Word from the Lord / April 30, 2018
I am sending My latter rain to the earth, for it has had the former rain lightly. This rain is for growth upward. The latter rain will now fall. It is for maturation of the fruit. As a husbandman waiteth for the crops to mature, so I have waited, lo, all these years until now–for now is the time My Bride will mature and shine forth in the Kingdom of My Father. As she arises and shines, I will send another shower of blessing upon My people. It will be the double blessing of the former rain and latter rain upon the people. I am positioning My people right now to receive this rain. When they do, they will very quickly grow stable roots downward and bear fruit upwards.
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
(James 5:7-10)
Hallelujah!
Off to Israel with this beautiful, positive Word. Our first meeting in the land of Israel was with Bridges for Peace. They loved the picture for the new immigrants (Olim in Hebrew) that daughter Debbie brought. We finished meeting the staff at their main headquarters in Jerusalem, then drove with Terry, the head of the organization, to their distribution headquarters. It was a cloudy, rainy day. “This rain is very unusual. This is a latter rain. We don’t usually have rain after Passover. It is very significant,” Terry explained.
Since I had a Word of the “Favor of the Lord,” I was very interested in this latter rain event. One Scripture, especially, drew my attention. It linked the latter rain to the favor of the Lord: “In the light of the king’s face is life, and His favor is like a cloud of the latter rain” (Proverbs 16:15). What confirmation!
Terry continued, “The former rain is for growth (germination), but the latter rain is for quick maturation.” I then understood the favor that God was bringing. It was for the blessed latter rain and maturation of the grain. I knew instantly this spoke prophetically of the maturation of the people of Eretz Israel (the Land of Israel); favor for the Nation and favor for His people, both Jews and non-Jews, worldwide.
Rain in Scripture is representative of the Holy Spirit and His work. The former rain came prophetically at Pentecost with the immense outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. The latter rain symbolizes the second great visitation; the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ. This comes when His Bride has matured through the latter rain work of the Holy Spirit.
Do you see this? If so, it is very exciting, isn’t it? The Bride is maturing and readying herself for her Bridegroom’s appearance. She will have His character formed within her; enough character to carry the weight of glory soon to fall upon her.
In the weeks since we left the Land, Israel has begun to see the favor; beginning with the move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Israel’s eternal capital–Jerusalem. At home in Scottsdale now, I am praying for “rain in the time of latter rain”–prayers for His mighty blessings to fall as rain upon you and your family.
“Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain” (Zechariah 10:1).
Shalom . . . . . . Penny
