What Does the Bible Say about Streams in the Desert?
- Becky Harling Author
- Updated Jun 29, 2023
Years ago, a devotional was released by L.B. Cowman called Streams in the Desert. It has sold over 6 million copies since its initial release in 1929. The idea behind the best-selling devotional was that even though our spiritual journeys lead us through desert experiences, God provides refreshment and encouragement along the way. He promises to be with us in every wilderness experience and to provide streams in the desert there. The entire devotional is rooted in Scripture.
Where Is the Phrase “Streams in the Desert” in the Bible?
The phrase streams in the desert is found in the Old Testament book of Isaiah. The prophet wrote, “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:6).
In the previous chapter, Isaiah had prophesied about a time of coming judgment against the nations because of their rebellion against God. Much of the language Isaiah uses in this chapter is symbolic. Some of the prophecy applies to the end times where God’s wrath will be poured out against all the wickedness or the nations. However, the prophet goes on to describe the ministry of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. He encourages us that those who are faithful will discover the joy of streams in the desert. Refreshment and provision will come.
Similarly, the prophet spoke later, “Forget the former things; do not dwell in the past; see, I am doing a new thing; Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19). Here the streams refer to God making a way where there is no apparent way.
In the New Testament, Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy. He opened the eyes of the blind, loosed the tongues of the mute, unstopped the ears of the deaf, and made the lame walk again. On the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood and proclaimed in a loud voice, “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’” (John 7:37-39). (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him.)
What Does the Phrase Streams in the Desert Mean?
Streams in the desert is a symbolic term that describes the refreshment that comes from the Spirit of Christ living within us.
When the prophet Isaiah prophesied about streams in the desert, he promised that Christ would come and be the source of living water. Jesus Himself is the fountainhead of living water. But it doesn’t end there. He left His Spirit to indwell us so that streams of living water would continually flow in and through our lives.
When streams flow in a desert, they are from a geyser buried below. The water gushes up from underneath the dry ground. This same principle holds true in our lives. When there are streams, even in our desert times, those streams come from underneath the surface. They come from the internal well of the indwelling Holy Spirit. From Him, living waters flow freely even in the season of life that feels like a desert.
What Are the Promises of Streams in the Desert for Our Lives Today?
God’s Presence is with Us Even in the Desert. Even in the most difficult seasons of life, God is present. When the Children of Israel wandered through the desert, God’s presence went with them. His presence never left. He guided them with the cloud of His presence by day and the fire of His presence by night. (Exodus 13). Though the prophet Isaiah speaks of coming judgment in Isaiah 34 against the nations. He promises that His presence will never leave those who follow Him. He promises that He will bring streams in the desert in Isaiah 35. The streams remind us that even when life feels dark and dismal, God’s presence is with us. He is always available to refresh and revive.
Our Times in the Desert Can Be Fruitful. In each of our lives, there will be desert experiences. Jesus Himself said, “In this life you will have trouble” (John 16:33). When those trials and troubles come, it’s easy to doubt God’s goodness and whether or not we can trust Him. However, God promises that even our times in the desert can be fruitful. The streams that flow from the indwelling Spirit can nourish new growth in our lives. Often great pressure in our lives translates into a greater impact on our lives. But this is only possible as we lean into the source of living water. As we trust Him to provide refreshment rather than running to lesser things to anesthetize our pain, our strength and potential for impact increase. New fruit grows in our life. God promised through the Prophet Isaiah that “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom” (Isaiah 35:1-2).
Renewal and Revival Often Happen in the Desert. At times our spiritual walks feel dry, perhaps even lifeless. We find ourselves drifting spiritually. When we enter the desert, there is a desperation that is awakened in our souls. We become more aware of how parched we feel. We become determined to find the streams in the desert, and there our thirst is satisfied by Christ Himself. He is the one who said, whoever thirsts can come.
In The Desert, When Life Feels Impossible, God Himself Will Make a Way. When we are in the desert, it can feel as if there is no way forward. However, Isaiah promises that God will establish a highway for us which will be called the way of holiness. (Isaiah 35:8). As we faithfully drink from the streams in the desert, the highway of holiness becomes apparent to us, and we discover the way forward. Along the way, we realize it is the LORD Himself, who rescues us.
The Holy Spirit, Living Within Us, Becomes a Geyser of Living Water. When we have the Holy Spirit living within, His living water bubbles up through us like a fountain. Streams of water flow in us and through us, even in the desert. Those streams in the desert constantly become available through the Spirit of Christ living within us. As a result, we experience fresh anointing and new appointments for our journey.
God wants to use each of us. When we go through desert experiences, He hasn’t forgotten us. He will use our dry seasons to reshape and redirect us toward His ultimate purposes for our lives. As we drink from the streams in the desert, we’ll become more aware of God’s presence with us, we’ll bear more fruit, we’ll be renewed in our calling and purpose, we’ll experience God making a way where we thought there was none, and we’ll learn to rely on the Holy Spirit and the continual gusher of water within.
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