I believe that many of us are spiritually dehydrated.

[Physical] “Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.” – https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086

Left unaddressed it can lead to serious and life-threatening complications.

On Sunday, I shared that the natural symptoms (early manifestations and warnings) of physical dehydration parallel the spiritual. Symptoms include:

• Extreme thirst [you feel that you are spiritually in a dry land; that you are parched; that you are tempted to drink or having been drinking liquids that will lead only to further dehydration.]
• Less frequent urination [unable to regularly discharge toxins and they build up; there’s a toxicity – a darkness – a cloud – a bitterness – a lashing out – any number of things clogging and building up in your spirit – creating a toxic environment]
• Fatigue [no strength left to do the work; perhaps you know God is calling you to something, but you just don’t have the energy for it – there’s no life in you.]
• Dizziness [unbalanced or unable to stand; little things knock you off your feet; easily swayed or disoriented in your life’s purpose and tasks.]
• Confusion [lack of clear, ordered thinking – your priorities and way forward are muddled]

If you are experiencing one or more of those symptoms on a spiritual-life level, would you join me in this prayer:

Jesus, I come before you in need of living water. I recognize that I have wandered from you in my thinking and living and I am withering away. I see it in my scatterbrained thoughts, the busyness of my calendar, the corners that I cut and the shortcuts that I seek. Spiritually, I’m drained and I can see its impact in my health at every level. Revive and renew me today. I confess my sin (name it and confess it now) and I cut its dehydrating connection to me off in the name of Jesus. I thank you for your cleansing blood that washes me white as snow and frees me from the bondage of sin and evil. I want you to fill me with your living Spirit. May your fount spring-up in me to overflowing. I want you to show me the way out of my desert. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, I want you to know that Jesus isn’t just interested or available to visit you now and then, but He is interested and available in habitation – living in you, walking with you and filling you continually.

Sufficient hydration for life can’t be found only by coming to the well of Sunday morning at Parkside, but His very Spirit dwelling in you by grace and faith. We are called to abide in Him and He will fill us continually.

We are called to disconnect from the things of sin and evil which drain us and then connect to life in the Spirit which brings abundant life in walking with Jesus.

On Sunday, December 30th we gave away two things to help you stay hydrated:

• A Parkside water bottle – on the surface a bit cheezy – but with a heart of sincerity and desperation it will be that daily reminder that as you fill your bottle with water to bring life to your mortal body, you will be reminded to fill your soul with Living Water that brings life to your whole being.
• Life Journals. We gave these out last year and many have commented on how such a simple tool and practice revitalized their soul and brought fruitfulness to their lives they hadn’t seen in a long time. A Life Journal is a Bible reading and journaling discipline that help you abide in Jesus every day by engaging Him in His Word.

You’re also invited to participate in our 21 days of prayer and fasting starting January 1, 2019. Subscribe at www.parksidechurch.ca/21. Each day is a little devotional and application section. Whether or not you fast a meal or a whole day or week or the whole time is up to you and God!

You can get involved in a small group this semester: https://pc.churchcenter.com/groups/small-groups

I would also invite you to meditate on Psalm 1., Psalm 63 and John 15.