It’s Beginning To Rain
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Derrel Strickland
Pastor Strickland's sermon emphasizes the importance of seeking the "living water" that Jesus offers, symbolizing spiritual nourishment and renewal through faith. Using the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, he highlights the necessity of faith to receive spiritual blessings and encourages the congregation to embrace the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
The core takeaway from Pastor Strickland's sermon is that spiritual renewal and fulfillment, symbolized by "living water," can only be received through faith in Jesus Christ, and this faith is essential for experiencing the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Additional Info
The info below was generated by an AI from the audio recording of the sermon.
Reflections on "A Dry Place"
Pastor Scott’s sermon last week on "A Dry Place" struck a chord with many, as we can all relate to experiencing spiritual droughts. It brought to mind the words of an old song by Jimmy Swaggart, "It’s Beginning to Rain," which speaks to the promise of God’s Spirit pouring out on those who are thirsty and dry. This imagery of rain signifies spiritual revival and renewal.
The Encounter at the Well: John 4
John 4 is a cornerstone passage, illustrating the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. Despite cultural and religious differences, Jesus offered her living water, symbolizing eternal life and spiritual fulfillment. This passage underscores the need for faith to receive this divine gift. Jesus did not engage in theological debates but focused on the transformative power of faith and truth.
The Significance of Living Water
The concept of living water is not new. The prophet Jeremiah lamented that people forsook God, the fountain of living waters, for broken cisterns that could hold no water. This metaphor highlights the futility of seeking spiritual fulfillment outside of God. True spiritual renewal can only come through faith in God, who offers living water to those who believe.
Faith and the Holy Spirit
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out, fulfilling Christ’s promise of rivers of living water flowing from within believers. This spiritual outpouring is available to all who have faith in God. The Spirit, like water, is received through faith, not through works or human effort. This divine provision brings spiritual vitality and transformation.
Global Spiritual Movement
Across the globe, God's Spirit is moving powerfully, even in the most impoverished and oppressed regions. Countries like Cuba, despite economic hardships, experience significant spiritual revival. This global movement illustrates that the Spirit of God transcends all barriers and brings renewal wherever there is faith.
The Power of Faith in Action
Elijah’s story in 1 Kings 17-18 exemplifies the power of faith and prayer. During a severe drought, Elijah declared that rain would come only by his word. His unwavering faith and bold proclamation led to a miraculous downpour, symbolizing the faith required to receive God’s promises. This narrative encourages believers to hold steadfast in faith, trusting in God’s timing and provision.
Moving from Dry Spells to Living Water
In times of spiritual dryness, it is crucial to seek God’s living water and the latter rain of the Holy Spirit. This renewal is essential for personal and communal spiritual growth. By embracing faith and allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us, we can move from dry spells to experiencing the fullness of God’s blessings.
Conclusion
In uncertain times, it is comforting to know that while we may not know what the future holds, we can trust in the One who holds the future. Spiritual renewal through living water and faith in God is available to all who seek it. As we pursue this divine refreshment, we are reminded of the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the promise of God’s continual presence in our lives.
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Use the questions listed below as a launching point to discuss the sermon points together as a family. These are great for dinner table discussions and small groups.
Reflecting on the Living Water
Share a Moment: When was a time you felt spiritually 'thirsty' and how did you seek God during that time?
Living Water: In what ways can we relate to the Samaritan woman at the well? What do you think 'living water' means in your own life?
Faith Journey: Pastor Derrel talked about not having all the answers but still believing. How does this resonate with your faith journey?
Avoid Arguments: Why is it essential to avoid arguing scripture when witnessing to others, as Jesus showed us with the Samaritan woman?
Pentecost's Rain: How can we prepare ourselves for the spiritual rain and harvest that Pastor Derrel described? What steps can we take to be more open to God's spirit?
Practical Application:
Reflect on ways to increase your faith in daily life and actively seek God's living water each day.
Share one practical way you can witness to others without getting into arguments, as Jesus did.
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Connecting our kids to what we as adults are learning and hearing on Sundays is vital to passing on our faith to the next generation. Use the summary below as a great way to talk about the message we heard with your kids.
The Living Water
Once upon a time, there was a woman who went to a well to get water. She went when it was really hot because she didn’t have many friends and felt alone. One day, she met a man named Jesus. Jesus asked her for a drink, and she was surprised because people like Jesus usually didn’t talk to people like her.
Jesus told her He could give her a special kind of water. She was curious, and He explained that this water would make her never thirsty again! She'd never have to come to the well in the hot sun anymore.
The woman was amazed and wanted this special water, but Jesus told her He knew all about her life, even her secrets. She realized Jesus wasn't just any man; He was the Messiah, the one everyone was waiting for! She ran back to her town and told everyone about Jesus and the special living water. Many people came to see Jesus and believed in Him because of the woman’s story.
Moral of the story: Jesus gives us joy and refreshment in our hearts, just like water when we are thirsty. All we need to do is believe in Him!
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John 4: The Samaritan Woman at the Well
John 4 occurs during Jesus's ministry in Samaria, a region located between Judea and Galilee. Historically, Jews and Samaritans had a deeply entrenched enmity due to differences in their views on sacred places and practices. The well in this passage is known as Jacob's Well, believed to be situated in the city of Sychar, near Shechem. This well carries significance because it was attributed to Jacob, a patriarch of the Israelites.
By Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman, He broke several social norms: Jews generally avoided Samaritans, and men did not speak publicly to women they did not know. Jesus’s approach symbolized the inclusive nature of His ministry – breaking barriers to offer salvation to all.
Jeremiah 2:13 and 17:13
Jeremiah, a prophet in the Old Testament, served during the late 7th and early 6th centuries BC, a time marked by political turmoil and spiritual decline in Judah. In Jeremiah 2:13, God accuses His people of forsaking Him, the 'fountain of living waters', and turning to broken cisterns—symbolizing their unfaithfulness and the futility of relying on idols or other gods.
Jeremiah 17:13 continues this imagery, emphasizing that those who turn away from God will see their names 'written in the dust,' symbolizing their temporary and unfulfilling attempts away from the living water of God.
1 Kings 17-18: Elijah and Ahab
These chapters describe the prophet Elijah's confrontation with the wicked King Ahab of Israel and his wife Jezebel, who led the Israelites into worshipping Baal. Elijah declaring a drought was a direct challenge to Baal, considered a god of fertility and thunderstorms. The drought demonstrated God's supremacy. After a dramatic showdown where God showed His power through fire consuming Elijah’s sacrifice, Elijah prayed for rain to end the drought, demonstrating God’s mercy and answering the people's return to faith.
Revelation 7:17
Revelation, authored by John the Apostle, is filled with prophetic visions of the end times. Revelation 7:17's imagery of the Lamb (Jesus) leading people to springs of living water is a vision of ultimate peace and salvation. This scene reflects the Messianic prophecies from Isaiah, linking Jesus’s sacrifice to the promise of eternal life and comfort in God's presence.
Conclusion
These scriptures interweave to present a powerful narrative of spiritual thirst and the fulfillment found in God alone. Whether in the Old or New Testament, the consistent message is clear: God is the eternal source of life, and turning to Him brings true satisfaction and salvation.
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Well, last week, Pastor Scott preached an awesome message. Amen. Yeah.
That I got to listen to. Notice I said, listen, I was not watching because I was driving, but I was listening to it in a great, great message. And I was thinking just earlier this morning that reminded of. Of Brother Dan Dupre. I think everybody that grew up in a small church had a brother Dan.
Might not have been his name, but you know what I'm talking about. He was just one of the pillars. And brother Dan, we used to have a lot of testimony services. You remember those? And I remember him getting up numerous times after somebody had gave a great testimony.
He said, I can't talk like brother Gator, but I can say, me, too. Me, too. Well, I might not can preach like Pastor Scott, but I can say, me, too. Me, too. Me, too.
And a great message. And we had someone call in yesterday when I was up here at the church that just shared with us that God healed him Sunday morning during the message. So let's give a God a praise hallelujah. And lest I forget, Pastor Jeff did a great job Wednesday night as well. Pastor Scott preached on a dry place.
I think every one of us can relate.
When I was thinking about the dry place, I thought about the words of an old song. It was written by Jimmy Swaggart, I believe, in the early eighties. And the title of it, it's beginning to rain. It's beginning to rain. Hear the voice of the father.
He's saying, whosoever will come and drink of my water, he's promised to pour his spirit out on your sons and your daughters. If you're thirsty and dry, look up to the sky. It's beginning to rain. Jimmy Swaggart also recorded another psalm that was a great hit for him. There is a river, there's a river that flows from deep within glory how many knows that we need that life giving water?
We need that life giving water.
I want you to notice two things. It did not say that it's going to rain. It says, it's beginning to rain. Now, I know this is just a song. And how many knows that songs are not scripture, so we don't need to treat them as equal to scripture.
I really believe that that phrase is beginning to rain. I believe it's already started. I believe it's already starting. It is not that I necessarily want the water, but I need it. I need the water.
And I trust that you want it. But I can promise you, even if you don't want it, you need it. John, chapter four is one of my go to passages. I refer to it so often. But let's pick up and read verse four here.
So many messages we could preach from it. And he had to pass through Samaria, speaking of Jesus. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son, Joseph. Jacob, he was the one that whenever he came there, he had his servants dig this well. So Eddie had been there a day or two.
Because this was the time of Christ said Jacob's well was there. So Jesus was wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the 6th hour, noon. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. And Jesus said to her, give me a drink.
For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The samaritan woman said to him, how is it that you, a jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? I think everybody here knows that they did not get together. They were totally enemies. For jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
And Jesus answered, if you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, give me a drink. You would have asked of him and he would have given you living water. And the woman said to him, sir, you have nothing to draw water with. And the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from him himself, as did his sons and his livestock. Now, I want you to notice something. This is not part of my message, but I think it's a truth that you need to understand. When Jesus started ministering to the woman, what was the first thing that she wanted to do?
Argue scripture with him.
Check it out. She wanted to argue with him. Folks, listen. We don't have time to argue scripture. If they don't want to listen to the word, that's their business.
And go with it and just leave it and don't argue it. Because if you're trying to witness to someone, only thing they would love to get you in an argument. So just tell them about Jesus. Notice what Jesus did. He did not take the bait.
He could have taken the bait. He could have started arguing. And how many thinks he could have won the argument, huh? He could have won the argument. But he didn't go there.
Said, are you greater than our father, Jacob? Now I know if that had been me, that'd been a good time. Yeah. Yeah.
He gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock. Are you better than Jacob? And Jesus said to her, everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up into eternal life.
And the woman said to her to him, sir, give me the water so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water. She came every day, probably at the noon hour, because there was less people there. Because she was an outcast. She had her circle of friends, but most of the people didn't go there. So she would go at noontime when everybody was not there.
He said, man, if I don't have to come here in the heat of the day, hey, let me have some of that water. And Jesus said to her, go call your husband and come here. The woman answered him, I have no husband. And Jesus said to her, you're right.
And say that you have no husband. For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. Now you talking about reading somebody's mail? He had it. You're not married right now.
You're living with somebody and that you've already been married five times. He thinks that he could have begun to tell her how evil she was. He could have begun to tell her how unworthy she was. But guess what? She was there at noon time.
She already knew she was unworthy. And the woman said to him, sir, I perceive that you're a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain. But you say that in Jerusalem it's a place where people ought to worship. They could have argued right there.
Jesus didn't take the way. He said, woman, believe me, the hour's coming. When neither on this mountain nor Jerusalem will we worship the father. You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and now is here, when the true worshipers will worship the father in spirit and in truth. For the father is seeking such people to worship him. Even Samaritans. God is spirit. And those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.
The woman said to him, I know that the messiah is coming, he who is called Christ. And when he comes, he would tell us all things. And Jesus said to her, I who speak to you am he glory. Glory. I'm the one.
I think it's really amazing. And I have to say this, even though it's really not part of my message today. John, chapter three. Jesus talked to a guy by the name of Nicodemus, probably as highly educated as anybody of his day. He was a somebody.
He was a pharisee. He was trained. Jesus never told him he was the messiah.
This woman that probably had no training. She was a nobody. But Jesus said, I'm the one you're looking for. Now you say, pastor, why don't you make an issue of that? Because Jesus will always meet you at your level of need and at your level of understanding.
I'm glad, because if it took an intelligent person to be saved, some of us might not have made it. I'm glad you didn't have to have a high, high iq. I had you just know that I needed Jesus, I needed the well. I needed the living water.
The woman came to get water, but she got a lot more. She got living water. I would like to point this out to you. The woman could not get the living water herself. She brought her pot, she could get her water, but she couldn't get the living water.
The only way she could get living water is through faith. Through faith to believe that he was who he said he was. And she had a lot of questions. One was, how can you give me water when you don't even have a bucket? Now I'm paraphrasing it.
This is what it actually said, sir. The well is deep and you don't have a bucket. See, this living water can only be gained through faith. Through faith. The prophet Jeremiah said a couple of things.
Jeremiah, chapter two, verse twelve and 13. Notice this. Be appalled, o heavens, at this, be shocked. Be utterly desolate, declares the Lord. For my people have committed two evils.
They have forsaken me. The fountain of living waters. And hewed out cisterns for themselves. Broken cisterns that can hold no water. My people have forsaken me, and they've cut out and made cisterns that leak.
Now drop over to chapter 17. Read verse 13.
Verse 13. O Lord, the hope of Israel. I believe we could insert in there, o Lord, the hope of America. O Lord, the hope of the world, because he is the only hope we have.
I hope that you're not putting your hope in Capitol hill. We put our hope in Jesus, o Lord, the hope of Israel. All who forsake you shall be put to shame. Those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord. The fountain of living water.
See, this wasn't a new truth. Jesus and God were known as living water. And he said, listen, you can have this living water if you just believe. Now, on the day of Pentecost, the spirit was poured out. We see the term filled to what?
Overflowing. We see the speaking of tongues and fulfilling the words of Christ. From your innermost being shall flow rivers of living water. Revelation, chapter seven, verse 17 says, for the lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
The God of living waters. See, the spirit, just like the water, can only be received by faith. You can't earn it, you can't buy it, you can't work hard enough for it. It can only be received by faith in God, faith in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. All three of them are God in one.
And if you forsake one, do like Jeremiah says. We have forgotten or forsaken living water.
Folks, I don't know what the future holds now. I know. I guess they're a lot more godly than I am and a lot more studied, because I see a lot of people prophesying about what's going to happen in America, and maybe they're right, maybe they're wrong. I don't know. All I know is what the book tells me, and the book tells me that if they miss it one time, they miss it.
So what do I know? I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. Let me say that again. I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future, and I know who holds me.
I've been privileged to travel in a number of countries, and I've seen that the economy does not dictate to the spirit of God, because some of the poorest countries in the world, God is pouring out his spirit. It's beginning to rain in some of the poorest countries. We know all about Cuba. We've been there numerous times, and it's amazing. And then that land that's poverty stricken, close to starving.
You heard me right. You don't see it on the news, but they're hurting. But I can tell you that those people are not restricted because it's beginning to rain. We've got over 10,000 assembly God home churches in Cuba. When you stop thinking the United States has only got 13,000, I'll tell you something, God is doing some awesome things, and it's already beginning to rain in some countries.
Some of our bigger churches are behind prison doors because, see, guess what? Prison can't keep out the living water.
Living water cannot be contained. All over the world, the spirit is moving. So glad to be a part of the global pastors network and see what they're doing all over the world. October 6. A guy by the name of Chris Mickelson, he's a.
An evangelist, just had a revival last week or week before last in Pakistan. Hundreds, hundreds, maybe thousands of people were converted in October 6. He's going to be preaching here. It's beginning to rain. See, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is called the latter rain.
You see, Israel had two rainy seasons. Now, compared to Florida, Israel does not have a rainy season. But for them, because it's mostly desert, they have two rainy seasons. They have what they call the early rain. What they do in the early rain, they get the ground ready to plant and they plant it and the seeds come up, and then there's basically no rain until it gets time for the latter rain.
And the latter rain brings forth and produces the harvest. It comes in at just enough time that they can get their harvest.
Why do you think Pentecost is called latter rain? Because he said, I want you to tarry in Jerusalem until you be endued with power. Go forth, be witnesses, and that you can win the world.
You can share the living water. Pentecost is a season of harvest. It's beginning to rain. The harvest is being harvested all over the world. And yet, in the midst of our great harvest, many of us, how many of you waiting for the return of Jesus Christ, how many thinks, that's pretty close?
Did you know there's about 2 billion people in the world that's never heard they came the first time.
There's still work to be done, right? There's still work to be done because it's beginning to rain and the harvest is being harvested all over the world. And some of you say, well, I don't see it. I don't see it. And I can tell you we can be caught up in our circle and don't see it, but I can tell you that it's beginning to rain throughout the world.
God is doing some awesome things. There's something that I found out, and I know that's going to surprise you. You thought I knew it all, but have any of you ever heard of heat lightning? Now, I looked this up so I know this is factual. I mean, I found on Google, so I know it has to be true.
But now, I looked up. I looked up heat lightning, because I've heard all my life that you can see the heat lightning, but you'll never get rain from heat lightning because there's no moisture there. Well, according to the professionals, that's a lie.
I believe that in my life because I've seen in a distance. But you know what they tell me, heat lightning is that heat lightning is a thunderstorm that's too far away for you to see the lightning except the lights, and it's too far away for you to hear the thunder. But it's actually a thunderstorm so far away that you can't hear it and you can't see it. You see the flash, and I looked that up and two or three times, and that appears to be truth. So all of a sudden, you heat lightning and won't get any rain from it.
You will if it's moving in the right direction. It will if you move in the right direction. That was awesome.
And I believe it's beginning to rain. I can see some heat lightning. We may not think it's raining, but guess what? I believe it's coming our way. Let's just hang on and trust God that believe that the lightning is coming our way and with it there's going to be a storm.
Now, I remember reading a story when I was first went into ministry is out in West Texas and they had a drought. Now, I remember hearing one of my favorite preachers, he was from West Texas, and somebody asked him, said, how much rain does it you get out in west Texas? He said about twelve inches a year. They said, that's not very much. He said, it is the night that it comes.
But they were in a drought. And this is a story. I said, I read it years ago and the churches got together and called for a prayer meeting to pray for rain.
I understand they did that in Oxford a few years, a number of years back, before I came. So it's been over 40 years, but it was drought and they got together to pray. And one elder saintly lady got upset cause she came to the prayer meeting that they were calling to pray for rain and she said, I'm the only one that brought an umbrella.
Sometimes we just don't have enough faith, gator. Don't have enough faith. There's a story that's recorded in first kings story that you're all familiar with. But let me just read a few verses starting with one. Kings 17, one.
Now Elijah the Tishbite of Tishbiah and Gilead said to Ahab, that was a king. Now you may not remember Ahab, but remember Ahab was the best one of the bunch of his family because his wife was Jezebel. Ahab and Jezebel, as the lord, the God of Israel, lives before whom I stand. Now remember, this is Elijah standing before the king. But he wasn't talking about standing before that king.
He was talking about standing before God. I stand. There shall be neither dew nor rain these years. It was well over three years that they did no rain nor dew for three years except by my word. Now I want to tell you, that's pretty.
That's a bold rascal to stand before the king and say, listen, king, there's going to be a drought. It's all my fault. It's not going to rain until I tell it to rain. And the word of the Lord came to him. Depart from here.
Get out of here. Why would he tell them to get out? Because they fixed to put out a warrant out for his arrest. They were going to kill him. And the word of the Lord came to him.
Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook cherith, which is east of the Jordan, and you shall drink from the brook. And I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. So he went and did. According to the word of the Lord, he went and lived by the brook Cherith, and that is east of Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening and.
And he drank from the brook. And after a brook, while the brook dried up because there was no rain in the land, why did it dry up? Because he's prayer was answered. He said, it's not gonna rain. The Lord says it's gonna rain.
Now I know me, I'd look at that brook every day and probably after a period of time I'd be tired of food that the ravens brought me. God, can't you let it send a shower? Rain?
How many times have we prayed and said, God, do whatever you need to do, as long as it don't hurt, as long as it's painless.
But he answered his prayer and he had to go to another place and hide. And he wasn't hiding. Why? Because they wanted to kill him. Obadiah was one of those that went looking for him.
And when he found him, he said Elijah said, go tell the king where I am. He said, I'm not going to do it. The last time they sent somebody to find you, they killed. Killed them all when they couldn't find him. But Obadiah listened to him.
But notice what it says in chapter 18. They go up on the mountain and they have what I've called a pray off. They had a. And I said, I'm going to pray, and all the prophets of Baal you can pray. And whoever wins is the winner.
Whoever wins had been a drought for over three years. That's a dry country at his best. And he let the people of prophets of Baal pray first. And he laughed at them. He mocked them.
Matter of fact, there's one translation that says, well, why don't you pray a little bit louder? He may be out used in the bathroom, might be asleep.
Just pray a little louder. Go ahead and cut your arms. Do all those things. And they prayed and they prayed and they prayed, but nothing happened. Elijah, he said, go down there and get a bunch of water.
Hey, water was the problem. They didn't have any. They had to go down and get water and bring it up. He said, pour it all over, all over the sacrifice. He said, go get some more.
That's not enough. Now, why in the world would he do that? Because he wanted to make sure that people understood this wasn't a trick, that he knew fire was going to come down from heaven. Go get some water. They watered it and watered it and watered it.
And when he prayed, fire came down, and the prophets of Baal, those were killed. And then it starts in verse 41, it says, and Elijah said to Ahab, now, who was Ahab? He was the king. He was the one that had all the power. He was the one that had an army.
Elijah didn't have an army. Elijah said to Ahab, go up, eat and drink, for there's a sound of the rushing of rain. Now, did he really hear rain? No, he didn't hear rain. He just knew by faith that he was fixed to say, it's going to rain.
Now, what had he said over three years before? He said, it's not going to rain again till I say it's gonna rain. He said, ahab, get ready. It's beginning to rain.
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink, and Elijah went up to the top of the mountain, Mount Carmel, and he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. Now, it doesn't say he prayed, but I kind of get an idea he really prayed, and he said to his servant, go up now. Look toward the sea. And he went up and looked, said, there nothing. He said, go again.
Seven times now, I've been there on Mount Carmel, and it's not a big mountain, but you didn't want to climb it. Seven times. Seven times he went up there and looked. Six times he saw nothing. And at the 7th time, he said, behold, a little cloud, like a man's hand, is rising from the sea.
I'll tell you something. We were coming home Friday from her vacation, and we stopped for lunch, and I said something to the kids. I said, do you think that little cloud up there is lonely? I mean, it was the only one in the sky, gator. I said, do you think it's lonely?
And they looked at it, and it just dissipated. The sky became cloudless. Because, see, all it is is moisture. And when it dissipates, it's not there. But I've never seen a cloud disappear.
And I'm kind of an outdoors person. I've watched it. First time in my life, I just actually saw a cloud just disappear. But Elijah saw that cloud. He said, uh uh.
It's not disappearing. It's collecting moisture, because I can hear it and begin to rain. Behold, a little cloud, like a man's hand, is rising from the sea. And said, go up, you go. Tell Ahab, prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.
Now, he says, is it going to rain that hard? It does when it's rained, for it hasn't rained in a while. It gets. Makes puddles, turns that mud clay into mud, and says, better get there unless the rain stops you. And in a little while, the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.
And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the Lord was upon Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. Now, I don't know if you caught that, but if I'm reading that right, that he outrun the chariot, this man that had been up there praying, been fasting and without eating, and. And God said he put his hand on him because he knew that it was beginning to rain. Church.
I preached this a couple of Wednesday nights ago, and if you didn't hear it, you need to go watch it. And I don't tell you that on many of my messages, but we've inherited a mess.
Some of it our fault. I said, some of it our fault. We've inherited a mess, and we can sit here all day long and complain about the mess, but it's still a mess. I said it's still a mess. We can blame it on this one, that one, or everybody, but we've got a mess.
And God is our only solution. God is our only solution. And we need to come out of the dry spell that Scott talked about. And we need to experience the living water of God. We need the living water, which I believe is speaking of salvation, told the woman at the well, salvation, then we need the latter.
Rain, speaking of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that we need the power to become witnesses to win the world. And I believe it's time to begin the reign.
And I've read just enough of the word that I can tell you that I really don't know where America's headed. I wish I could tell you that we was going to come out of this, but God hasn't told me that. He just tells me that I'm still in control. I know that God's word is true and that even in the midst of turmoil, even in the worst of situations, God can still pour out that living water and pour out that anointing and that spirit upon his church. This morning, I want to give a twofold response.
First, if you've never received the living water, or if you've never received Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, that's the number one thing.
When we sing this course the first time, I want you to know that that's the time to respond. If you've never received the living water, you may be like the woman at the well. You may be filled with questions.
If you wait till all your questions are answered, you'll never be saved.
Because Satan's going to make sure that you've got questions. And if he don't give you enough of them, your husband or wife will. We don't need to know the answers. I can guarantee you that woman at the well, she didn't know beings about scripture. They said, this is one that told me everything about me.
This must be the Christ. And if I understand what the scripture says, to be saved, all we have to do is believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God, and that he died from our sins and he rose again. I can't understand that, but I can believe it. So that's the first one. And after we sing it, start again.
For those that like to just seek the reign of the spirit, I like to just conclude this service. We'll spend some time praising him and worship him. So I'm gonna ask our worship team to come. And again, the first time we sing this through, this is for the new believers, somebody that's never believed or wants to recommit their life to the Lord. This is for you.
Then after that, we're going to get have a time of waiting upon Jesus. Father, thank you for your word.
God, thank you for the great message pastor Scott preached last week. And God, I ask you now, help us to seek after the living water, to seek after the rain of the Holy Spirit and God. Just have your way in our hearts and lives today and we give you praise, give you honor, and give you glory.
