Ask For The Rain | Rev. Raymond Woodward

praise the Lord FAC it is such a high honor such an incredible privilege for Beverly and I to be here with you for this service and to see this beautiful building that the people of God have put together in honor to the Lord more than that to see people come into this place with a heart to worship and you have blessed me just by being among you tonight and I thank you for the privilege it's a always a high honor to be with your pastor and his sweet wife and all of their family I'm very grateful for what I affectionately call the carpenter clan I think they are some of the most awesome leaders in the entire Apostolic movement and I thank God for brother carpenter given not only great leadership to this church but to the wonderful Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ and both of those organizations this local church and the ALJ see our missions minded organizations and there's nothing like the cause of missions I will get right to the word tonight but I would be remiss if I didn't just pause and say you are a blessed church because you are served by a stellar first family and you know that and this fellowship around the world knows that you are abundantly blessed you really are just remain standing if you were for one second and I get the honor of yoking up in the pulpit with my friend or the Nolan carpenter today now that's a privilege and I mean that sincerely a great young man of God will take our text after we're seated but I'd like you while you're standing tonight if I could transport you I'd like to take you into what the old hymn writer calls showers of blessing I'd like to transport you into a place where we could just feel the heavens open and God come down in a very special way I watched you as you worship a lady back here a man over there a couple back here i watched you as you worship there's hunger in this room tonight it's not hunger to get together and go through one more religious ritual it's hunger to encounter the Lord Jesus would you let that hunger out right now in one burst of praise up to the heavens Lord Jesus we're receptive to your word we're longing for your spirit we're hungry for your presence so today but let go to that face yes sir we worship You Jesus we give you honor and glory but God we didn't just come to put on a little show for you we came to interact with you we didn't come just to a building we came to see the Lord of the house manifest your glory manifest your presence let your kingdom come and let your will be done in earth as if it's in heaven everyone said amen and you may be seated my subject for your consideration tonight is a phrase from Scripture and it simply says ask for the rain somebody say ask for the rain James chapter 5 and verse 7 says be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and he hath long patience for it until he received the early and the latter rain somebody shall reign and so James tells us that we wait we wait patiently sometimes it's hard to wait patiently but we wait patiently until the coming of the Lord we we sow and we pray and we till the ground and we try to have patience until we receive we wait for a harvest until the rain comes Hosea chapter 6 and verse 3 then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come unto us as the rain as the latter and the former rain unto the earth somebody shout rain so the Hosea says to us that we faithfully follow until the rain comes we don't stop we don't turn around we don't just kind of sit down and give up but we faithfully follow on to know the Lord but there's a goal on the horizon and that is the rain of God's presence and his power in Hosea 10 verse 12 he said so to yourselves in righteousness reap in mercy break up your fallow ground break up that hardened encrusted ground that hasn't been touched or tilled for a long time break it up for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and reign righteousness upon you but the people of God shall reign and so Hosea and he exhorts us diligently seek God do whatever you need to do break up anything you need to break up bust up any old ideas bust up any old idols til it until you see the rain come diligently seek Him until it gets here and joel of course said these words be glad then the children of Zion and rejoice in the Lord your God because he has given you the former rain moderately that was wonderful but it's going to cost to come down for you the rain the former rain and the latter rain in the first month you're going to get the equivalent of the fall rains and the spring rains together it's going to be so much rain you're not even going to really comprehend what is happening that's of course the Pentecost prophet that's the Prophet that pointed ahead to the first day of church history and Joel said rejoice in the Lord until the promise of the rain comes you can guarantee it you can take it to the bank that there's coming a day when the rain is going to fall I believe every believer has a destiny with the rain every Apostolic Bible believing Church has a destiny with the rain every movement that is hungry for God in this earth has a destiny with the rain and I hear a sound of abundance of rain there are storm clouds on the horizon God is doing marvelous there but it is up to the minor prophet Zechariah to say what I want to say to you tonight because he says it different than everybody else they say wait for a harvest until the rain comes follow the Lord until the rain comes seek the Lord until the rain comes rejoice in the Lord until the rain gets here but it's left up to the Minor Prophets a Cariah to tell us this in 10 and 1 ascii of the lord rain in the time of the latter rain so the Lord shall make bright clouds and give them showers of rain to everyone grass in the field what do you say in Zachariah I'm saying it is already raining there is already rain falling it is the time of the latter rain but guess what if your personal climate is still a little dry you can say God I thank you for what you're doing around the world but Jesus I need a little rain in my life so Zachariah said when it's raining you can still ask for Ray I wish somebody lift up your hands and you say Jesus I need rain in my life I need rain in my household I need rain in my family I need the rain so I'm asking for the rain Zacharias said we continue to ask for the rain even in the time of the rain why in the world when it's already raining would you ask for more rain well sometimes our local forecast hasn't caught up with what God's doing around the world I thank God for what he's doing in North America I thank God for powerful legacy apostolic revival churches like this congregation but here's what I know I've stood on stages in different arenas around the world stood on a platform in the Philippines last year and watched thousands tens of thousands of people in that arena seeking God crying out after God and when the rain of the Holy Ghost fell eight thousand people received the baptism of the Holy Ghost at the end of that service where forty-two thousand people were present and I just look at that and I say Jesus I thank you for what you're doing in the Philippines but Jesus I'm asking for rain in the time of the rain I'm asking for rain overhears he why would we ask for rain in the time of the rain will sometimes we can look around we see the blessing of God on somebody else we see that God answered somebody else's prayer we see that somebody else got their miracle it is not wrong for you to look up at the heavens and say God you reigned over there on that family you poured out your healing on that sister you gave that brother a miracle so Jesus I'm not being greedy or selfish I'm not bitter or been out of shape but God if you do it for them and your word says you're not a respecter of persons then Jesus I'm just saying more rain over here Jesus I'm asking for more rain in my life I would suggest to you wonderful people it is already raining around the world we are in the time of the latter rain God is moving in unprecedented ways to bless his people and to mobilize his church and to expand his kingdom and to bring in a harvest of souls but with a population that is approaching nearly 8 billion people on this planet we still need more rain that's got to be our prayer so here's the Bible principle it's very simple it's so elementary but I'd like to leave it with you tonight when it's raining when you feel the glory of God start to fall when you feel the presence of God all around when you see the wonderful mighty things that God is doing when it's raining here's the principle ask for more you're in a perfect place to ask for more when the rain has started to fall all around so here's what I'm telling you don't you dare be content to attend a great church you get in the middle of this great church and when the glory of the Lord is falling all around you you say hey Jesus over here I need some rain right here I need some rain but I hear it I hear the sound of abundance of rain I can see a cloud the size of a man's hand we're just getting started I wish you let out your voice like a trumpet shout and just give God he don't love no huh I know God's been good I know he's done marvelous things but we still got a job to do right up until the last second before the rapture so morena Jesus more rain Jesus don't don't be content for a few drops every Sunday when God wants to send you and down for don't you dare stop believing you believe for more don't you dare stop praying pray for more don't you dare stop reaching reach for more don't you dare stop asking ask for more ask for the rain in the time of the ladder I'm grateful to a man named Larry sparks who compiled a book a few years back by the same title I came across the book a little while ago because somebody had taken one of his chapters have posted it in a blog online and it was that chapter from that book by misters and I just want to borrow from for the next few moments because I would suggest to you that as we sit here in this beautiful sanctuary on a wonderful Sunday evening it is already raining around the world we are already in the time of the latter rain in fact I would suggest something more to you it has been raining since the day of Pentecost from that sovereign moment in history all the way to tonight heaven has been open and the Holy Spirit has been released so the great need of our hour in the year 2020 is not to say God send us another Pentecost somewhere up in heaven God would say another Pentecost I sent you everything you'd ever need in the first Pentecost you don't need another Pentecost you need to release the Pentecost you've already read the first Pentecost was absolutely sufficient it wasn't lacking in any way so we don't need more of God to appear out of heaven here's what we need we need more of God to appear out of us if you've read your Bible lately you know this out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water the rain is not locked up up there and God saved I'm gonna hang on to this and you're gonna have to make me know God poured out the rain when you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost so when you pray for more rain what you're really saying is God release for rain release for rain we've already felt it but release for rain well I wish I could get somebody to lift up your hands and lift your voice higher than your fingertips and just call on the Lord more rain Jesus you're really praying God get more of me God release far through me that's what you're praying I would suggest to you wonderful people we are not waiting on revival if anything revival is probably waiting on us revival is not locked up in the heavens waiting for enough desperate cries and persistent prayers and traveling evangelist to pull it down that sounds spiritual that appeals to us but it's theologically incorrect revival is available right now because revival is not an event it is not a church service it is not a conference it is not a special gathering revival is not a season of heightened spiritual activity revival is not just the time of visitations after which we go back to business as usual because we had revival last week revival is meant to upend and redefine business as usual in every believer that has the Holy Ghost revival at it's very core is the dynamic demonstration of New Testament Christianity not hype not performance not our still not our expertise not our clever speaking and our clever speakers revival simply the Lord Jesus Christ being released through his people through the power of the Holy Ghost revival involves a divine visitation of God's manifest presence and it produces a habitual capitation of his glory revive challenges our usual revival redefines what we call normal church services I was so happy to see many of you get up and leave your seat when the worshipers were singing up here because you weren't content to have worshipers up here leading you you wanted to be a worshiper yourself see that's what revival feels like revival confronts our old wineskins in revival confronts obsolete traditions and outdated methods revivals not always a friendly face revival will challenge Christians who are carnal or complacent or just plain comfortable because revival challenges every believer to be in this world but not of this world revival challenges us to be hungrier than our history I thank God for elders I thank God for men and women who blazed the trail paid the bills prayed the price witnessed and reached and preached and built and we are enjoying the fruit of their labors and we have entered into a harvest that we didn't have everything to do with it we've entered into a harvest that was paid for not just rest on our history but to be hungrier than our what would it look like in a technologically advanced generation what would it look like in a generation that has so many perks and privileges and your grandparents or great-grandparents never may have traveled very many miles from their homestead but you have circled the globe because you've gone on vacations to places they can only read about or imagine ever being what would it look like if a revival spirit that hit them hit this generation with all of our technology all of our purpose and all of our education I'll tell you what it would look like it would absolutely shake this world - its revival challenge be hungrier than your history be thirstier than your yesterday be more passionate than your past revival is a continuous Holy Ghost outpouring it has been flowing since the day of Pentecost we didn't invent this we didn't create this in a committee this has been flowing since the day of Pentecost but aren't you glad that in your family there came a day when first one person then two then five now ten now three generations you jumped into the river every Bible and history has never been the same as I would tell you don't get comfortable I would tell you don't become complacent I would tell you don't be satisfied with a little drop of water over here and a little sprinkle over here not when we have a hold of a promise from God God said through Zacharias vows he said when you see the latter rain all around you if there's any generation that that's applicable to that would be our generation but when you see the latter rain all around you you don't stand a safe isn't that nice I'm glad Africa's in revival I'm glad that they're having revival in the Philippines I'm glad that there's Christians in China know when it's the time of the latter rain you get your hands in the air you get your prayer on and you say God more rain I need rain in my family I need rain in my neighborhood I need rain in my life ask for rain in the time of the rain revival is not God's perfect will for his church revival is actually his remedy for when his church gets out of his perfect will you don't revive what's already alive you revive what's almost dead revival summons backsliders out of their spiritual wilderness and ushers them into the very encounter that their heart was longing for out in the world they thought they were going to find it in drugs they thought they were going to find it in the party scene they thought they were going to find it in alcohol they thought they were going to find it in money and possessions but all the time their heart has been beating and longing and revival asurs them back into their inheritance revival brings them back among the people of God and says the rain was falling all the time but you were just outside of the zone but welcome back to stand under the spout where the glory comes up welcome back into the presence of God where the rain is flowing and falling revival sounds every siren and bell in the hallways of hell serves notice to a defeated devil that the church is activated and empowered and anointed and that the church means business and we are going to add all costs return to God's original blueprint which is a kingdom people who operate in purity and in power and saints of God brothers and sisters revival opens our eyes to the potential and the reality the limitless reality of prayer do you understand how big this prayer is thy kingdom come and thy will be done anything can happen when you pray that time of a prayer revival reminds Apostolic believers you already carry the keys to bind and loose things that Heaven wants to bind and things that Heaven wants to loose so the church is not waiting for revival if anything revival is waiting for whosoever will prevent revival is waiting on some intercessor in a great church like this and you sometimes hold back I know intercessors you sometimes hold back because when you really get into it it sounds a little awkward and it gets a little intense and maybe a little loud and sometimes you hold back and I tell you something your pastor doesn't mind when the Spirit of God is manifest and intercessors begin to call out and cry oh we need a little less of us just going through our Sunday night routine listening to this powerful anointed choir and these anointed singers and listening to pastor preach we need a little bit more you know what we need we need some groanings that cannot be uttered from some spirits that are not satisfied yet I'm thankful for the blessing of God I'm grateful for the mercy of God but there's something in my heart that says in the time of the latter rain I'm going to be bold enough to ask for more rain oh just pray for a minute I'm not talking about that little under your breath kind of prayer to fill in the empty space in the message while the preacher finds the next point in his notes that's not what I'm talking about I'm talking about prayer I'm talking about what you do when you're desperate I'm talking about your spirit crying out to God's Spirit I'm talking about here in a little roll of thunder feel a little drop of rain and saying God I know it's raining all around me but I just need some rain to fall over here in the pew I'm sitting in I need some rain to fall over here in the neighborhood I'm living in I need some rain to fall on my diagnosis I need some rain to fall on my backslidden child I need some rain so in the time when the rain is falling Jesus just for rain just for rain that's what I need the posture of revival looks like this God or a that's what it looks like more a it's like you become a funnel and you say God if you're gonna pour it out anywhere Lord if you're gonna pour it out on anybody pour it out more rain in the time of the rain oh this powerful church knows how to pray let your voice out one more time not in praise in prayer Oh God send up the rain Oh God send the rain it a boast about they get it ah ha Mendota daebak get out of a ha ha ha ha there we go there we go there we go somebody it's the night it's tonight for the reign of the Holy Ghost to fall on you it's been followed in this church this is a powerful church but tonight is your night for the rain to fall on you tonight is your night for the rain to fall on your house I know you're waiting for more servant and I'm not sure there's going to be any more sermon so when you lift up your hands and would you lift up your voice and would you just pray this great church is a machine of the Holy Ghost when it goes to prayer this great church is an army when they begin to worship this great church knows how to touch the hem of His garment but here's what you gotta say Jesus I'm not content for the rain to fall there and there and there and there I need the rain to fall right here more rain Jesus more rain that's not a selfish prayer that's not a greedy prayer that's what Zacharias said ask of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain ha ha ha I see a cloud it's just the size of a man's hand but I'm determined if that's all I see I'm gonna keep believing until there's a downpour I'm not content to be an average Apostolic I'm not content to be a passive Pentecostal more ranging more rain Jesus more rain more rain Jesus hey de boleto show some aha would you take somebody by the hand and lift that hand with yours and together just cry out for more rain more rain no rain Jesus more rain on our young people more rain on our families more rain on our seniors more rain on our children more rain in this church more rain in this city more rain in this movement more rain more reign Jesus reign Jesus reign Jesus is gonna back behind your husband for rain Jesus more rain Jesus haha yes I see it I see a little bit over here I see some over here I see some back there I see it but see God said ask me for rain in the time of the rain I'm glad it's raining already but we need more rain there's still backsliders in my family Jesus more rain later both yes sir what we do next is very important I'm going to ask you to turn you've already prayed beside somebody you've already prayed with somebody but I'm going to ask you to do something that might put you out of your comfort zone I'm going to ask you to turn around and pray for somebody lay your hand on them and pray for them not beside them not just with them lay your hand on them pray for them somebody can receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost right now at FAC because the rain is falling somebody can't be healed right now in our service because the rain is falling if you would do that just one more time I know that maybe you got all the rain you need but we need some rain in some families tonight we need some rain over some back ciders tonight we need some rain to fall in some situations so even if you already got enough drops to satisfy you would you just reach out for one more person and pray for them one more time right now you might not even know their name but God knows exactly what they're going through and we're praying God I know it's raining look at this of course it's raining but more rain Jesus receive your healing right now in the name of Jesus healing is flowing in this service receive the Holy Ghost right now in the name of Jesus he already poured it out you can receive it right now receive your miracle right now in the name of Jesus miracles are your heritage as the people of God more range