To facilitate this intuitive understanding we will use models. One in particular will be quite important, namely the water model of electricity. We all know how the water flows in a hose and what happens if the hose is pinched at one point. We know that water generally flows downwards - to carry it upwards we need water pumps. The water model is not perfect, but illustrates a number of features of electricity.
Water flows from the higher to the lower tank.
Similarly, currents flow from the higher to the lower electric potential. If we lifted one tank up in the air, water would flow from it into the lower reservoir. The greater is the difference in height, the greater would be the flow. This changed conditions are referred to as creating a difference in electrical potential between the ends of a wire. If there is no potential difference, then the current would not flow.