"Oh God, when You went out before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, the earth shook and the Heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God."—Psalm 68:7-8
The original H
ebrew of the phrase in this passage "the Heavens also dropped rain" gives the sense of meaning that it literally rained down prophetic discourses. So when the presence of the Lord comes, He comes with fresh commissioning. And when He releases spiritual rain through His presence, He releases something of spiritual substance; even if it's just a thought, it carries power! His Word has creative ability to accomplish in you what He purposes to do through you.
That's why it's so important that we learn to be zealous and spontaneous in our obedience to the whispers of the Holy Spirit. We need the attitude that Mary had when she said, "Let it be unto me as You have said Lord!" (Luke 1:38)
And when His rain comes, it not only brings a confirmation of your inheritance, but it also brings refreshing!
"You, O God, send a plentiful rain, whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, when it was weary. Your congregation dwelt in it; You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor."—Psalm 68:9-10
We've all grown weary at times, and in discouragement we've said to ourselves, "That word is never going to happen. It's so far away." But when the Lord brings something fresh within you, it releases a new confidence.
When you're walking in this spiritual rain that comes from the presence of God, you are walking under an open Heaven. This simply means that you are walking in the presence of the King of kings, and there's no restriction between you and Him!
"In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him."—Ephesians 3:12
In the book of Revelation, John describes the Lord on the throne as having a countenance more brilliant than the noonday sun (Revelation 10:1, 1:14). Proverbs also describes His face in this way:
"In the light of the king's face is life, and his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain"—Proverbs 16:15
So if you walk under an open Heaven, guess what? The King's light will overshadow you! The light from His brilliant face releases His life, but it also releases His favor, which is "like a cloud of the latter rain." So His favor is described as this spiritual rain. Believe me—you want to walk in His favor!
Latter Rain
Let's look more into this topic of the latter rain that Proverbs 16 mentions. We see a lot more about the latter rain in Joel 2:23:
"Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you—the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month."
What does the latter rain release?
"The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, (full harvest) and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil."—Joel 2:24 (paraphrase mine)
The outpouring of harvest rain also brings restoration, "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locus has eaten" (verse 25). The seeds of His Word may lie dormant in you for years, but as the Lord begins to rain on those seeds, He causes the fruit to come forth from your life!
Harvest of Wheat, New Wine and Fresh Oil
"The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil"—Joel 2:24
So we see here that God's refreshing rains produce wheat, which symbolizes a harvest of souls, and also that it causes new wine and oil to flow. We know that new wine comes from grapes, and oil comes from olives, so the harvest rain also produces grapes and olives.
So God's spiritual rain not only brings a harvest of wheat, or souls, but it also gives us spiritual new wine and oil, too, and you really don't want to miss out on that! His new wine of the Spirit will make you so happy that you can hardly stand it! The oil represents the precious anointing of the Holy Spirit, the power of God.
Another key passage about God's harvest showers is found in Psalm 65:9-13:
"You will visit the earth and water it. You greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of water. You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it. You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows. You make it soft with showers; You bless its growth. You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. And the pastures are clothed with flocks. The valleys also are covered with grain, and they shout for joy. They also sing."
Listen, harvest rain brings joy, singing, and celebration! Why? Because it releases new wine! Don't you want to be so saturated with His new wine that you can't help but speak of the loving-kindness of our God whenever you open your mouth? The new wine will do that to you!
God is about to POUR OUT His showers of golden rain from Heaven over your life! He's going to do a new thing in and through you!
"Behold the former things have come to pass. But new things I declare, and before they spring forth, I tell you of them."—Isaiah 42:9
God is offering to you rains that will bring the 100-fold harvest of His Word spoken over your life: words about the past, the present and the future for your family, your region, your ministry, and your nation! Just stretch forth your hands toward Heaven and tell Him, "Lord, I receive Your rain! Let it rain down on me! Let it pour. I want a downpour!"
Seek the Lord for the Harvest Rain
Take some time and seek Him for the full outpouring of His latter rain blessing. Don't let this opportunity pass you by! He wants to bring forth the fruit of His Word, and your heart is good soil for it. Get ready to go to a new level of walking more deeply with Him, Spirit to spirit, deep to deep, and let Him refresh you now with His rain, knowing that He who made and formed you will establish you in your destiny and calling!
May the brilliancy of the King's face shine upon you in a great way, and may you reflect His light—the light that releases the manifold wisdom of God through your life! We have been given unlimited access to the throne of our King. Let us go boldly before His throne right now, but let us also become awakened to the fullness of our blessing of living in a place of constant, continuous fellowship with Him who sits upon the throne.
May the remaining months of this year be a time of living even more powerfully under open Heavens, and may the cloud of His presence—His favor which brings true riches —release the latter rain upon you for a fresh time of harvest for you and your household!
Get ready! Be of good cheer! Celebrate! Your eyes shall see the glory of the Lord. Ask now for the latter rain. Ask now for the harvest! Ask now for the King to grant you favor to possess the Kingdom!
Put on a fresh anointing of the presence of the Lord! His latter rain brings forth the olive, which is the anointing oil of fresh power in the Holy Spirit!
The Lord is going to take your life and display His goodness, His grace, and His manifold wisdom through you. Ask the Lord to release a cloud of favor over you now—the favor that releases the latter rain!
Ask for the Kingdom!
It is His good pleasure to give to you the Kingdom, which is the favor to walk in the fullness of your inheritance. Perhaps you've been going through a narrow place; if so, I decree over your life that it is a time of release for you. As you go through the gates, you will make a powerful transition in the Spirit. As you say "Yes!" to Him, and even as you enter through the doors that He opens, it is preparation for the courses to be laid for the multitudes to follow. Your breakthrough of today will become the breakthrough for many in the future.
"Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you—the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil."—Joel 2:23-24
Be glad! Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice! Rejoice in the Lord your God. Release a great shout of praise right now! Rejoice in the Lord. Shout with shouts of joy! Shout with shouts of victory! Shout with shouts of exuberance! Celebrate in the light of the King's face! In the light of the King's face is life!
May the Lord release to you the latter rain to bring a harvest of souls, new wine, and fresh oil for the next half of this year—yes, for the next six months! New wine makes glad your heart! Oil makes your face shine! Bread strengthens your heart!
Let's Pray: Thank You Wonderful Jesus for the fresh rain of Your presence. Release it upon all who read this. Thank You that we may come with great boldness and confidence before You and behold You! We behold the light of the King's face—the light that releases life and a cloud of favor that releases the latter rain. Thank You Lord, for releasing the Harvest Rain. In Jesus' Mighty Name, Amen!
Keith Miller
Stand Firm World Ministries
Email: info@sfwm.org
Website: www.sfwm.org
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