7:39John 7:39

Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit as living water to be received by all who believe in him, but not yet given in its promised fullness because he had not yet been glorified and ascended to the Father.ST Jun 3, 1886+3 The promise is offered freely to the whole church in abundant and unlimited measure, limited only by the receiver's capacity to receive.Ms 20, 1891, par. 37–38+2 The Spirit was already moving on hearts and dwelling in holy men and prophets, yet the more abundant outpouring waited until after Christ's glorification, when from Pentecost onward it was poured forth in power with signs and wonders.HSP 4.9–5.1+4 He is received by coming to Jesus and drinking by faith with humble seeking, surrender, repentance, confession, and earnest prayer, and his indwelling brings spiritual life, purification, renewal, enlightenment, and Christlike character and love.PP 412.1–3+4 Those who thus receive become an inward inexhaustible fountain, and channels through whom pure streams flow outward in good works, righteous words, and effective gospel mission to refresh perishing souls.ST Jun 3, 1886+4

The saying was uttered at the Feast of Tabernacles.DA 447.3 That feast was a seven-day celebration kept at Jerusalem.DA 447.3 People gathered to it from Palestine and from other lands to give thanks for the year's harvest.DA 447.3 Its water ceremony recalled the water given from the rock in the wilderness.ST Jun 3, 1886 That rock represented Christ.ST Jun 3, 1886

The living water and the rivers of living water that Jesus promised are the Holy Spirit, to be received by those who believe in him.ST Jun 3, 1886+4 His call to drink answers thirst for truth, for restful hope, and for deliverance from sinful desires.Lt 97, 1895, par. 3–4 Through the Spirit Jesus makes himself known to each person who seeks and believes in him, and after he ascended to the Father the promised Comforter would come.ST Jul 23, 1896+1 The Spirit had not yet been given in this promised way because Jesus had not yet been glorified.Lt 376, 1906, par. 3–8+1

Christ's life-giving love enters the heart and springs up to everlasting life, then flows outward through good works, right example, and Christian counsel.ST Jun 3, 1886 The water also pictures the divine grace Christ gives, which purifies, refreshes, and strengthens the soul.PP 412.1–3 When Christ abides in a person, grace and strength become a continuing source within, and the love received in the heart bears good works leading to eternal life and flows outward through righteous words and deeds to refresh others.ST Jun 3, 1886+1 Through the Spirit Christ unites believers with himself in this life and in eternal life.Lt 131, 1900, par. 7–9

The promise of the Spirit is for all who believe in Jesus and for the church, offered freely in largest and abundant, unlimited measure.Ms 20, 1891, par. 37–38+4 It is to be grasped by faith and furnished in plentitude, limited only as the human receiver is incapacitated to receive it, and God does not withhold the riches of his grace.Ms 75, 1897, par. 8–9+2 People are filled with the Spirit when they are willing to receive and believe, and the Spirit is poured upon the church when God's people attend to what is true, living, and real.Ms 21, 1900, par. 27 Christ gives the living Spirit to every hungry heart that humbly and earnestly seeks him, coming unseen with messages of mercy to those who receive him.Lt 61, 1903, par. 6

The Spirit in abundant, unlimited fullness is necessary for effective work, enabling one daily blessed by heaven to be a blessing to others.Ms 20, 1891, par. 37–38 Receiving the Spirit makes a difference in how believers live and serve, so that they bear a living testimony in character, mind, and intellect, and work wholeheartedly to bring the light of truth to others.Ms 7, 1909, par. 17 Yet its presence is scarcely appreciated because it is not discerned and is in great measure left unappropriated, while souls go starving and thirsting though the abundance of heaven in the influence of the Spirit is proffered them.Ms 75, 1897, par. 8–9+1 Being content with only small blessings, meager enlightenment, and a few drops of heavenly grace can leave a person unprepared to receive that fullness and disqualifies for the great things of God.Ms 20, 1891, par. 37–38+2 Thirsty and starving souls bound by customs and traditions and age-old errors can find abundance of heavenly bread and wine in the influence of the Holy Spirit.Ms 75, 1897, par. 8–9

Christ's promise of the Holy Spirit is the most valuable and consequential truth in his teaching, opening a vast tract that enriches all minds that follow on to know the Lord and apply it to themselves.Ms 75, 1897, par. 8–9

The living water Jesus promised is the Holy Spirit, whom those who believe in him should receive, but the Spirit had not yet been given in that promised sense because Jesus had not yet been glorified.ST Jul 23, 1896+4 The gift would come after he ascended to the Father and was glorified and enthroned in heaven, and then the promised Comforter would come to make him known to each person who seeks and believes in him.ST Jul 23, 1896+2 His call to come and drink answers thirst for truth and restful hope and deliverance from sinful desires.Lt 97, 1895, par. 3–4

The Spirit was already active in the world from the beginning of redemption, moving on human hearts, moving holy men to speak, and dwelling in the prophets who searched what he signified.HSP 4.9–5.1+1 Yet the fuller manifestation and more abundant impartation had not yet come while Christ was on earth, and he was not yet given in power.HSP 4.9–5.1+3 Before glorification Christ breathed on the disciples and gave them the Spirit for a special purpose, a real impartation of his very own life to qualify them for their mission to preach and teach the gospel, without which their work could not be accomplished.HSP 4.9–5.1+2 The more abundant impartation waited until after his ascension, when they no longer had his presence with them and recognized their need of the Spirit and needed his power to carry out their work of preaching the gospel and the duties of the church.HSP 4.9–5.1+2

After his glorification Christ claimed the gift in heaven so that he could pour it upon his people, and the disciples prayed for it in obedience to his word.AA 37.3 Dating from the day of Pentecost after Christ's glorification, the Spirit descended on his followers in full efficacy and was poured forth in power on sons and daughters and on servants and handmaidens, fulfilling the promise.Ms 148, 1899, par. 7–8+1 He raised up humble workmen in every hill country and lowland and valley, represented Christ and made his glory manifest, and worked in the world with divine, sacred working as signs and wonders.Ms 148, 1899, par. 7–8+1 Having risen from the dead, Jesus gives perpetual grace like ever-flowing streams to bless everyone who is athirst and comes to him and drinks, for he is life and consolation and only hope.Lt 2, 1889, par. 13–15

The living water is the Spirit, who is the impartation of Christ's own life given to those who believe, and with Him comes divine grace that brings spiritual life to the soul.HSP 4.9–5.1+2 That grace purifies, refreshes and strengthens, guiding those who yield until they are refined like gold in fire, with a purifying, refining influence that works radical change.PP 412.1–3+2 Christ gave a real measure of this life to qualify His workers for preaching and teaching, yet the fuller manifestation and more abundant impartation belonged to the time after His earthly presence, when the need for power for gospel work would be fully felt.HSP 4.9–5.1+1 Received personally, the stream must be drunk from individually before it can be pointed out to others.3T 473.3

The call to come and drink answers thirst for truth, restful hope, and deliverance from sinful desires.Lt 97, 1895, par. 3–4 Received into the heart by faith, the Spirit brings God's love, gives constant satisfaction and joy, begins eternal life, and supplies rich grace with great and still greater blessing, so that those who depend on it are not worried or anxious about their future standing.Lt 97, 1895, par. 3–4+2 Worldly riches, honors and pleasures cannot satisfy the soul, and those who turn instead to human wisdom, changing feelings, or pleasures that cannot satisfy remain spiritually parched and leave their hunger for righteousness untasted.DA 187.1–4+2 Absence of this Spirit creates a desire to dishonor the spiritual fountain with which one is connected.Ms 165, 1899, par. 36–37

Through the Spirit Christ abides within, continually renewing the person morally in this life and leading onward in holiness.PP 412.1–3+1 By the same agency He carries on the work of uniting believers with Himself both in this life and in eternal life, so that those in whom the Spirit dwells will live forever with Him.21MR 347.3–348.1+2 His life-giving love enters the heart and springs up to everlasting life, becoming a continuing inward source of blessing, strength and grace.ST Jun 3, 1886+2 Those who receive continue to hunger for more of Him, and the love received bears good works leading to eternal life and flows outward in right example, Christian counsel, and righteous words and deeds to refresh others.ST Jun 3, 1886+1

Received into the soul, the Spirit quickens all its faculties, develops the devoted mind harmoniously, and strengthens it to comprehend and fulfill God's requirements.ST Jul 29, 1908 He teaches and sanctifies the one who asks in faith and believes, and is poured out in full, reviving power for that work.ST Jul 29, 1908+2 Enlightened understanding makes what seemed dark clear, enlarged and sanctified faculties lead to loftier knowledge and broader views of truth, with more penetrating discernment and better balanced judgment.ST Jul 29, 1908+1 The weak, vacillating character is changed to strength and steadfastness, and so close a relation is established between Jesus and His disciple that the Christian becomes like Him in mind and character.ST Jul 29, 1908 In this way the standard of speech, ministry and spiritual life is raised, divine truth is understood more fully, and its fruit appears in Christlike words and deeds.Ms 83, 1903, par. 29+1

The indwelling presence produces Christ's character and love in the life.STGC 49.1–2+1 Those who receive cherish love for one another, stop criticizing and weakening one another, and show patience, kindness, humility, harmony, meekness, hiding of self in Jesus, and concern for others.STGC 49.1–2+2 The divine life within the truly converted appears in tender pity and Christlike compassion toward the weak and unfortunate, and in willing acts of mercy and generosity flowing from sharing Christ's nature and character, not from compulsion.ST Mar 5, 1912 When Christ dwells in the heart His joy becomes theirs, and the humble in heart receive a foretaste of heaven.STGC 49.1–2+1 Greater faith brings more of Christ into the life in grace and love, while selfishness, sin and pride obstruct the work so the living water does not flow freely.12MR 191.1–192.1

Believers receive the Spirit by coming to Jesus and drinking from Him by faith, humbly and earnestly seeking Him, surrendering their own way and will, letting self die so the Spirit can take possession of the heart, praying earnestly, repenting, confessing sins, being converted, and being willing to receive and believe. Lt 234, 1907, par. 3+4 The water of life is open to each person and the grace of Christ is needed, and the promise is offered to believers and to the church, for God does not withhold the riches of His grace but fills those willing to receive and believe and pours upon His people when they attend to what is true and living and real. Lt 234, 1907, par. 3+2 The thirsty soul may receive the Holy Spirit in abundant, life-giving power, and the Spirit teaches and sanctifies those who ask in faith and believe, bringing a purifying, refining influence and radical change of life. Lt 234, 1907, par. 3+2 Refusal to repent, confess sin, and be converted hinders that outpouring. Ms 24, 1901, par. 29–30

The soul must keep its communication with heaven unobstructed in order to receive the spiritual supply of living water from Christ and grow in spiritual life. STMW8 24.1–25.1+2 Drinking must be personal and deep and continuous, living temporally and spiritually by every word from God's mouth, with individual daily conversion into divine relationship with Christ. Ms 75, 1897, par. 8–9+4 Ministers especially must first receive this life-giving supply before they can impart it to others, for what is received from heaven flows through them to nourish others, and the outpouring of the Spirit imbuing them with living water is needed for effective service. Ms 20, 1891, par. 37–38+2

The Spirit is available in abundant, unlimited fullness, bringing constant satisfaction to the thirsty soul and rich grace with great and still greater blessing, so that those truly united with Christ receive a constant supply and, depending on it, are not worried or anxious about their future standing. Ms 20, 1891, par. 37–38+3 Yet many discern little, leave the Spirit largely unappropriated, stop short at the first approach to accepting Him, and remain satisfied with meager enlightenment, a few drops of heavenly grace, and small blessings. Ms 20, 1891, par. 37–38+2 Being content with so little leaves a person unprepared to receive the fullness, disqualifies for the great things of God, and produces spiritual drought in which souls go starving and thirsting though the abundance of heaven is proffered, and the absence of the Spirit creates a desire to dishonor the spiritual fountain with which they are connected. Ms 20, 1891, par. 37–38+3 Only those who live by every word know the satisfaction of Christ as a personal Saviour and are fitted for the great things of God, while thirsty and starving souls bound by customs, traditions, and age-old errors may find abundance of heavenly bread and wine in the influence of the Holy Spirit. Ms 75, 1897, par. 8–9

The Spirit cannot be given in power corresponding to the magnitude of truth opened to the understanding while weighty truths are held apart from life in unrighteousness, with unclean hands and hearts defiled with sin, for that would sanction sin, and He must be interwoven with life and character. Lt 37, 1887, par. 25–26 His outpouring is hindered by refusal to repent, confess sins, and be converted, and by selfishness, sin, and pride that obstruct His work so living water does not flow freely through those channels. Ms 24, 1901, par. 29–30+1 People touched through Christ's words with light, freedom, and blessing can afterward admit doubt and unbelief and quench the Spirit's influence. 12MR 182.2–183.2

Accepting Jesus means following on to know the Lord in conversion to the Spirit's power and efficiency to preserve from falling into temptation and sin. Ms 75a, 1897, par. 4–7 The working of the Spirit on the human agent is as a new conversion, with conviction of guilt, susceptibility to discern the truth, and earnest application of truth to the heart. Ms 75a, 1897, par. 4–7 Individual daily conversion brings into daily divine relationship with Christ, blesses members before they can be made a blessing, and fits them with methods, plans, tact, ability, and the highest qualifications to win souls to Christ and to discern Christ as the Root and Offspring of David and the Bright and Morning Star. Ms 75a, 1897, par. 4–7

Even those counted as good workers must draw near to God, receive the divine touch, and drink at the fountain of living water more deeply and continuously in order to discern God's work at every point. Ms 121b, 1898, par. 5+1 This is needful because in the last work, under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel when the loud cry is heard and light goes forth to lighten the earth, God takes the reins into His own hands and works out of the common order and contrary to human planning. Ms 121b, 1898, par. 5+1 He perfects His work of righteousness by simple and surprising means, rather than by controlling and dictating what movements shall be made. Ms 121b, 1898, par. 5+1

Those who believe and receive become themselves an inward, inexhaustible fountain, spring and well of living water within, with Christ dwelling in them as the source of blessing, strength and grace. ST Jan 7, 1889+3 The fountain of living water is in Christ and must also be in believers, springing up to refresh those they influence and flowing outward through them as channels to refresh and bless those around them, including souls ready to perish. ST Jan 7, 1889+3 What is received is spiritual life pictured as the water of life, to be passed on to others, becoming visible in lives of action and in prayer and speech that glorify God, with grace flowing out to others. Lt 31, 1900, par. 6–7 Hearts softened and subdued by study of precious truths receive wisdom and understanding to impart truth aright, becoming channels for communicating divine blessings and revealing divine attributes. CEv 14.1–2

Christ himself is the overflowing Fountain who receives the heavenly gift to impart it to those who accept it, believers receiving the Spirit through him after his glorification. Ms 125, 1906, par. 13 In his humanity the divine Son is the channel through whom the Spirit of truth works, and as Jesus abides in the heart as a constant living wellspring the streams flowing from the living Fountain through believers are pure, sweet and heavenly. Ms 125, 1906, par. 13+1

The outflow appears as Christ's life-giving love entering the heart and springing up to everlasting life, then flowing outward through good works, right example and Christian counsel, and through righteous words and deeds that refresh others. ST Jun 3, 1886+1 Divine grace so received purifies, refreshes and strengthens the soul, and when Christ abides within, grace and strength become a continuing source within, with love received in the heart bearing good works leading to eternal life. PP 412.1–3 In the truly converted the divine life within appears in tender pity and Christlike compassion toward the weak and unfortunate, and in willing acts of mercy and generosity flowing from sharing Christ's nature and character rather than from compulsion. ST Mar 5, 1912 Receiving the Spirit makes a difference in how believers live and serve, so that they bear a living testimony in character, mind and intellect, live lives of action, and share present truth and the light of truth with others as the Spirit guides, purifies and refines those who yield. Ms 7, 1909, par. 17+2

Receiving the Spirit equips for mission and the duties of the church, for the promised gift is the impartation of Christ's own life fitting the disciples to carry out their work, inwardly teaching them, imparting the life and attributes of Christ, and giving spiritual life that fits them to serve. HSP 4.9–5.1+1 The fuller power for preaching the gospel was needed beyond what was given for a special purpose before glorification, and receiving the Spirit in abundant, unlimited fullness is necessary for effective work, enabling one daily blessed by heaven to be a blessing to others. DA 805.2–3+1 Ministers must first receive this life-giving supply from the heavenly source of spiritual life before they can impart it, for what is received from heaven flows through to nourish others, and its outpouring is needed for ministers to serve. STMW8 24.1–25.1+1 His power is needed to give force to the message given to the world, to be sought through earnest prayer and humility, so that the Spirit speaks through human agents as God's messengers with convincing power. Lt 180, 1907, par. 10

The Spirit fosters love, harmony and unity among those working under Christ, enabling his work to be seen in lives that cherish love for one another, stop criticizing and weakening one another, and show Christ's character and joy dwelling in the heart. STGC 49.1–2+1 He refreshes believers and, working in and controlling human minds, raises the standard of speech, ministry and spiritual life, with his fruit appearing in Christlike words and deeds and with divine truth understood more fully. Ms 83, 1903, par. 29+1 Branches that bear no such fruit are cut off. Ms 83, 1903, par. 29

The need of perishing souls calls for more workers to become channels of this living water, working wholeheartedly to bring the light of truth to others. Ms 7, 1909, par. 17+1 Hearts softened by study of precious truths become channels to communicate blessings, reveal divine attributes, and refresh souls ready to perish. CEv 14.1–2

Through repentance and faith, receiving Christ's Spirit becomes the wellspring of life within, enabling response to God's call and producing grace and love expressed in Christlike character, including patience, kindness, humility and concern for others. Lt 29, 1902, par. 15+1 Greater faith brings more of Christ into the life unto holiness, while selfishness, sin and pride obstruct the work so that the living water does not flow freely through those channels. 12MR 191.1–192.1