The Rain of Heaven

[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 States before 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] 


There is a Convergence Coming – Cal Pierce

God is preparing us to move beyond where we have ever been. We are moving into a revolution of revelation. The things of the kingdom of God are beginning to converge on believers who make a determination to walk completely in the Holy Spirit. This is the beginning of the great last awakening. The word that we read will become the Word that we live.
 
Some time ago I asked the Holy Spirit why God only gave us the use of 10% of our brain. He had a simple answer that blew me away. He said, “The 10% is your tithe. When you sow it into the kingdom, it releases the 90%, which is the mind of Christ, that will come back to you.”
 
I knew that there was something to this but I didn’t have the full revelation of it until I saw an advertisement for a movie called Lucy. The movie is about a girl who had drugs put in her body for transportation to the US. The drugs leaked out and began to cause her brain capacity to move beyond 10%, toward 100%. As this happened she became more supernatural in her ability to function on earth.
 
I believe this is a prophetic picture of what is coming to believers as they receive the revelation of how to live beyond the 10% brain capacity to the fullness that is available with the mind of Christ.
 
In Romans 12, verse 2, it says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
 
The renewed mind is the mind of Christ. Your mind is the 10%, His mind is the 90%.
 
Jesus said we would do greater works than He did. (John 14:12) We wondered how would this happen? If we think about it, the 10% that we have is for operation or to live in the world by sight. The 90% is the mind of Christ that activates revelation for transformation. The Holy Spirit is our teacher who leads us into all that the Father has said. The 10% moves us by sight, the 90% moves us by hearing what the Spirit is saying. The 10%, or natural man, cannot understand spiritual things because they are spiritually discerned. By moving beyond the 10% we begin to access the things of the kingdom of God that are available to us. As we do this we will experience things which “eye has not seen nor our ear has heard. All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I Cor 2:9)
 
Notice that the renewed mind is to prove what this will of God is. Jesus did what He saw the Father doing. We will do greater works with the mind of Christ as we prove on earth the will of God. The kingdom that is within us is activated as we allow the Holy Spirit to move us beyond our 10% into His 90% capacity. Our 10% mind walks by sight in the natural realm so that we will see where to apply the 90% that comes from the kingdom of God. It is here that we will have a demonstration of power take place that will change a world.
 

 


God's Time of Preparation and Purpose

Editor’s note: This word from Kathi Pelton comes from the greater Pacific Northwest. It has application personally, regionally and in the broader community.
I have had a stirring in my spirit the past few months regarding the new season that the Body of Christ has entered. I keep hearing the words: "The old and the new are merging as one."As I was waiting on the Lord the morning of August 17th, I heard Him speak these words:

A Personal Word for God's People
"My people have entered into a time of great purpose and preparation. I am preparing My yielded ones to be a landing strip that receives all that I desire to bring forth in this strategic time in history. I am clearing the debris in order to make room for the things of Heaven to come to Earth. I am clearing both lives and land that were created to be green pastures in the days to come.

"Disappointments and hope deferred have taken root, causing thorn bushes to overtake many who are called for such a time as this. I am removing the root of bitter disappointment in those who will respond to My invitation to restoration. I have sent My angels to usher you to the green pastures of My Spirit where you will be healed, nourished and restored."

A Corporate Word for Lands and Nations

The Lord says, "I am revealing and restoring ancient gates at this time. These ancient gates have been long forgotten and forsaken, but I am once again revealing them to those who have eyes to see what My Spirit is doing. I am sending My chosen ones to repair the ancient gates.

"Like in the days of Nehemiah, when the city walls were in disrepair, I am sending many to the lands where ancient gates are located. These are places where The King of Glory will appear in order to accomplish My end-time purposes. These Heavenly gates have existed from the very beginning of time and the time of their opening is near.

"I have places throughout the Earth where I am opening up portals of Heavenly supply for the preparation of the Great Harvest that is coming soon. There are lands of promise and places of strategic purpose that I will lead both individuals and ministries to dwell in. I am preparing places that will be storehouses for My people at this time.

"The ancient and the new are merging as one in this hour; the beginning and the end are intersecting. In the midst of violent times I am establishing peace and bringing forth peace makers and peace keepers. In the midst of drought I will pour out My latter rain."

The Lord says, "Even now I am recruiting those who are willing to leave all and follow where I will lead them. They will be sent to the ancient gates, the predestined cities where peace, purpose and praise will open the gates and restore the land. These sent ones will not fear the evil one; they will overcome him through their faith, their trust and their obedience to My voice. Faith's assurance will be their strength."

The Coming Harvest: A Word for the Body

A great harvest is coming to Earth and God is preparing both people and places. As the Lord has spoken, there will be storehouses established in this new season. I believe that these storehouses will be both small and large

Some will be in homes and on personal properties, while others will be in cities and on large property owned by Christian ministries and businessmen and women. There are workers, even now, being called to be a part of what the Lord is building in preparation at this time. I hear the Spirit speaking these words of encouragement:

"I, the Lord, will provide for all the work of preparation. I will bring wealth to the storehouses and to those who are called to be gatekeepers and those who are called to repair the walls. I will raise up those who have wealth to support those who are preparing the way and clearing the land for My great harvest. Do not miss the time of My invitation. Do not miss this time of great purpose and preparation. You are My chosen ones."

Submitted in love,

Kathi Pelton
Oceans In The Desert

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