Are you feeling spiritually dry?

There will be streams in the desert, predicts Isaiah in chapter 35. But how can that happen, asks David Campbell

David Campbell

Growing up on the west coast of Scotland, the one thing you do get to know about is rain. Although there are many lovely sunny days, we used to joke saying the only difference between summer and winter was that in summer, the rain was a bit warmer!

But we knew that part of the trade-off for living on the beautiful, green, hill-framed coastland was that we had our fair share of rain. That is why Isaiah’s reference to streams flowing OUT of the desert is so captivating. How so? Where is the water coming from? No river has its source in a desert. But the river of God’s presence and purpose flows out of the desert, from a dry place.

Ever felt dry? Ever felt thirsty? I guess there are at least two reasons for feeling spiritually dry. Firstly, being backslidden and not living in God’s presence. That problem is easily remedied by repenting and coming afresh to the one who gives us water from Heaven such that we never thirst in that way again.

Then there is the longing that is triggered not by the lack but by the nearness of his presence. A bit like how you can be quite happily minding your own business when from nowhere you are aware of a wonderful aroma of your favourite food cooking and suddenly your stomach lets your brain know that it’s lunchtime and you are really hungry.

I believe the Lord allows us to smell the fragrance of Heaven in order to trigger that hunger for his presence.

This rain falls on thirsty people
Some years ago, I was in a meeting where everyone except me seemed to receive an amazing touch from the Lord. There was less than a dozen of us in the room but although I was part of the ministry team, I felt nothing. (Anyone else like me?) Driving away from that meeting, I felt an inner voice say to me, “I gave you something in that meeting.” Even though I knew I had never won an argument with God before, I tried! “No. You didn’t,” said I. “I was there and everyone else was mightily touched and I felt nothing.”

Then, I felt the Lord say to me, “Yes, I did. I gave you hunger.” Well, I almost crashed my car as the truth of that hit me. I felt a strong, desperate desire for God’s presence.

That was nearly 30 years ago now, and that hunger has never left me or diminished, even though I have had multiple amazing experiences encountering him in many nations of the world in both large and small settings. For all of those blessings, I am immeasurably grateful, but I still yearn for his presence on a daily basis.

It is on such dry, thirsty people that he will pour out his presence. I believe it is my duty to stay hungry and thirsty.

So much of life demands cerebral and emotional engagement that I can neglect and even forget that “those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).

The seed needs rain
Times of sitting in his presence, worshipping him, and experiencing his Spirit wash over us are vital if we want to remain fresh and overflowing. The sons of Korah in the world’s best-known worship songbook knew this: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1). We are so grateful for all he has given us, but we know there’s more because he’s told us to keep on asking, seeking and knocking.

Isaiah paints a wonderful but unlikely picture when he says, “The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.” The seed has already been planted. The church has planted lots of seed but not had a harvest. There is nothing wrong with the seed; it just needs the rain!

Our need isn’t either more of the Word or more of the Spirit but for both. We need the Word AND the Spirit. What sort of gardener plants good seed and doesn’t water it?

Is your hunger growing?
It’s time to strengthen weak hands and knees. As Christians, we are not immune from the common ravages of daily life, but we do have an eternal resource in being able to turn to someone who cares, protects, and provides. He strengthens us with his presence. As Psalm 16:11 tells us: “In your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forever more.” And Nehemiah says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness depends on what happens. Joy depends on whose presence you chose to live your life in.

Living our lives in God’s presence means living with the flow of his Spirit to the point that the river bursts its banks and miracles happen (Isaiah 35:5-7). The eyes of the blind are opened, the deaf hear, the lame leap. I’m believing for an outbreak of the miraculous – can you sense the hunger growing?

Why does this happen? Isaiah says it is because there will be streams flowing OUT of the desert. Now that doesn’t make any sense at all. Surely streams need to flow into the desert? Not when we are speaking of heavenly things. This river flows out of thirsty people and brings refreshing everywhere it goes.

The finest of the fare
So, how does the river get into our landscape? Look at this Scripture in Isaiah 55:1, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”

How can we buy without money? It would be wonderful if supermarkets would allow us to do that. But the prophet isn’t speaking of something natural but the supernatural spiritual food and drink of the Kingdom of God. In his economy, it’s not the rich who can afford the finest of the fare or even the best-educated holy persons. No, the truth of this Scripture is that the currency of the Kingdom of God is not the pound, the euro or even the dollar: it’s HUNGER and THIRST. Hunger is the currency of the Kingdom of God.

Anyone hungry? Anyone thirsty? Come, buy without money and without price!

David Campbell is Elim’s Regional Leader for Elim’s two Metropolitan Regions.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.

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