The River of Life | Apostle Joshua Selman

The River of Life | Recharge Conference 2024 | Lagos, Nigeria | By Apostle Joshua Selman.

Below is a summary of Apostle Joshua Selman’s message at the 2024 Recharge Conference held in Lagos, Nigeria. Please remain blessed.

Welcome to an enlightening exploration of the profound ways in which God’s Spirit operates in our lives. In this message, we delve into the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, who not only brings restoration and accelerates progress but also infuses our existence with hope, peace, abundance, and justice.

Drawing from biblical examples and timeless principles, this discourse illuminates how the Spirit of God redeems time, restores lost opportunities, and propels us forward with supernatural speed. The story of Elijah, who outran the chariots of Ahab through divine empowerment, serves as a powerful testament to what is possible when the Spirit of God moves within us.

We will explore key scriptures, such as Isaiah 44:3 and Genesis 1:21, that highlight the Spirit’s ability to refresh weary souls, bring forth abundance, and administer divine justice. Whether you are seeking spiritual renewal, financial sufficiency, healing, or peace, the Holy Spirit’s life-giving ministry offers a comprehensive solution to life’s challenges.

Join us as we unpack these profound truths and discover how engaging with the Holy Spirit can lead to a life marked by divine restoration, supernatural acceleration, and abundant provision. Through this message, may you be inspired to deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit and experience His transformative power in every area of your life.

The Gifts at Salvation

As the river flows, it begins to bring everything to life. this teaching is titled the River of Life. There are three gifts that God gave man at salvation when you encounter Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, at the new birth experience.

1. The Forgiveness of Sins: The first gift is the forgiveness of sins. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Everyone who comes to Jesus receives the forgiveness of sins.
2. The Gift of Righteousness: The second gift is the gift of righteousness. Romans 5:17 says, “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” When you come to Christ, you receive an imputation of the gift of righteousness. E.W. Kenyon defines righteousness as the ability to stand before the Father without a sense of guilt, inferiority, or condemnation. It is both the nature of God imputed into the believer and the outworking that comes from that consciousness.
3. Abundant Life (Zoe): The third gift is abundant life, also known as Zoe. John 10:10 says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Conferences like these are moments of spiritual upgrade. The words you hear from anointed vessels build you, taking away haziness and gaps in your spiritual understanding. This abundant life is a reflection of the accuracy of your understanding of the ways of God.
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Defining Life

When the Bible talks about life, it is beyond mere existence. Life here means the summation of every component that upgrades a man to the God-class. It is a comprehensive term encompassing every aspect of our existence in Christ.

Components of Life in Christ:

• Fellowship with God: Life includes the components of fellowship with God, wisdom, intelligence, abundance, power, health, and vitality.
• Wisdom and Intelligence: The components of wisdom and intelligence that surpass all human understanding.
• Abundance: The component of abundance in every area of life.
• Power: The component of power, including the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Health and Vitality: The components of health and vitality.

When Jesus says, “I am come that ye may have life,” He is referring to a quality of life that transcends mere biological existence. He came to upgrade our quality of life to the God-class, giving us access to divine fellowship, superior wisdom, intelligence, abundance, power, and health.

Summation

This understanding of life is crucial because it forms the foundation of our Christian experience. If you only see salvation as forgiveness of sins, your experience will be limited. In addition to forgiveness, you receive righteousness and life. This life is a victorious, abundant, and upgraded existence in Christ.

When you come to Christ, you are no longer a normal human being. This new life in Christ means everything from you should reflect this divine upgrade. The consciousness of this life drives your prayers, fasting, and spiritual endeavors. You were given life, which means access to abundance, dominion, speed, restoration, health, and vitality.

Life is greater than anointing. Anointing is what gives credence to the consciousness of life. When you have this life, you are a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world.

Understanding Spiritual Warfare and the Role of the Holy Spirit

Key Insights:

1. Beyond Material Attacks:
   • Satan’s attacks go beyond material aspects like finances, children, or health. He targets the “God factor” in individuals, aiming to tarnish the representation of God in their lives. His ultimate goal is to distort the image of God that a believer projects.
2. Purpose of Satan’s Attacks:
   • Satan’s attacks are strategic. If he attacks finances, health, or any other aspect, it’s because he sees that these areas significantly impact the revelation of God’s glory through that person’s life. His aim is to damage whatever reflects God’s glory.
3. Life from Jesus:
   • Jesus came to give life, which is essential for manifesting God’s glory. This life enables believers to reflect God accurately. Anything less than this life misrepresents God.
4. Role of the Holy Spirit:
   • The Holy Spirit is both the conveyor and administrator of God’s life in man. He brings and manages the life of God within believers, facilitating the manifestation of God’s attributes through them.
5. The Spirit of Life:
   • Paul describes the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of Life.” This emphasizes His role in conveying and administering the life of God. Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit as rivers of living water, symbolizing the life-giving nature of the Spirit.
6. Ministry of the Holy Spirit:
   • The Holy Spirit’s ministry encompasses all aspects of life. Whether healing, abundance, or spiritual growth, He is the one who makes it happen. Every manifestation of God’s life and glory in believers is through the Holy Spirit.
7. Fruitfulness and Restoration:
   • The presence of the Holy Spirit ensures continuous fruitfulness and the ability to thrive even in adverse conditions. Scriptures like Psalm 1:3 and Jeremiah 17:8 depict a believer as a tree planted by the river, always fruitful regardless of external circumstances.
   • Restoration is another key ministry of the Holy Spirit. He can restore lost years and opportunities, bringing believers to a point where their past limitations no longer define their present reality.

Strategies for Redeeming Time

There are two principal ways God redeems time:

1. Restoration: God can bring back what was lost or stolen, often in a better or more abundant form.
2. Speed: God can accelerate progress, allowing one to achieve in a short time what would typically take much longer.

Both restoration and speed are facilitated by the Spirit of God. An example of this is found in the story of Elijah. When the hand of the Lord came upon him, he outran the chariots of Ahab all the way to Jezreel. This demonstrates how the Spirit of God can enable a person to achieve remarkable feats in a short time.

When the Spirit of God comes upon an individual, it brings about divine intervention, making it possible to recover lost opportunities and move forward rapidly. This is not merely a matter of human effort but the supernatural work of God.

Restoration

Who needs restoration? In the name of Jesus, by the power that raised Christ from the dead, I declare restoration over every area of your life. Relationships, opportunities, and any good thing that has left your life will be restored. I stand by the rod of the apostolic and the prophetic and command restoration. Let there be restoration by the Spirit of God. Strategic relationships will be restored. Let the river flow, bringing restoration to every aspect of your life.

Isaiah 44:3 says, “For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” This scripture assures us that God’s Spirit brings life and refreshment to areas of our lives that are dry and weary.

Hope for the Hopeless

God’s Spirit can give hope to the hopeless. If you are weary due to prolonged struggles, know that God’s remedy for weariness is not merely counseling, but the ministry of life. The Holy Spirit provides a permanent cure to weariness by pouring out His life-giving water upon us.

When you feel weary in ministry, life, or due to circumstances, God’s Spirit brings refreshing. There is hope for a tree, even if it is cut down, for at the scent of water, it will bud again (Job 14:7-9). This means that as long as we are connected to the life-giving Spirit, we will thrive again.

Isaiah 66:12 says, “For thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.'” This peace is a product of the Spirit’s life-giving ministry. It enables us to remain calm and confident even in the midst of trials.

Justice and Righteousness

Part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit involves administering justice and righteousness. Amos 5:24 says, “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” God ensures that justice is served in our lives, vindicating us and ensuring that righteousness prevails.

God is a just God, and He will not overlook any injustice done to His children. The Holy Spirit ensures that those who remain faithful and righteous are ultimately vindicated and blessed. This justice brings peace, knowing that God will always uphold righteousness.

Abundance and Healing

There are two dimensions of the life-giving ministry of the Holy Spirit that are crucial for this season: abundance and healing. Genesis 1:21 illustrates that abundance comes from the water. God created great whales and every living creature that the waters brought forth abundantly.

Abundance goes beyond financial prosperity; it encompasses sufficiency in every area of life—relationships, opportunities, spiritual growth, and more. The Spirit of God ensures that we have all sufficiency in all things.

Let us pray for these dimensions to be activated in our lives. May the Holy Spirit bring abundance and healing, transforming every area of our lives and ministries. As we engage with the Spirit, may we experience the fullness of God’s life-giving power. Amen.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Spirit of God plays a pivotal role in redeeming time, bringing restoration, and accelerating progress in our lives. Through divine restoration and the power to move with supernatural speed, God can reclaim lost opportunities and propel us forward in ways that transcend human capability. The story of Elijah exemplifies how God’s Spirit can enable extraordinary accomplishments swiftly and effectively.

The life-giving ministry of the Holy Spirit is multifaceted, offering not only restoration and speed but also hope, abundance, healing, and justice. Isaiah 44:3 and Isaiah 66:12 remind us that God’s Spirit brings refreshment and peace to our weary souls, ensuring that we thrive even in the most challenging circumstances. The assurance of justice and righteousness administered by the Spirit brings us peace, knowing that God’s divine order will prevail.

Moreover, the Holy Spirit’s dimensions of abundance and healing are essential for our spiritual and practical lives. As Genesis 1:21 illustrates, the Spirit brings forth abundance from the waters, signifying sufficiency in every aspect of life, from relationships to spiritual growth. This abundance is not just material but encompasses all areas where we need God’s provision and grace.

As we engage with the Holy Spirit, let us pray for His life-giving power to activate these dimensions in our lives. May we experience divine restoration, supernatural speed, abundant provision, and profound healing. By embracing the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we position ourselves to live in the fullness of God’s promises, walking in His righteousness, peace, and justice.

In this prophetic season, let us hold fast to our faith, confident that God’s Spirit is working in and through us to bring about His perfect will. As we navigate the complexities of life, may the Holy Spirit guide us, refresh us, and empower us to fulfill our divine purpose, bringing glory to God in all that we do. Amen.