The Latter Rain - late or quenched ?

[ColporteurK]

Mrs. White stated that those who do not receive the latter reign will not recognize it. They will be afraid of it and think that it is fanaticism. Do we see this happening ?

[Raven]

There will also be the devil's counterfeit of the Latter Rain, which appears to be taking place in some of the apostate churches (especially among charismatics).   What about the so-called "One Project?"  Are some being deceived into thinking that this spurious revival is part of the Latter Rain?

[Ed Sutton]

What can I do as a SDA in the NAD to receive Him (The Holy Spirit) , irrespective of what others do ?

[newbie]

What can I do as a SDA in the NAD to receive Him (The Holy Spirit) , irrespective of what others do ?

surrender your will to God...and it must be a COMPLETE surrender...  then He will open your heart and pour in His Spirit by His Grace...

every day is anew because of the temptations allowed to perfect us... they are at a higher level than yesterday...

it is a constant battle over self...we must put forth effort through the Grace and Blood of Jesus to overcome

God cannot pour out His Spirit unless He and the cloud of witnesses are fully convinced that we/you are sincere otherwise the glory would not go to God ...

while saying these things I realize that I have not yet arrived and need to capture every thought through the mind of Jesus

what say you?

[V. Hahn]

Recently I listened to a very interesting sermon by Dennis Priebe about fanaticism.  He tells that Mrs. White wrote about--i think it was soon after the Great Disappointment--when a group of people would pray and the true Holy Spirit was being poured out, Satan would send in some fanatical faction that would cast scorn on the whole thing.  In essence, people threw the baby out with the bath water because they associated the false with the true.  I wish I could remember the name of the sermon…I think it was on Audioverse.  But Priebe says we should read the sections about "fanaticism" in 2 Selected Messages.

[dedication]

What can I do as a SDA in the NAD to receive Him (The Holy Spirit) , irrespective of what others do ?

A very important question.
A question that we could probably all answer with the regular clichés, yet the fact remains that more than one hundred twenty-five years have passed, since EGW said the latter rain was beginning to fall, and we are still here.

Since that time, mission work has increased exponentially -- especially in the early 1900's.  The Adventist Church  became a world wide church. During those same early 1900 years, most of the problems we now decry in the churches weren't present.  Church was conducted in a reverent, Bible based manner.     Morality was held to a much higher standard, a much higher percentage of young people stayed in the church after reaching adulthood.   Evangelism was a big thing back then and much more personal rather than media driven.

Why didn't the latter rain come sometime during the years following 1888-- before the modern controversies arose? 
During WWII a lot of people thought the time of trouble was beginning.  They thought the world was about to end.
 All through those 125 years people were no less serious about Christ's soon coming, and the latter rain,  than Adventists of today, and the moral standards were way higher back then.

What is the problem?
Why are we still here watching things in the world getting worse and worse?

It is a serious question.

The answer may be in something that "almost happened", shortly after 1888.
What was it that made EGW say the latter rain was beginning to fall shortly after 1888?

It was the message of Christ Our Righteousness.  When that message was being appreciated she made the comment that latter rain was beginning to fall.

Do we really understand about Christ our righteousness?
Is a lack of this understanding keeping us from having a message for the world?
Is our focus primarily on self, and only hoping for a little help from Christ -- or is Christ our righteousness our central theme?


The theme of righteousness in Christ needs to take first place in our studies and thoughts.
Do we have a message for the world where Christ our Righteousness is the central theme?
I believe, when do have that message, the latter rain will fall.

The end is near! We have not a moment to lose! Light is to shine forth from God's people in clear, distinct rays, bringing Jesus before the churches and before the world. ... One interest will prevail, one subject will swallow up every other,--Christ our righteousness.   
     "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
{RH, December 23, 2024 par. 19}

   
 

[dedication]

Recently I listened to a very interesting sermon by Dennis Priebe about fanaticism.  He tells that Mrs. White wrote about--i think it was soon after the Great Disappointment--when a group of people would pray and the true Holy Spirit was being poured out, Satan would send in some fanatical faction that would cast scorn on the whole thing.  In essence, people threw the baby out with the bath water because they associated the false with the true.  I wish I could remember the name of the sermon…I think it was on Audioverse.  But Priebe says we should read the sections about "fanaticism" in 2 Selected Messages.

Much of the early fanaticism was based on the "holy flesh" movement.  It was based on the idea that justification not only legally credited a person with holiness, but also infused them with holiness -- they thought they were holy and anything they thought and did was holy.  They would seek this change from sinfulness to holy flesh, by generating a highly emotional experience in meetings, often coupled with physical manifestations, and when a person went into some sort of swoon, or fell down, it was  declared that  the holy Spirit was taking control of their lives and now they were justified, sanctified and holy.  They would no longer sin.

In New Hampshire there were those who were active in disseminating false ideas in regard to God. Light was given me that these men were making the truth of no effect by their ideas, some of which led to free-lovism. I was shown that these men were seducing souls by presenting speculative theories regarding God. . . .  {Ev 600.1} 
     Among other views, they held that those once sanctified could not sin, and this they were presenting as gospel food. Their false theories, with their burden of deceptive influence, were working great harm to themselves and to others. They were gaining a spiritualistic power over those who could not see the evil of these beautifully clothed theories. Great evils had already resulted. The doctrine that all were holy had led to the belief that the affections of the sanctified were never in danger of leading astray. The result of this belief was the fulfillment of the evil desires of hearts which, though professedly sanctified, were far from purity of thought and practice.  {Ev 600.2} 
     This is only one of the instances in which I was called upon to rebuke those who were presenting the doctrine of an impersonal god diffused through nature, and the doctrine of holy flesh.  {Ev 600.3}

  The teaching given in regard to what is termed "holy flesh" is an error. All may now obtain holy hearts, but it is not correct to claim in this life to have holy flesh. The apostle Paul declares, "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing" (Romans 7:18). To those who have tried so hard to obtain by faith so-called holy flesh, I would say, You cannot obtain it. Not a soul of you has holy flesh now. No human being on the earth has holy flesh. It is an impossibility.  {2SM 32.1}   

What is sadly interesting, is this same type of fanaticism surfaced in Adventism again shortly after 1888.

You can read more in 2SM pages 30-39