ONLINE SUNDAY SERVICE MESSAGE BY DR. MENSAH OTABIL – TOPIC: IT IS RAINING
(GENERAL OVERSEER INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL GOSPEL CHURCH (ICGC) ACCRA, GHANA)
DATE: 5TH JULY, 2020
TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 11:14-15
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!! Hallelujah!!!
Let’s give PRAISE TO LORD – wherever you are at home or reading on the Label of DMC – God is Good, all the time!
His Mercies enduereth for ever!
And this morning we trust God, He will touch you in a very Special Way and His Grace will come to you, and His Power will be sufficient for you.
Let’s make our DECLARATIONS OF EXCELLENCE together, in this Year of Excellence. Are you READY? SAY WITH ME:
Out of Zion, the Perfection of Beauty, God shines forth. The Lord my God causes the Righteous to shine forth as the Sun.
His Awesome Hands has formed me; His Creative Spirit inspires my mind. He Skillfully guides my hands.
Therefore, I boldly declare: I am set apart for Excellence. The Ruler of the Universe has exalted my horn among the Nations. He sets my feet on high! In His Strength, I rise!
By Faith, I Press forward towards the Prize of my Highest Calling.
I believe in my heart, and confess with my mouth: that Jesus is Lord! He is the Vine, I am the Branch; in Him I abide, in Him I Blossom.
As it is written: God, who commanded Light out of darkness, has Shone His Light in our hearts;
We have His Treasure in Earthen Vessels. That the Excellence of the Power may be of God, and not of us!
In this Year, I commit to EXCELLENCE, I commit to EXCEPTIONALISM, I commit to do the EXTRAORDINARY.
In Jesus’ Name – Amen and Amen and Amen and Amen.
… God Bless you wherever you are even as you read now on the Label of DMC!
My Message today is simply Titled: IT IS RAINING.
Why don’t you tell somebody (and I hope you are Protected): “It is Raining.
Why don’t you go ahead and tell yourself: “It is Raining.
Now, this statement: “It is Raining is both a statement of Fact and a statement of Faith.
It is a statement of Fact, because it is raining – it is a Raining Season
It is a statement of Faith because we are using it in a Metaphorical sense to speak about an OUTPOURING from the Throne of God – That God is reaching out to us, and God is Changing the atmosphere and God is turning up things into our advantage.
So, I believe: “IT IS RAINING.
And when it is raining, a few things happen – It RAINS!
So, in this Divine moment, in this Divine Hour, we have responsibility although God is at work!
I’m going to start with the Text, from Deuteronomy 11:14-15 (NKJV).
This is a Message that God gave to Israel when they were in the Wilderness; and getting ready to go in to the Promised Land.
And this is what He said to them:
14 Then I will give you the rain for your land in its Season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.
15 And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.’
Now, this Message that God gave to Israel may not seems like a very Special Message – because rain is normal, it’s Natural.
But He was speaking to them within a certain context.
And if you backup from Verses 10 and 11 – you will get the context.
It says: “For the land which you go to Possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable Garden; but the land which you cross over to Possess is a land of Hills and Valleys, which drinks water from the rain of Heaven,”
… What does that mean?
God is contrasting the land that the children of Israel had come out from (Egypt) with the Land they are going to (The Promised Land).
And He says that the land of Egypt was a land were they sowed their seed and watered it by foot.
… What does it mean: “Watered it by foot!’
It means that Agriculture in Egypt was by Irrigation.
They had Advanced Technology that enabled them to water their Plants like a Vegetable Garden.
They had developed an Irrigation System; they didn’t rely on the RAIN!
But the children of Israel has been there for four hundred (400) years; and now they have left Egypt. And they didn’t have Technology. They are a Low Tech Country; a Low Technology Country!
So God says: I’m going to take you to the Promised Land; and you will not find Irrigation System – as Egypt has.
But I would compensate for what you don’t have; and I will give you RAIN from Heaven.
So, your lack of Technology therefore, will not be a DISADVANTAGE because there would be a Spiritual dimension to what God is about to do.
Where you seems disadvantaged, God will accelerate a Heavenly Process to take you to the Place that He has Promised you and give RESULTS that are greater than what Egypt has!
And so He says to them: I will give you RAIN – You may not have the Technology, but “I will give you RAIN!”
In other words, God is saying: I’m about to do something for you (Israel); you may not have what it takes, but when I finish with you – your DISADVANTAGE will disappear.
So, I have come to announce to somebody: You may not have the Technology other People have; you may not have the Strength other People have – You may be a disadvantaged People; but God is saying: I Am bringing the Rain and the Rain of God will give us the Advantage we NEED.
When the Bible talks about RAIN, most of the time it stands for FAVOUR!
So, when the Bible talks about RAIN, we have to read FAVOUR, we have to read LIFE, we have to read FRUITFULNESS, we have to read ABUNDANT, we have to read FRESHNESS!
So, when God says I want to give you RAIN, it means: I will give you FAVOUR, I will give you FRESHNESS, I will give you ABUNDANCE, I will give you FRUITFULNESS, I will give you LIFE!
It is not going to be like how others have developed it but, this is God’s Dimension of HELP.
In the Nation of Israel, and Israel grew up in Palestine.
They had two (2) Major Seasons and God mentioned it in the Text we read; the EARLY Rain and the LATTER Rain.
The “Early Rain” Prepares for Planting – It is just similar to what we have in Ghana/Nigeria. We have the “Early Rain” around March.
And then the “Latter Rain” (which is what we have now) – That is called the Latter Rain!
They have their “Early Rain” around October to December and then the “Latter Rain” between March and April.
The “Early Rain” Prepares for Planting; and then the “Latter Rain” Prepares for Harvest.
So the “Latter Rain” is to mature what was down in the “Early Rain”!
… That’s how it is!
And God says to them: I will give you BOTH the “Early Rain” and the “Latter Rain”.
In other words: I will give you Favour when you Start, and I will give you Favour when you End. I will give you Favour to Plant, and I will give you Favour to Harvest!
So, the Early Rain and the Latter Rain are IMPORTANT in God’s Economy!
And when I say: “IT IS RAINING’ I don’t just mean we are in Ghana’s Rainy Season; I am saying: God is Pouring Favour, God is Pouring Abundance and He is pouring Freshness and God is pouring Fruitfulness.
… And you have to RECEIVE IT!
The “Latter Rain” signifies the COMPLETION of what God has started in your Life.
With that statement in mind, I want us to go to the Book Zachariah 10;
And God is speaking to the children of Israel again – And this was coming when they came out from another Captivity (The Babylonian Captivity).
And God is talking about how life will be.
Zechariah 10:1, it says: “ASK the Lord for rain in the time of the LATTER RAIN. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.”
… ASK the Lord for RAIN!
Now, it is interesting – It didn’t say: Ask God for “Early Rain” but it says ask God for the “Latter Rain”.
…. The Latter Rain is the one that brings the Harvest.
It says: Ask God for the Rain that brings the Harvest – The Rain that Matures what you have sown.
This Passage is what is called ‘A Restoration of Prophecy – It speaks about God’s Restoration”
And I believe, there is Restoration coming to you!
The Two (2) Things I want you to Note in this Passage:
- The first (1st) is GOD’S TIMING – THE TIME OF THE LATTER RAIN.
- And then the Second (2nd) thing I want you to note: OUR ASKING.
Interestingly, when you look at the Passage, it say : “ASK the Lord for rain in the time of the LATTER RAIN.
… It doesn’t seems to make sense!
“ASK the Lord for rain in the time of the LATTER RAIN.”
Because we think – if it is the time for the Latter Rain; the the Latter Rain must rain!
We don’t Pray for rain in the Raining Season. Because in the Raining Season, whether we Pray or not, it is going to rain!
But in this instance, God is saying: “When it is time for the “Latter Rain”, ASK FOR IT!
And the impression you get is that – Sometimes, there could be time for something, and if you don’t ask for it – you will not receive it.
So, God says: “When you see that the Time has come for the Latter Rain, you have to PRAY.
And God says that when you see that the Time to Favour you has come: you have to PRAY FOR IT.
Ask the Lord for Rain, in the time of the “Latter Rain”.
That is our job!
The Season has come – It is time for God to bring about Favour.
But He says PRAY FOR IT – Don’t just say it is going to happen by itself. Don’t say: well, it is the Season, we believed God; it is a Season for a Turnaround. We believe it is a Season for African’s Lifting – And you just say it
… It says, you have to PRAY FOR IT.
I believe without any Shadow of doubt that one of the dynamics of this Pandemic is a “GLOBAL SHIFT OF POWER”.
The Centres of Power are SHIFTING all over the World and Africa – I announce to you: “IT IS YOUR TIME!
And we DARE NOT miss this TIME – We have waited for five hundred (500) years for this Day – and it has COME!
We missed it the first (1st) Time (in the 50s) – when we started gaining Independence – We blew the chance!
But now we have another Chance and we don’t have to blow it – It is our TIME!
“ASK the Lord for rain in the time of the LATTER RAIN.”
If there is anytime we must Prayed for a “Lifting Up” of Black People all over the world – This is a time we must PRAY.
“ASK the Lord for rain in the time of the LATTER RAIN.”
Then look at how God says He will answer that Prayer;
He says: When you ask for the Latter Rain, when you ask for Favour, when you ask for my Bless.
… THIS IS HOW I WILL ANSWER IT.
Watch carefully how He says He will answer it.
It says: “The Lord will make “flashing clouds”; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone. – Zechariah 10:1.
When we say: God, it is time to Favour us, it is time for a Latter Rain, it is time for our Latter Rain; it is time for Ghana’s Latter Rain; it is time for Zimbabwe’s Latter Rain; it is time for Nigeria’s Latter Rain; it is time for Gambia’s Latter Rain; it is time for South Africa Latter Rain; it is time for Africa’s Latter Rain.
God says when you Pray for that – In the time of the Latter Rain; when you see Power shifting and you start Praying for that;
He says: I will make “Bright Clouds” and I will give them Rain.
So, What is FLASHING CLOUDS?
God says: when you ask for the rain, I’m going to give you flashing clouds.
… So, What is FLASHING CLOUDS?
Flashing Clouds is what we normally call – Lightning and Thunder.
In other words, God’s Rain of Favour is going to be Preceded by Lightning and Thunder and then there will be Rain.
Lighting and Thunder make noise; and they make very, very, scary noise.
When there is Thunder – it means you are hearing something that scares you, things that shake you, things that make everything about you really shaking.
Because when there is “Real Thunder”; buildings shake, People run away. Some hide under beds, some want to hold unto somebody else.
God says if you ask for that, I will send Thunder.
And then He says: I will give you Lightning!
Lightning is scary images, bolts of electricity flashing all over!
He says I’m going to do that and then I will give you RAIN.
So, what we get is that when God’s Rain is about to come, it is going to come in an atmosphere of Shaking, of Thunder, of Lightning, of uncertainty, of almost “Destructive Power”.
Yet, in the midst of that; Favour is being Poured out – In the MIDST OF THAT!
So, if you are the one receiving God’s Word, when you see the Thunder, and you see the Lightning, and you see the Rain; although everybody is scared about what they are seeing: You are to be CONFIDENT that this is a Divine Visitation.
… Because you know God is using these Elements, to bring about His Favour.
And He says: I will make the “Flashing Clouds” – This is not the devil.
God says: I’m going to shake Systems, I’m going to Flash Systems, there iß going to be some Rain.
In the midst of the Thunder and the Lightning, there is Rain!
And then He says: “I will give them SHOWERS of Rain; and Grass in the FIELD for everyone.”
Whilst we are all scared about what is happening all over, and we see ‘Super Lowers’ being brought down, we see Systems been crumbled and we see ourselves ‘little us’ – We don’t have the Technology, they have!
God says: Watch it! – Because in the midst of the Thunder and the Lightning and the Rains; you are going to see New Grass Emerging.
In other words, in the midst of all of that: You are going to see New Opportunities, New Openings, New Life, coming up!
For some of you reading this Message now even on the Label of DMC: THIS SEASON, in your Turnaround Season – Amen.
Don’t just watch the Thunder and the Lightning, don’t just look at the Pandemic – Look at the opportunities.
That is the Grass that is growing all around you!
Look at what God is doing because for some of you, you are going to see that when everyone thinks there is chaos, you are going to start seeing Life; you are going to start seeing Opportunities.
God says: You ask for Rain in the time of the “Latter Rain”, I will make “Flashing Clouds”; and I will bring Rain, and I will give you Grass.
So, when the Rain falls, and there is grass (and I don’t know whether you have noticed it) but sometimes you can walk on a piece of land – Everyday you walk there, you see it is dry.
And then Raining Season and all of a sudden, you see Plants coming up.
Where did it come from? – Well, Rain doesn’t contain Plants!
So, something happened when the rain fell – It fell on something!
So, when God says: I will bring Grass; Where does this New Life come from?
From Three (3) Sources:
- The first (1st) Level is the Seeds that People sowed in the PAST.
They dropped it in the ground – Ideas they had, they dropped it.
They started it but it DELAYED. And they got tired and they left!
In this season of Visitation, you will reap seed that you didn’t sow – Amen; you will reap fruits from seed you didn’t sow – Amen.
Others sowed but didn’t WAIT – But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
Others started it, they got tired and they left it but God is going to cause it to flourish for you and you will rise up and POSSESS IT – Amen!
Jesus said to His Disciples: I send you to reap where you did not sow.
That is first (1st) Level – efforts they made; they couldn’t wait. They for tired, they got weary and left it in the ground.
And now, in this Season of Favour – God is resurrecting it for you – Amen.
… That’s the first (1st) Level.
- Second Level is – Those seeds that you have Planted and forgotten about
Things that you started doing, you got tired yourself; you left it.
Some of you even forget – Oh, I had this Idea; Oh, I had this Plan and this is what I wanted to do.
But when the Rain of God falls upon it; that which you left behind – Ten (10) years ago, Twenty (20) years ago. Ideas you thought have died, Concepts you thought are gone for ever – May the Rain of God fall upon those Ideas – Amen, May the Rain of God fall upon those Concepts – Amen
Some of you are going to start doing things you thought you could NEVER DO – Amen!
You thought Oh, I’m too old to do it, I’m too tired to do it, I think my time is Past – Well, this is the time of “God’s Latter Rain”: There is Thunder, there is Lighting, Nations are shaking.
But for YOU: God is BRINGING FORTH GRASS – Amen; He is bringing forth Grass – Amen!
And I believe, without any shadow of doubt – that is why I have no fear about the FUTURE of the Church – Because this is our Rain, this is God’s Rain and God is doing something UNIMAGINABLE, with the Body of CHRIST.
Old seeds Planted, you forgot them in the ground. You left them! Because some of you are here, there are things you wanted to do ten (10) years ago – you left them.
But in this Season, just open your eyes, open your eyes and watch what God will do with the things you thought you could never do again.
- Third (3rd) Source of New Grass – New Seeds you just Planted in this Season that will start to Produce Results.
New SEEDS: Could be New things you just started during this Pandemic Season, and during this Lockdown.
You have some Business Idea, you have some Spiritual Idea, and you don’t know how that idea works. And you just say: let me try and see how it will works.
Oh, it’s not just try and see how it will work – IT WILL WORK – Amen!
… Because God will cause His Rain to fall upon it – Amen.
So, I am Praying for you, and standing in agreement with in PRAYER: That in this “Latter Rain”, Please, when there is Thunder – HIDE; When there is Lightning – DON’T go out and get yourself KILLED.
Because the Harvest is coming, and you must be alive to REAP THE HARVEST!
It is Thundering, God is giving us New Opportunities; but we must STAY ALIVE to take hold if the New Opportunities.
We cannot go into the Rain and be struck down by Lightning or Thunder – and our Farm grows, but there was nobody to reap it.
… Because we didn’t survive this!
If there is any Prayer I would Pray for each one of you reading this Message even on the Label of DMC and everybody in this Nation:
That God will PROTECT ALL OF US: That we would all live to see the Post-Covid World and the Opportunities it open for Africa and for Ghana/Nigeria and for Third World Nations.
For us to live in that world and say: we SAW IT, and look at what God has done!
I have seen Nations come through disasters and God has shown us, after the Second (2nd) World War the level of growth in the world!
Even after America went to Vietnam and totally destroyed that Country – Look at what happened to Vietnam.
Japan was bombed out in the Second (2nd) World War – Look at what happened in Japan.
Germany was bombed out – Look at what happened to Germany.
It seemed as if whenever there is a disaster, something comes up that is far greater than the disaster.
And I want you and I, and all of us to be alive to see the Post-Covid World – So Please, take all the Precautions you must take!
There is coming New Grass; it is Raining, we feel it; we know God is doing something – We feel the shaking, we see the Lightning, we feel the Rumblings!
It’s scary, we feel it but at the same time, we also sense in our hearts the opportunities – We see New life coming up, we see New Things coming up.
And I Prophesy to everybody Reading this Message now on the Label of DMC: That your BEST Harvest IS COMING! Your BEST Harvest is here! Your BEST Harvest has manifested! IT IS RAINING.
Somebody say: IT IS RAINING! Wherever you are at home – Just shout: IT IS RAINING!
… Shout one (1) more time, Say: IT’S RAINING!
Wherever you are, this is the Word God gave me to give to you that: IT IS RAINING.
There is Thunder, there is Lightning, but IT IS RAINING!
And the Purpose is not to kill you; but the Purpose is to fertilize the seed you have sown; and to Change the Environment you live in. And to give you an advantage that others have – you don’t have!
Those who have Developed Systems – That did not require Rain. But God would equalize that by the opportunity He is giving to you.
Before I close today; I just want us to spend a moment or so to Pray.
Wherever you are, just Pray with me on this three (3) Prayer Topics. Say with me:
- LORD, keep us safe during this Season of Raining. Keep us from the Thunder and the Lightning.
Just Pray that God will keep you safe, and keep your family safe, and keep your friends safe, and keep your Church safe, and keep your Nation Safe, and keep our Continent safe, and keep our world safe.
- LORD, cloth us with Your Favour and New Opportunities. Cause Your Rain to grant us Favour and New Opportunities.
… Begin to Pray!
- And finally I want you to Pray and say: LORD, cause the Seeds of Faith we have sown in the Past to germinate in this Season!
Some of you have made great efforts in the Past. The things you dropped in the Past – the Ideas you dropped, but in this Season you will just Say:
LORD, it’s my “Latter Rain Season”, cause Your Rain to fall upon every Seeds I have planted; the Ideas You gave me that I couldn’t bring to Pass – Let it germinate.
… Begin to Pray!
In the Name of Jesus!
CLOSING PRAYER
Father, we Thank You!
We sense this Awesome Presence – this Awesome moment.
We have this confident that You have brought us to the birth and You will cause us to deliver.
You have brought us to the edge of the River and you would cause us to cross it.
You have brought us to the edge of the Sea, and You will part it open for us!
You have brought us to the Mountains, and we would climb it.
And we declare in this Season – for everyone reading this Message even on the Label of DMC; that it will Rain Favour, Opportunity, Open Doors, New Life, New Freshness upon their lives.
In Jesus’ Name – AMEN and AMEN!
If you really believed that, give the Lord a Mighty clap wherever you are.
Celebrate the Goodness of the Lord!
If you feel like jumping, you can jump! If you feel like dancing, you can dance!
Just celebrate the Goodness of the Lord, because something from Heaven has broken loose in your life.
Begin to rejoice in the Lord: IT IS TRAINING – all around us!
We Thank You Father, in JESUS’ Name – Amen!
Thank you so much for staying all through to read.
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