Our Lord Jesus has promised that He will so fill the heart of Christians that they will no longer be ruled by discouragement and dissatisfaction.
He promised, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst…” (John 4:13-14 NIV).
He gives permanent satisfaction. Why then are some of us still thirsty? Why are we still unsatisfied?
This is because we emphasize only the promise in John 4:14, where He states, “…Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst….” But please notice that He first declares, “everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again….”
“This water” refers to the water that Jacob left behind – the best of the water of this world.
The Lord is promising a satisfaction in this context, but we must understand how the best of the water of this world cannot satisfy. First, we must know that everyone who drinks of the water of this world will thirst again, but we must take note of what the Lord says next – that a person shall never thirst.
Why then do so many Christians still feel thirsty today? Why is a Christian disappointed, and discouraged? The answer: expectation. If there is never any expectation, there will never be any disappointment. If a man never expects riches of the world, he will never be disappointed when he has no wealth.
On the other hand, if we expect the water (riches) of this world to satisfy us, we are sure to be disappointed. If we seek for such passing things as fame, wealth, and worldly pleasures, once we get them into hands, we discover that they do not satisfy us.
They are not the answer to our longings. So immediately, we begin longing for something else. A man once offered a reward for “the perfectly satisfied man.” The person who professed to be perfectly satisfied appeared to claim the reward.
However, he did not qualify, for he was asked, “If you are perfectly satisfied, what do you want with the reward?” Hence our mistake is in the expectation for the fleeting things to satisfy us.
As we grope after these things, they elude us so that our hearts can never really be satisfied. So where then is satisfaction to be found so that we will never thirst again?
Judging by the things that happened in this life – the circumstances He faced throughout the earthly walk – the Lord Jesus could have been discouraged or despondent many times, yet He never was.
In spite of the fact that He had many adversaries, it was already prophesied in Isaiah 42:4, “He will not fail or be discouraged.”
Why, in spite of all the opposition, was our Lord never discouraged? Because He accepted the Father’s will as His reward. His satisfaction was found in God and God alone.
Because of this, no matter how changeable people and things of the world were around Him, nothing could discourage Him. Whoever, therefore, makes God his satisfaction shall never be discouraged.
Power Principles for Power Living by Dwight Thompson
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Dwight Thompson has become one of the most powerful evangelists of our time. Known worldwide for his legendary ability to captivate and move an audience, he has devoted his ministry to touching the lives of all those who are lost and hurting with a message of hope, found through salvation and deliverance in Jesus Christ.
The elements that make his message unforgettable include humor, compassion, deeply rooted Biblical convictions, and unique ways of illustrating the meaning of Scriptural phrases, parables, and promises.
Dwight has traveled around the world as an evangelist, preaching to millions and leading thousands of lost souls to Jesus Christ. His crusades frequently launch long-lasting revivals. With his ability to communicate the Gospel with power and charisma, he touches countless lives.
Dwight and Zonelle have been married for 51 years and have two children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Zonelle travels nation-wide with Dwight, and she is the founder of Operation STITCHES (Saving The Inner-city Through Christ’s Hope: Eternal Salvation), an outreach to inner-city children and their families.
God has given both Dwight and Zonelle a divine love for souls. He has created within the two of them an obsession for helping people transform their very existence.
Dwight and Zonelle know the worth of just one soul and are committed to continue being obedient to the calling God placed on them over 49 years ago.
Truly, Dwight Thompson is a man with a call on his life and a commitment in his heart to reach lost souls for Jesus Christ.