Sermon Tone Analysis

There Shall Be Showers of Blessing

We must have revival.

In relationship to the land of Palestine, the withholding of rain was a sign and seal of God’s judgment upon Israel.

Moses warned the people that, if they sinned against the Lord, the Lord would make the rain of their land powder and dust ().

That form of judgment was carried out repeatedly in Israel’s history ().

Whenever God’s people repented and returned to Jehovah, there was abundant rain upon the land ().

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is compared in the Bible to rain from Heaven.

When the believer is obedient to God’s Word, the Holy Spirit works graciously and effectively in his heart.

When he is disobedient, the Holy Spirit’s blessing is withheld.

While I recognize that rain is the primary reference of many of the passages we refer to in this message, I feel that we in no way violate the general teaching of Scripture by applying these references to spiritual blessings.

Our whole subject is summed up beautifully in .

“Showers of blessing”—what a wonderful promise!

Let us relate it to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

I.

The need for showers of blessing.

A. Only through such showers can we present God’s ideal for His people in the world; ; cf. .

B. Only through such showers, symbolic of the Holy Spirit’s ministry, can we prevent a total drought and stop the church in the twentieth century from becoming a “dust bowl”; .

C. Only when the church receives such showers can we produce a harvest; ; cf. .

II.

The promise of showers of blessing.

A. The series of promises given to Israel in .

1.

The promise of judgment upon false leaders of Israel; vv.

20–22.

2. The promise of government for God’s people; vv.

23, 24.

3. The promise of enjoyment of God’s covenant; v. 25.

B. The series of promises given to God’s people.

1. Showers of blessing are assured by the Lord; .

2. Showers of blessing are abundant; .

3. Showers of blessing are adequate to meet our need; .

4. Showers of blessing must be sought in faith; ; , .

III.

The results of showers of blessing.

A. Revival; .

B. Growth; .

C. Harvest; , .

We may be dry.

We may not see many showers of blessing.

However, if our hearts are seeking God’s face, if we are laying hold of His promise, and if we believe that the God of Elijah is still alive today, then there will yet be a deluge of blessing upon the church ().

Dr. Henry Ward Beecher said: “We must have revival.

It must rain faster, or we perish with drought!”