ALL MY FOUNTAINS ARE IN YOU - Revelation Central

Pulpit Today Sermons

by Robert D Pace

All My Fountains Are In You!

—Psalm 87:7—

“As they make music they will sing,

“All my fountains are in you.””

Today’s message regards the fountains of God. Whether Scripture calls them springs, streams, rivers, or wells I’m referring to the waters—both natural and spiritual—that enliven and enrich our soul.

As a preacher of the Gospel, I want to identify the preeminent of all fountains: And that fountain is Jesus Christ who said, “I am the water of life.” He is the life-giving flow that Christians draw from today and throughout the endless ages to come. And I am compelled to say, Jesus is the indispensable water that Adam’s race cannot live without!

With that said, let’s look again at our opening text. Did you notice that David pluralized the word fountain? He said, “all my fountains are in you.” But this is not unique to David, because this literary notation appears throughout the Bible:

When Moses prophesied that God would give the Israelites Canaan, he said this in Deuteronomy 8:7, “God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills.”

Psalm 46:4 says, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”

In John 7:38, Jesus said he would provide us with “rivers (plural) of living water.”

The prophet Isaiah said, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).

Yes, the Bible shows God providing multiple waters from which we can find satisfaction. But is Scripture suggesting there are waters outside the Christian Faith that bring satisfaction? Not at all! All these fountains and streams and rivers have one connection, and it’s this: They are all sourced from the throne of God! It’s the high and holy seat of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that is the fountainhead of these waters.

(Transition) Since this is so, I want to identify some fountains God has provided for our enjoyment.

Identifying the Fountains of God

Your fountain could be your spouse. You recall after God created Adam that he said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). Eve was the only creature that could satisfy and complete Adam. And notice what Solomon said about his lover: “You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon” (SOS 4:15).

Then, your fountain might be a special friend that God has brought into your life. It’s someone you can unburden your soul and know your words are safe; you can laugh, cry, or even do fun things with them; or, you can talk with about the Bible with them.

Some people are fortunate enough to have their “dream job.” And it takes a lot of pressure off the mind and body to arise each morning knowing you will labor at a “fountain.”

Some of you are “nature lovers.” You love the outdoors and especially during seasonal changes. It’s the artistry of God upon nature that fills you with wonderment. Imagine if God had used nothing but one color to paint the picture of life! How dull that would be!

Next, God has provided fountains of recreation to refresh us. The human body needs movement to stay healthy. That’s why you are attracted to activities like golf, bowling, fishing, or other outdoor events. Recreation offers a stream of events that can cheer your life!

And then some people are enriched by the fountains of “ology.” Do you recognize that Greek suffix ology? It means, “the study of.” There are countless “ologies” that intrigue people: archeology; biology; climatology; geology; paleology; pathology; sociology; typology; and theology. Because of God’s workmanship upon Creation, our “study” has no end to the enlightenment and watering that it brings to the human mind.

Perhaps your fountain is a special devotional or commentary that nurtures your soul. Who knows, it could be a minister that is skilled in preaching the Word of God that inspires you. Solomon said, “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life” (Proverbs 13:14).

Finally, and most importantly—I want to repeat that!—most importantly, some have discovered their fountain to be their direct fellowship with God by worshiping him. Your worship could include praise and thanksgiving; it might be prayer or Bible reading; or it could be singing and making melody in your heart. I am convinced that direct, One-on-one communion with the infinite God is the most refreshing of all fountains from which we can drink!

Do you see how vast God’s fountains are? He’s provided fountains that invigorate our body, thrill our heart, and stimulate our mind. And there’s a reason he’s done this. The Lord knows we cannot live without water! In order to claim the abundant life that Jesus promised we must have his waters of refreshment, rejuvenation, inspiration, and enjoyment.

Here’s what’s wonderful about all this. It’s what David said in Psalm 65:9. He wrote, “The streams of God are full of water.” Imagine that! Because they are sourced from the throne of God his supply is never-ending. That means, we can partake of his bountiful waters of refreshment wherever God leads us. Praise the Lord! Are you living at his fountains and enjoying his provision?

God is Sovereign Over the Waters!

Before I continue, I want to address a question you might have. Perhaps you’re thinking about droughts that the Bible mentions. Scripture plainly records them. So on one hand I’m stating that, “The streams of God are full of water,” while on the other I’m acknowledging the numerous droughts of the Bible. How do we reconcile this disparity?

(Insight) As you study the Bible you discover its explanation for seasons of dryness: Droughts—even our spiritual droughts—don’t indicate God’s supply has run dry. No, there’s a deeper meaning! Seasons of dryness emerge to demonstrate that God is sovereign over the waters!

For example, even the Brook of Cherith, that sustained the mighty prophet Elijah, vanished halfway through a seven-year famine. But God had a reason for this. Something occurred in the spirit realm that dried that brook and pulled Elijah into the precincts of Zarephath. And it was the faith of a widow! Her faith had latched onto Elijah and brought him into her front yard! And after Elijah multiplied this widow’s meal barrel, there was no mention of Elijah or this widow lacking food or water for the remainder of the drought. Like Elijah discovered, when waters disappear, God always has another location of supply.

There’s something we should remember about this planet, which is home to nearly nine billion people: It is impossible for mankind to deplete this planet’s water supply. Why?

It’s because the Bible’s account of Creation in Genesis 1:6—7, shows that God brought forth Earth’s landmass from the waters.

But besides Genesis, 2 Peter 3:5 says, “The earth was formed out of water and by water.”

And here’s one more from Psalm 24:1—2 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; (2) for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.”

The last natural resource that could possibly disappear from the earth is water. This planet is drenched with it! So when seasons of drought appear, it is God’s way of proving he is sovereign over the waters. He can call them forth or he can hold them back!

(Key Point) I want to pause here to express the main point of this message: If you are a Christian, God has given you “rights” to the waters! These “water rights” are so guaranteed it essentially means this: God has given you a Covenant of Water. He’s done this because he knows it’s impossible for us to live without it.

(Transition) Since that’s the case, I want to illustrate how important waters are to our welfare. In so doing, I’d like you to participate with me.

The Necessity of Water

(Participation) For the next moment, I want you to visualize a desert. Envision it far and wide. [Pause] Other than sand and cactus, you probably observe very little. And your depiction of the desert reveals something: It shows that dearth and death prevail in waterless places. And what a spiritual application we can make from that! The environment you dwell in—your spiritual, mental, and physical environment—must maintain a free flow of water or you will become but a desert wasteland. You will wilt and wither away.

(Participation) Now let’s take a second mental exercise. I want you to envision Heaven—the ultimate place of life, harmony, and beauty. It takes much longer to visualize Heaven than a desert. [Pause] Regardless of the many observations we could make about Heaven, notice one way the Bible depicts it:

Revelation 22:1 says, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

Revelation 7:17 says, “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’”

And then David said in Psalm 46:4, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”

Heaven is filled with water! As the last chapter of the Bible points out, there is a crystal river proceeding directly from God’s throne, which breaks forth into streams, springs, brooks, and watercourses everywhere. And there is a purpose for this aqueous effusion from God’s throne: It’s how he pumps life into that celestial city. Everything in Heaven is animated by the River of Life—whether it’s grass, flowers, trees, animals, angels, or humans. Heaven is the “land of the living” because it’s watered by the Living God!

Here’s the Good News about this: You don’t have to wait until you reach Heaven to live at these rivers, fountains, and streams. God’s Covenant of Water means they are available today! That’s why Jesus—the Water of Life—could say in John 10:10, “I have come that you may have life and that you may have it more abundantly.”

(Transition) Is your desire to live at the Lord’s fountains? If so, then consider how God supplied the Israelites with water in the Old Testament:

Waters of the Promised Land

Moses had completed his 40-year mission of guiding the Israelites through the wilderness. Now they were about to enter the Promised Land. This is where Moses states something interesting about their inheritance. Here were approximately one to three million Jews ready to enter Canaan, but what good would that land be without water? It would be useless! So before the Israelites took one step into their inheritance, God combined his promise to grant them land with his promise to grant them water. Here’s what Moses pledged to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 8:7.

“For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—

a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs

gushing out into the valleys and hills.”

(Observation) I have a question: How could God possibly fulfill this promise when Canaan was 60% desert? Where were these “brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out”? Well, God answered this question in Isaiah 41:17—18.

The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. (18) I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.

So there we see it! God is sovereign over the waters! He determined whether the waters of that desert flowed freely or they withdrew and became inaccessible. Did that mean the Israelites could wake up one day and discover that God had evaporated the waters? Yes, Deuteronomy 28 warned this would occur if they disobeyed his Law (15–24). But fortunately for the Israelites, they could avoid that. They had a Covenant of Water! As long as they obeyed the Law of Moses liquid refreshment would bubble in their desert.

(Transition) I also want to say something else about God’s sovereignty over the waters: There will be occasions when God tests you at the waters.

God Tests His People at Water

The LORD said in Psalm 81:7, “I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” Meribah was a place without water (Numbers 20:2—13). That’s not pleasant when you’re traveling through the desert! But then later, the Israelites encountered the bitter and undrinkable waters of Marah (Exodus 15:22—27). In either case, when this happens, God is looking for a response from his people: He’s waiting to see if you will stand in faith and praise him regardless of your circumstances, or if you will yield to unbelief and complain. As for the Israelites, they failed the test in both places!

Is it not true that our chief complaints concern our “lot in life”? We are ready to mutter the moment life disappoints us. Just remember, God is often the Chief Architect of such places. He’s testing us! And he’s giving us the opportunity to exhibit faith and say, “My God is sovereign over the waters, and by his grace he’ll supply the next place, because, “The streams of God are full of water”” (Psalm 65:9).

(Transition) Let’s develop this a bit further. Does the Bible disclose how we can claim waters of refreshment when we abide in a dry place? Yes! There’s a beautiful narrative in Judges 1 that discloses how to do this.

“Give Me Springs!”

Perhaps you remember the elderly statesman Caleb, who after forty years of wandering in the desert with Moses, took one step into the Promised Land and shouted, “Give me this mountain!” Caleb was claiming his real estate. But he’s not only full of faith, he’s also full of love and wants to make certain that his daughter is cared for. Let’s read Judges 1:12—15.

Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” (13) Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage. (14) One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?” (15) She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

This is an important story. You say, Of course it is! God put it in the Bible and that makes it important! But, did you know the Bible records this event twice? For some reason, God placed double significance upon this narrative. (Joshua 15:16—19) Since that’s the case, let’s investigate it further:

From the start, it appears that Othniel and Aksah are in love, because as quickly as Caleb pledges his daughter to whomever vanquishes Kiriath Sepher, Othniel leaps into action, conquers the land, and exclaims “I do” to Aksah. But there was something missing! While Othniel and Aksah now own beautiful property, it lacked water. So now it’s Aksah’s time to take action. She had initially asked Othniel to do this but the moment she sees her father she takes the initiative! She says in verse 15, “[Father,] Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” That’s when her father, Caleb, gave her the upper and lower springs.

That’s bold, isn’t it? But do you realize that Aksah was simply claiming the promise of Deuteronomy 8:7, which I read moments ago? Moses had said, “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills.” All Aksah did was appropriate God’s promise. She didn’t drop her head and lament, “Well, Dad gave me a nice parcel of property, but it would be presumptuous to ask him to include water.” No! She insisted on what God had promised through Moses. And she received it! But, she didn’t acquire it until she appealed for it!

(Application) Here’s my question: If you’re thirsty and dry; if you’re languishing without joy—knowing that God has provided you a Covenant of Water—what are you doing to reverse circumstances? Have you appealed to your Heavenly Father for springs of refreshment? This is why this story of Aksah appears in Scripture twice. It’s to demonstrate our need to appeal unto God for our fountains. And here’s the remarkable revelation about this story: Your fountain could be but a prayer away!

This is what Zechariah 10:1 means when it says, “Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people.…”

(Promise) Always remember that God’s plan for you contains water. If it’s not on the surface, he has it hidden in a well below. If there is no water on the surface or below, he can gather rain clouds above. And if there’s no water before, below, or above God can provide water from a rock—as he did for the Israelites in the desert! You can thrive wherever God puts you because—and you know what I’m about to say—God is sovereign over the waters!

(Transition) There is a deeply personal reason that everyone should live at the waters of God. And it regards our interaction with others.

Fountains Cure Loneliness

(Self-Examination) Some people live lonely and friendless lives. They wonder why others aren’t attracted to them. If that describes you, then you may want to examine the outflow of your life. If your outflow always swirls with drama and negativity this could explain your loneliness. But the good news is, new or improved relationships could take nothing more than changing the water of your soul. When you let Jesus—the Water of Life—spring from your heart, and you let the rivers of the Spirit course from your soul you will instinctively attract others. People are drawn to those whose waters run deep. It’s a universal principle! People overflowing with the springs of God give others a reason to draw near.

Saints of God, please hear me! Never cease going to your waters! Some people have told themselves, “It’s no use. My fountains have evaporated. My streams have run dry.” You’ve almost given up hope! But in the name of the Lord, let me warn you of the danger of living apart from the waters. It’s because persisting in dry places can make you susceptible to Satan like you may have never considered. And here’s why:

(Insight) In Matthew 12:43 Jesus noted that demonic spirits infiltrate arid, desert places. Think about that! Demons infest waterless, parched wastelands. And there is a foreboding analogy that emerges here: The reason some people are so easily plagued by tormenting spirits is because they have denied the streams of God from flowing through their lives. They have forbidden the springs of the Spirit from encircling them. Moreover, their dry, waterless estate actually attracts tormenting spirits! And when this happens spirits can afflict and shackle a person in merciless ways.

There are people today that Satan is lying to: He’s saying, “Put away your prayer list because it’s no use! God’s promises have evaporated; his mercies have run dry; his love is depleted; his goodness toward you no longer flows!” (Pause) If that describes you then there is but one recourse to take: You have to beat back the devil’s lies and say, “No, Satan, that’s not what my Bible says! “The streams of God are full of water,” and I claim them!

(Transition) Now let’s move to the final point in today’s message. And it concerns the surprising way that Jesus launched his public ministry:

Jesus Launches His Public Ministry

It began at the Jordan River where John baptized Jesus. As Christ arose from the water, the Holy Spirit descended upon him, and a voice from heaven thundered, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). With this booming affirmation from Heaven, you would assume Jesus would immediately launch his ministry; but not so! Matthew, Mark, and Luke each document Christ’s next order of business. Since these passages are short, I want to read each report:

Matthew 4:1 says, “Then [after his baptism] Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Mark 1:12—13 says, “At once [after his baptism] the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, (13) and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan.

Luke 4:1—2 reads, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, (2) where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.

(Insight) There is cryptic symbolism in this scene of Christ’s baptism. Did you notice where Matthew, Mark, and Luke show Christ going immediately after his baptism? Each writer shows how Jesus left the Jordan River and walked directly into the wilderness. Now, here’s what’s insightful about this: Each Gospelist discloses that Jesus walked into battle against Satan “soaking wet”! Did you notice that? What a metaphor! There was Jesus—the “Water of Life”—drenched with water from the river—which symbolizes the Holy Spirit. And now he’s marching toward the Devil’s barren and baked desert turf. It’s here that the metaphor crystallizes: Jesus demonstrated that the way to overcome Satan is by being saturated with the waters of the Spirit of God.

Conclusion: Will You Live at the Fountain?

I want to close today’s message by asking this: Are you living at the waters? You see, it’s God’s duty to provide but it’s yours to decide! He’s urging you to abide at his waters. He wants you to move from fountains, to springs, to wells, to rivers, and then start the process all over. Can you make it your ambition to say, “I will drink from the fountains of the Lord?”

I challenge you to abide at the fountain of prayer and discover the joy of communing with God.

I challenge you to drink daily from God’s Word and let his knowledge and wisdom fill your mind.

I challenge you to drink from the rivers of the Spirit and experience the “joy that’s unspeakable and full of glory.”

I challenge you to enjoy the fountains of Christian fellowship and know what it means to “love one another” (1 John 4:7—8).

And then, I challenge you to discover what David meant when he exclaimed, “All my fountains are in you [O Lord]!”

I leave you with this challenge: If you will drink freely from the Lord’s supply for one month; if you will make it your ambition to say with David, “all my fountains are in you [O Lord]!”, then I guarantee that you will be radically transformed! You’ll discover a new you!