Russell A.Durose - Apostle
russellfap@aim.com
http://www.apostlesandprophets.net/apostles_and_prophets.htm
Joel 2
Joel 2:19-23
19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.
21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.
22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
(KJV)
This message comes to you with much thought over the last 2 years, the last season, for which we are leaving. I have prayed and sought the Lord much concerning the current kairos which is coming to an end for apostolic ministries, and those apostolically minded. When I speak about the apostolic, much noise has been made abroad concerning this, with many wanting to attach this label on this ministry…wrong it is. The label comes with a liability, or rather, a price. The price is temporary blindness, as in Paul's preparation, or the blowing and bleak conditions of John's Patmos. There is a heavy price to pay.
The last season is characterised by lack, of corn, wine and oil. 3 ingredients of prosperity, of abundance are found here. It is this season I have come to proclaim…the season of two rains, which come in the same season. One is to prepare the soil, the other for harvesting. The one is for sowing, the other for abundance. But without sowing there is no harvesting.
These are very much tied up with financial principles. And they are. The whole context of Joel must be noted, as a prophetic book for our days. The culmination of which is worldwide revival, on many levels.
There is one fact, when the spiritual life of the Church is low and backslidden so this is reflected in the distribution of wealth and goods also departs and lack and poverty characterises the priesthood of ministries.
Many will sigh reading this message, because many do not like to talk about finances. Many do not even desire to take commitments in this sphere. The reason is set plain for all to see in Acts 2 and 4, and can be taken in the light of the Spirit, and His Understanding, that the outpouring brought a complete disposition to bring about a distribution of wealth, and goods, where need and poverty departed. The question of support and its lack within ministries cannot centre on everyday life, teachings, or lack of them, rather it must ALWAYS CENTRE ON THE SPIRITUAL LIFE OR LACK OF IT WITHIN THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL.
The fact must be that there must be a FORMER RAIN MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT. The early apostles were confronted with needs, and yet they dealt with it, the most remarkable way. They put their spiritual ministry first before needs. How many of us in these season have been confronted by our own needs that our spiritual ministry went neglected…as we ran round like "headless chickens" resolving or trying to…secular issues.
The Lord had me reflect on this passage today, to show me how we have applied wrongly, in some point the two rainy seasons. The Lord showed me their purpose, and their purpose in the financial and spiritual world.
The reason why God's ministers lack today is because the FORMER RAIN NEEDS TO FALL AGAIN…
The former rain is sowing, into and preparing the ground. The ground is the ministry soil, the human heart. For me, it is plain to affirm that the current ground is hard. It does not matter which country you are in…the need is great…but is also the insensitivity. Joel accounts that for the soil to be broken up, there needs to be repentance, with weeping. Not worked up emotion but heartfelt sorrow and change. This lack of change attests for the lack of revelation, and subsequently the lack of consciousness of what is the Lord's heart concerning the 5 fold ministers, and those ministries He has put into place. The soil of the human heart is hard..therefore the Word cannot fall and germinate…bringing forth GROWTH AND FRUIT.
Therefore the whole area of financial support must come from a heart ALREADY MOVED UPON BY THE HOLY SPIRIT bringing about an overflow of the Love of God, bringing the heart into a position of crucifixion of its own needs, and a DESIRE TO BE MORE INCLINED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.
I would hasten to affirm that unless this happens, we get a mixed seed, made up of manipulation, necessity rather than a consciousness to SOW INTO GOOD SOIL, FOR ETERNAL FRUITS. Or rather, we are not supporting ministries to keep them going, we are looking far beyond into spiritual realms, that the New Jerusalem will come forth, and we will attain a maturity by INVESTING IN THE RICHES OF CHRIST….
The belief that God's ministers are those who are avoiding the secular work world, is an attitude of those who have the hard soil state. They must come under that FORMER RAIN…and we must never expect or force them into giving. Believe me, giving is a life in the Spirit, the carnal can never come into this realm, unless for self interest. Rather, when that former rain comes down upon us, we see God's ministers as the world's worthiest profession, worthy of honour and worthy of recognition.
The hard soil has led to a system which the pastor is the only salaried ministry, worthy of financial benefits. The others are sent into the secular world out of necessity. This is like us using a hand with 1 finger all the time, and then only using the other 4 in the evening time…foolish isn't it? But this is what we are doing.
The fact is, in the Old Testament, God is very strong about Israel forgetting the Levites, who are those without natural inheritance, natural wealth. These have a spiritual inheritance and a spiritual wealth which must be received as such! In the same token there is another side to the coin also.
God's people have not become ENRICHED BY GOD'S MINISTERS. This means that they have not been given the tools to prosper in the Word, not been given the keys to live a victorious life in the midst of a fallen world. A heart will only be sensitive when it is ministered to and cared for. This is very little done these days…of ultra selfishness. Many of God's flock are neglected. Many used and abused. Their giving is not taught aligned to God's Word, rather, they are forced into traditional or manipulative giving, which does not multiply for the giver, and does not prosper in the hands of the one given. Therefore, the cycle of giving and receiving is taken down into greater depths of poverty. This in the end, impoverishes the giver, discouraging him out of giving, and impoverishes the ministry of the minister, who has to spend his time trying to provide for his needs…
GOD NEVER MEANT IT THAT WAY!
Therefore, we must, as ministries, giving ministries, MUST cry to the Lord, at the temple for the FORMER RAIN, that He may send the corn. The new anointed FEEDING AND SATISFYING WORD OF GOD. We must ask for the NEW WINE, that brings a new joy, a new quality of spiritual and community life. And the oil. This is the anointing, which brings us into a new flow of spiritual life. Impoverishment is over God's people, sicknesses, and unfruitful lives, living out in the flesh, a life BELOW GOD'S STANDARDS!
Unless there is a spiritual and meaningful sowing, there can be no great harvest!
How do we sow meaningfully?
When we have a new approach to giving…
When we see God's ministers and ministries as He does
When our vision comes away from what I need to what we all need…a corporate mindset
When we have a vision of what is Kingdom!
When ministers occupy and discharge biblically their function, which is to impart spiritually conditions to be enriched in every sphere of life.
The former rain comes to soften, ready for the ploughing of ground, to fine soil, not great clods of soil. Rather, the sensitivity must grow, to the finest detail.
The Latter Rain is come just before the Harvest, brings the ripeness and readiness for the bringing in…
Much was made of what was known as the "Latter Rain" movement in 1948, and maybe it was in many senses. But if we see it in its biblical setting, we see it preparatory to a mighty harvest time, bringing fruit to readiness. This is very crucial. Timing is very crucial. This means we must see the signs when BRINGING IN AND DISTRIBUTION IS MADE…harvest is a stewardship of the multiplication given. Genesis 26 relates to Isaac and his sowing…multiplication was 100 fold. Harvest brings also seed for sowing in the next season also…so that harvest and seedtime come together in one season. We do not consume all on our lusts.,..as James puts it. Rather in Kingdom Economics, we must reap, but recognise where and what the SEED IS FOR THE NEXT SEASON. We must wake up to the principles of investments, in terms of structures. Rather, today, I am certain, that much of provision is used straightaway, is there any way we may have the innovation to invest new seed…for another season, in the right way…HARVESTS ALWAYS BRING IN SEED AS WELL AS FRUIT…not just fruit…the seed is in the fruit…the fruit is the holder of seed…the seed brings new fruit…new fruit…more seed…continuous.
So where is the fruit? We rejoice in the harvest…we should more rejoice that THE NEXT SEEDTIME HAS ALSO BEEN SECURED…WHICH MEANS THAT THE NEXT HARVEST IS GUARANTEED.
How can we bring this in principle? Imagine David, who gave "seed" to Solomon, in the form of the temple and foundation of his Kingdom, which was God's Kingdom…to be passed down through the harvest of each life. Therefore, instead of seeing money or goods departing from us, we must see them coming back in many multiplicated ways. Isaiah 55 v1 tells us to CAST OUR BREAD ON THE WATERS…It is not that we give for this, we give imparting our keys to another…giving them the condition of covenant fulfilment. In fact money is a covenant…it is an exchange.
That is why ministries have gone poor, because they have superimposed God's personal covenant with His People, without the need for individual covenants…what do I mean?
I mean that people are not to give to you, if there is no embarking on profound relationship and development of strategies of impartation, and enrichment. Without this, I believe there cannot be any expectation of support.
That is why so many desire to give, but are tired of being used! They are used because they are giving, but not receiving any impartation in return. That does not mean you give to get, but the exchange is an essential part…, because even in the secular world, services and goods are given on this exchange. How much more in the spiritual…we give to impart…and we receive to give what the other lacks…amen?
What is the result of the Latter Rain…?
Abundance and a cycle of continual seeding, harvesting. Psalm 126 says that the prosperity would be such that the harvester would overtake the seeder. We must take this as our promise.
Therefore, we must enter into some kind of covenant with those we give to, and the minister must enter into a greater ministerial impartation as covenant expression.
I am not preaching a prosperity gospel, I am merely transmitting a prophetic word, that if we desire to move into the new kairos season, we must repent for our hard hearts, wrong concepts and disobedience…and then move in covenant, love and giving.
Visitor Comments (0)
