Two Great Outpourings of the Holy Spirit

SPEAKER B Welcome to you shall receive power. I'm Ettienne McClintock and with me in the studio is Colin Hone. Colin, welcome. Nice to have you here again. SPEAKER C It's great to be here. SPEAKER B Colin you're, the international director and speaker for Holy Spirit Ministries and also the international distributor for the book 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals to Prepare for the Lateral Reign and Christ's Return by Pastor Dennis Smith. And our current series is based on the daily devotionals in this book. Now, just before we get into the discussion, please join us as we pray. Our Father in Heaven, we dedicate this program to you and invite your Holy Spirit to guide and to instruct us through your word. Bless our study today, bless the person listening to this program and studying with us. This we ask in Jesus name, amen. The program is called you Shall Receive Power. And it's based on the text in Acts, chapter one, verse eight where it says, jesus says, you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Colin, I'm looking forward to the leading of God's Spirit as we look at lesson three today. What is today's lesson all about? SPEAKER C Well, lesson three is about the two great outpourings of the Holy Spirit, an incredible prophecy in the Bible about the two great outpourings of the Holy Spirit. And today we're living between the two great outpourings of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Right, okay, well, that sounds very interesting. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C So the book of Acts describes the first outpouring and it began with the day of Pentecost. SPEAKER B Okay. SPEAKER C And is called in the Bible what's called the former or early reign of the Holy Spirit. And it's the widespread manifestation of the Holy Spirit as the church grew to be fully under the direction and control of the Holy Spirit. And this experience has been available to all Christians. So the early reign, Holy Spirit, since the day of Pentecost has been available to all Christians. SPEAKER B So Colin, what you're saying to us, what we saw at Pentecost was the former reign or the early reign and that promise of Christ that they would receive power. And that happened at Pentecost that was to remain with the church all the way through, right. Even up to our time. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C So we're in between and then just before Jesus returns, the latter reign of the Holy Spirit will be poured out on God's people. SPEAKER B Okay, so there's two terms. There's the former reign and the latter reign. And I assume we're going to unpack that as we go through the lesson today. SPEAKER C We are, I'm looking forward to it. We are. So the book of Joel and Revelation indicate there will be a second great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Bible calls this outpouring, the latter rain. And so we're living between these two great outpourings of the Holy Spirit between two great manifestations of the Holy Spirit. And when we look at it, the two outpourings of the Holy Spirit are similar in many ways. So the first occurred in answer to a ten day prayer meeting of believers united in prayer fulfillment of Jesus promise and began when God answered their prayers by pouring out his Spirit in the early reign on the day of Pentecost. So let's go to that. Let's go to Acts and see this incredible outpouring. SPEAKER B Okay, I have it here, Colin. Acts, chapter two. When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. SPEAKER C And you notice something there. Yes, they were all in one accord. Just hold on to that word. One accord. SPEAKER B One accord. Very important. What a wonderful, wonderful concept that is. She reminds me of Psalm 133, verse one, I think it is behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B And then verse two. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now they were dwelling in Jerusalem, jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when the sound occurred, some all must have heard it. The multitude came together and were confused because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another look at are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear each one in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya joining cyrene visitors from Rome, both Jews and Proselytes, Cretans and Arabs all when hear them speaking in our own tongue and wonderful works of God. So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, whatever could this mean? Others mockingly said they are full of new wine. SPEAKER C Yeah. So the people just thought at 09:00 in the morning these people they thought they were drunk, basically. SPEAKER B Yeah, that's right. SPEAKER C They were mocking them. And so Peter gets up and says to them, listen, in verse 15 he says for these are not drunken as you suppose he says, seeing it's but the third hour of the day, it's. SPEAKER B Like 09:00 in the morning. SPEAKER C But he said, but this is what which is spoken by the prophet Joel. So we want to look up Joel, chapter two, verse 23. Here Peter says this is a fulfillment of prophecy that had been predicted that will come right. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER B So Joel, chapter two, verse 23, we read 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 and the latter rain in the first month. SPEAKER C So here we peter indicated that the event being witnessed had been foretold by the prophet Joel. And so Joel had prophesied a former or early reign and a latter rain experience of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Yeah, he mentions laterain there as well. SPEAKER C Now he also stated in this prophecy that the I Am would appear to Israel just before the Holy Spirit event. And this is a reference to Jesus first event. And that was in Joel 227 and also in John chapter eight, verse 58. Okay, you got John chapter eight, verse 58. SPEAKER B Yes, verse 58. Jesus said to them, most assuredly I say to you before abram was I am. He said, Jesus is just saying he is the great I Am. And that's the person he introduced himself to Moses to. I am that. I am. SPEAKER C So there's the prophet says the I Am would appear to Israel just before this Holy Spirit event in reference to Jesus first event in Joel 227. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And so the marvelous news of Joel's prophecy was the former reign or early reign of the Holy Spirit, and it would be available to all believers, sons and daughters were prophesied. It was available to everyone, men and women, children. And this is exactly what Jesus foretold when he promised the Holy Spirit. We sent from the Father after he returned to heaven to minister as our high priest. And we can go to John, chapter 14, verse 16 and 17. See, Jesus promised this Holy Spirit, john, chapter 14, verse 16 and 17. SPEAKER B In verse 16 it says, and I will pray the Father, and he will give you another helper, another comforter, that he may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows him, but you know Him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you. SPEAKER C So here Jesus is saying, I'm going to pray to the Father before that. He says, in a little while the world sees me, but you see me because I live, you also live. So he's saying, I'm going back to the Father, but he says, I'm not going to leave you as orphans, I'm going to come to you. And then he says, how am I going to come to you to be with you, you and also be in you? And he says he's going to come basically through the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Well, the Holy Spirit. And interesting, if you go back and backtrack in John chapter 14, verse twelve, incredible verse where Jesus says very verily I say unto you, he that believeth on me the works that I do he shall also do, and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto the Father. And then he goes on and says he goes to the Father. And the reason we'll be able to do the same works as Jesus is because he's going to send the comforter and that Jesus is going to dwell in us and the Father through the Holy Spirit so that we can do the same works as Jesus. So an incredible promise. SPEAKER B Beautiful promise. SPEAKER C Yes, here. So what we want to do is and this is exactly what happened, isn't it? He went back to the heaven and he sent the Holy Spirit. So what happened when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the early church? What actually happened to the early church? Well, we look in the book of Acts, we see the Holy Spirit power accompanying the preaching of the apostles. The power of the Holy Spirit gives us power to preach or to witness. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER C Remember in Acts chapter one, verse eight? SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER B You shall receive power. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C And you shall be witnesses to me, starting in Jerusalem, Samaria, Judea and to all of the world. It gives us power to preach and teach and witness. SPEAKER D Beautiful. SPEAKER C We also see that thousands of hearers were converted and accepted Christ as their savior. We read in Acts chapter two, verse 37 to 38 that 3000 people after the Peter's preaching, were saved. And then even further on, it says another 5000. So thousands of heroes were converted and accepted Christ as savior because of the power of the Holy Spirit for witnessing. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER B So I've got Acts chapter two, verse 37 and 38. Here it says, now, when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said to them, repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And then verse 41. Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. And that day about 3000 souls were added to them. SPEAKER C That's right. So here we have a bursting of people joining the church being converted. And also, you can look in Acts chapter four, verse four. Acts, chapter four, verse four. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER B And it says there, however, many of those who heard the Word believed and the number of men came to be about 5000. Wow, 5000. SPEAKER D That's a lot of people. SPEAKER B And that's just the men. They're just counting the men there too. SPEAKER C That's right. So even people in the temple, Sadducees and even Pharisees became believers because of the preaching of the Word in power of the Holy Spirit. You know, it amazes me when I think about the apostles. They had spent three and a half years with Jesus. Jesus was teaching them. They saw all the miracles of Jesus, your apprenticeship. Yes, apprenticeship. Three and a half years. And then what happened? On the day of gethsemane. Jesus was taken by the mob and they just split. They all split. Every single one of them split. And Peter even split and cursed Jesus with cursing and swearing and denying Jesus. But then you fast forward it a few weeks later and then you see Peter and John preaching in the temple. It says, boldly and with power. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C And in verse eight, it says in Acts chapter four, then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit. There's the key. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And then goes and tells them. So here he is preaching boldly with power, with no fear. SPEAKER B So they lost that timidity they had before and all of a sudden, all fear is cast out. SPEAKER C That's right, because the Bible says that love casts out fear. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C You see? And what is the fruit of the Spirit? SPEAKER D Love. SPEAKER B That's the first fruit, isn't it? SPEAKER C So love casts out fear. So because they were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, god's love was poured out in their heart and they had no fear. I mean, even on the day of resurrection. In John chapter 20, it says, the disciples were in the upper room. This was on the night, Sunday night. They were huddled together for fear of the Jews. Few weeks later, they're baptized with the Holy Spirit and they had no more fear because God's love had been poured out in their hearts on the day of Pentecost. SPEAKER B It's amazing, the transformation. There might be people out there who might consider themselves bold, because Peter was definitely very bold. He pulled his knife out and was prepared to defend or a small sword, defend Jesus and cut off the ear of the servant. He'd probably aiming for his head and got his ear in the process. But then when it came to them, actually, Jesus saying, no, we're not going to fight and heals the person's ear, then he takes off because he's not able to withstand that. So there could be people out there who are very brave physically, like Peter was. But when it came to that spiritual dimension, and whether he now had to stand for Christ, when Christ was actually looked upon in a negative derogatory and a terrible state, he couldn't handle that. But within a matter of days, about 50 days, there's this massive transformation. That's a short period of time to be transformed that dramatically, incredibly. SPEAKER C And even Jesus told Peter that Peter didn't really know himself. He told him that he would deny him three times because Jesus knew Peter. But he also knew that he restored Peter, too, didn't he, in the Book of John? SPEAKER B Yes, he did. SPEAKER C After that, he came to him and even though Peter had denied him three times and this is the great thing about our God and how merciful and loving he is, even though Peter denied him three times, jesus comes to him and says to Peter, do you love me? And Peter says, yeah. I love you. He says, Feed my sheep. He says, do you love me? Again the second Lord, he said, you know, feed my sheep, take care of my flock. Then the third time he even comes and says, do you love me, Peter? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And Peter says, yes, you know I love you, you know all things. And he says, Take care of my flock. So Jesus restored him. SPEAKER B Three denials was. SPEAKER C Three denials and then three affirmations, affirmations of love. Do you love me? And Peter said yes. Yes. Denied us three times, said I love you three times. SPEAKER D Beautiful. SPEAKER C And Jesus. Just beautifully restored. Peter. And we see also that obviously Jesus said the Holy Spirit will give us powerful witnessing in Acts chapter one, verse eight. Yes, if you want to witness for Jesus, we need the power of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B I can see that. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C I mean, I've been fearful in my life of witnessing and I can just say to it, I obviously wasn't filled with the Holy Spirit, because when you're filled with the Holy Spirit, you have no fear because love casts out fear. So if you're feeling fearful out there, you're listening today, ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for God's love to be poured out in your heart to give you power to witness so that you'll have no fear. SPEAKER B Jesus makes actually a very interesting statement. He says, if you deny me before me, and I will deny you before my Father in heaven. So we see Peter doing that very same thing, denying Jesus before men. And he curses, he swears because it was not known that the disciples use that kind of language to prove the fact that he's not one of his disciples. Yet Jesus restores him and then he gives him power. So he no longer denies him before men. Now he boldly proclaims Jesus before men. What an incredible transformation. I know people sometimes have problems and they go and see know they need help with that. I don't know if years of counseling will be able to make such a big transformation as this, but this happens in a matter of days. SPEAKER C It's amazing. SPEAKER B Wonderful. SPEAKER C A few weeks from fearful to being not fearful. We also see what happened to the believers in the early church. Yes, an incredible gives us an incredible model today as well. We see that the believers continued and this is Acts, chapter two, verse 42. Let's just read that. Acts, chapter two, verse 42. SPEAKER D Sure. SPEAKER B And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in breaking of bread and in prayers. SPEAKER C So what were the four elements that the early church did? They came together and it says apostles doctrine. This would be today, we could say. SPEAKER B Bible study doctrine just means teaching, doesn't it? SPEAKER C Yeah, teaching. So they came together and studied God's word together. They also fellowship together. They spent time together. SPEAKER B Social is important, isn't it? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Socializing with each other and breaking in bread. They obviously ate together. I mean, this is a very normal human thing when you eat together. There is something about eating together, isn't there? You have people over dinner or you go out for people with dinner. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B Or potlunk at church. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Whatever it is. Eating together. And they also pray together. SPEAKER D Pray together. SPEAKER C So the four elements or four keys of the early church was studying God's word fellowship, socializing, breaking bread or eating food and praying together. And keep reading, let's keep reading from verse 43 to verse 47. Let's see what else happened to the early church. Here it says that they and fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles in Acts chapter two, verse 43. And if you could read Acts chapter 44 to verse 47. SPEAKER B Okay, verse 44. Now, all who believed were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all as everyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God, having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. SPEAKER C So do you see the sequence there? There's a sequence there. First of all, they accepted the Gospel which was preached in the power of the Holy Spirit. They themselves were baptized. They continued together in groups, studying God's word fellowship, eating together and praying together. And then they did many signs and wonders in the community. It says they were all together and had all things in common. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C They sold their possessions when there was needed and their goods to help others who needed in their community. And then it says this and they continued daily with one accord. So they're a one accord again, there's that word, one accord. Yes, one accord in the temple. So they met at church. The temple was their church and breaking bread from house to house. So they met in their homes. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C They ate with gladness and signals of heart, praising God. And here's another key. And they found favor with all the people. And when they did all these things and found favor with the people, it says the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved. So after they did all these things, the Lord added daily to those who had been saved. So here we have the early reign power of the Holy Spirit and this was the effects that it had on the early believers and the disciples. So we see the sweet fellowship began with a ten day prayer meeting, but they continued in united prayer. You can see a spirit of generosity was seen following the day of Pentecost as we just read. See that there was no selfish ambition, no greed or stinginess. These early Christians were anxious to help their fellow believers who were in need. They wanted to help each other, their communities. Many churches can become very insular. SPEAKER B That's true. SPEAKER C But a church is supposed to be like this. SPEAKER B They have the fellowship component together. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B And maybe they have the doctrine component together, but the other components aren't necessarily there. SPEAKER C The four components prayer, studying God's word, and then finding favor with the people. They went out and they found favor with all the people and took care of their know. Christ ministered people's needs. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C Then he said, Come, follow me. He ministered the needs with healing and teaching. And so the early church modeled Jesus teaching or Jesus'way of reaching the lost in their communities. SPEAKER B Well, it seems to me here that they're actually copying Jesus'method. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B And it seems like his method alone would be the one that actually brings success in spreading the gospel. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER B If you've experienced and tasted and seen that the Lord is good, it's something you don't want to keep to yourself, you want to share it with others. And obviously, when you've got the other people's interests at heart and they can see that they are willing to obviously now hear more of what you've got to say. SPEAKER C That's right. So again, they continued daily in fellowship with prayer meetings. They had a lot of prayer meetings. They saw the power of prayer. Where did they get that from? SPEAKER B Well, believing the word of God and praying. SPEAKER C That's right. They saw Jesus was always in prayer. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Disciples came to him in Luke, chapter eleven said teach us to pray. They connected Jesus prayer life with power, with power. And so the early church was a praying church and the God's last day church in the Latter ain will be a praying church as well. And also it says they are united with one burden to know and serve Christ as well as to win others to him. So God brought them into favor with all the people, which resulted and that's what resulted in souls being one to Christ. Every day they were around other people finding favor with their communities or in their villages, their towns, or today we would say in your suburbs or your towns, whatever your local community is, you need to find favor with the people. SPEAKER B So while there's a sense of peculiarity because they're so different to what other people are, it's not selfish ambition that's driving them. It's a love for God and love for their fellow man. So they are peculiar in that sense. They didn't isolate themselves that love was actually demonstrated in what they did. It was not so much in what they said, but what they did. And once people saw what they did, the people cared about them, genuinely cared for them, loved them that they were prepared to hear what they had to say. SPEAKER C Absolutely. It reminds me of, I just heard recently of a church in Canada that put this into practice. They followed the model of Jesus in Acts chapter two and when they went and found favor with the people in their area, they went and found people who are single mums who didn't have cars and they raised money and got a car and had a mechanic in the church who fixed up the car and they give cars to single mums. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C Who haven't got transport and no strings attached. They've also do what's called a renovation for people who are doing it tough and their houses have run down and falling apart. They all get together and the community comes together. Not just Christians, but non Christians come and help to do like a complete makeover for people's homes. They do that once a year. Incredible. Many other things. They're finding favor of the people and you know what's happening? The Lord is adding daily to the church. Those are being saved. They followed the model of Acts chapter Two. SPEAKER B Well, that sounds like a church who have a lot of things in common and they work together in one accord because obviously not everybody's a mechanic don't have the skills and abilities to fix a car. But that man is just as important in spreading the gospel as the person that gets in front of the pulpit and preaches, or the person that gives the Bible study or the person that makes a contact and just gives someone food. All of them using their skills and ability together, working in unison as members of the one body fulfilling the Gospel. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C And when we all come together and do that and we do exactly what God has given us, the model in Acts chapter two we follow that model and we've seen churches that follow that model. Yes, the power of the Holy Spirit is upon them. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C And many souls are won to Christ because of them. So they found favor of the people. There was also the Gospel of deliverance was preached and experienced in Acts chapter five, verse twelve to 16. There was the Gospel of deliverance. We see the sick were healed, devils were cast out and many individuals were one to Christ. So incredible, amazing thing what happened. Now we want to talk about the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. I want to briefly touch on the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. And so we need to be also Jesus went and healed the sick. Now we've got a lot of science today that we can help heal the sick, but we also have a lot of natural remedies and we have health principles in God's word that we can go and help people. There are many people in the community who have got depression, anxiety, dealing with a lot of problems. And so there's things that we can reach out to the community to help people to be delivered. SPEAKER B So you're talking about natural remedies, because we do see examples at times when Jesus obviously spoke or he touched someone and he healed them. But there's also times when he did use natural means, like he produced he made clay, one of the person's eyes with clay and said, go and wash your eyes. And that clay that poultice on the eyes obviously was symbolic. But he used that natural means to actually heal the person's sight. SPEAKER C That's right. And then also, the church has been given eight health principles from God's word. SPEAKER B Okay. SPEAKER C It's been known if you eat more of a vegetarian diet based on plant based diet, and you have fresh water and sunlight and rest, and you have a day's rest once a week to spend with God and fellowship with others, we call it that the Sabbath. Sabbath rest also exercise. So there's eight principles and trust in divine power. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C That people adhere to these health principles and they live longer, are happier, and they have less diseases, less cancers, less heart disease by adhering to God's health principles. Eight health principles so people can be healed by just adhering to God's health principles, but also for the power from God who can heal people. SPEAKER D Absolutely, yeah. SPEAKER C So I want to just touch on the latter reign of the Holy Spirit now. Well, the early reign of the Holy Spirit was on the day of Pentecost. Now, the latter reign of the Holy Spirit has also been prophesied in I believe it's zechariah. We'll come back to that verse in a minute. But in ancient Israel, you would plant a seed in the crop, and then you'd have the early rain. And the latter rain, this was the season about the agricultural season. So when you planted a seed, what does the seed represent in the Bible, edie seed? SPEAKER B The word of God. SPEAKER C The word of God? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So the word of God or the seed or the Gospel, is planted in the good soil. You want to plant seed in good soil, don't you? SPEAKER D That's true. SPEAKER C Jesus said that, didn't he? He told a know, if you plant the seed on the stony ground or the path, the birds come away and take it. So the good soil represents our heart. So we want to prepare people's hearts for the impact of the seed, because these are spiritual applications here in agriculture. So that would happen you'd plant the seed in good soil or the gospel in people's hearts, then the early rain would come and we're called the seed to germinate. What would we call that today in spiritual? We call that born again. SPEAKER D Born again? Yes. SPEAKER B Born from above. SPEAKER C Yeah, born from above. So the early rain were called the seed to germinate. And then does it take time for a plant to grow? SPEAKER B Does take time, yes. SPEAKER C Takes time before it bears fruit, doesn't it? Absolutely, yeah. So the early rain causes the plant to grow then just. Before the harvest. It says the latter rain would come and the latter rain would prepare the crop for the harvest. Now, the harvest in biblical sense is the second coming of Jesus, revelations 14. It says that Jesus sends his angels to gather up the grapes, et cetera, to gather up the harvest. So the harvest represents the second coming of Jesus. So just before the second coming of Jesus, the latter reign of the Holy Spirit will be poured out on God's people to prepare them for the second coming of Jesus. But the point is, if you don't grow in the early reign of the. SPEAKER B Holy Spirit, of course, if the seed hasn't germinated and started growing, that last little bit of moisture and watering, when that comes to the plant, the plant hasn't grown, it won't mature, will it? SPEAKER C And the latter rain come and will have no effect, it won't produce fruit, right? SPEAKER B Of course, because the plants will mature yet. SPEAKER C That's right. It won't be prepared for the harvest. So it's important that we experience the early reign Holy Spirit that's been available since Pentecost. We need to grow daily in the early reign of the Holy Spirit and we're growing more in the likeness of Jesus in preparation for the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B That text says Zechariah, chapter ten and verse one, where it says ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain. Yes, the Lord will make flashing clouds, he will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone. SPEAKER C So we need that early rain to grow into the likeness of Jesus. So the early reign and latter rain will be similar, aren't they? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So the latter reign, you'll see the very similar things happening in the church that happened in the early church. In Acts chapter two, people will start coming together. Christians will come together to study God's Word together, to pray together, to fellowship together and to witness together and to eat together in small groups. You see, the early church was basically formed in small groups. Give an example. Let's say if 3000 people were baptized in one day, are they going to fit in most churches? SPEAKER D No, they won't. SPEAKER C No. That's why they said it. They met in the temple, but they met in their homes. SPEAKER A Yeah. SPEAKER B And it says that we're breaking bread from house to house. SPEAKER C Exactly. SPEAKER B So you're not going to fit 3000 people in one house, are you? So there'll be many small groups in many houses. SPEAKER C So the early church were in small groups and that's where the gift of the Spirit functioned best, is in small groups. And so they were meeting in small groups and they were praying and finding favor with the people. And the Lord added daily to their number. So we can see that in the last days, god's people will be in one accord, they will be praying, meeting in small groups, and they'll be doing the same things as the early church did. SPEAKER D Yeah. Wow. SPEAKER B Well, one of the things that's really struck me so far out of this lesson, Colin, is that the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost. That was the former reign. SPEAKER C That's right, that was the former reign. SPEAKER B And that is supposed to be with the Church and remain with them until the time of the latter rain. So we sometimes say, oh, well, look, the latter rain will take care of that. But really, the former rain has got enough power there to work and mature the Christian. So when the latter rain comes, it will just simply ripen the harvest. SPEAKER C Just finishes the job. Just ripens the harvest. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C But you have to grow and ready to be ripened. If you haven't grown, then you miss out on the latter rain. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And the Bible speaks about the latter rain. In Revelations chapter 18, verse 118, verse one. We go to Revelations, chapter 18, verse one. It talks about this angel coming down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory. He's lightened with his glory. Do you remember another story where someone asked God, Show me your glory? SPEAKER B Moses made that request of God. He said, Show me your glory. And then Lord answered him and he said, I'll make all my goodness to pass before you. SPEAKER C All my goodness. He says, I'm merciful, gracious, long suffering. SPEAKER B Abundant in mercy and truth, forgiving iniquity and sin. SPEAKER D Yeah, beautiful. SPEAKER C And then interesting. Then he gives him his Ten Commandments. And then he says, also, let my name pass before you. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So God's glory is connected with his name and his character. You see, God's glory is his character because a name represents something. And the Ten Commandments or God's Law is a transcript of God's character. So God's glory, name and character are connected together. And you read in Revelations chapter 14, it says right in the last days, it says that God's people will have the Father's name written on their forehead. Foreheads, yes, amazingly. Now, interesting, interestingly. So they have the Father's name. So his character written on their forehead. SPEAKER B Name represents character. SPEAKER C Yeah, on their foreheads. And it says, God's glory will light up the earth. Well, God's glory is his character. So what happens is the latter rain seals the deal, if I can put it, and produces God's character in God's people. And they light up the earth with God's glory, I believe. So the whole earth will see God's glory light up the earth, and then they give out what they then do. If you read on in verse two and three, it says it's a call to come out of Babylon, which is confusion about God. Confusion. Religious confusion. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER C And this is another repeat of Revelation, chapter 14, where it's the third angel's message. It says, Come out of my people. He says, Come out of my people. So he's saying most of god's people then are in what's called Babylon or in churches or that are confused about the character of God. SPEAKER A Yeah. SPEAKER B Babylon does mean confusion. That comes from the Tower of Babel, isn't it, where God confounded the languages and they were all confused, they couldn't work together anymore, couldn't understand each other. So God is calling us out of spiritual confusion, and this is done through the power of the latter rain and the revelation of the character of God because his glory illuminates the whole or lights the whole earth. SPEAKER C Yeah. And I believe that's what God's waiting for. You can read that in Revelations chapter seven. In Revelations chapter seven, talking about talks about the seal of God in Revelations chapter seven. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C It says, what is God waiting for? And if you want to, just read out Revelations chapter seven. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER C And let's go to verse one, revelation seven, verse one. SPEAKER B After these things, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he crowed with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, do not harm the earth, the sea or the tree. The trees till I have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. SPEAKER C So here is a picture of these four angels on the four corners of the earth holding back the winds. All right. They're holding back the winds. And winds represent strife in the Bible. SPEAKER B Yes, it does. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C It represents strife. So these angels are holding back are held back from harming the earth and the trees and everything on it. And so what is God waiting for? SPEAKER B Well, it's interesting there. It says there that it says, do not harm the sea, the earth, the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. So the servants of God, there are some that have not been sealed yet. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER B Servants. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B The sealing hasn't taken place or been completed. SPEAKER C That's right. So God is waiting for his people, his servants to be sealed on their foreheads. Well, interesting. Didn't we just read in Revelation, chapter 14 that God's name is written where. SPEAKER B And therefore is the Father's name? That's right. SPEAKER C On their foreheads. And God's name was connected with his glory in Exodus 33, when Moses asked God, show me your glory, his name, his character and his law are all go hand in hand. So God wants to write his law, whose character or seal us on our foreheads. SPEAKER B There's an interesting text there in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah. Quite often people refer to that as the Old Testament Gospel. Just a wonderful, wonderful book. But in Isaiah chapter eight and verse 16, it says, a wonderful thing there. It says, Bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples. So God's law is to be sealed amongst his disciples. That's part of the sealing process. And then of course, it says in verse 20, which I think it actually relates to Babylon, the confusion there says to the law and to the testimony. If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. So we got to test everything by the law and the testimony and then the law and the testimony also, as people accept that are sealed up amongst God's disciples. SPEAKER C That's right. So what does God want to write on our foreheads? SPEAKER B His law. SPEAKER C His law. SPEAKER B That is the covenant promise, isn't it? SPEAKER C Which is a transcript of his character. SPEAKER D Character, yeah. SPEAKER C Now can we find that in the New Testament? We can. SPEAKER D Yes we can. SPEAKER C In Hebrews. Can't we? In the book of Hebrews, where it says that God wants to write his laws on our mind and our hearts, in Hebrews, chapter eight. And it's because of the new covenant. So let's read that. SPEAKER B Sure. Is it verse eight? SPEAKER C Well, I think we can read for verse nine. Yeah, verse nine. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER B Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their mind and I will write them on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people. None of them shall teach his neighbour and none his brother, saying, know the Lord, for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. SPEAKER C Isn't that good news? SPEAKER B It is wonderful news. SPEAKER C I mean, so in the old covenant, if you read before, in verse seven, it says that for if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. But people think there was a problem with the covenant. Yeah, but it wasn't the problem with the covenant. In verse eight it says for finding fault with them. The problem was with Israel's keeping the covenant, he said. So the fault was with them, not with the law. SPEAKER B There's nothing wrong with the law. As Paul says there in Romans chapter seven, the law is holy and the commandments holy and just and good. SPEAKER C But so what he said is, well, you know, I'm going to make a better covenant this time. That time he gave them the Ten Commandments and he said, I'll be your God and you'll be my people and they said, yeah, we'll do everything you say. Well, could they do it? SPEAKER B They couldn't do it. SPEAKER C That's the problem. They couldn't do it. But God allowed them to experience that. SPEAKER B There was obviously a relationship issue with them and God and the relationship with them to the Ten Commandments, because instead of having the commandments in the old covenant written on the tables of the heart, in the heart and in the mind, it was written on tables of stone. And to the sinner that doesn't bring life, it's actually the ministration of death. But if we receive the commandments through Christ, he who has the Son has life, we receive the life of God. SPEAKER C Through this covenant and a better covenant. It says in Hebrews. It continues to say better. And under this new covenant, that can only be made if there's a change, and the change is made because of Jesus. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross and because of blood, his blood, he made a new covenant and now he is our high priest. SPEAKER B Yeah, that's right. Well, the King James talks about the covenant quite often with the word Testament, the New Testament. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER B So it was his testament and obviously. SPEAKER C That was ratified by his death and it can't come into effect until a death. SPEAKER B That's right, yes. So Christ's death is the one that enables this new covenant that he will make with us. But isn't it wonderful that God promised us that this is what he will do for us? It's not like we have to go and write it in our hearts and our minds. He said he will write it in our hearts and their minds. And then he says, none of them, not even a neighbor or a brother, shall say, know the Lord, for all shall know me from the least to the greatest. So if the name of the Father is written in their foreheads, like we said in Revelation, chapter 14, obviously they know God. They know him intimately. SPEAKER C That's right. And you can read that again in Hebrews, chapter ten. Again, he repeats this covenant and he says, it's the Holy Spirit that writes the laws, verse 15, whereof the Holy Spirit also is a witness to us. For after that he has said before, this is the covenant that I'll make with them after those days, the Lord, I'll put My laws in their hearts and in their minds I will write them and their sins, and iniquities will I remember no more. So it's the Holy Spirit that wants to write God's law on our mind and our hearts. And so that gives us a desire to obey God out of love, because God's love is poured in our hearts and gives us a desire to obey God. And this is incredible. This is all linked with God's glory lighting up the earth. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And God's waiting. He's actually holding back these winds from destruction on the earth to his people are sealed. And we know the sealing is connected with God writing His Law Ten Commandments on our mind, our forehead and our hearts. Revelations 14, god's name is written on our foreheads. Yes, the mind or foreheads. And in Revelation 18, God's glory is going to light up the earth. So that's an amazing promise. SPEAKER B That is an incredible promise. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And I encourage those people out there listening to prepare for this latter reign of the Holy Spirit that God has promised. SPEAKER B Yeah, it looked incredible. I know that in Revelation there because we're sort of in the middle part of Revelation previously as well. Revelation 18, Revelation 14 in Revelation chapter three, it's a continuation of Revelation chapter two where it actually introduces the seven churches. Now the second and last church mentioned there is actually the Church of Philadelphia, which is the church of brotherly love. It's interesting so that they have all things in common as well because they have brotherly love amongst know they have things in one accord. But it says there to Him who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God and he shall go out no more. So they come into the Lord and they don't apostatize anymore, they stay with God. I will write on Him the name of my God. So this is Jesus speaking. So this is the name of the Father I'll write in the name of my God and the name of the city of my God. Isn't that credible? So that's where we're going to be living. So first of all, we know the Father, we've got his name written in our foreheads. Then he gives us a city where we will live because he says he's gone to prepare a place for us, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from God out of heaven. And then it says and I will write on Him my new name. So Jesus has a new name, a name that he has not been told to anybody yet. But under the sealing process, where the Father's name is written down, when the new Jerusalem is actually also written in their foreheads, which is actually a representative of God's kingdom, in their foreheads, it also says that Jesus'new name will be written in their foreheads as well. What a wonderful promise. SPEAKER C Amazing. And God does this through the Holy Spirit because in Ephesians, in chapter one, it says the Holy Spirit is the one who seals us. So the Holy Spirit is doing this sealing. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And we just read in Hebrews chapter eight and ten that it's the Holy Spirit that wants to write under this new covenant god's law on our mind or forehead and our hearts. It's here, it's God's waiting for his people, for them to be sealed and have Father's name on their mind and his law on their mind and their hearts. SPEAKER B Incredible, isn't it? Look, I wonder if I can just go through just a couple of texts. We've referenced them a few times, but I actually want to read them this time. Paul there in Romans talks about the law and the importance of it. And he says there he mentions all our relationship to our fellow man because the Ten Commandments are split into two, isn't it? The first four commandments deal with our relationship with the Lord. You shall have no other gods before you. I'm the Lord that led you out of bondage, and we've all come out of bondage. We've all been slaves to sin, we've all committed sin and we couldn't help ourselves. He led us out of bondage. He says that they shall have no other gods before me, not make graven avengers, not bow down, not blaspheme in the name of the Lord, and then honor him as our creator God by keeping the Sabbath. Now, what it then goes on to, it starts into honoring your father and your mother. So now it starts with your relationship with your people around you, the people that are closest to you. Then it says not to kill, not to get adultery and steal and so forth. So those laws in Romans chapter 13, it says, owe no one enemy anything. And I'm reading from verse eight, except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Then it says for the commandments, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet. And if there's any other commandment, all are summed up in this saying, namely you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor, therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law. Now, every time he uses the word love here, there's a couple of words in the Bible for love. There's Philos in the Greek and there's also agape. It's talking about agape, which is a self sacrificing love that God demonstrated in Jesus when he gave him as our sin offering and our sin bearer. But in Romans chapter five, it tells us how we are to get this agape love, because if he says love is the fulfilling of a law, agape is the principles that we see in the Ten Commandments. Now, Romans chapter five and verse five says, now hope does not disappoint because the agape, the love of God, has been poured out in our hearts, that's covenant again in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. So the covenant, the law of God, the love of God and the Holy Spirit go in hand in hand. God gives us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit then loves the principles of love in our hearts. These principles of love, according to Paul, a few chapters down in Romans, says that it is the fulfilling of the law of God, all happens through the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C It's a wonderful, wonderful promise, wonderful promise. And even a great writer, Ellen White, says that the latter rain, ripening earth's harvest represents the spiritual grace that prepares the Church for the coming of the Son of man. But she says, unless the former rain has fallen, there will be no life. The green blade will not spring up unless the early showers have done their work, the latter rain can bring no seed to perfection. So here she's saying we need to grow again in the early rain in preparation for the latter rain, which is connected with Revelations 18, one where God's glory lights up the earth and gives power to God's people in the preaching of the three angels messages. But we need to grow in the early reign of the Holy Spirit or we will not receive the latter reign of the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B There's an interesting text in Isaiah, because we looked in previous lessons that the Holy Spirit does three things. It convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. So let's think of the sin righteousness and of judgment. So if we see that we are sinners, we'll see a need of a Savior. We'll see his righteousness and be drawn to Him. And of course, judgment comes into it as well. But in Isaiah, chapter four and verse four, it says when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion now the daughter of Zion zion represents God's. People washes away the filth of the daughter of Zion and purges the blood of Jerusalem from her midst. By the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning. So here when we see the Spirit of judgment, the third thing that the Holy Spirit convicts us of is judgment. And we are told that the Holy Spirit, when Jesus baptizes us, it says he baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire. That fire is also an element that actually takes away, burns the dross, but leaves a perfect pure person there. And we call that sanctification. It's that process. As the Holy Spirit matures a plant, it grows up from it. It'll tender seed and springs up out of the ground, and it keeps on growing until it becomes a mature plant. And of course then when the latter rain comes, the fruit is produced and at that harvest time, Christ can come. SPEAKER C That's right. So we look back at the Revelations 14 as well, where John tells us the people of God will have the Father's name written on their foreheads and their minds. And what is God's mark or symbol or seal of authority? Where is God's name found? In the Ten Commandments. SPEAKER B It is. Name is in the Fourth Commandment, isn't it? SPEAKER C Yeah, because a seal and a sign can be used interchangeably, see? And in Ezekiel, chapter 20, verse twelve, right, it says, I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they may know that I am the Lord that sanctifies them. Or sets them apart. Yes. So God's name is written right in the heart of the Ten Commandments, the Fourth Commandment. Again in Exodus 31, verse 17, it says it is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever, for in six days the Lord made the heaven and earth. Exodus 31 seven. So it's a sign between the children of Israel. Now, today, when we become accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Bible tells us we're adopted into becoming spiritual Israel. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B That's an important thing to remember, that we actually become part of Israel because both the old covenant and the new covenant is not made with any other group. It's only made with says, you know, this is the covenant I'll make with the house of Israel. In those days, I will write my laws in their hearts and their minds. If you're not part of Israel, you cannot be part of the covenant and promise. So I'm glad you brought that up, because we are adopted into God's spiritual kingdom. So we become part of Israel through adoption. SPEAKER C Yeah, like Gentiles, we're grafted in, we're grafted into the tree. That's right. Again. And also Ezekiel, chapter nine, verse four. So what is God's mark symbol? Civil authority? It's the Sabbath. Holy day is the external sign of keeping the Sabbath day holy. That is part of his sealants where his name is written on. You can also check out Ezekiel chapter nine, verse four as well. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER B And it says there and the Lord said to him, go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the forehead of the men who sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done within it. SPEAKER C Wow. So again, a mark or a seal and is connected with God's law, and a fourth commandment is part of that. And God wants to write his name, his glory, his character's law on our minds and hearts. And the Sabbath is at the heart of the seal of God. It's where his name is. Says who? His kingdom is the creator of the heavens and earth. It's his title. And we rest in what God has done and doing in our lives. That's what we do when we rest on the Sabbath day, we're resting what God has done for us, he sanctified us and has set us apart from holy for holy purposes, and it'll give us power. The latter reign will give us power to repeat the third angel's message in heaven. SPEAKER B You were talking about the interchange between the sign and the seal. Paul, we go into Romans quite a bit, aren't we Romans? And in the books of John as well. But Paul says here in Romans chapter four, verse eleven, it says about Abraham and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had while still uncircumcised. So here talks about the sign and the seal interchangeably, saying the sign of circumcision, which was a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had, was still uncircumcised that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that the righteousness might be imputed to them as well. SPEAKER C That's exactly right. SPEAKER B So the Jew and Gentile coming together. SPEAKER C Exactly under Israel, and that was the external sign of the or seal of being an angel, just like the Sabbath is in the last days. So how do we receive this infilling or daily baptism? Holy Spirit Galatians, chapter three, verse 14 says that we are simply claiming a promise by Jesus and we receive it by faith. Galatians 314 says he redeemed us. Jesus redeemed us in order that the blessings given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ, and that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. So we're claiming a promise by faith. SPEAKER B Beautiful. SPEAKER D It's lovely. SPEAKER B Colin, thank you very much for taking us through that study. We really appreciate that we still have that special offer available to people. It's the book by Helmut Haubeil and it's called Steps to Personal Revival. So you can get a copy of this by contacting us here at Three ABN Australia Radio. And you can contact us in a number of ways. You can ring us on Australia 4973-3456 or you can email us at [email protected]. You're welcome to contact us on our website, which is 3abnaustralia.org.au, or you can even contact us on our Three ABN Australia Radio Facebook page. And we'll be very happy to mail out a copy of Helmut Haubeil's book called Steps to Personal Revival. It's been a pleasure having you here with us this day as we've been studying through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The former reign and the latter reign, and we look forward to your company again next time. Until then. SPEAKER B You'Ve been listening to a production of Three ABN, Australia Radio.