“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.””
Jesus said “I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly” in John 10:10.
This has two meanings. One has to do with zao, and the other with zoe. Zao is a verb that means “to live.” Jesus brought us from death to life, we were dead in our sins, but now we are alive in Christ. But zoe is a noun and refers to the kind or quality of life that God gives. So you could say he made us zao so we could enjoy zoe.
He doesn’t just make us alive, he actually gives us the quality of life he possesses. So from then on, it’s something we possess in our spirits.
1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life (zoe); he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
G2222 - Zoe - life (noun)
the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate
of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic
It’s a state of existence, not just the fact of existence. It’s a quality of life he gives us, not just life itself. Notice also that it says “which belongs to God.” It’s the kind of life God has.
This idea reminds me of several new creation facts; we are joint heirs with Jesus, he shares his authority with us, we’re seated with him on his throne of authority in heavenly places, we are partakers of his divine nature, we’ve been given the right to be the children of God, we’re no longer servants but sons…
His Life Is A River In Us
Once we’re made new through Christ and God places his spirit/life in us, we have a river of life flowing from our spirit that’s joined to God into every aspect of our being; including our physical bodies, our emotions, thoughts, and on out into our lives. This life is not limited to benefiting its host, it also flows out of us in power to minister to others.
John 7:37 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. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
What is His Life Doing In There?
Romans 8:10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Even though our bodies are dying because of sin, we can still experience zoe, because God’s spirit gives zoe to our physical bodies. What do you think God’s zoe/life does inside a human body? We know what happened for Jesus, it brought him back to life. The same spiritual life is in us.
This is an astounding truth worth hours of ponder and meditation, it’s simply amazing. As we reflect on this truth, it makes passages like this more real for us.
Proverbs 4:20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
His spirit in us is not just supplying God’s quality of resurrection life, it has limitless effects and fruits. Through Christ’s spiritual life, we experience transformation in the rest of our being and bear the fruits of his spirit, as well as walk in the power of his spirit in ministry toward others.
But wait, there’s more…
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption 1 Corinthians 1:30
When you stop to think about it, there’s only one conclusion: Christ seeks to live in and through us. May we comprehend the power of what is in us and not limit Christ from being fully formed in us.
1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
Clint and Sara Byars
Forward Ministries
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