The Sound of Rain

Zechariah 10:1 - Ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain. the Lord will make flashing clouds; he will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone.

1 Kings 18:41-45 - Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.'' So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea.'' So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing.'' And seven times he said, "Go again.'' Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!'' So he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, `Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.' '' Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain...

James 5:17-18 - Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

This seemed to be the theme last night as we ministered to the Lord. Another verse went right along with these: Joel 2:28-29 - "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Time for the Latter Rain...the cleansing, soaking, refreshing, changing, revealing, comforting, convicting, enabling, Spirit of the Living God!

We realize that the Spirit of God is here, and very active in what He does. I do believe, though, that in these last days, these days of the final harvest, there is to be a vast outpouring of God's Spirit, the likes of which NO ONE has ever experienced. As it was in the book of Genesis where God said that the earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep, so it is these last days. Darkness is upon the earth in mass quantities. The god of the earth is running full speed to work his agenda. But the Lord is speaking His Word. The prophetic word of God is proceeding from the mouth of God. It is causing life to spring up. Light is shining upon our ways. "Behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon you and His glory shall be seen upon you"(Isaiah 60).

There is a FLOOD just on the horizon. Our responsibility is to be in the right posture to move with His Spirit and receive the Rain as a rain gutter would receive the rain from the roof of a house. The rain gutter is used to catch the rain and then direct it to the proper place. Father is preparing us, even now, to be in the right "posture" - connected to His House properly (whose house are we if we hold fast - Hebrews 3:6), not focused on OUR ministry, our aches and pains, or anything other than the Kingdom of God, and make sure that each of us cleanses ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit; perfecting holiness in the fear of God - 2 Corinthians 7:1.

The Clouds of God's Glory are forming. Jesus said "he that has ears let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the church". I'd like to add, if I may, that the same would be true with this statement: "he that has eyes to see, let them see what the Spirit is doing IN the church". Oh saints of God, cry out to God in this time of the Spirit's Season. Cry out with a passion for no one but God. Cry out, "come, Thy Kingdom; be done, Thy will!" Let's not use the "if it be Thy will" kind of praying; let's use the confidence, the boldness, and even the tenacity that the Spirit of God brings to us. Let's have the strength to not draw back during this critical time but, instead, move with God step by step.

Those who are listening and obeying the voice of the Spirit will catch the raindrops. The rain of God will not hurt them but will help them bring forth fruit - 30, 60, and 100 fold. Those who are living for their own little world will not see the Glory of God. Yet their lives will be shaken. Many that aren't seeing what the Lord is doing or hearing what He's saying, when they are being shaken by the Rain, Lightenings, and Wind, will even get to the point where they'll try rebuking the devil; because they have not recognized the workings of God.

May the Lord continue to direct our hearts, our whole being, into intimate fellowship with Him and one another. May the sound of rain become louder than the sounds of the world. Again, "ask ye the Lord rain, in the time of the latter rain..." Beloved, NOW is the time.

"I can here Him calling...I can hear the sound of Rain..."

Pastor Jan