JUMP IN BOOTS AND ALL

Intro:  I remember as a young guy riding motorcycles from Cairns in North QLD up to Cooktown in Cape York.

·         We went up via the CREB Track, which was a disused dirt road that was built so that they could run the power lines up to Cooktown.

·         It was a real difficult ride that took about 10-12 hours.

·         In total we had, 3 4WD’s, 12 motorbikes and a trike.

·         To give you an idea of how difficult the track was… by the time we got to Cooktown, they had rolled a 4WD, written off a motorcycle and seized the trike.

·         It was the middle of summer (which is the wet season), and 34 degrees with about 90% humidity.

·         Most of us had motocross boots on with long sleeved shirts and body armour so we were sweating profusely and feeling the effects of dehydration.

·         After 6 hours, we reached Roaring Meg Falls.

·         A crystal-clear stream that flowed down over the rocks.

·         As soon as we saw that water, we jumped off our bikes, took off our helmets and ran to that river and jumped in boots and all.

Ezekiel 47:1-6 (NIV) The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.  2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was flowing from the south side. 3   As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off 450m and then led me through water that was ankle-deep.  4 He measured off another 450m and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another 450 and led me through water that was up to the waist.  5 He measured off another 450, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in — a river that no one could cross.  6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

·         He opened Ezekiel’s eyes to see what God is doing.

• God was showing Ezekiel a steam that turned into a mighty river.

• Flowing from the Temple…(Place where the presence of God dwells)

Zech. 14:8   On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem

• Living water…What does that sound like?

John 7:38-39 (NIV) 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.

River Represents the flowing of the Holy Spirit…….

·         There’s a river of the Holy Spirit that flows from to Heaven to Earth.

TITLE: Jump In Boots and All

God was trying to show him something about the river….

1)    The river was Flowing

2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was flowing from the south side.

·         This was living or flowing water, not something stagnant.

·         Living water is fresh every day.

·         When a river is flowing, you don’t drink the same water that you had yesterday.

·         But something fresh from God’s very presence…

·         When the rivers start to flow, where does the water come from?

·         Fresh water, not old but just fallen from Heaven = rain

2)    God leads us each step of the way in the river

3   As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off 450m and then led me through water that was ankle-deep.  4 He measured off another 450m and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another 450 and led me through water that was up to the waist.  5 He measured off another 450, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in — a river that no one could cross.  6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

3)    The rivers flow must line up with the word of God.

3   As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand,

·         He just didn’t do whatever.

·         Before he got into the river, he had a measuring line.

·         Every move of God must line up with the word of God.

·         The man led him out with clear instruction from God (1 thousand Cubits, 450mtrs)

·         The Spirit will never do anything contrary to the word of God.

·         Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ and Christ is the living Word.

IT’S TIME TO GET INTO THE RIVER

1.    Ankle deep:

Psa. 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

·         You can be at the most beautiful swimming spot with clear warm water.

·         And you get that one person who refuses to get in…

·         Person who stands on the bank and just puts their toes into the water.

·         They don’t want to get in but are happy to watch everyone else in the river.

·         Spectators not participators.

·         That’s good for you, but I’ll be right.

·         Hesitant to enter in because of what they have seen in the past.

If you want to know how someone who is full of the Holy Spirit and is led by the Spirit, look at Jesus.

·         He came out from the wilderness full of the power of the Holy Spirit.

·         He said I only do what I see the Father doing.

·         Led by the Spirit.

·         He was like you and I, but completely yielded to the father and the leading of the Spirit.

·         Because of the way some people have acted in the past, it causes people to shy away from anything to do with the Holy Spirit.

·         It hamstring’s the church from walking in the fulness of what God has for her.

·         Flowing in the Holy Spirit caused unusual things to happen.

·         People were healed, delivered, saved, and set free.

2.    Knee deep:

·         Knees speak of humility before God.

·         Pride can be one thing that will stop us from submitting ourselves to God and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

·         What will people think of me if I raise my voice in worship and lift my hands in surrender?

·         It’s all about yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

·         God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

3.    Waist deep

·         You are in the river, but your feet are still on the bottom

·         You like the refreshing of the river but won’t flow in it.

·         You love being in the presence of God, but won’t allow the Holy Spirit to flow through you.

·         You limit God in what he can do in and through you.

4.    Deep enough to swim in.

Flowing in the river:

5 He measured off another 450, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in — a river that no one could cross.  6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

·         It’s not about loosing control, but rather giving the Holy Spirit control of your life.

·         Be people who flow in the Spirit, not religiously doing the “same old same old”.

·         You are never possessed by the Holy Spirit but led by the Holy Spirit.

·         He never controls you, but He will lead you.

Getting in the river is flowing with the Holy Spirit.

·         Being Led by the Holy Spirit

·         Directed by Him

·         Guided each step of the way.

 Flowing in the Spirit when we lead and not just doing what we have done in the past.

·         That’s just religion not relationship.

·         The Holy Spirit is all about a relationship with God.

·         Being led by the Spirit is getting to know God’s voice so that you can know what he would have you to do.

·         Not just at church, but every day of your life.

Some of us are stumbling as we walk along the bank when we could just get into the river and allow God to get us to where he would have us to go.

Example: Crystal Cascades in Cairns.

·         Rock pool a little way down the river.

·         Hard to get there walking along the bank as the ground was covered in rocks of all sizes.

·         Even on a motorbike it was a difficult track and took a while to get there.

·         One day I came down there after we had had a lot of rain.

·         Large lake area funnelling water under a bridge and flowing down the river.

·         See these heads flying along.

·         How are they swimming so fast?

·         They were going down the river faster than I could even ride my motorcycle along the bank.

Don’t stumble on the bank when you can get into the river!

·         Allow the Holy Spirit to do what He has never done before in your life.

·         He will take you to where you have never been before.

·         Flowing in the Holy Spirit will enable you to do far more than you could achieve in your own strength.

·         Some of us are walking along the bank trying to stay up with the flow of the Spirit.

·         Just jump into the river boots and all and allow the Holy Spirit to flow through you and anoint you to fulfil God’s calling upon your life.

Time to stop sitting on the edge, watching, playing around, and get into the river.

It’s time to go a bit deeper into the things of God.

·         If we want to continue in ministry

·         If we want to make the decision to walk for the Lord.

·         If we want to see our communities impacted for Jesus

·         If we want to see sinners convicted and turn to Christ

·         If we want God to move in our worship time

·         If we want to have anointed preaching and revelation flowing from the pulpit

·         If we want to see lives transformed by the power of God

·         If we want to be fruitful and multiply

·         We must be flowing in the Holy Spirit…

This morning is the time to say:

·         I don’t want to be a spectators with my toes in the river

·         I don’t want pride to stop me from entering what God has for me.

·         I am sick and tired of doing it in my own strength.

·         This morning I want to get in the river and allow God to carry me.

·         “I want to Jump in Boots and all!”

Rom. 8:12   Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.  13 For if you live according to the sinful nature (flesh), you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.,

Zech. 4:6 ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty