The latter rain is a most important topic for our generation, because Jesus Christ must come soon. With so many personal as well as world problems the only answer is the coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:14. The only thing holding back Christ’s coming is our witness to all nations. I would like to devote my whole life and all that I have to hasten that day.
According to Colossians 1:23, the apostle Paul said that this gospel has been preached to the whole world. That was written 30 or 40 years after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of persecution, the early Christians had been scattered, and the gospel of the kingdom was preached in the whole world; truth was available for any seeking soul.
A life witness, powered by the unction of the Holy Spirit, is what we need. We live in a very unique generation with technology capable of communicating information worldwide in seconds. Even countries that were previously difficult to evangelize now have the opportunity to hear truthful messages via Internet broadcasting from many ministries.
China is now producing their own programs that are having a tremendous impact on many people in that country. The Lord has convicted my heart to work for the Korean and Chinese-speaking people for whom our ministry is responsible. God has been working tremendous miracles through Light for Life Ministry. It is no human achievement, but purely the work of holy angels and the Spirit. More than 20,000 Sunday church pastors in the United States are regularly receiving materials, including magazines and DVDs. Up to 100,000 DVDs and CDs are being sent to China every month. Most of these are targeting Sunday church people. It is nothing short of a miracle that this amount of literature can be distributed. The last events of this earth are going to happen very rapidly, and this world’s history is not going to last much longer.
With so many of the devil’s sophistries, erroneous doctrines and teachings, many human hearts are becoming depraved. But the power of the Holy Spirit is breaking through the darkness to reach those whose hearts are yearning, and there are many people who are really seeking for the truth.
“To Jesus, who emptied Himself for the salvation of lost humanity, the Holy Spirit was given without measure. So it will be given to every follower of Jesus Christ.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 20.
This promise is for all who claim to be followers of Jesus. But what does it mean to empty ourselves? It is not to become a programmed robot or machine without personal characteristics or personality, but to be willing to dethrone self from our life and allow the Holy Spirit to control our thoughts and feelings in righteousness.
We are born with a sinful, selfish nature, and the only thing we can do is to have the desire to be born again and be willing to respond to God’s Spirit and daily receive new dew from heaven which will imbue with new motivations, new thoughts, new desires and new plans. This is available right now, not tomorrow, not months from now, but today! “Do not love the world or the things of the world. If you do, there is no love of the Father in you.” I John 2:15, literal translation. Pray today to be given new motivation, new desires, and Jesus will answer your prayer.
There is not much time to waste. Our life duty is to hasten the coming of Jesus Christ. The same measure of the Spirit given to Jesus—without measure—is promised to every follower of Christ when the whole heart is surrendered.
To surrender is just an empty expression to many Christians. We talk about it often, but what difference does it make when trials come or when a problem arises? How does it make a difference when we interact with other people in our jobs or businesses? How does being surrendered to Christ affect our plans and conversation when around those who do not know the truth of the Three Angels’ Messages?
God allows us to face the stumbling blocks of troubles and trials to expose the hidden things of the heart. These trials expose the true heart desire and what we are willing to surrender for the cause of God’s work, and whether or not we are willing to pay any cost to follow Jesus Christ all the way. To walk the narrow road surrendering self is not a natural desire, but one that comes only when the heart is purified.
Would you, like the widow who gave her last mite, give your entire savings if the Lord required it? What if Jesus asked you to devote all of your talents to God, even though you could make millions of dollars with them, what would you do? If we had been willing to empty ourselves of pride and surrender all to God to be used as a living testimony, a living vessel and instrument to hasten Jesus Christ’s coming, He could have come a long time ago and we would be in heaven.
In my travels throughout many different parts of the world, I have seen many people suffering. There is much sorrow and sadness. It hurts my heart deeply when I think of some of our leaders who are still locked in jail. Many brothers and sisters in China are working under the pressure of persecution every day. Many people sacrifice themselves and their finances to print and distribute materials and books to people to hasten Jesus’ coming.
The latter rain experience is the anointing of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. “That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.” Acts 10:37, 38.
After Jesus was baptized, He was anointed for His messiahship by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The world, the angels and the whole universe were witness when the Father said: “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17. Jesus’ sole mission was to separate humanity from their sins. The latter rain experience is an anointing, it is a commission to a special task, a sealing of the Father to give the final message to the world.
Consider the anointing of John the Baptist. “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.” Luke 1:15. He was filled with the Holy Ghost even when He was in His mother’s womb! He was chosen, delegated, commissioned, anointed for a special task. That is the purpose of the latter rain. Are you ready to receive this anointing and have a special commission, or task, coming down from heaven? Our Father is yearning and heaven is yearning for Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour to return for His people.
Heaven is anxious for a people to be ready for this commission. “And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:16, 17.
The Lord gave me a new kind of life after my open-heart surgery. I heard from my doctors that my chance of survival was very dismal, yet the Lord gave me perfect recovery. I knew immediately that I was given this new opportunity and new life to start preaching again. I knew that Light for Life Ministry had a last portion to accomplish by the power and unction of the Holy Spirit to prepare a people to receive the latter rain and to go out and become harvesters.
Friends, it is time to bring in the harvesters. It is time to bring in the eleventh hour workers, so they can be ready to receive the latter rain power that will empower them to go out and give the loud cry so the work can be finished and we can go home.
God has a plan for your life just as John the Baptist was chosen and anointed from his mother’s womb. Your life has been destined; God has called you for a special task. We call ourselves Seventh-day Adventists, and we are a people of prophecy with a special commission to finish the work of the gospel so we can go home.
I make this appeal to you with all my heart. As John the Baptist was called to prepare the way before the Messiah, we are chosen to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us.” Luke 1:76–78.
We are to prepare people for a Most Holy Place cleansing experience by helping them understand and receive righteousness by faith, so they can experience a continuous overcoming of sin. I yearn for the day that God’s people will stand together as a square on the sea of glass with palm branches in their hands praising God. This is the true spiritual Israel, the overcomers. Verse 79 says, “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
“The soul of the prophet [John the Baptist], emptied of self, was filled with the light of the divine. As he witnessed to the Saviour’s glory, his words were almost a counterpart of those that Christ Himself had spoken in His interview with Nicodemus. John said, ‘He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all. … For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him’ (John 3:31).” The Desire of Ages, 181.
Our experience is to be the same as Christ who could say, “I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me.” John 5:30. To Him it is declared, “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest iniquity: therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.” Psalm 45:7. This experience of Jesus Christ should be the experience of all believers. When this experience comes, we will be endowed from heaven with the Spirit of God without measure. That is the latter rain.
Many voices are heard saying that to receive the latter rain we should be kind, merciful and more meek, being careful of our words and actions and do more evangelistic work. Of course this would be the result, but most of all we should behold Jesus, empty ourselves of self and give our all for God for the salvation of humanity. All thoughts and desires must be captivated for that work. That is our work and my desire, to give all to Jesus. Nothing else is important in my life.
“So with the followers of Christ. We can receive of heaven’s light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We cannot discern the character of God, or accept Christ by faith, unless we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. To all who do this the Holy Spirit is given without measure.” The Desire of Ages, 181. \
What a promise!
Mary, the mother of Jesus and her cousin, Elizabeth, were two godly mothers who surrendered themselves to God’s service and were given the honor of bearing their two special sons. An angel visited Mary to prepare her for her mission of bringing forth Jesus, and to convince her, she was told that her relative, Elizabeth, who was an old lady, had conceived a child, and it was in its sixth month. After those words, Mary submitted herself and said, “Be it unto me according to Thy word.” Luke 1:38.
Once she accepted God’s will to conceive the Son of God in her own womb, she stood up and went to Elizabeth’s house, and they stayed together there for three months. Their conversation during that time must have been on the miraculous working of God in their lives and the special mission they and their sons were to accomplish. Is this the subject of your conversations now? Are your thoughts on the Lord and what He has done and is about to do in the world?
“I saw that none could share the ‘refreshing’ unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.” Early Writings, 71.
Every besetment, every possible sentiment we still have lingering in our sinful nature is to be overcome. Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. When a glass is shaken, any dirt that has settled on the bottom will muddy the water. Are there any hidden sins in your life that need to be removed? They all must go, with all pride, in order to be ready and prepared to receive the latter rain. It will take a complete emptying of self! Our self-esteem should only be in our confidence in Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. We should know our God and have the assurance of salvation and forgiveness.
Pride that desires the admiration of others must go. It is an emotion that blocks the Holy Spirit from flowing into the heart. Pride is a very dangerous enemy and was the cause of Lucifer’s rebellion against God, turning him into the devil.
The gift of righteousness by faith is available daily from Jesus to enable us to overcome sin. The Holy Spirit plants a renewed motivation every day, together with the power to respond to the call. That is the righteousness by faith experience.
In 1844, when the early Adventist believers expected Jesus to come, they prayed every morning. They would not eat their breakfast until they received the assurance that their sins were forgiven. That should be our experience today. We are so in need of the latter rain. It is the most crucial need at this time, for we must be about our Father’s business.
Light for Life Ministry is committed to work for the Chinese-speaking people. Today, one person out of every three in the world speaks Chinese. Please remember the work that we have undertaken and pray for us.
The latter rain is about to fall. If you plan on being part of this great work in the end time, now is the time to give it all; place all you have and all you are on the altar and become a burned offering acceptable to the Lord. Only when we die to self can God use us in a wonderful way. Let’s get ready so we can go home!
Pastor David Kang is the director of Light for Life United States Ministry operating out of Fort Lee, New Jersey. His sermons are broadcast weekly on New York and Virginia Korean television stations. Pastor Kang also frequently travels to Asia where he trains pastors who often work “underground.” Pastor Kang may be contacted by email at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.