It Is the Spirit Who Gives Life
Month 7: The Miracle Worker · Walking in the Spirit
Today's Scripture
Read together: John 6:63 & John 7:37-39
63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. — John 6:63
37 On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’” 39 He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. — John 7:37-39
Memory Verse
“Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.”— John 6:35 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Proverbs 18-21
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. ("The name of the Lord is a strong tower" — Proverbs 18 reminds us where the safe place is.)The Heart of It
After the bread of life sermon, many in the crowd grumbled. Jesus' words felt too hard and too strange. So He told them where the real life comes from: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." Bread feeds the body. But bread can't put life into a dead heart. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. A little later, at a great feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." And John explains it for us plainly: "this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive."
Here is the beautiful connection. Yesterday we said that Jesus satisfies our deepest hunger. Today He tells us how that filling comes alive inside us. It comes by the Holy Spirit, poured into hearts that believe. Notice how wide open the invitation is. "If anyone thirsts, let him come." Nobody is shut out. All it takes is thirst and faith. Come, and drink. And the result isn't a tiny trickle. It is rivers of living water flowing out of us to bless others. This is the Spirit-filled life Jesus promised, and poured out at Pentecost. He doesn't want His people running on empty, white-knuckling their faith. He wants us filled, and refreshed, and overflowing. If you are thirsty today, you are exactly the kind of person Jesus is calling. Come and drink.
Around the Table
When you're thirsty, you drink water. Jesus gives a special "living water" to fill our hearts. That living water is the Holy Spirit!
Let's do it: Take a sip of water and say, "Jesus, fill my heart with Your Spirit!"
Jesus said rivers of living water would flow out of us. When the Spirit fills us, who else gets blessed?
Let's talk: What does it look like for kindness or joy to "flow out" of you, to your brother, your sister, or your friend?
Jesus says, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing." We can't make ourselves spiritually alive just by trying harder. It takes the Holy Spirit.
Let's go deeper: What's the difference between obeying God by sheer willpower, and being filled and carried along by His Spirit? Which one describes you lately?
💬 Conversation Starter
Think of a cold drink right after you've been really thirsty. What does that feel like? Jesus says coming to Him is even better than that, deep down in your soul.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
Jesus openly invited "anyone" who thirsts to come and drink. There was no fine print, and no favorites. That wide-open invitation is exactly what we'd expect from a Savior who, as Scripture says, "is not willing that any should perish" ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
"If anyone thirsts" is one of the most gracious lines in the Gospels. It cuts against the idea that God only opens the door to a chosen few. Jesus stands up and cries out the invitation in public. He is truly offering Himself to all who will come. The Spirit He promised here was poured out at Pentecost. And He is still given to those who ask (). This is the heart of the Spirit-filled life we're called to lead our families into. But notice the order. Thirst comes first. Spiritual fullness isn't for the self-sufficient. It's for the parched. Father, the most useful thing you can model this week may not be your strength. It may be your thirst. Let your kids see you come to Jesus empty, and ask Him to fill you fresh again. Rivers don't flow from a man pretending to be full. They flow from a man who keeps coming back to drink.
Draws on: Gordon Fee, God's Empowering Presence.
Let's Pray Together
"Lord Jesus, we are thirsty, and we come to You. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Let rivers of living water flow out of us to bless the people around us. We can't make ourselves alive. Only Your Spirit can. Fill us fresh again today. In Jesus' name, amen."
The Spirit gives life. So I come thirsty to Jesus and let Him fill me till I overflow.