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The Jewish people understood what the former rain and latter rain meant, for when they went into the Promised Land, they were also promised by God, that if they worshipped Him only and did not turn to false gods, but gave unto Him all honour, He would answer their prayers and He would grant unto them blessings. When they wished to plant their crops, they did not even have to pick a season, because they were under the blessing of God. When they were ready to plant, they came to the temple, they acknowledge God as the Almighty Creator and they asked Him for the rain and that was given enough moisture for them to go and then plant their crops, and they knew that would happen for a loving Father had promised them. We know that in time, that blessing was taken away because they doubted God, and we can read the report of that in the Scriptures, where, when they doubted God and started to complain that this rain was coming and they weren’t quite ready for it. They didn’t want it this week, they wanted it next week, and we unfortunately, still hear this today amongst those upon the land. God then showed His power and He sent them a hail storm which destroyed and left everything in a state of disrepair, and from that day they lost the blessing of that former rain. Now we in the Christian church were also given a former rain of the Holy Spirit, and that former rain came into the world on the day of Pentecost. It filled the people and it allowed them to bring forth the springing up of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit became manifest and through those gifts, the church was edified and we must remember that a gift from God is an accumulating gift. He began with sending the Holy Spirit, that Holy Spirit brought forth the gifts. Those gifts were used and brought forth among the members to edify others and that then converted itself into the fruits of the spirit and the church became productive as we today, must also be productive, for that is why the gift is sent. During the former rain, the church brought forth much fruit and much faith, and we can read that in history, but once again we can also read in history, how mankind began to complain, how man wished to take the honour and glory to himself, how man wished to lead the church by his own wisdom not by the power of God. Once again God showed as He did with the children of Israel, He withdrew those benefits, He sent a storm into the church which was then scattered hither and thither and we can read the history of the church on how it became divided and through the terrible dark years, things were done because the darkness was again coming into the world. This spirit of God was no longer functioning the way God intended it.

The latter rain in the days of the children of Israel, once their crops were grown and the seeds headed, then it required rain to form that seed head into fruit and in their day they just simply believed. They took the first fruits, which were those seed heads that grew above the others. They took those first fruits into the temple where they offered them to God. They thanked Him for His creative powers and He sent unto them the latter rain and the latter rain came across the whole land and their fruits set seed and they were blessed with enough fruits to last them for the next year and they gave thanks to the Almighty God. Once again we can read in the scriptures where they began to select the fruit they would give back to God. They began to say that they were growing the crops, but forgot that it was God’s work and He withdrew from them also the latter rain, so that there were recordings in the scriptures of great famines as God tried to show them that this latter rain was required and the means of it were to bring Him thanksgiving for the former rain and the fruits. Now in the Christian church, God also, as the prophet said, would send the latter rain, and we know that it came about as devout men, everywhere in the world, realised that there was something missing out of the church. This latter rain came about as the second outpouring or regeneration of the Holy Spirit, but according to the prophet Joel, it came in a different way. It was the former rain and the latter rain, both sent at the one time and the church received not only that spirit which would allow it to grow, it received that spirit that will bring it to maturity, and that is what we live for today. To witness the maturity of the church so that on this third day, the church can also be risen from the grave, the church can come alive again. The day of refreshing the Apostle Peter referred to it as, when all things will be made new again and we will live with the Lord forever, and that is what we believe in our faith. We see therein that there is a requirement and that requirement is that we must have the Holy Spirit working within our midst. Without this Holy Spirit, we cannot be guided the way of God, we will be guided the way of man. That is why we believe in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, so that it will be given as a gift to that person. That person then can bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Those gifts can be edified within the church and the church then can bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which are many and listed in the scriptures. The world can then see that this body of people are being led by a different spirit, not being led by the ways of the world but being led by this spirit of God, that has the power to take us onto this great day of refreshing. It is the only power that can take us there. We can do nothing on our own, and that is why we must keep this active within our communities and around the world.

The Spirit of God is fed by the partaking of the body and blood of Christ, for the Spirit of God is part of the God-head. Christ is part of the God-head, our Father is part of the God-head and that is why our Lord said that if we partake of this worthily, He is then within us and we are within Him. It is a spiritual connection and we must maintain that spiritual connection, because our Lord said that He and His Father are one and they agree in one. We must have this connection to be going to our Heavenly Father, who can keep this accumulating effect going within the communities around the world.

We too, must at all times, hold up before God and always be prepared to place before Him, that first fruit, to ensure this rain is not taken away from the church. Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:20 “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept”.

We must at all times, display our faith in Christ to the world. (John 5:24).