Living Within the Banks of the River

We were created to live within the river. Staying within the river doesn't just happen, though. To live within the river we must go back to the Tree of Life consistently.

The bible says that on either side of the river is a Tree of Life. These trees hold the banks of the river together, keeping the banks secure, and as we partake of the trees then we stay in the river. We can only truly live within the river if we actively have the Tree of Life going on in our lives. If we are not partaking of the tree then we may catch ourselves in the river for a little while then stuck in the marsh of the banks. This happens because we have the river without the protection from the Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life has 12 different fruits it produces. The Hebrew meaning of the word fruit means “a takeaway” or “to catch up.” So, the twelve different types of takeaways are for their own season. Whatever season you are in is the fruit you are partaking of. Whatever season we are in, we need a revelation or a lesson that is hanging on the tree, waiting for us to go get it. We don’t get this revelation or lesson without going to the tree and partaking of it. The next part says, “The leaves are for the healing of our nations.” The Hebrew meaning of the word leaves comes from a root word meaning tribe or kinsmen. In other words, He puts us with a group of believers that we are able to grow with.

To enjoy this right of living within the river and partaking if the Tree of Life, there are three things we must practice: remember, do, and hate.

Remember from where you have fallen and all that life has taught you. If you want to stay in the river, then you have to remember what God has done, and the ditch he pulled you from. This keeps us humbled. Those who don’t remember become self-righteous.

Do your first works. Take those life lessons and apply them. When you go to the Tree of Life and pull a takeaway, you have to respond to the Holy Spirit by doing what He is showing you.

Hate the deeds of compromise. When you start to comprise, you start thinking outside of your tribe, outside of Christianity, and this will keep you in the marsh instead of the river. You may enjoy His present at times, but it will not be a place you can stay if you begin compromising.

So, how can we stay within the banks of the River? Always go back to the Tree of Life for the fruit we need in the season we are in. Things that were good before may not be good now because we are in a different season. Sometimes, we want to hold onto a revelation from God we got weeks ago, but we hold onto that revelation so tight that it becomes our God. Part of the Tree of Life is wisdom to discern our season. We need to stay with fresh manna, revelation from God.

Scripture:

Revelation 22:1-2

Revelation 2:4-7

Proverbs 3:13-19

Proverbs 11:30

Ezekial 47:1-12