The Apostle Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth is a source for me of great encouragement when I fell overwhelmed by the opposition of a world (and sometimes professing Christians) hostile to the gospel. In this passage of scripture "hard-pressed" is often translated "troubled", but the literal Greek meaning is to be pressed like grapes. Do you feel pressed lately? Like the world and its evils are coming at you from all directions?
Jesus promised that "he that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" John 7:38 How is this possible, when the spiritual attack on us is so strong we don't have room to breathe? Let us look to the Old Testament which is full of symbology to give us revelation and encourage us in our Christian walk.
"Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank." Numbers 20:11 (Now Moses was only supposed to speak to the rock, but that's another story.) The point is that water miraculously came from one of the most unlikely places, a rock . There is nothing in the world tighter and more "hard-pressed" than a rock. Yet here was living-giving fluid coming from it, just by (what was supposed to be) a word of faith.
Now if you are familiar with the bible you will know that the rock symbolizes Christ: "...for they (the Israelites) drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." 1 Corinthians 10:4 Water is symbolic of spiritual life. Therefore it is Christ within us from which spiritual life will flow!
Now why does Jesus say this life will flow out of our bellies? Some bible versions translate "belly" as "innermost being", but the literal translation is "belly", and I believe there is significance: just as our earthly mothers gave us physically life through our bellies, so Jesus causes spiritual life to flow out of our "bellies" (or, innermost beings).
How is this accomplished practically in our lives? By simply believing on Jesus. You see, there is a reason why the King James translators chose the word "on" rather than "in" in this particular passage. The Greek word "eis" means "into", rather than the passive "in" (Gk: en). If we compare scripture we see even the demons believe "in" Jesus (see James 2:19). But to believe on, or into Jesus means we believe all the bible says about him concerning us, such as our old "man" being crucified with him (Romans 6:6), and the fact that he lives in us (Colossians 1:27). If we will stand upon these truths daily rather than what the feelings emanating from the corrupt nature (Ephesians 4:22) tell us, then God's torrent of living water will be unleashed from us in the tightest of spaces, defeating any spiritual enemy in our path.
Jesus promised that "he that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" John 7:38 How is this possible, when the spiritual attack on us is so strong we don't have room to breathe? Let us look to the Old Testament which is full of symbology to give us revelation and encourage us in our Christian walk.
"Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank." Numbers 20:11 (Now Moses was only supposed to speak to the rock, but that's another story.) The point is that water miraculously came from one of the most unlikely places, a rock . There is nothing in the world tighter and more "hard-pressed" than a rock. Yet here was living-giving fluid coming from it, just by (what was supposed to be) a word of faith.
Now if you are familiar with the bible you will know that the rock symbolizes Christ: "...for they (the Israelites) drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." 1 Corinthians 10:4 Water is symbolic of spiritual life. Therefore it is Christ within us from which spiritual life will flow!
Now why does Jesus say this life will flow out of our bellies? Some bible versions translate "belly" as "innermost being", but the literal translation is "belly", and I believe there is significance: just as our earthly mothers gave us physically life through our bellies, so Jesus causes spiritual life to flow out of our "bellies" (or, innermost beings).
How is this accomplished practically in our lives? By simply believing on Jesus. You see, there is a reason why the King James translators chose the word "on" rather than "in" in this particular passage. The Greek word "eis" means "into", rather than the passive "in" (Gk: en). If we compare scripture we see even the demons believe "in" Jesus (see James 2:19). But to believe on, or into Jesus means we believe all the bible says about him concerning us, such as our old "man" being crucified with him (Romans 6:6), and the fact that he lives in us (Colossians 1:27). If we will stand upon these truths daily rather than what the feelings emanating from the corrupt nature (Ephesians 4:22) tell us, then God's torrent of living water will be unleashed from us in the tightest of spaces, defeating any spiritual enemy in our path.
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