In John 7:37-38 Jesus makes two statements that mirror each other. In John 7:37, Jesus makes the statement, "If any man is thirsty, let him come unto me, and drink." In John 7:38, the statement is, "He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly will flow rivers of Living Water." These two statements are remarkably similar, more so than they might appear on the surface. The Greek word "river" means "to drink."
Since the Holy Spirit is Jesus' representative on the earth in this present age and dispensation, to drink of Jesus is to drink of the Holy Spirit. If we take Jesus' reference to the Old Testament out, what we are left with in Jesus' second statement is, "He that believes on me, out of his belly will flow rivers of Living Water." We can change this statement somewhat and begin to see the similarity. "Rivers of Living Water will flow out of the bellies of those who believe on me."
In the first statement all who are thirsty are invited to drink but in the second statement the caveat, "all who believe on me" is added. In that Jesus adds the caveat signifies an option. Not all who are thirsty will drink.
Since the Greek word "river" means "to drink with revelry" or "to be drunk with joy," it is clear that Jesus is saying that all those who believe on Him will drink deeply of the Living Water by allowing rivers of it to flow out of the belly. Now again, we might point out as we have done in previous posts that to believe in Jesus is different than to believe on Jesus. Belief in Jesus, as stated by John 3:16, will produce the well of water springing up to everlasting life, but belief in Jesus will not produce rivers of water flowing out of the belly. Not all of those who believe in Jesus will be thirsty. Not all of those who are thirsty will drink of Jesus and not all of those who drink of Jesus will suck down a river of Living Water.
Isn't it curious to note that to drink of Jesus is to allow the Holy Spirit to flow out of the belly? And just as in the drinking of alcohol, it is not until a good quantity has been consumed that a person is found to be drunk. Just as small amounts of alcohol can be consumed without any change in demeanor, small amounts of Jesus can be consumed without much change, if any, but if there is a primary flow, if large amounts of Jesus are consumed by allowing large amounts of the Holy Spirit to flow out of the belly as the gift of tongues, changes in demeanor will be obvious. In fact, Jesus told the disciples that power to witness of His resurrection would be available to them with the baptism with the Spirit. It is obvious, however, that it takes rivers before the power begins to flow.
In John 7:38 Jesus did not use the term trickles or streams, although both words were available to Him. From the very beginning and all throughout the rest of the New Testament the point of tongues is volume.