The Latter Rain
Latter rain promises are easily learned through an exegetical and prophetic study of the Bible. Latter Rain beliefs are simply according to the Lord's finished work doctrine.
Latter rain thinking is generally found in Christian circles that exhibit the gifts of the spirit and look strange under sectarian bias, extreme fundamentalism and Puritan ignorance. We are praising the Lord like Saint John and David and Isaiah and "singing unto the Lord a new song," leaving behind the same old tired one. We encourage the gifts of the spirit and endeavor to bear fruit. All should have a testimony of Jesus and all should be diligent in asking Him to bring revival. Our callings means nothing if not acted upon in love. We must be equipped and united before we receive the latter rain in full measure.
Latter Rain concepts are becoming so widespread today that there are many web sites and organizations devoted to discrediting it. That's good because it spreads the controversy upward that we may all examine it in the light of truth. Anyone that understands the Biblical latter rain in a spiritual sense think it absurd to be accused of being part of a sectarian movement that started in 1948 because people back then had visions of the latter rain coming. True sheep recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd. Just as important, the pressure exposes the confusions and divisions of Babylon so that we can recognize her.
The Latter Rain as a "movement" began with Pentecostal power. This alarms the many conservatives or fundies and so-called apologists that already deny Baptisms of the Holy Spirit as second works of sanctification and valid subjective experiences. The true Sons of God are those led by His Spirit, signs and wonders follow. You will know them by their fruits.
The origin of the modern latter rain movement is said to have begun at the Azusa Street revial in L.A. around 1906. An eyewitness, Frank Bartleman wrote in 1925 of the early days of blessing of the "Latter Rain" outpouring at the old "power house," Azusa Street Mission. There are not a lot of the early marks of a latter rain "movement" on these writings because they originated independently. We do need however to identify some of the early marks of the Sharon Orphanage incident from the prophetic point of view. God was manifested there and 1948 was a watershed year from a prophetic standpoint, from the perspective of many end time thinkers, 1948 signals the end times. While things were going on in the political world in that year with the formation of the United Nations and the establishment of Israel as a state, great evangelistic and prophetic movements were also starting at that time.
While Oral Roberts, Billy Graham and others spread the world with gospel evangelism, the spirit move generated at Sharon Orphanage set off a simultaneous prophetic move with the five-fold ministry gifts and laying on of hands with power. These foundational doctrines began a restoration of apostolic mandates - it was not church as usual. The movement spread into different directions however, some even antagonistic to each other, so a statement of faith and/or a latter rain doctrine is impossible. There is no latter rain theology, only the outpoured spirit in operation in the believers.
There is no way you can pigeon hole people that believe in the latter rain of the Bible, they are too varied. There are too many people in the church that get hold of a little of the latter rain spirit and then go off in their own ways to validate it in the flesh. What it really is, is a daily walk with the Lord by His spirit; when a unity of this spirit comes, it will reveal the manifest sons of God. Some that came out of the spiritual move tried to make latter rain into some kind of church or denomination or something but they all failed. There are latter rain songs and bands and fellowships and assemblies with the latter rain name and that's all well and good but the main point here is that we are all different in the body of Christ. To associate anything latter rain to individuals or divergent groups is nonsense from the God-centric view of what the latter rain really is. The Lord will have His way about the latter rain irregardless of what anybody teaches for or against it.
Nor can you put the latter rain into different camps like what William Branham's followers did. Whatever Branham's teachings is of the latter rain, it cannot compare with the fact of the promises given to us of last day spiritual power and end time harvest. Problem is that people associate Branham to a latter rain "movement." That's the Sharon Orphanage thing from 1948. All kinds of preachers have great ministries but when the focus is too much on the man, the false teachings get spread along with the good ones. William Branham had nothing to do with the Sharon Orphanage outpouring except to minister to a few people. Branham's quirky Jesus only teachings only confused his followers and gave the heresy hunters improper cause to denounce the whole latter rain movement. By Branham's life being taken prematurely, it simply showed that he was not really the final Elijah that his follower's thought him to be and the fact that people still believed him to be so, proved his followers as being decidedly off themselves.
Latter rain detractors have been getting me mad for years and I keep thinking that I should do something about it but I don't. It hurts as well as gets me mad because we don't believe these heretic notions that they say we do. You can believe in the latter rain with or without all those false doctrines. It is hard to stay mad though, laugh out loud when you think how stupid they are.
Normative heresy hunters are fiercely anti-pentecostal. There is damage being done because the good is condemned with the bad. The Pentecostal move on a person is experiential, an objective and subjective spiritual power manifested where God is revealed in a mighty way. It is good to expose the false practices within pentecostalism but when pentecostal power itself is denied, it denies the third person of the trinity by quenching His spirit. As soon as apologetics is used as a club to suppress God's truth and power, apostasy and blasphemy are clearly evident as well as the delusion and deception, that's the good news. Apologetics without the spirit of love is of the letter, not the Spirit at all and if the doctrinaire is so extreme or too strict to see where the Lord is speaking outside of their own narrow theology, a bias sets in and a false spirit of supposed rightness causes them to lash out with anyone in disagreement. That is true in any theological discipline and it is a demonic spirit every time. I think that it should be mere fear than jealousy because if we are truly right, they are in deep doo-doo. More often, it is just ignorance, paranoia and kookiness. The heresy hunters don't seem to get this part and need to take some wisdom from Gamaliel "And now I say unto you, refrain from these men and let them alone. For if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nothing. But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it; lest haply you be found even to fight against God."
Giftings in the body of Christ should not divide us, but it does. We should always keep this thought that no matter how bad the body of Christ gets, there are those among the remnant that can put these things under their control. The fact of a sovereign God aside, He will not stand in our way if we choose to disobey Him, The Bible is pretty clear about how we should conduct ourselves with the spiritual gifts and give examples of what happens with the abuse of them.
There is a civil war going on in the church today and it is between the carnal church and the spiritual church. The carnal church reminds us of the way the Pharisees attacked Jesus at His first appearance, we seem foolish to them, out of place, not according to their traditional way of doing things and their exalted positions are threatened. We must not be involved with the backbiting, mud slinging and hatred from carnal Christians. The civil war now going on in the church involves those that war with flesh and blood but we have the power to bring down spiritual strongholds with the same power that they deny. Help us all by praying in the spirit that ignorance may be superseded by truth and blind eyes may be opened and ears to hear, as a witness to the entire world. In other words - pray for the latter rain.
I looked through some of the sites around, here is a list of teachings that are charged to the Latter Rain Revival:
The sad part about latter rain detractors is that it can't be we believe this way and you believe that way about spiritual gifts. Many see the latter rain as a dangerous and aberrant movement taking over the church. That's just silly. God is in control of every facet of the spiritual latter rain and all of it's future fulfillments.
The truth about the latter rain, I mean the true truth, the one that has to be true as far as God's word and spirit says about the latter rain and according to what will actually happen in the last days, this we must seek. If we continue to seek, we will find it. Not just believed but experienced as only the outpouring can do. This outpouring is given to the remnant called out of Babylon in the oneness of unity, the last day movement by His spirit. The restoration of all things, these are the things we need to be making clear.
Not much you can do but pray for people that think you are a heretic, or simply ignore them. That may enrage them further but it shows that you are not one of those Christian types that judge and condemn, that is what they are used to doing. In time, the Lord may deal with them but sometimes that love attraction will cast out their demons better than confronting them.
As the first trumpet sounds, the twenty-four elders worship Him that sits upon the throne.
The prayers of the saints! The power of intercession will join those chosen to bring the army of the Lord into the heavenlies. This is today on God's calendar so we must take these things seriously. Does anyone know the lyrics to this new song? It is a symphony, an orchestrated melody of angels and saints singing the song of Jesus exalted. It is not the same tired old song.
God is love. What He has done for others, He can do for you. If you truly share in that divine nature, it is in love - period. What else is there but love for the brethren that we are truly known for. Of course. We can leave those that elevate their own particular gifting or ministry office or denomination or special doctrines and requirements for salvation behind us. As long as we know that we know God and His love for us and we share that love with those around us, what more is there. If we have that testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy, then God is speaking to us and through us to others. If that is truly the case, then we should be speaking the same thing. We are One in the Spirit, One in the Lord and One in the faith. There can be no division in that, except for those that speak for God in the flesh and out of malice.
Love itself is not a new thing, John says that we have had it from the beginning. What is new is that we can sing it together without all the conflict and divisions that have identified us in the past. Nothing new except the realization that we have the power to sing it unto heaven with high praise. We are not just to sing the song, we are to pray it and lift up our voices together. The intercession of His saints is the power to release the captives and open up blind eyes and deaf ears. Now that we know that love is the melody of the new song, we are to praise the Lord and sing it to Him. Rise up our hearts in adoration to the One that has given us this song. Hallelujah, the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. Give Him the glory.
A proverb of Solomon says: "As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not proper for a fool." Our detractors have reason to fear the trumpet. The result of a latter rain spiritual outpouring is the restoration of a holy church to its mandated place in the Bride of Christ to the exclusion of others. In order for the true church to be there, God will bring Babylon down from her exalted position. To speak against any true Latter Rain spiritual outpouring or to hinder His anointed, leads directly to blasphemy of God's Holy Spirit. That's a true statement, it's a serious thing to actively oppose a genuine move of God. It takes wisdom to back off and see what God will do.
God has spoken much about the spiritual rain in the Bible and it is good exercise just to research and find all the scriptures. Many of these Bible passages on rain have to do with farming and may or may not have spiritual interpretations concerning the restoration and the latter rain. I will try to limit this discussion to those obviously related to latter rain promises and the end times.
Moses: "My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass." Deuteronomy 32:2
God Himself teaches that the rainy seasons of blessings are used to illustrate His word. In Isaiah:
Throughout the Old Testament, God has associated the blessings of the early and latter rain with the obedience or disobedience of Israel. God has spoken through Moses concerning the latter rain and tells us;
Jeremiah uses an allegory of a husband putting away his wife and wooing her back to illustrate the withholding of the latter rain.
Jeremiah also writes that God has actually accomplished His latter rain promises concerning judgment.
God can also cause it to rain in one place and withhold it from another. In Amos:
The awareness of the latter rain has been given to us and we have witnessed sporadic revivals but the Latter Rain in its fullness has not yet outpoured. The church is still in apostasy and foolish Babylon continues to oppose the power of the Holy Spirit. Babylon is in the beginnings of falling now and the Manifest Sons of God to come will soon appear.
The most important thing for restoration people to remember today is when Israel committed iniquity the rain was withheld. When Solomon dedicated his Temple to the Great and Living God he lifted his hands to heaven and prayed.
There will be no tremendous outpouring of the latter rain in these last days until the people of God humble themselves and recognize Babylon enough to come out of her. Hosea points to repentance, a restoration and the going forth of the Lord as the former and latter rain.
We have seen the growth of the latter rain in the Great Awakening, Azusa Street, the evangelistic movement, Vatican II, the charismatic and Jesus movements and the outbreaks of restoration revival happening in scattered places all over the world. This is the genuine, not the counterfeit or lukewarm, but small compared to what will happen when the mass of God's people finally turn from their apostasy, Babylon is pulled from her throne and the showers of spiritual blessings and power are poured upon all flesh without measure.
David also spiritualizes the rain and our inheritance. "You, Oh God, did send a plentiful rain, whereby you did confirm your inheritance when it was weary. Your congregation has dwelt therein. You, Oh God have prepared of your goodness for the poor. The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it."
This next prophecy of Joel points to a last day timeline of the restoration, latter rain, the outpouring of God's spirit and the tribulation.
There is general agreement as to the interpretation of the text of Joel concerning the former and latter rain. Peter's sermon in the second chapter of Acts interprets that the early rain began at Pentecost and this outpouring has continued throughout Christian history. The latter rain of the spirit is to be poured out on all flesh in the last days before the church is delivered, "before the great and terrible Day of the Lord."
Isaiah writes of us, the restoration and of the illiberal ones that act against us.
Malachi foretells our ministry before the great and dreadful Day of the Lord.
We all know that judgment begins at the house of God. This is what Zechariah warns against the Lord's shepherds.
The New Testament writer James denounces the rich in the last days and suggests that the latter rain is in timing with the coming of the Lord.
"Sow to yourselves in righteousness and reap in mercy," admonishes Hosea. "Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes and rains righteousness upon you. You have plowed wickedness and have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies because you did trust in your way, in the multitude of mighty men."
The Lord is calling those in love and humility to serve Him in the time just prior to Jesus' return. It includes those that are involved in what is known as the restoration movement today whether they realize it or not and are allowing the Lord to put us together in love as the remnant church towards the restitution of all things mentioned in scripture. Those called to it are everywhere, it is a spiritual thing. Just make sure, there is a lot of counterfeit latter rain thinking mingled with puritan ignorance. The latter rain is the spiritual move in the last days that God will use to bring in the harvest of souls through righteousness and Jesus has told us to be aware of false prophets.
If you want to find latter rain people, you could find them in any church that accepts and exhibits the prophetic, but anywhere there is praise, worship and intercessory prayer. You need to be careful though, find a congregation that teaches love over stressing any particular gift. Unity and speaking the same thing is hard to find right now and there is no perfect church anywhere. Many home groups are good and many more are springing up but often bring their Babylonian baggage and resentment with them. Try to stick it out in churches that deny these things as long as you can. We are admonished to strengthen what remains, not bring condemnation or to forsake our gathering together.
The Latter Rain is the prelude to the harvest of souls and the almighty reaper patiently waits for the field to ripen and come to maturity. Jesus said to His disciples "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest." Isaiah: "Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest." The latter rain produces fruit for the harvest. It is time for the vineyard of the Lord to cry out in their sins for forgiveness and ask that latter rain blessings be poured out on the world without measure. It is time for our people called by Jesus' name to put aside their differences and come together in love and truth. It is time to get holy. It is time for Babylon to be exposed and for spirit led people to come out of a lukewarm church before they are a part of her sins. Babylon is falling now and the Bride will be wedded to Jesus, but don't wait for Jesus to do it because He is waiting on us, He is calling His bride. Put on your wedding clothes of righteousness, drink of the precious new wine of the spirit, lift up holy hands in the name of Jesus and receive the spiritual outpouring of the latter rain. Then act on it and get someone else soaked.
The Latter Rain is God's great end-time ministry. This concept, as revealed in the Bible, comprises the restitution of the church to it's rightful place, the enormous last day revival soon to come, and the harvest of souls before the great and terrible Day of the Lord. It is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh promised to us in the last days and the restoration of apostolic and prophetic gifts. It has been explained like this, the latter rain, the latter reign and the latter rein; first the spiritual outpouring, then the Spirit and Bride says come in power and authority and then the ingathering.
Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I do a new thing and now it shall spring forth, shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honor me and the dragons and the owls because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert to give drink to my people, my chosen. These people have I formed for myself, they shall show forth my praise. Isaiah 43:19.
A belief in the five fold ministry is understood for us but others honestly think that apostles and prophets died out in the first century. It's not all their fault, they have merely been taught that way. The worst of these also effectively deny the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a second work of grace apart from salvation, which could be the only thing that changes their mind if they had it. To us, they have a form of godliness but deny the power. Everything in this list is taken from the Bible, so where is the heresy? The heresy lies in denying these Bible truths and propagating a watered down gospel. 
You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for you have created all things and for your pleasure they are and were created." He that is worthy took the book sealed with seven seals and "the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And have made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city and the Lord has not done it. Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He reveals His secret unto His servants the prophets.
For as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven and returns not thither, but waters the earth and makes it bring forth bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth, it shall not return unto me void." "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground. I will pour my spirit upon your seed and my blessing upon your offspring."
David in his Psalms:"He shall judge the poor of His people, He shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure throughout all generations. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. In His days shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the moon endures.
It shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your corn, and your wine, and your oil. And I will send grass in your fields for your cattle, that you may eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart is not deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them. And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest you perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord gives you.
See also Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 11, 28. If a man put away his wife, and she go from him and become another man's, shall not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; yet return unto me, saith the Lord. Lift up your eyes unto the high places and see where you have not been lien with. In the ways have you sat for them as the Arabian in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your whoredoms and with your wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withheld and there has been no latter rain; and you have a whore's forehead, you refuse to be ashamed.
Hear now this, Oh foolish people without understanding; which have eyes and see not, which have ears and hear not. Fear not me? Saith the Lord: will you not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it: and through the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail? Though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? But these people have a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that gives rain, both the former and the latter in his season: he reserves unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. Your iniquities have turned away these things and your sins have withheld good things from you.
Also I have withheld the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest. And I cause it to rain upon one city and cause it not to rain upon another city.
When my people Israel be smitten down before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and shall turn again to you and confess your name and pray and make supplication unto you in this house. Then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again unto the land, which you gave unto their fathers. When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because thy pray toward this place, and confess your name and turn from their sin when you afflict them. Then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel and teach them the good way they should walk, and give rain upon your land which you have given to your people for an inheritance.
And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said unto him. I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice. If I shut up Heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; if my people that are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for he has torn, and He will heal us; he has smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. 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 former rain unto the earth.
Be glad, then, children of Zion and rejoice in the Lord your God. He has 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. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the cankerworm, the caterpillar and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And you shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God that has dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.
Behold a King shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly. The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the fool said to be bountiful. For the vile person will speak villainy and his heart will work iniquity to practice hypocrisy and to utter error against the Lord, to make empty the soul of the hungry and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. The instruments also of the fool are evil, he devises wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks right. But the liberal devises liberal things and by liberal things shall he stand.
Paul writes; For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of creation waits for the Manifestation of the Sons of God.
For behold the day comes that shall burn as an oven and all the proud, yes and all that do wickedly shall be stubble: and the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings and you shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says the Lord of hosts. Remember the Law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Ask 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 every one grass in the field. For the idols have spoken vanity and the diviners have seen a lie and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain. Therefore they went their way as a flock; they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. My anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats. For the Lord of Hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, and has made them as His goodly horse in the battle.
Go to now, you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as if it was fire. You have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, cries and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. You have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and killed the just and he does not resist you. Be patient therefore brothers unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. Be also patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draws nigh.
[377, Deuteronomy 11, 32, Isaiah 43, 55, I Kings, II Chronicles, Psalms 68, 72, Zechariah, Hosea 6, 10, Jeremiah 5, Joel 2, Amos, Malachi, James, Matthew, Romans 8]
