THE LATTER RAIN!
What is it? What is its purpose? Do
I need it? Will I get it?
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"Behold,
the husbandman
waiteth for the precious fruit
of the earth, and hath long
patience for it, until he
receive the early and latter
rain. Be ye also patient;
stablish your hearts; for the
coming of the Lord draweth
nigh." (KJV)
James 5:7, 8.
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LATTER RAIN - INTRODUCTION
The
former rain was given so that
the seed that is sown can be
germinated. The rain literally helps
to “give life” to the seed.
The
seed would not be able to
germinate (sprout, grow, develop,
take root) without that rain.
This
represents our CONVERSION.
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PURPOSES OF THE LATTER RAIN:
1.
Bring the fruit to the storage
where it becomes ripened and
ready for harvest.
2. Empower the church to finish
the witness it was commissioned
to proclaim.
3. Prepare the church and give
it victory in the last “time of
trouble”.
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1. BRING FRUIT TO HARVEST.
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“…near
the close of earth's harvest, a
special bestowal of spiritual grace is
promised to prepare the church for
the coming of the Son of man. This
outpouring of the Spirit is likened to
the falling of the latter rain; and it is
for this added power that Christians
are to send their petitions to the Lord
of the harvest "in the time of the latter
rain."
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2. EMPOWER THE CHURCH TO
FINISH THE WITNESS
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The
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
on the day of Pentecost was the
former rain, but the latter rain will
be more abundant. The Spirit
awaits our demand and
reception. Christ is again to be
revealed in His fulness by the
Holy Spirit's power.
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ARE YOU WITNESSING NOW?
The
latter
rain
power is
to help
finish the
work – not
start it!
Jesus witnessed to many…
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JESUS WITNESSED TOO & NURTURED
INDIVIDUALS …
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So
it may be now. Instead of man's
speculations, let the word of God be
preached. Let Christians put away their
dissensions (opposition,discord,
disagreement, conflict) and give
themselves to God for the saving of the
lost. Let them in faith ask for the
blessing, and it will come. The
outpouring of the Spirit in apostolic
days was the "former rain," and glorious
was the result. But the "latter rain" will
be more abundant. Joel 2:23
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I
heard those clothed with the
armor speak forth the truth with
great power. It had effect. Many
had been bound; some wives by
their husbands, and some children
by their parents. The honest who
had been prevented from hearing
the truth now eagerly laid hold
upon it. All fear of their relatives
was gone, and the truth alone was
exalted to them.
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They
had been hungering and
thirsting for truth; it was dearer
and more precious than life. I
asked what had made this great
change. An angel answered, "It is
the latter rain, the refreshing from
the presence of the Lord, the loud
cry of the third angel."
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3. PREPARE THE CHURCH FOR
THE LAST “TIME OF TROUBLE”.
A
great time of trouble is
coming on the earth. This
must be of concern to every
Christian…but of very special
concern to Christ Family Full
Gospel Church Christian!
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I saw that many were neglecting the
preparation so needful, and were
looking to the time of "refreshing" and
the "latter rain" to fit them to stand in
the day of the Lord, and to live in His
presence. Oh, how many I saw in the
time of trouble without a shelter! They
had neglected the needful
preparation, therefore they could not
receive the refreshing that all must
have to fit them to live in the sight of
a holy God

Anonymous
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Those
who refuse to be hewed
by the messengers, and fail to
purify their souls in obeying the
whole truth, and who are willing
to believe that their condition is
far better than it really is, will
come up to the time of the
falling of the plagues, and then
see that they needed to be
hewed and squared for the
building.
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But
there will be no time then to
do it and no Mediator to plead
their cause before the Father.
Before this time the awfully
solemn declaration has gone
forth, "He that is unjust, let him be
unjust still; and he which is filthy,
let him be filthy still; and he that is
righteous, let him be righteous still;
and he that is holy, let him be holy
still."
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THE TWO LATTER RAINS:
1.
One for each individual
(who is ready).
2.
One for the church
(that is ready).
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Not one of us will ever receive
the seal of God while our
characters have one spot or stain
upon them. It is left with us to
remedy the defects in our
characters, to cleanse the soultemple of every defilement. Then
the latter rain will fall upon us as
the early rain fell upon the
disciples on the day of Pentecost.

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I
saw that none could share the
"refreshing," unless they obtain the
victory over every besetment, over
pride, selfishness, love of the world,
and over every wrong word and
action. We should, therefore, be
drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord,
and be earnestly seeking that
preparation necessary to enable us to
stand in the battle in the day of the
Lord. Let all remember that God is
holy, and that none but holy beings
can ever dwell in His presence.
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“…while
the work of salvation is
closing, trouble will be coming on the
earth, and the nations will be angry,
yet held in check so as not to prevent
the work of the third angel. At that
time the "latter rain," or refreshing from
the presence of the Lord, will come, to
give power to the loud voice of the
third angel, and prepare the saints to
stand in the period when the seven last
plagues shall be poured out.”
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The great outpouring of the Spirit of
God, which lightens the whole earth
with His glory, will not come until we
have an enlightened people, that
know by experience what it means to
be laborers together with God. When
we have entire, wholehearted
consecration to the service of Christ,
God will recognize the fact by an
outpouring of His Spirit without
measure;

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but
this will not be while the largest
portion of the church are not laborers
together with God. God cannot pour
out His Spirit when selfishness and selfindulgence are so manifest; when a
spirit prevails that, if put into words,
would express that answer of Cain,-"Am I my brother's keeper?
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CLOSING…
I was pointed down to the time when
the third angel's message was closing.
The power of God had rested upon His
people; they had accomplished their
work and were prepared for the trying
hour before them. They had received
the latter rain, or refreshing from the
presence of the Lord, and the living
testimony had been revived. The last
great warning had sounded
everywhere, and it had stirred up and
enraged the inhabitants of the earth24
who would not receive the message.
I saw angels hurrying to and fro in
heaven. An angel with a writer's
inkhorn by his side returned from the
earth and reported to Jesus that his
work was done, and the saints were
numbered and sealed. Then I saw
Jesus, who had been ministering
before the ark containing the ten
commandments, throw down the
censer. He raised His hands, and with
a loud voice said, "It is done." And all
the angelic host laid off their crowns
as Jesus made the solemn
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declaration,

"He
that is unjust, let him be unjust still:
and he which is filthy, let him be filthy
still: and he that is righteous, let him be
righteous still: and he that is holy, let
him be holy still."
Every
case had been decided for life
or death. While Jesus had been
ministering in the sanctuary, the
judgment had been going on for the
righteous dead, and then for the
righteous living. Christ had received
His kingdom, having made the
atonement for His people and blotted26
out their sins.
The
subjects of the kingdom were
made up. The marriage of the
Lamb was consummated. And
the kingdom, and the greatness
of the kingdom under the whole
heaven, was given to Jesus and
the heirs of salvation, and Jesus
was to reign as King of kings and
Lord of lords.
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Are you ready?
Am I ready?
ARE WE READY?
WILL I REIGN WITH JESUS?
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