In John 7:38, Jesus said, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” What’s flowing out of his belly? It is a reference to the Holy Spirit. Instruction comes out of your spirit by the Holy Spirit. When God gives instruction, that's the river. If you can learn how to follow the river, He will lead you to the place where you need to be.

Under the covenant of grace, we’re to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, where we allow Him to lead us. Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. That's not simply a nice little catchy phrase. Jesus is giving us instructions in that scripture. Follow the river! He's telling you where it is. It’s in you.

Look at the flow of the river in the life of Joseph. It wasn’t a nice, tidy river. The river was flowing when his brothers threw Joseph in a pit and left him to die (Genesis 37:24). Then they took him out of the pit and sold him on the slave block for profit (Genesis 37:28). No one had any idea where this river was going to take Joseph. From the slave block, he ended up in Potiphar’s house. But God was with Him, and he was a prosperous man! (Genesis 39:1-2). Follow the river!

There, Joseph was accused by Potiphar’s wife of assaulting her, and Joseph ended up in jail (Genesis 39:18-20). So far, this river wasn’t taking Joseph where he wanted to go! But wherever he found himself, God was with him, and he submitted himself to the leadership of the river. When it was all said and done, Joseph became governor over the entire land of Egypt, in charge of all that Pharaoh possessed (Genesis 41:43).

So many Christians want to prosper as long as they can tell the Holy Ghost to follow them—their own plans for their lives. But that's not how it works. We are to follow Him. The river is taking us somewhere. You may not care for where the river has taken you up to this point in life, but keep following the river.

Joseph’s promotion came right in the middle of a jail cell! The promotion was a reward for what happened while he was sleeping—resting. God gave him the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream, and the river finally brought him to his destiny to become one of the most powerful men in all of Egypt! (Genesis 41:39-40). You can't plan that! Sometimes your hard times are the launching pad into your good times. But we can't talk about prosperity unless we understand that there's a cost; there's a price, and the price is real simple. Follow the river.

Listen, just because something is scriptural doesn't mean you need to do it, if the river—the Holy Ghost—isn’t leading you to do it. Even with the written Word, you still require the leadership of the Holy Spirit to show you how to proceed with the written Word.

If you really want to prosper, you're going to have to trust Jesus. You've got to go before God with an open Bible, and a prayerful heart. The rivers that flow out of your belly will be the rivers that you’ll follow. Somebody says, “I thought that meant praying in tongues.” Yes, it does! But guess what happens when you pray in tongues. You speak mysteries! You speak divine secrets. You speak hidden wisdom. When you pray in tongues, wisdom and answers are coming out of you. So always ask God to give you the interpretation of what you're praying in your heavenly language. Follow the river.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Ps. 1:3)

How are you living your life today? Are you attempting to prosper and attain God’s promises based on your own work and self-effort? Or are you following the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit? God wants to prosper His people in every area of their lives! As you follow and obey the Holy Spirit, He’ll guide you into God’s divine, preordained plan for your life!

Copyright © Creflo Dollar Ministries/World Changers Church International
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