Scripture reading: Joel 2:19-27
Let us look at Joel 2:23, “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.”
Previously we have seen rain in the Church. (We are talking about revival: God’s Spirit lifting us up.) He said that is nothing in comparison to what He is about to give you. He is going to send both the former rain and the latter rain in the first month. In other words, you are going to have a flood! It is not just rain we are talking about now, we are talking about a flood that is going to sweep you off your feet and carry you where you did not want to go. This is the rain we are talking about: God’s rain upon the land that totally wipes out the ability of man to protect himself or to stand. It is going to sweep you off of your feet! This is the rain that we are looking for. This is the revival we are looking for at this time.
No more church revival! No more going to church, and people falling down, speaking in tongues, getting up and going on doing their own thing!
In Azusa Street, in about 1906, the power of God was so great that a haze like a smoke came into the building. It was like a fluorescent kind of a haze that shined. It was a shiny haze that people could not look up; they had to hold their heads down. One brother, who was preaching there, put a paper bag over his head. Can you imagine seeing a man preaching to you with a paper bag over his head? It was no joke! The power was so great that the people actually bowed under the stress of this power of God. But within a few months, every man who came to that revival and who got blessed and lifted in the Spirit, went out and formed his own organization. Out of that, we got about 500 different Churches of God and Pentecostal churches.
Separation! Each man took it and made a little kingdom for himself. Nobody saw Jesus! At least, it seems they saw Him at the time, but they lost the vision and went out with a new vision of a church, that, “I am the boss!” “I am the bishop.” And so they lost out. They lost the basic tenets of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The basic tenets of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are that Jesus is the Head! AMEN! If Jesus is my head and Jesus is your head, how can I be against you?
They lost it. When you lose that, the first thing that happens is that the devil comes in and starts speaking to you; he becomes your Jesus! (Oh God, I am sure you don’t hear me…)
The Bible says in II Thessalonians 2 that in the last days the antichrist will come in the church. He will show himself as “Christ,” and the church will accept him as Christ. That is our problem! You go to somebody and he says, “The Lord says this” and “The Lord says that.” Brethren, most of the time the voice that is speaking to you is not the Lord. I do not want to burst your balloon, but it needs to be busted! It is not God talking to you!
Some of the things that you people are telling me that God says–it is not God! God does not say those things! God tells somebody how to brush his teeth; how to clean their shoes; how to… Listen! Give me a little break! All these things that I hear some of you talk about: that God tells you this and God tells you that. Why didn’t God show you that your attitude was wrong? Why didn’t God show you the sin in your life! Let me tell you something, when a man meets God the first thing he sees is, “Oh wretched man that I am!“ (Romans 7:24). Amen!
You know, any time you see God, you repent! If I tell you now to repent, the first thing you are going to ask me is, “What must I repent of?” Repent of you! Just repent of being yourself! When you see Jesus, you feel nasty, filthy, and low down. My God! You want to dig a hole and get down through the ground. That’s the man who sees Jesus! Amen!
We are urged to ask ourselves the question, “If Jesus walked through the door at this moment, would I be ready?” The answer most people would say to themselves is, “No.” So when are you going to get ready? If you know that you would not be ready now, when would you be ready, and what would make you ready?
I will tell you what will make you ready. It is repentance! It is as simple as A B C. Repentance makes you ready so that the moment you think of Jesus, you say, “Oh God, forgive me of all my sins. Deliver me, Lord God! Do not let me abide in any form of sin.”
(Excerpt from The Omega Message, December 1998, pg. 6-11)
Thought for today: “Lord, please give me a heart to repent so that when I see you walk through the door, I will be ready for you.”
Sonlight Devotional 
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