'The Power Of His Kindness': John 4:7-14 (Kindness)

Read Galatians 5:22-23:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Are you ready to make an investment in the Fruit of Kindness?

Read John 4:7-14:

"When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Select 'Successful' when you are finished.

Describe a circumstance where you experienced God's kindness moving in an unexpectedly powerful way?

Write your answer in the space provided.

Go to the 'DOCUMENTS' and read Oswald Chambers' comments on these verses in John 4.

Select 'Successful' when you are finished.

Oswald asks:

“The well is deep” — and even a great deal deeper than the Samaritan woman knew! (John 4:11). Think of the depths of human nature and human life; think of the depth of the “wells” in you. Have you been limiting, or impoverishing, the ministry of Jesus to the point that He is unable to work in your life? "

Describe how you might be limiting the work of Jesus in your life? Be specific.

Oswald states:

"Suppose that you have a deep “well” of hurt and trouble inside your heart, and Jesus comes and says to you, “Let not your heart be troubled...” (John 14:1). Would your response be to shrug your shoulders and say, “But, Lord, the well is too deep, and even You can’t draw up quietness and comfort out of it.” Actually, that is correct. Jesus doesn’t bring anything up from the wells of human nature— He brings them down from above."

How often do you believe that your problems are too big for Jesus to do anything about?

Oswald continues:

"We limit the Holy One of Israel by remembering only what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past, and also by saying, “Of course, I cannot expect God to do this particular thing.”"

Does this statement apply to you?

Oswald adds:

"The thing that approaches the very limits of His power is the very thing we as disciples of Jesus ought to believe He will do. We impoverish and weaken His ministry in us the moment we forget He is almighty."

In all honesty, how difficult is it for you to believe that Jesus is almighty?

Oswald states:

"The impoverishment is in us, not in Him. We will come to Jesus for Him to be our comforter or our sympathizer, but we refrain from approaching Him as our Almighty God."

How important is it to understand that the impoverishment is in you, not in Him?

Oswald observes:

"The reason some of us are such poor examples of Christianity is that we have failed to recognize that Christ is almighty. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is no abandonment or surrender to Jesus Christ. When we get into difficult circumstances, we impoverish His ministry by saying, “Of course, He can’t do anything about this.” We struggle to reach the bottom of our own well, trying to get water for ourselves. Beware of sitting back, and saying, “It can’t be done.”"

Regarding your unbelief in Jesus as God Almighty, is there anything you would like to repent of (express your sorrow)?

If so, you can do so privately, or in the space provided.

Oswald concludes:

"You will know it can be done if you will look to Jesus. The well of your incompleteness runs deep, but make the effort to look away from yourself and to look toward Him."

Take time now to look to Jesus as the Lord God Almighty:

-Imagine Him sitting at the right hand of God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.
-See Him possessing all the power and authority to overcome and redeem every force of the enemy, the world and your own sin nature.
-See Him with the power to do anything He wants, anytime He wants to do it, according to His perfect will which is holy love.

Select 'Successful' when you have given this your best effort.

Pray.

Like the woman at the well, talk to Jesus. Ask Him to come into the deep places of your life. Ask Him to give you His gifts from above, His holy love, joy, peace and kindness that you deeply thirst for, need and desire.

If you wish, you can write down your prayer in the space provided.

Now ask Jesus what specific action you can take to receive His gift of living water.

Write down what you receive in the space provided.

Is there anything you would like to praise or thank Jesus for?

If so, you can do so privately or on the space provided.

How much has this task increased the Fruit of Kindness in your present disposition?