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Learn How We "Drink" from

Earthly Sources 

—and How You Can

"Receive" From God

Why This Page is Important...

Repentance has a way of simplifying things. Much of what you see on this page I had no idea about until I had been in repentance for a time. 

Understanding how we "drink" from earthly sources can help you understand better how to receive the glorious presence of God.

The simplicity of what you see here may be hard for you to believe at first. Expect that reaction as normal. Repentance will help you find freedom to rest into faith and to be able to apply what you see here in your relationship with God.   

(Let me add here that "drinking" from God also requires that we be close to Him. Don't worry about that for now, because repentance will help you find greater freedom to do that too. If you want more information go to the section called, "Come and Drink.")

Let me remind you again to think about repentance is a process of re-training your heart to trade what you are trying to receive by earthly sources by receiving God’s presence. Now let's make it practical.

Remember that Jesus told us to come to Him and drink (John 7:37-39a)? The original language reveals that what He is telling us to do is something that should be done repeatedly. The only way to receive the river that Jesus promised is to keep on drinking. But to do that you have to know how.

How We Drink From Earthly Sources

Another way of saying that we "drink" from earthly sources is that we "receive glory" from them (John 5:44). In order to understand how to quench your thirst with God it is helpful to consider how you "receive" from earthly sources.  

All my life I had been "receiving glory" from earthly things, but I was about 30 years old, before I ever really noticed! The first time I became aware of this, I had just pumped some gas and was going into the store to pay. On my way, a woman was coming back out to her car. As we passed each other she smiled. It was a warm accepting smile, but there was a curious reaction. It felt like something inside me opened up to the sense of her acceptance toward me. It wasn't sexual--I received her smile, I took a long and deep breath in and somehow I felt reassured.

Even though you may not be aware, the activity of trying to "receive glory" is common for all of us. In the years since, I have learned that receiving the presence of the Holy Spirit of God, is similar to the way that I drank from that woman’s smile.

Since that time I have learned that taking a breath is only a natural reaction that happens sometimes when we are drinking from something and being reassured by it. When you learn to quench your thirst with the Spirit of God you will sometimes—but not always—find yourself reacting to the pleasure and reassurance of it by taking in a long deep breath.

Examples of times when we are "drinking" from something, include those times when we reassure ourselves with the sense of our having accomplished something, or like when we sense we have someone’s approval. We are "drinking" when we remember and enjoy how much a friend laughed at one of our jokes. We are "drinking" when we find reassurance from our having known the answer to a difficult question. On an everyday level, we depend on these kinds of things for a sense of confidence and security.

Enjoy the Thrill, "Glory in" God

It is best to understand the phrase ‘glory in’ as the process all people go through to quench their thirst. The Bible says, "...glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh" (Phil. 3:3). When you "glory in" something you are finding delight, thrill, and pleasure in it. You are feeding the thirsty desires that drive your behavior.

Think about what happens after a high school football player runs for touchdown during a championship game. He drinks from the experience. Doing so is reassuring and makes him confident. As years pass, maybe when he is driving down the road, or sitting at his desk, he still recalls the run and the touchdown he made. In order to drink from it, He replays the experience right in front of him. It is real to him. Vividly he recalls how well he dodged those tackles, the deafening shout of joy from his friends in the stands, the pats on the back from his teammates, the glare of the lights, that one girl he is sure was impressed. He confidently believes there was glory in what he did, he lets himself delight in it. Over time, his having made that touchdown becomes identity to him. In reality, the time he made the touchdown isn’t the only thing he turns toward to drink from. There are likely many other moments in his life that he drinks from. But now, whenever he talks to someone, or does something difficult on the job, the confidence and security he has to meet the demand comes out of those contemplative moments when he has replayed the circumstance over again.

Maybe you can’t relate to the football example above, but can you relate that story to your own life in some other area? Are there circumstances or relationships that you recall to mind and from which you find confidence and a sense of well being? If the answer is yes, then you can learn to drink the presence of the Holy Spirit by learning to reapply principles you already know.

In a sense, we try to "abide" in the earthly things that we drink from. That is why we can turn and re-train our heart to abide in the presence of Christ. 

The elements involved in drinking the Holy Spirit are very similar to when you drink from earthly things. But rather than daydreaming about the glory of earthly experiences, you have to be like David who said, "I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken" (Ps. 16:8). Don’t settle for the little glory of earthly things, winning arguments, and relationships that can’t supply what you need most. The next time you catch yourself "drinking" by earthly means, stop and think about what it feels like to be receiving from earthly sources, then reapply that to God. Trust with firm conviction that you are actually before the Lord and He is right here before you—in all His glory—and let yourself receive from Him! By doing so you will find yourself abiding in Him!

Let me say again, that you have to think about repentance as something that includes turning to God and actually receiving His presence—graciously given to you—not because you have to deserve His grace! If you don’t let yourself actually receive from God repentance will be very difficult. Your Christian experience will be reduced to constantly "repenting" of the same things over and over—and that isn’t repentance at all. 

An Important Assignment—don't miss this!

You can learn how much about how to "drink" from the Lord by observing yourself. Catch yourself when you are "drinking" from earthly sources and observe what you are doing—without condemning yourself in the process. Notice especially what it feels like inside. Observe what it feels like to drop your self-protection and open up inside. 

After you observe what it is like to "drink," then trust you are entering the throne room and are before the Lord. Then reapply what you observed yourself doing. If you don't know how to do that yet don't worry. Just keep observing and learning what it feels like to "drink." The main section called "Come and Drink!" will help you to understand how to draw near to the Lord. 

Caution! Don't miss this either...

My recommendation is that you wait until you have entered the throne room before you try to open up to the Lord. If you aren't able to confidently trust you are in His presence, you may be opening yourself to unseen enemies. Work with your heart until you can believe that you are before the Lord—here and with your whole body. You should be able to believe that being before Him is a greater reality than the material world around you. 

If you are afraid to draw near to God in this way, don't worry about that for now. Repentance will help you to believe. 

Repentance needs to come before drawing near to God! I want to encourage you to wait until you have been applying the principles of repentance for at least a few weeks before you try to enter and drink. Repentance will increase your spiritual sensitivity and your ability to receive from God. 

Remember that repentance is that which makes God your God. Putting repentance first will help you to better trust what you receive from Him as your refuge, your glory, and your strength.  

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Barry.

       Understanding Yourself — Continued...

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(C) Barry Hall 1999

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