The Spirit—the life-giving Spirit—is the water of life (John 7:38-39). We have pointed out that the water of life is the Triune God. Now we are saying that the Spirit is the water of life. Some may wonder whether the water of life is the Spirit or it is the Triune God. The proper way to understand the divine revelation in the Bible concerning this is to say that the water of life is the Spirit, the Spirit is the Triune God, and the Triune God is the water of life. What is revealed in the Bible brings us full circle. In John 1:1 we are told that in the beginning was the Word, that the Word was with God, and that the Word was God. John 1:14 goes on to say that the Word became flesh. Christ, in the flesh, the last Adam, has become the Spirit, and the Spirit is the Word (Eph. 6:17). If we prefer to analyze this marvelous revelation doctrinally and to debate about it instead of enjoying it, we shall suffer loss. The divine riches are available for us to drink. If we partake of them, we shall be nourished and richly supplied. However, if we merely investigate them and analyze them, we shall deprive ourselves of this enjoyment and supply.
The life-giving Spirit as the water of life flows out of God on the throne (Rev. 22:1). On the one hand, the One sitting on the throne is God; on the other hand, the water of life proceeding out of the throne is also God. The water which flows from God on the throne brings God’s authority. When we drink of this water, we receive authority as well as power. We are subdued by the living water flowing within us.
Furthermore, the living water flowing from God’s throne conveys to us the riches of the divine life. This is indicated by the fact that the tree of life grows in the water of life (Rev. 22:2). Because the riches of the divine life are carried in the flow of the living water, we receive these riches whenever we drink this water.
The Spirit flows through the smitten Christ, through the Christ typified by the cleft rock (Exo. 17:6; 1 Cor. 10:4). This flowing includes Christ’s humanity, human living, and death. We cannot taste, experience, or enjoy the Lord’s humanity except by the flowing of the living water within us. The more we drink this water, the more we experience and enjoy Christ’s humanity, human living, and death.
The Spirit as the water of life flows in resurrection with the power of Christ’s resurrection (Phil. 3:10), with Christ’s ascension, and with Christ’s enthronement, comprising glorification, lordship, and headship. Although it is difficult to explain, all this becomes our experience by drinking of the living water. We can testify that we have tasted Christ’s resurrection, ascension, and enthronement.
The flowing of the water of life in resurrection is for the formation of the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). Because we all drink of the same Spirit, we can be one Body. Drinking of the one Spirit in resurrection makes us members of the Body and builds us up as the Body.
The flowing of the living water in resurrection is also for the preparation of the bride of Christ. According to Revelation 22:17, the Spirit and the bride sound forth the call to come and drink of the water of life. The bride is prepared by drinking. The water which the bride drinks is the Spirit. By drinking the Spirit, the bride becomes one with the Spirit. This should not be a mere doctrine or teaching, but should be something we practice in our daily living. If we drink of the living water day by day, the Body of Christ will be built up, and the bride of Christ will be prepared.