Authority and Fellowship flow in the River of Water of Life from the Throne of God

The throne of God and of the Lamb, the center of the New Jerusalem and the divine government in the church life, is not only the source of the divine administration but also the source of the divine fellowship; authority and fellowship go together in God’s economy.

It is important for us to see that there is a divine government in the church life today, and this government comes from the throne of God and of the Lord.

What we see in the New Jerusalem is the throne of God in the center of the city, and out of the throne flows the river of water of life; on each side of the river there is the tree of life supplying all those in the city.

This is a picture of what is the real authority in the church life – it is a river flowing with living water; this water quenches the thirst of all those in the church life, and as they are supplied, they are being headed up in Christ.

Hymns 984 speaks of the river of living water that flows from the throne, a river that brings in fellowship and authority.

Both fellowship and authority are flowing in the river of water of life, and when we enthrone the Lord in our being and His authority is properly represented in the church life, we enjoy a river of water of life flowing.

In this age of grace, God doesn’t rule over us outwardly by chastising us or disciplining us; there is this aspect of His rule, but the way He rules is by dispensing Himself with His life into us.

In the church life we need to see the divine authority being exercised by the dispensing of Christ into others as life, as life supply, and as grace.

When Christ is dispensed into others, they will be headed up in Christ, and spontaneously they will enthrone the Lord in their being.

In Rev. 4 we see that there is a throne set in heaven, and there is One sitting on it; in Rev. 22:1-2, however, this throne is of God and of the Lamb, and out of this throne flows a river of water of life, bright as crystal.

This is what we should see in the church life day by day – a river of water of life flowing, and the throne of God being in the center, with Christ heading up all things and all people in Himself.

Too many times, however, we have seen the improper exercise of authority, and too many times the saints have been hurt and even offended by such an improper exercise of authority in the church life!

May we return to the river of water of life flowing out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, and may we set Christ in the center of our being on the throne, being headed up by Him in all things!

May we daily come to the throne of God and of the Lamb, and may we receive the flowing grace and the timely mercy that we need from the Lord! Oh, may we enjoy the Lord in this realm of life, love, and grace, the kingdom of the Son of God’s love!

Authority and Fellowship flow in the River of Water of Life flowing from the Throne of God and of the Lamb

The throne of God and of the Lamb in Rev. 22:1-2 is the source of the divine administration; from this throne, all the things related to God’s administration are decided and applied.

At the same time, however, the throne of God is the source of the divine fellowship, for from this throne flows a river of water of life that reaches everyone in the city, flowing in the middle of the street, and supplying all those in the city.

The river of water of life flows in the middle of the street, which is of pure and transparent gold; this is the divine fellowship.

Where there is the genuine representation of authority, there will be not only the flow but also authority, real fellowship.

Authority and fellowship are two lines in the Body, and they go together (1 Cor. 11:3; 12:12-13, 18; 1:9; 10:16-17).

The throne of God is a matter of authority; the flowing water of life is a matter of fellowship.

In the church life today, the water of life from the throne should be flowing freely among us; the more we enjoy the flow of the divine life, we are in the divine fellowship, and we are brought under God’s authority.

These two lines of authority and fellowship can also be seen in the human body.

Authority is often described in relation to order and coordination; in the human body we see that all organs are put in a certain order and there’s a particular coordination between them.

If a member in the upper part of the body is dislocated, all the members underneath it suffer.

Similarly, there is a circulation in the body, the circulation of blood, which is a type of fellowship in the Body of Christ.

There are many members of the body, but there’s only one circulation of blood.

As long as all the members are in the circulation of blood, they are joined to the body and connected to the other members, receiving the supply.

But if there’s a problem with the circulation of blood to one member, our body will be sick.

Similarly in the spiritual realm, there is a flow of the river of water of life from the throne of God and of the Lamb, and this flow is the divine fellowship; this flow carries authority with it, and wherever it goes, it brings God’s authority with it.

Whereas the throne is a matter of authority, the flowing river is a matter of fellowship, signified by the street, which is of pure gold, like transparent glass (Rev. 21:21).

The throne represents the divine authority, and from the throne flows the river of water of life for us to enjoy the divine fellowship.

How wonderful it is that, when we enthrone the Lord in our being, there is a flow of the water of life, the divine fellowship, among the members of the Body!

If the river of fellowship is not flowing and we’re not brought into this fellowship, there is no representation of authority.

But praise the Lord, when the river is flowing with life and grace, we have the enjoyment of Christ and are in the fellowship of the divine life; the result is that there’s a throne set up in our being and in the church life, and Christ is on the throne.

We need to live a life of fellowship with the Lord, a life of mutual fellowship under the throne of God and of the Lamb, drinking the river of water of life which flows endlessly, bringing joy unending wherever it goes!

Lord Jesus, we come to You to drink of the river of water of life. We open to You, dear Lord, and we want to remain in the fellowship of life, enjoying the sweet flow of life. Amen, may there be a flow into our being, bringing our whole being in the enjoyment of the divine life and grace, and bringing us under the authority of God! Save us from being cut off from the fellowship of the divine life. Save us from doing anything apart from the river of water of life flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb! Amen, Lord, may there be a proper representation of authority in the church life with the river flowing for the supply and enjoyment of the saints! May there be an endless flow of water of life from the throne of God as we remain in the fellowship of life and are brought under the throne of God!

In God’s Economy Authority always goes together with Fellowship: there’s a River Flowing from God’s Throne, in the Fellowship there is the Divine Authority!

There is a great difference between the authority we see in the world and the divine authority we see being expressed and represented in the church life.

In the world there are different authorities, and in places such as schools, the military, the office, etc there are some rules and regulations, and they have to be obeyed with no comment; this is human order.

But in the church life, in the eyes of God, the divine authority is being expressed and represented, and this is very different from the authority being exercised in the world.

The source of authority is the throne of God and of the Lamb; actually, the throne is both the source and the destination, for there’s a river flowing from the throne, and all those who drink of this river are under the throne of God and of the Lamb.

The throne is the source of God’s administration and also of the divine fellowship; in the divine fellowship under the throne of God, we see the divine authority, for in God’s economy authority always goes together with fellowship (2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10, 14).

The throne as the source of the divine fellowship flows out, and there is divine traffic, which is the divine administration (signified by the golden street, which is the base of the city).

The divine fellowship, signified by the street of the New Jerusalem with its communication, flows with the divine supply; this supply is the river of water of life and the tree of life.

The river of life is for us to drink, and the tree of life is for us to eat; by partaking of the water of life and the tree of life, we are inwardly supplied and nourished.

When God and the Lamb are enthroned in the center of our being and are able to rule and reign in us, this life will be manifested as power that supplies us inwardly.

Because the Lord desires to set up His throne within us, He cares of the authority, the ground, and the dominion in us; we must give Him the dominion and let Him rule and reign in us.

When the Lord rules and reigns in us, He sets up His throne in the center of our being, and there’s a river of water of life flowing.

But if we don’t allow the Lord to be seated on the throne in the centre of our being, we cannot be living and strong Christians and the power of the Lord Jesus cannot be expressed through us, neither can the divine life be a supply to us. In the fellowship of the divine life there is the divine authority; in God’s economy authority always goes together with fellowship.

There are some saints in the church life who bear responsibility and represent God’s authority, for there’s the need for some guidance, some leading, and the Lord’s authority needs to be expressed and represented.

But those who represent God’s authority should not be aware of it or assume it; rather, they need to remain in the enjoyment of the divine fellowship, and there will be abundant grace flowing and bringing authority with it.

There is real fellowship under the throne of God.

Our heart and the heart of the saints is crying for this, that all over the earth in all aspects of the church and the ministry, the throne would be in the center and the authority of God would flow out!

There needs to be the desire of God’s heart being expressed and represented by those who are under the throne and who enjoy the divine fellowship; they live in the kingdom of the Son of God’s love, and when they share something, there’s a river of water of life flowing!

In order for us to build up the local church in a practical way, we need both the throne of God and of the Lamb, and also the water of life which proceeds from the throne and flows to water everyone, bring God’s authority with it, and cause us to enthrone Christ in our being.

Lord Jesus, our desire is to have the throne of God set up in the center of our being. May there be a pure flow of living water proceeding from the throne in the center of our being, bringing authority with it. Amen, Lord, keep us enjoying You, drinking the living water, and being under the throne of God and of the Lamb in all the aspects of our daily life and church life. Amen, Lord, grant us all to be under the throne of God in the fellowship of the divine life, being inwardly supplied and headed up in Christ! May every aspect of our Christian life and church life be in the divine fellowship under the throne of God! May the desire of Your heart be fulfilled in our fellowship under the throne of God until You gain the glory in the church and in Jesus Christ forever and ever! Amen!

References and Hymns on this Topic

• Sources of inspiration: the Word of God, my enjoyment in the ministry, the message by Ron Kangas for this week, and portions from, Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1961-1962, vol. 2, “The Priesthood and God’s Building,” ch. 8, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Vital Factors for the Lord’s Recovery of the Church Life (2021 ITERO), week 4, The Factor of Authority in the Body of Christ and in the Local Churches.
• Hymns on this topic:
  – River of living water, / Fellowship freely bestows; / Bringing authority with it, / Through every place where it flows. / Water of life is the Spirit, / God as the life in it flows; / Carrying with it His Lordship, / Through every place where it goes. (Hymns #984)
  – I long for fellowship in spirit, / Long thus to know authority; / Long for true fellowship in service, / Coordinated thus to be. (Hymns #847)
  – Upon the throne, the center / Of government divine, / God reigns, and with His purpose / Brings everything in line. / God’s headship and His lordship / He only can maintain / As King within His kingdom, / O’er everything to reign. (Hymns #941)