Go! And Be Refreshed: Stuck, Stagnant or Spiritually Dry?
Introduction: Are You Stuck, Stagnant or Spiritually Dry?
It is a joy and privilege to bring God’s Word to you today.
Let me begin by asking you something very personal: Have you ever felt spiritually stuck?
Ever felt like you’re treading water in your walk with God?
Have you experienced dryness in your soul — like you’re in a spiritual desert with no refreshment?
If that's you — or if it’s ever been you — then today's message is for you.
The Lord wants you to Go! And Move from Stuck, Stagnant or Spiritually Dry… to Spirit-Filled and Fruitful.
Let us begin by reading our main text, from the prophet Isaiah:
Isaiah 44:3 (NLT): "For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children."
Isaiah spoke to a people who had experienced exile, judgment, and distance from God — yet he proclaims a prophetic promise of refreshing, revival, and restoration.
In the Hebrew, the word for “pour out” is ??????? (shaphak) – it speaks of a lavish, abundant outpouring, like a torrent of water gushing over a dry land.
“Parched fields” speak of fruitlessness, of unproductive spiritual seasons.
But God promises transformation: dryness will become fertility.
This is not just about water — it's about the Spirit.
The outpouring of water and Spirit is God's sovereign work — but it comes to those who thirst.
Just like the land needs rain, our souls need the Spirit.
1. God Knows When You’re Dry — and He Provides Living Water
John 7:37–39 (NLT): "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him…)"
Jesus cries out in the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles — a moment rich in symbolism. This feast celebrated God’s provision in the wilderness, where He gave Israel water from a rock. Now Jesus says: I am the source of that water.
In Greek, the word “living water” is ?d?? ??? (hydor zon) – not stagnant water, not stale religion, but flowing, vibrant, life-giving Spirit.
If you feel spiritually dry, come to Jesus. Not to religion. Not to rules. Not even to rituals.Come to Jesus and drink.
Max Lucado once said, "God never said the journey would be easy, but He did say the arrival would be worthwhile."In dry seasons, we must remember that God does not abandon us — He offers refreshment for the journey.
A dry sponge soaks up water instantly, softening and expanding. That’s what happens to us when we let the Spirit saturate our dry hearts. We are transformed.
2. Stuck: When Forward Movement Ceases
You may be attending church, reading the Bible occasionally, even praying — but inside you feel like you're not growing.
Exodus 14:15 (NLT): "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!'"
Israel was trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea. God had already delivered them — yet they panicked.God’s word to Moses was direct: “Get moving!”
When you’re stuck — you don’t need more fear, more excuses, or even more delay —
You need a step of faith.
Charles Stanley said, "Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him."
That’s a word for someone today. Take the next step. Move. Trust. Obey.
3. Stagnant: When Growth Stops But Motion Remains
You might be serving or ministering, but not thriving.You’re like a pond with no fresh inflow — the water may look fine on the surface, but underneath… decay begins.
Revelation 3:15–16 (NLT): "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold... But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!"
“Lukewarm” in Greek is ???a??? (chliaros) — tepid, tasteless, unappealing.
Jesus addresses the Laodicean church — wealthy, self-sufficient, yet spiritually useless.
Jesus wants hot hearts or refreshing lives — not half-hearted Christianity.
Stagnation is dangerous because it feels comfortable. But comfort can kill your calling.
Tim Keller said, "You don’t really know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have."Sometimes God allows stagnancy to show us we’re trying to live without the Living Water.
4. Spiritually Dry: When the Soul is Parched
This is more than stuck or stagnant — this is dehydration of the soul.
Psalm 63:1 (NLT): "O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for youin this parched and weary land where there is no water."
“Thirsts” – ????? (tsame) – a deep, desperate longing.
David wrote this while in the wilderness of Judah.Yet even in the desert, his thirst drove him to God, not from Him.
When your soul is dry — don’t run from God, run to Him.It is in the dry place that true desire is revealed.
John Piper once said, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."The dry season might be God's invitation to deeper satisfaction in Him.
Imagine turning on your kitchen tap and no water comes out. You call the plumber. He finds the issue: a blockage.
The source is working. The pipes are in place. But something is blocking the flow.
Sometimes, in our spiritual lives, the Spirit is willing, but unconfessed sin, unbelief, or spiritual laziness block the flow.
You don’t need to replace the whole plumbing — you need to clear the block.Repentance unclogs the soul.
Jeremiah 17:8 (NLT) says:"They are like trees planted along a riverbank,with roots that reach deep into the water.Such trees are not bothered by the heator worried by long months of drought.Their leaves stay green,and they never stop producing fruit."
God wants your roots deep — not just feelings on Sunday, but a relationship every day.Even in drought, you can still bear fruit — if you’re rooted in the Living Water.
The Gospel: The Ultimate Refreshing for Our Souls
Romans 5:8 (NLT): "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."
1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (NLT): "Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day..."
The Gospel is not just your entry point. It’s your lifeline. It is the Living Water our soul needs daily.
Tim Keller said, "The Gospel is not just the ABCs but the A to Z of the Christian life."We don't grow past the Gospel — we grow deeper into it.
Call to Action: Go! And Be Refreshed
Ephesians 5:18 (NLT): "Be filled with the Holy Spirit."
The Greek here implies ongoing action — keep being filled.
Let us:
Examine yourself — Are you stuck, stagnant, or spiritually dry?
Repent — Ask God to unclog the pipes. Confess. Let Him cleanse.
Drink — Come to Jesus daily. Don’t sip religion — drink the Spirit.
Move — Step out in obedience. Serve. Trust. Grow.
Be filled — Invite the Holy Spirit daily. Walk with Him.
Invitation to Salvation:
If you’ve never given your life to Jesus, let me say this to you clearly and lovingly:
You are spiritually dead without Him.No amount of success, money, or pleasure will quench your thirst.
Only Jesus Christ, the Living Water, can give you life.
Will you come to Him today?
Pray with me:
Lord Jesus, I confess I am a sinner. I am dry and empty without You.Thank You for dying on the cross for me.I believe You rose again.I trust You as my Lord and Saviour.Come into my life. Fill me with Your Spirit.I am Yours. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Benediction:
Beloved,May the Living Water of Jesus Christ refresh your soul.May the Holy Spirit fill you anew every day.May you never settle for dryness,But go forward in faith —Moving from stuck to Spirit-led,From stagnant to fruitful,From dryness to overflow.
Go! And live Spirit-filled.In Jesus’ name. Amen.
