RECEIVING THE LATTER RAIN
By W. G. Guy
James 5:7 – Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
The rain mentioned here refers to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that occurs in the last days: actually the last two millennial days that began with Jesus Christ and Pentecost, and continues up unto the coming of the Lord. As Peter addressed the crowd that observed what happened when the Holy Spirit was initially poured out on the believers.
Acts 2:17-21 – But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: and I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
Obviously some of what is recorded in these verses, which Peter quoted from Joel, has not yet been fulfilled. Thus we are still looking for more of the continued outpouring of the Holy Spirit that must occur before that great and otable day of the Lord come. This is referred to as “the early and latter rain”. The early rain happened at Pentecost, the latter part is yet to come before the return of the Lord.
What is required of us in order to receive the latter day rain of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; the rain that we desperately need to get us ready for Christ’s return? Consider the condition of the believers that welcomed the early outpouring of the Holy Spirit as it occurred at Pentecost.
Acts 2:1 – And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
The believers were gathered together, as a church, as one whole harmonious group: but the main factor is that they were in one accord. Accord means to be in agreement, seeing things alike, a state of harmony. That means there was no disagreement, discord, strife or envy among them. They were all focused on Christ, on His resurrection life, and the kingdom of God. This created the environment that attracted the Holy Spirit.
The Lord cannot pour His Spirit out on a church that is so divided about Him, His Word, or the divine power that He provides, whether it is for today or not. Today what we have, that is called church, is not at all in one accord. In fact we see total discord as the church is more divided than ever before. We are divided by denominations, by diverse doctrines and opinions of the scriptures. This is a condition that was addressed by the apostle Paul when he told us about the purpose of the five gift ministries, that much of the church currently rejects or is divided about, saying they are not for today.
Ephesians 4:11-16 – And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
The churches, without the ministry of all five of these ministry gifts cannot be in accord: it cannot have the unity of the faith: it cannot have the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, as it is carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, (most likely of demons). Therefore the church as it exists today is not able to receive or accept the latter day outpouring of the Holy Spirit. That is, unless there is a mass repentance and acknowledgment of the truth of God’s Word.
We need to repent of our divisions and discord: to truly repent, change our manmade doctrines, observations and rituals that have nothing to do with Jesus Christ and the Fruit of the Spirit that is to be formed in each believer. Then we need to unite in seeking Him, and His kingdom, in Spirit and in truth.
John 4:23-24 – But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
To create a favorable condition for welcoming the Holy Spirit, we need to be uniting in prayer, in seeking Him and the truth of His Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit; all to promote His glory, honor and purpose, and not for our own recognition, as is done by so many. God has a purpose and a plan for His people that the enemy is trying to prevent.
Romans 8:29-30 – For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Without the unity of the faith there is no accord or agreement, only discord, division and hostility between churches and denominations. The apostle Paul called such churches immature and carnal.
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 – And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Such discord is a welcoming environment for Satan and his demons to inhabit: they thrive in such conditions as it is written.
James 3:14-18 – But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying andstrife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Discord welcomes Satan’s demons to perform every evil work. Such an environment repulses the Holy Spirit and His righteousness. This is one reason why we don’t see the power of God operate in most churches: it’s because of discord, envy and strife creating confusion and every evil work. This is what the apostle Paul described would be in churches in the last days.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 – This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Where do you find a form of godliness, but in churches. What else did Paul say was a problem with such a church: denying the power thereof; and what was Paul’s advice in such a case: from such turn away! The question is, what do we need to do in order to receive the latter rain of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring to prepare for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to reap the final harvest? The answer is simple as recorded in God’s Word – REPENT! Confess our discord, disagreement and divisions, and really repent; change! Then join together in accord to seek Him and the power of His presence by his Holy Spirit to equip us to be His witnesses; His light in us to the world.
Obviously only a small portion of what is called church will be in this group that is in accord. These are the ones that are in the narrow way and who have made their own individual preparation for Christ to be formed in them – the remnant who will receive the promised latter rain! Will you be one of them?
