Sermon Central
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Praying For Rain
Contributed by Mike Hullah on Dec 17, 2015 (message contributor)
Summary: A sermon on three distinct experiences of rain mentioned in the Bible, with the context related to experiences in God, and the purpose of the rain in our lives which bring us into completion.
PRAYING FOR RAIN (HOLY SPIRIT ANOINTING)
Deuteronomy 11:13-15 ‘And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, ‘then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. ‘And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.’
This rain, unlike irrigation, did not depend on human ingenuity or skill, but rather on the will of Israel to obey the commands of the rain’s Giver. This involved loving and serving Him (cf. Deut. 10:12). The autumn… rains (also called the early rains) come in September-October, and the spring rains are in March-April (cf. Joel 2:23). Those rains begin and end the rainy season. The rains are necessary to help crops and trees grow, including grain (wheat, flax, and barley), grapevines (wine), olive trees (oil)
THREE EXPERIENCES OF RAIN
*Geshem – Heavy winter rain.
*Yoreh – Early (former) rain.
*Malkosh – Latter rain.
1. Preparatory rain, former rain.
Prepares the Laborer.
Prepares the Land.
Prepares the Lost.
This rain prepares the ground (heart) for the plough and the planter.
2. Provisional rain, heavy.
These heavy rains are welcome they fill, cisterns, pools and replenish the springs.
Is 44:3 “for I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon your offspring”
This rain bring the promise of reviving, the product of reviving and the power of reviving.
3. Perfecting rain, latter rain.
Appears 8 times in the O.T. once in the N.T.
8 = new beginnings,
9 = spiritual fruition.
This rain bring us into fruition or completeness.
PRAYING FOR THE RAIN
1 Kings 18:41-44 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.
• V 42 The position of intercession.
• V 43 The stand of faith.
• V 44 The perseverance to fullness
THE RESULT OF RAIN
1. Grain = Bread of Life Jn 6:48
2. Wine = Holy Spirit Maturity (wine matures)
3. Oil = Anointing or ability to do God things Lk4
Rain brings life, maturity and anointing into our lives. This is the result of the Holy Spirit Raining (REIGNING) in our lives.
