How to Spark a Revival

Our Bible Study at our church with Linda our teacher - -began with questions: 

1.     How does an encounter with Jesus spark a Revival?

2.     What is “Living Water?”

3.     Culture versus Land

Reading from John chapter 4: 1-42 we find the story of Jesus leaving Judea and departing again into Galilee.  As he traveled, it was important to him to go through Samaria.

Now the shortest route from Judea to Galilee was through Samaria, but it was not the only way. Another longer way was through Perea, east of the Jordan River.

In Jesus’ day, the Jews hated the Samaritans so they normally took the long route to avoid Samaria so they did not have to associate with them. Jesus chose this short route to witness to the people of Samaria.  Jesus desired to reach out to these despised outcasts of mixed Jewish and Gentile ancestry.

John 4:5-7  Then He comes to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.  Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus said unto her, Give me to drink.

By speaking to this Samaritan woman, Jesus proved He was different from any other teacher. He was concerned about people, not about rules made up by men.

The woman questioned why Jesus would even speak to her let alone request that she give him drink.  Jewish culture in those days was to avoid the Samaritans, and especially a woman of her background.  

In verse 10, 14  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knew the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou would have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.  Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again:  But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Jesus began to tell her things about her life and she immediately recognized Him as a Prophet.

Verse 25-26  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am He.

Jesus declares to her that He is the Messiah, and she runs to tell her village all that has happened.  Soon she returns bringing with her many of the men from the city:  Jesus offers “Living Water” to the entire city and stays two days teaching and ministering.

John 4:39-42  And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.  So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word;

And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

The Living Water of Life flows from the throne of God, both literally and spiritually.  The Tree of Life is also there with it multiplicity of fruit.

Revelations 22:1-2  And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

John 7:37-39  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

The disciples did not understand as they were zeroed in on natural things and not things of the spirit.  Later they remembered what Jesus had taught and the things written of Him in the Scriptures.  Their hearts burned within them as they encountered the Living Christ.

Isaiah 44:3  For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon your offspring:

The Samaritan woman could not receive “Living Water” from the physical well, she needed an encounter with Jesus.  Then revival broke out from her testimony.

1 John 5:6-8  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bear witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.