A Time of the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
Scripture Reference: ; ;
The word of God is given to edify, encourage, beautify, and lift us up. The ultimate purpose of this message is for you to take advantage of divine revelation and move to higher ground. As the Lord spoke in , "Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount." God is calling His church to come up higher ()—to a place of profound intimacy with Him, where we can see what we have never seen before.
We are living in the days of the latter rain. It is a time for the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The Program of Divine Visitation
In God's master plan, human history is divided into seven major dispensations:
- Dispensation of Innocence (The Garden of Eden)
- Dispensation of Conscience (The Fall to the Flood)
- Dispensation of Human Government (Post-Flood) [Often grouped or noted as distinct]
- Dispensation of Promise (Abraham to Moses)
- Dispensation of Law (Moses to Christ)
- Dispensation of Grace (The Church Age)
- Dispensation of the Kingdom (The Millennial Reign)
It was divinely scheduled that the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, would come in the sixth dispensation (the Dispensation of Grace) to dwell with men.
Just as the farmer waits patiently for the precious fruit of the earth and the early and latter rain (), God has ordained a timeline for spiritual rain. The early rain fell at Pentecost to plant the seed of the Church. The latter rain is falling now to help the crop grow and mature before the final harvest.
Revival usually starts with just one person. You can be that person God uses to draw down the latter rain in your family, your church, and your community.
The Purpose of the Visit
Why did the Holy Spirit come? He came for the good of the Church and the redemption of the entire world. Jesus promised, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you" ().
The Holy Spirit's mission includes:
- Being our Comforter (Parakletos): He is the one called alongside to help us ().
- Teaching and Aiding Memory: He teaches us all things and brings to our remembrance everything Christ has taught us.
- Revealing More: He shows us things to come ().
- Convicting the World: He assists in our ministration by convicting sinners of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
- Imparting the Nature of Christ: He produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives ().
- Empowering with Gifts: He equips believers with spiritual gifts for the edification of the body ().
The Path to Optimum Outpouring
If we want to experience this massive outpouring, there are divine conditions we must meet. The Holy Spirit does not respond to casual interest; He responds to deep hunger and specific spiritual posturing.
1. Piety and Reverence
Piety is the quality of being reverent and honoring God. Anything you do for the Lord must be done with profound reverence (). Sadly, many in the church today are incredibly casual in the things they do for God, offering "polluted bread" upon His altar (). God is saying, "Return unto me, and I will return unto you" (). Ministers and congregants alike must return to waiting on God and valuing His presence ().
2. Purity of Heart
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (). You must actively hate iniquity to carry the anointing (). Holiness is what sustains consecration. When your heart is pure, the Holy Ghost moves you from a place of mere spiritual assumption to a place of true spiritual perception.
3. Pursuit and Hunger
What are you hungry for? Anyone who does not genuinely hunger for the Lord cannot have the fullness of Jesus.
"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." –
The desperate seeker does not wait for a "convenient time." Consider blind Bartimaeus; when the crowd tried to silence him, he cried out even louder (). When you cry louder, you get divine attention! Desperation brings down every barrier. The true pilgrim is ready to pay any price for the presence of God.
4. Promising Hope
You must be hopeful and full of faith. Expect the Holy Spirit to move.
5. Positioning for Corporate Manifestation
Finally, the church must position itself in unity. Unity is the template for the reception of the blessing.
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!... for there the Lord commanded the blessing." –
When the early church was "with one accord in one place" (), the Spirit fell. The church must be united to experience this overflow of power.
Conclusion: Stepping into the Overflow
When the Holy Spirit falls, fervency and passion for the work of the Lord return. You will wake up and go to sleep with thoughts of God's kingdom.
When you operate under this outpouring, miracles come with ease. Jesus did not have to scream to multiply the bread, nor did He struggle to raise the dead; a simple touch and a command were enough. This is where we belong. We are called to be able ministers of the New Testament. Let us seek the Lord today, that the latter rain may fall upon us, bringing a drastic change to our lives and ministries.