There Shall Be Showers of Blessing

3

There Shall Be Showers of Blessing

We must have revival. In relationship to the land of Palestine, the withholding of rain was a sign and seal of God’s judgment upon Israel. Moses warned the people that, if they sinned against the Lord, the Lord would make the rain of their land powder and dust (). That form of judgment was carried out repeatedly in Israel’s history (). Whenever God’s people repented and returned to Jehovah, there was abundant rain upon the land ().

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is compared in the Bible to rain from Heaven. When the believer is obedient to God’s Word, the Holy Spirit works graciously and effectively in his heart. When he is disobedient, the Holy Spirit’s blessing is withheld. While we recognize that rain is the primary reference of many of the passages we refer to in this message, we feel that we in no way violate the general teaching of Scripture by applying these references to spiritual blessings.

Our whole subject is summed up beautifully in . “Showers of blessing”—what a wonderful promise! Let us relate it to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

I. The need for showers of blessing.

A. Only through such showers can we present God’s ideal for His people in the world; ; cf. . 2 I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

B. Only through such showers, symbolic of the Holy Spirit’s ministry, can we prevent a total drought and stop the church in the twentieth century from becoming a “dust bowl”; Rev. 2:4.4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

C. Only when the church receives such showers can we produce a harvest; ;

12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;

Reap in mercy;

Break up your fallow ground,

For it is time to seek the LORD,

Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. cf. . 23 Be glad then, you children of Zion,

And rejoice in the LORD your God;

For He has given you the former rain faithfully,

And He will cause the rain to come down for you—

The former rain,

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

II. The promise of showers of blessing.

A. The series of promises given to Israel in .

1. The promise of judgment upon false leaders of Israel; vv. .

2. The promise of government for God’s people; vv. , .

3. The promise of enjoyment of God’s covenant; v. .

B. The series of promises given to God’s people.

1. Showers of blessing are assured by the Lord; . 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

That there may be food in My house,

And try Me now in this,”

Says the LORD of hosts,

“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven

And pour out for you such blessing

That there will not be room enough to receive it.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

2. Showers of blessing are abundant; . 3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,

And floods on the dry ground;

I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,

And My blessing on your offspring;

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

3. Showers of blessing are adequate to meet our need; . 9 You, O God, sent a plentiful rain,

Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance,

When it was weary.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4. Showers of blessing must be sought in faith; ; ,  “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

III. The results of showers of blessing.

A. Revival; .

2 O LORD, I have heard Your speech and was afraid;

O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years!

In the midst of the years make it known;

In wrath remember mercy.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

B. Growth; . 5 I will be like the dew to Israel;

He shall grow like the lily,

And lengthen his roots like Lebanon.

6 His branches shall spread;

His beauty shall be like an olive tree,

And his fragrance like Lebanon.

7 Those who dwell under his shadow shall return;

They shall be revived like grain,

And grow like a vine.

Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

C. Harvest; ,  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

We may be dry. We may not see many showers of blessing. However, if our hearts are seeking God’s face, if we are laying hold of His promise, and if we believe that the God of Elijah is still alive today, then there will yet be a deluge of blessing upon the church (). 3 Let us know,

Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD.

His going forth is established as the morning;

He will come to us like the rain,

Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Dr. Henry Ward Beecher said: “We must have revival. It must rain faster, or we perish with drought!”

Adapted from T. S. Rendall

Rendall, T. S. (1974). There Shall Be Showers of Blessing. In Heart-Touching Sermon Outlines (pp. 14–15). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.