Wells of Salvation

If you were out in the desert, hot, tired, and thirsty, and you did not know that there was a well of water near by, you would not go to it. If you knew that there was a well, but did not believe there was water in it, you would not go to the well. If you knew that there was a well there and there was water in it but did not believe there was a way to get water out of it, you would not try. If you knew there was a well and water in it and that you could get good water out of it, you would still have to lower the bucket into the water in the well and then draw the water out of the well. However, the Scripture tells us that there are WELLS of salvation.

In growing up in a main line church, I learned about only one well of salvation.  It was a the salvation from hell.  At the age of nine, I gave my life to Jesus and received my ticket to Heaven and a new spiritual life.  Praise the Lord!  However over the years of Bible study and prayer I have discovered that there are other wells of salvation.  Throughout this web site you will discover some of them.  There are wells of salvation of the soul (mind, will, and emotions).  God can save us from thinking wrong thoughts, making wrong decisions, and from our emotions from being out of control.  There is a well of healing for the emotions.  There is a well of salvation from addictions.  There is a well to save us from generational curses.  There is a well of deliverance from evil spirits.  There is a well of salvation from financial poverty.  There is a well of salvation from spiritual ignorance.  There is a well of salvation from depression. There is a well of salvation from disease.  There is a well of salvation from a lack of purpose.  There is a well of salvation from loneliness.  There is a well of salvation from our enemies.  There is a well of salvation for spiritual guidance. There is a well of salvation for broken family relationships.  Furthermore, there are many more wells of salvation.

Rejoicing is one major aspect of worship of which many people know little.  Many churches are dead churches because the people have not learned to rejoice in worship.  Many people are depressed and even physically sick because they have not learned to rejoice in worship.  David tells us that we enter into worship with thanksgiving and praise. This is the proper way.  "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name" (Psalms 100:4). When we think of worship, we should think of thanksgiving and praise.

I have a very searching question.  Are we filled with joy as we worship?  David was the one who wrote the book of the Psalms.  He was a man after the heart of God.  He knew what worship was all about.  He said, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalms 16:11).  If we truly enter into worship, we should be in the presence of the Lord.  If we are truly in the presence of the Lord, we should experience a fulness of joy.

As we worship, we should rejoice in our salvation.  Isaiah said, "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3).  Do you remember when you got saved?  I was only nine years old when I got saved?  I remember experiencing a deep unspeakable joy from down deep inside.  Have we lost that joy?  We need to experience afresh the joy of our salvation.  We need to remember that God has saved us.  Once we could not come into His presence, but because Jesus gave his life for us, we can now boldly come before the throne of God as we worship. "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away" (Isaiah 35:10).  As we rejoice in our salvation sorrow and depression should disappear.

Furthermore, Jesus states that one reason that God saved us was so that we might be filled with the joy of the Lord. "And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves" (John 17:13).  We are to have the joy of God within ourselves.  Jesus also states that we should rejoice because our names are written in the Lamb's book of life in heaven.  He said, "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven" Luke 10:20).

We should also take note that God outlines joy in worship in the pattern of the Old Testament.  Nehemiah said unto the people, "... Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).  Does this sound like your worship service?  It sounds more like a party than the "grave" worship services that are in many of our churches. Nehemiah seems to be saying, "Have a good time in the Lord."  In fact, he forbids the people from being sorrowful.

In many services, the pastors emphasize living a perfect righteous life to such a degree that the Christian life becomes nothing more than a set of rules to follow.  The rules become the LETTER of the Law.  It becomes a real burden for those under such teaching.  However, Paul speaks to this issue when he said, "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17).  There is to be righteousness.  There is to be peace.  However, there is also to be joy in the Holy Spirit.  Various people  has developed a ministry around restoring the joy of the Lord to the Church and in the lives of individual.  Some enter into laughing as they are filled with the Spirit through the laying on of hands.

I believe that the story of the prodigal son gives us a good example of rejoicing in worship.  When the son returns, the father throws a celebration.  "But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:  And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing" (Luke 15:22-25).  Everyone was to celebrate!  There was food, music, and dancing.

We are also to rejoice in spite of our circumstances.  One of the more interesting passages on rejoicing is recorded by James.  "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations" (James 1:2).  I will never forget what a pastor said about this passage.  He said that when trial come our way, that we are to throw a party.  Most of us have a pity-party.  However, we are to a celebration!  Why?  When we overcome the trials though faith and patience, we grow.  Trials are an opportunity to grow and mature.

Habakkuk makes a declaration of faith.  He  says, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:17-18).  I can relate very well to this, because when I first began writing on this article some beet army worms have invaded the cotton crop in this area.  The chemists have found nothing that will control them.  Furthermore, cotton is the major cash crop on the farms. That year I had some farm expense but little income.  Yet, I am to rejoice in the Lord.  I do rejoice and praise the Lord. Amen.

Paul says that we are to rejoice all the time, which would imply that we are to rejoice no matter what the circumstances are.  "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4). He repeats the comment for emphasis.  We are to rejoice this whether we feel like it or not.

We are also to rejoice in our giving.  Many people come to church dreading the time when the offering is received.  However, God's Word would have us to look forward to the offering time with rejoicing. "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver" (II Corinthians 9:7).  Giving is to be our free choice.  We are not to dread it.  We are not to give just because some one has a need.  We are to give rejoicing.

We are to rejoice when we see others come to the Lord Jesus. David declared concerning the spiritual harvest, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy" (Psalms 126:5).  One of the greatest joys on earth is leading someone to the Lord.  It is also a joy to rejoice with those who have a testimony of leading someone to the Lord.  Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep.  When the sheep was found, there was rejoicing by the shepherd (Luke 15:5).  When we go to church and here the testimonies of those who have come to the Lord, we should rejoice.  We should also see that there is rejoicing in heaven when one is saved.  Jesus said, "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance" (Luke 15:7).

We should rejoice in having our prayers answered.  Jesus again states, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24).  I believe that we should have a time of testimonies in our worship services where people tell of answers to prayers.  Let's say it again.  Jesus wants to to rejoice.   "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John 15:11).

The first result is that rejoicing produces strong, moist bones.  "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones"  (Proverbs 17:22).  Second, rejoicing produces cheerful countenance.  It makes us look good.    "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken" ( Proverbs 15:13).  Third, rejoicing brings a fulness of joy.   "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John 15:11). Fourth, rejoicing helps us overcome mourning (groaning) and depression.  "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified" (Isaiah  61: 3).  Fifth, out of this we become a positive witness of God in our lives.

III. What things that hinder us from drawing water from the well with joy:

A. Fear and worry are like putting the lid on the bucket.
B. Burdens and worries are like putting rocks in the bucket.

1. They are heavy and cause it to drop to the bottom.
2. It is difficult to put it back out.
3. We should throw the rocks in the well.

C. Bitterness is like filling the bucket with vinegar.

1. It won't leave room for God's blessings.
2. It makes the water taste bad.

D. Doubt keeps us from putting the bucket into the well.
E. Impatience never allows us to fill the bucket.

1. We never let the bucket go all the way to the bottom of the well.
2. We don't allow time for the bucket to be filled.

F. Hate is like putting tar in the bucket.

1. It doesn't take much to spoil the water.
2. It sticks to everyone that touches it.

G. Ignorance of the Word keeps us from going to the well.

1. We don't know what is available.
2. In contrast, knowledge causes us to run to the well.

H. Lust and greed is like putting dirt into the bucket.

1. It weights down the bucket.
2. It produces a mixture (mud).

I. Hurts and unforgiveness (toward God, others and self) keeps us from using the rope properly.

1. They keep us tied up in knots.
2. We may use the rope to tie up ourselves or others.

J. Jealousy, anger, and rage causes us to take the bucket and try to hit others with it.
K. Pride says, "I don't need any water."
L. Busyness is like putting sand and little rocks into the bucket.

1. It makes for a very heavy bucket.
2. We tire out in pulling out the water.

A. We first have to have a thirst. (be tired of living the way that we are).
B. We have to have access to the well. (Jesus has already provided for that).
C. We have to believe there is water in the well.

1. (Reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on the Word).  II Corinthians 1:20 tells us that we have the promises.
2. Believe that the well will never run dry.
3. Believe that the water won't cost us.

D. We have to use the rope and bucket properly.

1. We need to forgive others and place their judgment in the Father's hands and also ask Him to forgive them.
2. We need to put away all jealousy and anger.

E. We have to have an empty bucket. (Be poor in spirit).
F. We have to have the motivation to draw the water. (The joy set before us).
G. We have to let the bucket down into the well.  (Through prayer).
H. We have to allow the bucket to go to the bottom of the well.  We are to endure hardships (count it all joy).
I. We have to allow the bucket go kar-splash and be filled.  (The joy in His presence).
J. We have to pull the bucket out of the well.  (Through  faith = claim the promises by holding on to God and to His Word.)
K. We have to drink of the water.  (We are to receive the promises = they refresh us.).
L. We are to be like the woman at the well.  (Share the water with others = joy made full.).
M. Then we can really celebrate.  (Rejoice always.).