[Editor’s Note: This word is not specific to the Northwest – other than the fact that the Northwest is expert on the subject of rain – but it has great application to us here in the Northwest.]
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.“
– Galatians 6:9
I foresee a great move of God, such as we have never before seen.
There is a due season of great harvest. There is a timing to all sovereign moves of God. Looking back and observing the history of the Church, I’ve come to see that God knows how to yield the greatest harvest from any generation.
Some say that we shouldn’t wait for revival, stressing that we should rather be revival. And that’s a valid point. Should we be inactive? No! In fact, laziness and wickedness seem to be synonymous to God. But the truth is that even with all of our efforts and obedience, only God can bring the rain. So we should find a healthy balance that avoids the extremes of both laziness and independence.
In this season, we will see many saved. In this season, we will see many healed. In this season, we will accomplish many good things and bear much fruit. But there’s nothing like when God brings the rain. You can plow and plant all you want – but only God can bring the rain.
There is no formula for this. There are no step-by-step keys. There is no secret. It’s really just God. But we must plow and plant. Otherwise, when it rains, what will grow? This is the partnership of man and God: We do the possible. He does the impossible.
Waiting on God does not mean inactivity. In fact, if you believe that it’s going to rain, you need to plant the seeds and plow the ground. Don’t wait around. Otherwise, when God moves, you’ll weep and not reap.
But what seeds are you planting? Are they truly spiritual seeds? Are you building a church or an organization? A church or a club? Do you seek righteousness or relevance? Are you praying for the sick? Are you casting out demons?
Whatever the seeds you are planting, you can be sure that they will become a harvest. But what sort of harvest are you going to reap? Will it be good or will it be God? Are you sowing the seeds of programs or power? Attendance or anointing? Methods or miracles? Tolerance or truth?
Don’t grow weary. Plant what God tells you to plant. The rain is coming.
3 Outcomes of the Outpouring
Last week, I wrote of a coming revival that I foresee. I encouraged my readers to continue planting seeds and plowing the ground. The rain is most certainly coming.
But I want to prepare you for what’s coming. Just like the return of Christ, all pivotal and divine actions are both a joy and a terror. The scripture uses the term, “Great and terrible”. Everyone knows that something big is coming. Major, global changes are just around the corner.
As of now, I don’t know what the condition of the nations will be during the rain (the outpouring). Though I do suspect that hostility towards the Church will continue to grow until the final appearing of Christ, I don’t believe that full-blown persecution will arrive in the United Statesbefore the next great outpouring. But persecution may come as a result of the incredible shaking that revival will bring to this nation. Again, God has not spoken to me in that regard. I am only speculating at this point. But what was made clear to me was this: “You’ve sown the seeds. I’m about to bring the rain.”
Church, the rain is coming. And these 3 things will come as a result.
#1 The Workers will be Refreshed
“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” – Acts 3:17-21
There seems to be a chronology here. Firstly, Christ’s suffering is fulfilled. Then, after repentance, times of refreshing come. And then Christ is sent again. But “Heaven must receive [Him] until the time for restoring all the things…” Christ’s return is preceded by a time of great refreshing.
When the rain comes, the workers of the field will be refreshed. As of right now, ministers and Christian leaders are exhausted. Look at the sad statistics:
45% of pastors say that they’ve experienced depression or burnout to the extent that they needed to take a leave of absence from ministry. 1,500 pastors leave their ministries each month due to burnout, conflict, or moral failure. 50% of the ministers starting out will not last 5 years. 4,000 new churches begin each year while 7,000 churches close.
Am I saying that there is no refreshment for now? Am I saying we are powerless until the next great outpouring? Of course not! Yes, we are to, to some degree, be the revival we desire to see. I addressed this in last week’s blog. But there is certainly a time of fresh outpouring that brings about a greater time of refreshing. I see an open field of very dry dirt. The field goes on for miles and miles in all directions. I see, as Jesus saw, a plentiful harvest, waiting to be harvested. But to every harvest there is a season. This harvest, for now, is in the form of seeds. I see people planting and plowing. There are thousands of workers. They are sweating and tired. Each movement kicks up a cloud of dirt. But, overhead, I see a cloud beginning to form. The workers look up with great expectation yet continue to plow and to plant. Then, the cloud covers the entirety of the visible skyline. Thunder rumbles throughout the field – it is the sound of worship. Then, it begins to rain. Immediately, the harvest grows. The harvesters can’t move quickly enough to keep up with the growth. All of the seeds that were sown are now growing. The workers, wet with rain, are refreshed. They begin working at a more lively pace than ever before. The harvest yields greatly.
#2 The Harvest will Yield
But, among the good seeds, are bad seeds. They are seeds sown in the flesh and even seeds sown from demonic strategy.
“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.“ – Matthew 13:24-26
But the wisdom of God, not wanting to lose the harvest, allows for both to grow. I’ll explain this on the next point.
However, when the harvest comes, both the good and bad seeds will grow.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.“ – Galatians 6:7
What you’re sowing now will grow. Are you sowing of the spirit or of the secular? Are you building a church or a self-help club? Are you after man’s programs or God’s power? What is not of the spirit will not stand when the times change.
The church you’re building – will it be overcome by the times? Will it be deceived by the times? Or will it yield God’s harvest in the times?
Do you want the seeds you’ve been planting to grow or do you fear them being realized? Listen carefully. The rain is coming. You will reap a harvest. God is merciful, and there is still time to begin sowing rightly. But what you sow will become a harvest.
#3 The Weeds will be Exposed
“So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” – Matthew 13:27-30
The tares mentioned here were a type of rye-grass. This specific kind of rye-grass bore a very close resemblance to wheat. Only when the ear appeared could they be told apart from the wheat. Only when it came time to harvest could they be separated.
What looks like God’s church may not be God’s church. What looks like God’s actions may only be man’s. I’m not making a specific reference to anyone or anything. I’m simply telling you that much of what looks like the harvest just may not be the harvest.
Keep your heart right, and you have nothing to fear. Remain in God’s presence, and, when the harvest comes, you will rejoice.
Think About It,
David Diga Hernandez
From his website, here and here.
[Note: This word is also available as in a video format: http://nwp.link/DDH-Outpouring]
