ART: Holy Flood of God's Love

QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT!

All my paintings are lead by the Holy Spirit and this piece is definitely no exception. "Holy Flood of God's Love" was my first larger prophetic painting. It measures 24"x30". The first step was to apply many layers of multiple colors. Then while the acrylic paint was still wet, I was directed to a new dry brush and told to use long, sweeping curves across the canvas. As the Lord directed my hand, He spoke a powerful message: "To receive the holy flood of God's love, DO NOT restrict the Holy Spirit!" Prompted to repeat the message as I moved the brush across the canvas, I began to see a shape develop. Each brushstroke and spoken word grew stronger, bolder as I moved down the canvas. By the time I reached the end, I was shouting, "TO RECEIVE THE HOLY FLOOD OF GOD'S LOVE, DO NOT RESTRICT THE HOLY SPIRIT!" It was a profound and powerful experience in the presence of the Lord! I was so excited when I finished the painting that I called my sister, Janel to share the experience with her. I couldn't keep the message to myself!


Setting the painting on top of a large cabinet in the dining room, I saw it every time I walked out of the living room. One day, I stopped to study the piece and I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, "Flip the painting around." I did as I was told and tears began trailing down my cheeks. I saw a close-up section of a huge rolling wave with sunlight glittering on top of the water.In Scripture, Gold represents God's glory and the brightness of His presence. - Ezekiel 1:4; 1:27-28; 8:2 (KJV) Christ as the glory of God - Ezekiel 1:28, II Corinthians 4:6, Revelation 21:23 
 

Our loving God knows everything about us. What we like and don't like. He knows the desires of our hearts. Nothing is hidden from Him. Before leading me to paint this piece, God knew that one of my favorite things to do is sit by a lake or river and watch the sunlight dance across the waves. It mesmerizes me like the flames of a campfire. 

I live in Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but I don't know how to swim. Even so, this painting makes me want to take a leap of faith and dive into the holy flood of God's love! It wasn't long after I finished "Holy Flood" that I heard Steven Curtis Chapman's song, "Dive" for the first time. I was amazed at the how closely the lyrics match what the painting means to me. 

  DIVE! by STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN

The long awaited rains
Have fallen hard upon the thirst ground
And carved their way to where
The wild and rushing river can be found
And like the rains
I have been carried here to where the river flows, yeah
My heart is racing and my knee are weak
As I walk to the edge
I know there is not turning back
Once my feet have left the ledge
And in the rush I hear a voice
That’s telling me it’s time
to take the leap of faith
So here I go 

I’m diving in, I’m going deep in over
my head, I want to be
Caught in the rush, lost in the flow,
in over my head, I want to go
The river’s deep, the river’s wide,
the river’s water is alive
So sink or swim, I’m diving in 

There is a supernatural power
In this might river’s flow
It can bring the dead to life
And it can fill an empty soul
And give a heart the only thing
Worth living and worth dying for, yeah
But we will never know the awesome power
Of the grace of God
Until we let ourselves get swept away
Into this holy flood
So if you’ll take my hand
We’ll close our eyes and count to three
And take the leap of faith
Come on let’s go

PAINTING SCRIPTURE
1 Thessalonians 5:19
Do not quench the Spirit. NIV
Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. NLT
Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.TNIV


Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.


GREEK WORD STUDY: QUENCH  
sbe'n-nü-mē 
metaph. to quench, to suppress, stifle

1) of divine influence

Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
 
2 Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Prophetic painting by Christine Nichols ©2009

Do you remember reading that I called my sister Jan when I was finished with this painting? She shared my excitement, but later I learned that when she mentioned the phone call to her husband, Gary, all he said was that he hoped I continued with the art. I got the feeling that he thought I wouldn't. That the art was just a passing fad in my life. That was in the fall of 2009. Fast forward a year and half later to the summer of 2011. 

Jan and Gary attended my son's high school grad party. When Gary came in the house, he was struck by all the paintings on the walls as our home looks like an art gallery. Gary took the time to walk through the rooms and view the art. When he was done, he came back to this painting which is hung in the kitchen. As he stood gazing at the art, he said, "the painting drew him back and he couldn't take his eyes off of it." 

Before the grad party, I prayed that the art would glorify God and be a blessing to everyone who saw it. The one person I thought who wouldn't get it, got it. I was so blessed by Gary's comment. It's like that was the moment I arrived as an artist because in my mind, it's truly art when the painting affects someone that deeply and draws them in. Praise be to God! I couldn't have done it without HIM!

REFERENCES:
Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%205:19,%20Eph%204:30&version=NKJV
Blue Letter Bible: http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=1Th&c=5&v=19&t=KJV#conc/19
Steven Curtis Chapman: http://stevencurtischapman.com/
http://stevencurtischapman.com/music/songs/dive-259
Christian Lyrics Online: http://www.christianlyricsonline.com/artists/steven-curtis-chapman/dive.html 
Riding The Beast: http://www.ridingthebeast.com/articles/colors/