FLOW | WEEK 14 DEVOTIONAL

Out of you shall flow rivers of living water.

Have you ever been around somebody that makes you feel better about yourself, feel better about life, feel more confident? I had a teammate in college who brought energy and enthusiasm to practice almost every day. Our coach used to teach, preach and emphasize the importance of us bringing our own energy every day to practice, and Dee did that for us all. Whenever we were down, tired, or negative, he was the guy that picked us up with his positive energy. When we faced challenges, obstacles, and adversity, he was the guy that helped push us through. He was always talking, always encouraging, and always looking to give someone an energy-boosting fist bump. Dee had good energy FLOWING through him, and he shared that energy with everybody on the team.

In Isaiah 44:3, God said, “I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendant.” Jesus later came and said, "Whoever believes in me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water (John 7:38). Jesus also said, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life (John 4:13-14)."

Through Jesus, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. If we believe in Him, trust in Him, and rely on Him, the fruits of the Spirit [love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control] will have the ability to FLOW out of us continuously. We should have a FLOW of joy, peace, goodness, love, and of all good things spilling out of us. When the right things are bubbling within us and FLOWING out of us, we can enjoy our lives and be a blessing to other people.

We can never get rid of all the obstacles and challenges in life, but we can still have peace, love, and joy in abundance, to the full, and till it overflows. What FLOWS out of us is much more important than what comes to us. We can easily get way too concerned with what we are getting or not getting in life. The fruits FLOWING within us are more important than what comes to us, because if we have the right things in us and we get rid of the hindrances in our life, then the right things will FLOW through us, out of us, and will bless ourselves and those around us.

When I was growing up, we would play outside all day in the summer. It would get hot in that Texas heat, but we weren't allowed to run in and out of the house for water, so we would drink from the water hose. There were two problems that would come from the water hose. First, the water would come out hot, and if you weren't patient and didn't give it time to cool, it would burn your mouth. Second, if your water hose wasn't rolled and stored properly, it would crease up and become clogged and the water couldn't FLOW freely. My teammate Dee was the type of teammate who would untangle the water hose for everybody and hold the hose so that everybody could drink before him. He was the type of person that would see what his teammates needed, and he would provide. He was a servant leader through which the fruits of the Spirit FLOWED. He couldn't keep us from running extra sprints, and we still had shooting slumps and losing streaks, but he provided the love, peace, and joy that we needed to get through the tough times. He made sure that everybody felt like they belonged and valued. He made everybody feel better. He was like a light in a dark room.

Your team and teammates could use a full FLOW of the fruits of the Spirit coming through and out of you. What is FLOWING through and out of you?

Verses to Remember and Memorize
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such, there is no law."
Galatians 5:22-23.

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].
John 10:10

Prayer
"I pray that the fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, flow in me and through me, every day, through the good times and the tough times. In Jesus' name, Amen.

This Week

1 - What fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) do you have FLOWING through you?

2 - What is one fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) that you can focus on this week?

3 - Who is one teammate that has the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) FLOWING through them?

4 - How does the FLOW of the fruits of the spirit positively impact your team?

Get a Google doc version of this devotional here: Flow | Week 14 Devotional