walk IN THE SPIRIT?
  • Did you come here to be religious, or to actually fall in love with God and with walking in His Spirit?
  • YOUR HEART HAS TO BE INTO THIS.

The river in Ezekiel 47 touches the very three parts of Ezekiel's body that relate with the very three things that we are not to do...
  • ANKLES that correspond to walking in the counsel of the ungodly
  • KNEES that correspond to STANDING in the way of sinners.
  • LOINS that correspond to sitting in the seat of the scornful.

The MORE you walk in the Spirit, the more you will cease committing the works of the flesh.
  • Notice the Psalm 1 mentions walking in counsel of ungodly.
  • This is BEING INFLUENCED by sinners.
  • But the Spirit of God wants to influence you instead!
  • So don't allow your ankles to cause you to walk in the counsel of the ungodly, but rather let the Spirit influence your WALKING.

Instead of the world influencing you, get serious about God and the truth and let GOD INFLUENCE YOU EVERYDAY!

Isa 61:1-3   The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;  (2)  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;  (3)  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Notice this is what Jesus opened with when He began his ministry.
  • And the RIVER  of God's SPIRIT is the ANOINTING as well.
  • The Spirit came on Jesus to the purpose of taking them that mourn and are in ashes and heaviness and PLANT THEM LIKE TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
  • That is why the man had the FLAX LINE.
  • Flax is RIGHTEOUSNESS.
  • We allow ourselves to be led into the measuring of the Spirit -- be taught to understand the flowing of the River, and FLOW WITH IT, until we become TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Isa 61:4-11   And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.  (5)  And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.  (6)  But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.  (7)  For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.  (8)  For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.  (9)  And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.  (10)  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.  (11)  For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Someone said Jesus only fulfilled the first 3 verses as though the last 8 are for a future millennium.
  • No.
  • The entire chapter is to be experienced now and on into eternity!
  • And we read of the bride with ornaments just as we read the New Jerusalem in Rev 21 adorned as a bride.

Rev 21:2   And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

There is no millennium after the church age.
  • There is the resurrection to the great white throne, and then an eternity where no sinners are present, and all who remain are the trees of righteousness.
  • Being Planted like a tree by waters is a picture of REMAINING and never being removed, as opposed to the sinners who are like chaff blown away in the wind.

Ezekiel is shown the river, and is told that it flows to the Dead Sea which has the northern most city of Eneglaim of the Dead Sea and the southern most is Engedi.

Ezekiel 47:10   And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

The DEAD SEA comes alive again, since presently NO LIFE CAN EXIST IN IT.

Ezekiel 47:8-9   Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.  (9)  And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.

LIFE is given to all the region here.

Ezekiel sees the SOURCE of the River, the INCREASING DEPTH of the river, and the EFFECTS upon himself in the river, as well as THE HEALING by it and places where it did not go and where it did go.

Ezekiel 47:11   But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.

ENGEDI means FOUNTAIN OF A KID, and Eneglaim means FOUNTAIN OF TWO CALVES.

The River went to the east.
  • When a river is flowing in a direction, and you walk in the same direction in the river, you feel it pulling you to go with it in the same direction, but your flesh is too strong.
  • The deeper you go, the more you feel the pull and the more it influences you.
  • But when you are off the bottom and swim in it, it carries you in the direction it is going with EASE.

Romans 8 teaches us what it is to walk after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-23   There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  (2)  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  (3)  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:  (4)  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  (5)  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  (6)  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  (7)  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  (8)  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  (9)  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.  (10)  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  (11)  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.  (12)  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.  (13)  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.  (14)  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  (15)  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  (16)  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  (17)  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.  (18)  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  (19)  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.  (20)  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,  (21)  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  (22)  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.  (23)  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

It takes us from walking in the Spirit, like walking in a river, to the understanding of WHAT IT WILL AFFECT.
  • Like Ezekiel 47, Paul says we can get more into the Spirit and led by it the more we MIND THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT.
  • Too many times the world fills our minds more than the things of the Spirit.
  • To DELIGHT in the law of God and meditate on it day and night...

Psalm 1:2   But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Requires you to MIND THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT - (Romans 8:5).
  • Then the Spirit AFFECTS YOU and MORTIFIES THE DEEDS OF THE BODY.
  • That is why Ezekiel's ankles, knees and loins were in the river so that he would not WALK in the counsel of the ungodly, and STAND in the way of sinners, and SIT in the seat of the scornful.
  • These wicked things we do are called DEEDS OF THE BODY, and we will do these things in a world like this unless we GET OUR HEARTS AND MINDS ON THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
  • The more the Spirit leads us, and the more we go with it, the more it nullifies the effects of the WORLD.

When Ezekiel walked into the river to the point of water level at his ankles, it represented mortifying the deeds of the body that cause one to walk after the counsel of the ungodly.  
  • God's Spirit eradicates the DESIRE in our lives for such an ungodly walking.
  • But we have to love God's law and meditate upon it night and day for this to occur.
  • This is not hard to do when we love God's law.
  • Our minds are naturally upon anything that we truly love.
  • And when the water level rose to the point of his knees, the Spirit mortified the desire to stand in the path of sinners.
  • And when it reached the loins, the river mortified the deeds of sitting in the seat of the scornful.
Also, you can walk in the direction of the River, and say you are going the same way, but in reality you are doing it in your own power.
  • But when your feet are off the riverbottom, and the river is carrying you, you are going in the direction of the river but what is propelling you no longer is your flesh.
  • Fleshly "religious" people still have their feet controlling their direction.
  • I want to have the Spirit totally take over and take me away in it's direction.
  • So when I am going in the direction of the Spirit it is GENUINE LEADING OF THE HOLY GHOST, and not mimicking a leading of the Spirit.


Romans 8 finally gets into the resurrection, when an adoption occurs with our bodies.
  • This adoption in verse 23 is not just a salvation we get when saved, because Paul already had that.
  • But it was an adoption that was in Paul's future.
  • When his very body would be redeemed, physically.
  • Flesh and blood cannot INHERIT the kingdom, so this mortality must put on immortality.

The ones who delight in the law of the Spirit, and fill their minds with the things of God, will be the only ones who will remain when the great white throne judgment occurs.
  • The sinners will blow away in the wind like chaff.
  • And after Rev 20 talks about the judgment, Rev 21 and 22 talks about the city with a river.

Ezekiel saw the river flow from the temple.
  • Rev 21 says the temple is GOD AND THE LAMB.
  • That is why the river flows from God and the Lamb in Rev 22.

Rev 21:22   And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

Rev 22:1   And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Let us delight in the law of the Spirit of Life!
  • Come here to ask God to help you fill your minds with the things of the Spirit.
  • The ones led of the SPIRIT DO MIND THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT.
  • What is your mind upon?
  • What do you allow yourself to be influenced with all week long?
  • Who are the people you hang around with the most?
  • Why have you come here tonight?

Romans 8 is the interpretation of Psalm 1, Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 21 through 22.