Did you know that you are like a sponge? God has made us that way. He wants us to be a spiritual sponge for His glory. If you have ever picked up a sponge you will notice just how inflexible it is without water. When water is absent it is hard. On the other hand, if you hold it under the water spout you will immediately see just how flexible it becomes. Not only that, the sponge becomes a useful tool in cleaning things. Do you know that God wants you to be saturated with the waters of His Spirit?
Think about dryness for a minute. Think about being in a dehydrated state. All of us have experienced this in our lives. There are times when we need some water. Maybe we have not been near the water source and had needed to catch up. Without water it is easy to get stiff, impatient and irritable. This is what happens to us spiritually as well. If we have not been drinking of the Holy Spirit, then we become pretenders.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
Matthew 23:15
g5273. hypokrits; from 5271; an actor under an assumed character (stage- player), pretender.
Did you know that a hypocrite is defined as an “actor”, someone who is just putting on a performance? That is what happens when we decide to live out our lives apart from the waters of the Holy Spirit, apart from intimacy with God. We learn another way of doing religious things apart from dependence upon God, making us hypocrites. Jesus said, “Woe to you Pharisees, hypocrites!” They were ignorant of the Holy Spirit. A matter of fact, they were “stiff-necked”. They were dry sponges. Because every one of us is like a sponge. We will sponge up one thing or another. God knows what we need, the Presence of His Spirit, the well of living water. It is so important for us to learn how to drink of the Spirit, soak in His Presence and be made flexible for His purposes.
Therefore with joy you will draw water
Isaiah 12:3
From the wells of salvation.
If you have ever tried to squeeze a dry sponge you will find it is not flexible. ?Picture yourself as a dry sponge in the hand of God. Not a pretty picture. God is squeezing you, but nothing is coming out. Not only that, but because there is no flexibility in your life it actually hurts you. But when we learn to be filled with His Presence He can squeeze us and His Spirit makes it so much easier. You will even feel His pleasure because He is glad to have a useful sponge. You are not grumpy or complaining, but rather giving thanks to God. The Holy Spirit helps you to worship, keeping your focus upon the Lord.
You can always count on God squeezing you. What comes out depends on our willingness to spend time with Him. Learn how to soak in the Holy Spirit. Allow Him time to tenderize your heart, making you flexible for the purposes of God. Then when God squeezes you His water will flow out to others as refreshing spring. Don’t be a dry sponge that has nothing to give. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Become a Holy Spirit addict for the sake of God’s glory. Because we can do nothing apart from Him.
Then Jesus answered and said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
John 5:19
God has great plans, great purpose for our lives. The foundational key to seeing all God desires for us coming to pass is spending time in His Presence.