Sermon Central
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Ask For Rain
Contributed by Pastor/Author: Terry Sisney on Jan 30, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: There has been a shift in the Spiritual climate in this country: How we respond to it will determine whether we usher in the greatest revival since the book of acts or we lose our nation to a murderous perverse antichrist spirit. (This is serious)
TEXT ASK FOR RAIN
Sometimes God speaks things to us that don't make any sense, sometimes they just seem to be out of order.
This text is an example of that: God says ask for rain in the time of the latter rain, now to my natural mind that doesn't make any sense.
Why would you need to ask for rain when it's raining? that doesn't make any sense at all. Thats like walking outside and standing in the pouring rain and looking up to the sky and saying: I sure wish it would rain.
But the truth is: This is spiritual and what God is saying is this; there are seasons of visitation, there are times of refreshing, there are times when God manifest his presence and his power and His glory to his people.
But the only ones that will benefit from that, and the only ones that will be blessed by the rain and blessed by the presence of God and the manifestation of his glory, are those who ask for the rain.
In a spiritual sense you don't get wet just because it's raining, (you have to ask for the rain). You have to put a demand on God. You have to let God know that you need the rain, and that you want the rain, and that you will not be satisfied without the rain.
You must position yourself to receive the rain: It doesn't matter what God is doing, if you are out of position you will miss it.
Attitude has a lot to do with positioning, because in a spiritual sense your attitude determines your position.
For example: God is manifesting his presence, his power is being manifested, glory is filling the atmosphere) but your attitude says (I don't like these songs, or i don't like that sermon, or i can't wait till service is over so i can go eat)
Well you may be physically in the right place, but if your attitude is wrong you are spiritually in the wrong place.
The bible says: Repent then times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord.
I want to tell you something: I love you with all my heart, and i want to be the best pastor I can be, but God didn't send me here to make freinds, and to eat chicken, and to pat everybody on the back and say: your ok i'm ok, we're all ok.
I am here in the divine plan of God and destiny over this church (to push you, to build you, to equip you, to train you, to empower you) to help you position yourself to receive all that God has for you and to walk in his anointing and power.
And that means sometimes you'll get uncomfortable, because growth means stretching, and growth means change, and if my preaching and teaching never challenges you, then I'm wasting my breath and your wasting your time.
But I believe in the power of the gospel, and i believe, when i line myself up with the word (the blessings of God come like rain)
We're not trying to get anything from you: We're trying to get Gods blessing to you. I don't talk about tithing because I'm trying to get your money) I talk about about it because if I don't God will hold me personally responsible for witholding his truth from you.
We're entering a season of divine prosperity: There has been a major shift in the Spiritual climate.
(a major part of the prophetic ministry is knowing where we are at in the spirit so we can position ourselves for what is coming next)
It's a spiritual radar system
In Oklahoma we would often hear the radio or tv telling us that radar had detected a major thunderstorm heading our way: with the potential of producing strong winds, large hail, dangerous lightning and heavy amounts of rain.
This was to help us prepare for what was coming: in otherwords (to get out of it's path, or to take shelter away from the storm.
But in this case: The advance notification is to prepare us for what is coming so we will be directly in the path and so nothing will get in the way of the rain soaking our lives.
That means you need to get rid of anything that would get between you and the rain:
Any resentment, self pity, unforgiveness, anger, jealousy, lust, deception, pride, stubborness, rebellion, gossiping.
I'm standing here today not just as your pastor but as a prophetic voice: just as sure as i have warned you prophetically to be spiritually alert, and to stay hidden in the secret place)
Now i'm telling you: Add to that ( The rain is coming) what we have witnessed in the natural (taking place around us! All this rain is a sign of what is happening in the spiritual.
