Many
have in a great measure failed to receive the former rain. They have not
obtained all the benefits that God has thus provided for them. They expect that
the lack will be supplied by the latter rain. When the richest abundance of
grace shall be bestowed, they intend to open their hearts to receive it. They
are making a terrible mistake. The work that God has begun in the human heart
in giving His light and knowledge must be continually going forward. Every
individual must realize his own necessity. The heart must be emptied of every
defilement and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the
confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of
themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree,
must be done now. Then the human agent had only to ask for the blessing, and
wait for the Lord to perfect the work concerning him. It is God who began the
work, and He will finish His work, making man complete in Jesus Christ. But
there must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only
those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light.
Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian
virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the
latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not
discern or receive it.
At no point in our experience can we dispense with the assistance of that which enables us to make the first start. The blessings received under the former rain are needful to us to the end. Yet these alone will not suffice. While we cherish the blessing of the early rain, we must not, on the other hand, lose sight of the fact that without the latter rain, to fill out the ears and ripen the grain, the harvest will not be ready for the sickle, and the labor of the sower will have been in vain. Divine grace is needed at the beginning, divine grace at every step of advance, and divine grace alone can complete the work. There is no place for us to rest in a careless attitude. We must never forget the warnings of Christ, "Watch unto prayer," "Watch, . . . and pray always." A connection with the divine agency every moment is essential to our progress. We may have had a measure of the Spirit of God, but by prayer and faith we are continually to seek more of the Spirit. It will never do to cease our efforts. If we do not progress, if we do not place ourselves in an attitude to receive both the former and the latter rain, we shall lose our souls, and the responsibility will lie at our own door.