“Rivers of Living Waters” by T. Austin Sparks. The SeedSowers, www.seedsowers.com

Bottom line up front: This is a very important book if one is to understand the work of the Holy Spirit as predicted in Ezekiel’s prophecies. The content ties together our God’s eternal purpose as fulfilled by the Spirit, and how the New Covenant relationship of union with our God fulfills prophecy. I call this a “critical read.”

Why read this book? I agree with Frank Viola that few writers have grasped the implications of our New Covenant relationship with our God as did T. Austin Sparks. His understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit and the applications of that understanding are brilliant. Yes, the book is from the era of A.B. Simpson and Watchman Nee, so the writing is what some would call “old school.” No matter. Read it anyway. 

The point. The book explains from the prophetic statements of Ezekiel how the Holy Spirit moves and works in and through us today, and how we can participate in His work as opposed to hindering His work. Ignorance is one hindering, but there are many that Sparks exposes here. Using the visions of the wheels, the four creatures, and the stream flowing out from the altar in the new kingdom, Sparks weaves together a clearer explanation of the Spirit’s work. He adds many lessons to help apply the truths he is identifying.

The impact. Sparks digs to depth using Ezekiel’s prophetic messages regarding the Holy Spirit (most believers will not realize these words were about the Holy Spirit) and ties them into how one can live in light of them today. His writings fill in the gaps in the understandings of the Spirit and His work in us, gaps that exist because of our anemic theologies, weak teaching, and low engagement regarding the Holy Spirit. Reading the book (I did twice) will help one to grasp our God’s eternal purpose behind the working of the Spirit in our lives each day, and how we can cooperate with Him and not hinder His work.

Quotes. ”For there is no getting away from this: that, if we are going to know the fullness , as of a river, we have to come under the Holy Spirit’s government for order in the House of God. And that does not mean just in meetings! We are in the House of God anywhere and everywhere and all the time, not only when we are together. From the heavenly standpoint, we are still in the House of God event when we are not together, and we have to come under this order of the House of God. This cannot be too strongly emphasized, because it is a very solemn thing, with which so much is bound up in lives. It means the difference between enlargement and limitation, whether we are governed by this very orderly Holy Spirit or not. If we get out of our place, or if we do not get into our place, we are going to upset the Holy Spirit’s entire plan in our particular relationship. Let us be quite sure that we are where we are because the Holy Spirit Himself has put us there and has anointed us for that and has made us know that this is the thing for which He called us. We have not drifted into it, wandered into it, assumed it or come into it any other way. We know: This is where the Holy Spirit has put me, in this relationship, in this circle, in this company, in this place, and having put me here, He has some purpose in my being here, in this place, and it is for me to know what that is and for me to keep within my measure and fulfill my function, whatever that may be.“

“What we need is to realize that is doing, and to get into line with His doings. Perhaps He is not doing what we want Him to do, or what we think He ought to do, and in the way in which we think He ought to do it; He is not employing the means that we think He ought to employ – our bit of means, our bit of work. He may not just be coming that way, but He is pursuing His purpose, relentlessly, persistently, undeviatingly; and the need for the people of God is to be brought right into the straight course of His goings from eternity.“

Similar Reads. ”Experience the Holy Spirit” by Andrew Murray (reviewed on this site here), and “Walking by the Spirit” by A.B. Simpson.