r
the supply of _surrounding_ needs; "out of him" in whom is the
"well"--"out of him" who is abundantly satisfied with Christ--"shall
flow rivers of living water," bearing life and satisfaction and gladness
into the abounding death and destitution and dreariness that exist on
every hand; for "everything shall live whithersoever the river cometh"
(Ezek. xlvii. 9). Does your Church, your neighborhood feel the
vivifying, fructifying, refreshing influences of your presence? Most
certainly, if John vii. 38 is your experience; in other words, if you
have been "filled with the Spirit." But remember we must go through the
fourth of John to get into the seventh! In John iii. we have the
Indwelling, in John iv. the Infilling, and in John vii. the Overflowing.

_3. "The Promise of the Father."_

"Wait for the promise of the Father" (Acts i. 4). See also ii. 33, ii.
39, Gal. iii. 14, Luke xxiv. 49. There are many promises in the Divine
Word given us by the Father; but there is only one promise spoken of as
"_The_ promise," giving it a pre-eminence among all the other "exceeding
great and precious promises." What that "promise" was is ascertained by
comparing Acts i. 4, "Wait for the promise," with Acts i. 5, "Ye shall
be baptized," and Acts ii. 4, "They were all filled." To whom does "the
promise" of the Father belong? surely to all the Father's children
without favor or distinction. Since then "the promise is unto _you_," the
question for "you" to settle is, Have you "_received_" the promise? A
promise never made use of is like a check never cashed, and is of little
use to the one who gets it. Have you cashed the check? If not, why not?
the fault is with the child and not with the Father.

_4. "Pouring Forth."_

"I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all flesh" (Acts ii. 17). See also
Acts ii. 18, Joel ii. 28, 29, Isaiah xliv. 3, Acts ii. 33, Acts x. 45.
From this expression we may learn still more clearly the copiousness of
the blessing.

_5. "The gift."_

"And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts ii. 38). See also
Acts viii. 20, Acts x. 45, Acts xi. 17. From this expression may we not
learn the freeness of the blessing? In this connection ponder carefully
the "how much more" of Luke xi. 13.

_6. "Receiving."_

"And they received the Holy Ghost" (Acts viii. 17). See also, "Ye shall
receive power" (Acts i. 8); "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye
believed?" (Acts xix. 2); Acts viii. 15, John xx.