Ezekiel 47:3-5 "And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.  Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.  Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.".

If you’ve heard me minister recently, you’ve probably heard me teach on, or at least refer to the river mentioned in Ezekiel 47. I believe that this passage gives us a very clear picture of revival. Revival begins in the heart of the individual; one man stood in the river. Then we see that revival first breaks out in the desert and then goes out into the sea. Desert in the bible refers to the spiritually dry or the church that is dry spiritually speaking. ‘Sea’ throughout the bible refers to unsaved multitudes. This is why the bible tells us that there will be no sea in heaven. It’s not talking about water; it’s taking about unsaved multitudes.

So this river of revival goes from the church to the world resulting in healing, salvation, mass revival and a ‘very great harvest of fish’. If you know me at all, you can well understand my excitement at the truths expressed in this passage!

Today though, I want to talk about the process Ezekiel went through that brought him to this place or experience of revival and God’s plan for his life. If you read the chapter closely, you’ll see that the angel kept ‘bringing him through’ to a new place in this river. In fact, this all happened before revival broke out. In other words, there’s a work which God does in us before the work He want to do through us.

The first level Ezekiel experience was where the water covered his feet. This speaks of our walk with God. This represents washing our feet from the junk of the world that we pick up as we go about our daily lives. When Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, Peter said’ Lord, Wash my head and body also’, but Jesus said it was only necessary to wash the feet! Why is this? Our sin nature was taken away when we come to Christ. We are no longer sinners, rather we are born-again, created in His image of incorruptible seed. However, as we pursue the things of God there comes a cleansing from the filth of this world that we pick up in our daily walk.

Ezekiel’s next stop was where the river reached his knees. This represents and touches our prayer lives. Your prayer life is of vital importance to God. It’s our place of communion with Him. This is where we are changed into His likeness. This is where we hear what we are to speak and see what we are to do. Without a vibrant prayer life, revival will not last in our lives. In Jeremiah, the Lord describes His people as having committed two evils, one of which was forsaking Him, the fountain of living water. Jesus taught us to come to him and drink for the rivers of living water would flow out of our bellies. Notice that God took the time to establish Ezekiel’s prayer life before the river brought revival to the masses. We must do the same!

Thirdly, Ezekiel was brought to a place where the river covered his loins. This represents a deep experience with the word of God. In Ephesians 6:14 the bible instructs to have our loins ‘girt about with truth.’ It was not enough for Ezekiel to have a casual acquaintance with God’s word. The same holds true for you and me. God’s word must be bound around us like a belt. The prophet described God’s word as like a fire shut up in his bones. Revival mandates a rhema word from heaven. My friends, you cannot grow in God on yesterday’s manna. God’s word will be a light for your feet and a lamp to your path. The Spirit of God will show you the word for your life. This is something God did in my heart the day that revival broke out in my life back in1997. He gave me the word of the Lord for my life and ministry and it has been girded about me ever since. Without that word I would no have known how to follow revival in my life. Thanks to it, I have walked a steady, sure, unchanging path.

Finally, Ezekiel was in a deep river where he couldn’t touch the ground. This represents the full release of God’s Spirit and work in Ezekiel’s life.

Notice that this is when the river went from being a personal experience in his life to a glorious outpouring in the desert and the sea. Don’t stand on the bank watching others in the river. By faith allow the Holy Spirit to take you by the hand and bring you through to the full release of God’s work and plan in your life. No one who has been in the river ever regrets it. I promise you, it’s the most wonderful thing in the world.

Jon Colyer