The Fountain Gate Series

Series: Rebuild The Gates [#6]

THE FOUNTAIN GATE

Nehemiah 3:15

Introduction:

The Fountain Gate appeared to be the gate that was in the worst condition. It was so bad that the ruins of that gate blocked Nehemiah’s journey when he took a secret tour of the city walls during the night. When he got to the Fountain Gate he had to turn back because he could go no further until it was repaired.

Nehemiah 3:15

It is believed by many that when the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem; that it was at the Fountain Gate where the main attack took place. This would make sense from a spiritual perspective, because it is the “True Fountain of Living Water”, Jesus Christ; that took the full brunt of the attack from the enemy. There are a number of places of importance mentioned in the Bible that are associated with the Fountain Gate. Some of these places could only be reached by passing through this gate. The King’s Pool, (The Pool of Siloam is where Jesus told the blind man to wash and receive his sight); The King’s Garden; The Steps to Zion; The Tomb of David; and The Fountain at the Gihon Spring.

The Fountain Gate got its name from the fact that it was the primary access to the Fountain located at the Gihon Spring. This spring was Jerusalem’s only really reliable source of water. In times of drought, the Gihon Spring would still flow freely. As we go through the Fountain Gate, we find traits of a maturing believer. In order to be a maturing Christian, you must be tapped into the life-giving water of salvation found in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 12:2-3

Salvation from your sins is compared to water because water is necessary for life. You can survive a long time without food; but without water for more than a week, you will die. If you want to kill your grass, trees, or plants- Don’t let them have water and they will wither up and die. The human soul is no different. Without the water of salvation, the human soul will die. That is what the Samaritan woman at Jacobs Well found out. I want you to see a couple of things concerning a maturing believer.

John 7:37-39

A maturing believer…

1. Has living water flowing from them.

Let me ask you, “What is flowing out of you”? What is going on around you is not very important compared to what is flowing out of your life. Is what flowing out of you living, dead, or stopped up? A maturing believer allows the Holy Spirit of God to be filled in their life to a point that the Holy Spirit is overflowing from their life.

2 Kings 3:19

A maturing believer…

2. Has the enemy trying to stop up their well.

When your life is overflowing with the Holy Spirit, Satan is going to try to fill up your well. What are some things that Satan uses to stop up your well?

* He uses stones.

He will use stones of worry, self-pity, and depression.

* He uses dirt.

He will use the dirt of judgment, hatred, bitterness, resentment, jealously, or anything else that will stop up your life. All of these things will definitely stop up your well and slow down or stop the flow of righteousness, peace and joy that God wants to flow from your life. Many of you have allowed Satan to stop up your well and you have no joy or peace in your life. Because of that, you do not have the energy to fight the battles that you have each day. God wants to unstop your well. Jesus wants you to fully experience the renewing power of His Living Water.

Jeremiah 2:13

A maturing believer…

3. Has not replaced their well with cisterns.

When Satan stops up your well, it results in a loss of your joy; and if you lose your joy, you lose your strength. Once you get to this point, you really don’t want to try to clean out your well. Maybe, you are too tired or you just don’t care anymore. Whatever the reason for not cleaning out your well, it can result in you digging a cistern.

A cistern is much different from a well. It is a reservoir for storing water. There is a manmade gutter system that directs the rainwater into the cistern. Not only does a cistern hold collected rainwater; but it also holds water that was hauled in from other locations and filled by the labor of people. Unlike a well, which is continually being replenished without any human effort, a cistern requires the effort of people in order to keep it filled with water. Spiritually speaking, a cistern is man’s substitute for God’s well of living water. It is a spiritual replacement that the person hopes and believes will be much better than the well that God has provided.