1. Release of financial blessing
Joel 2:19 "The Lord will answer and say to His people, "Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied by them...."
Grain, new wine and oil are precious commodities.
The story of told of the widow who had nothing but a jar of oil. In 2 Kings 4:1, the widow of one of the prophets told Elisha that "the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves" as she had no money except for a jar of oil.
Elisha told her to borrow all the vessels from her neighbors and to start pouring the small jar of oil into all the jars she borrowed. Miraculously the oil from the small jar flowed until all the jars she had borrowed were filled!
So valuable were the jars of oil that Elisha told her in v7 "..."Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest".
The money earned on the oil was even enough for her retirement!
2. Restoration of financial loss
Joel 2:25-26
"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord Your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you: And My people shall never be put to shame"
Are you ashamed because of your financial loss? Are you ashamed because of your bankruptcy? God can restore your finances!
Job had everything taken away from him. His health, wealth and family. Yet in Job 23:12, Job fasted and prayed and focused on the word of God "I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food".
Job experienced great breakthrough in Job 42:10 when God restored his losses and gave him twice as much as he had before. God's open rewards flooded Job's life.
3. Rejoicing in the latter rain
Rain is needed to bring forth a great harvest. The children of Israel needed heavy rains to ensure the fertility of their pastures and their agricultural produce. Rain is also needed for their animals to drink and thrive.
Joel 2:22-23 "....For the open pastures are springing up, And the tree bears its fruits: The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion. And rejoice in the Lord your God. For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you - The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month"
The former rain refers to the autumn rain, which usually comes during planting time. The latter rain is the rain before spring which is the time of harvest.
Malaysia needs rain to fill up the dams. Let us cry out to the Lord for the physical rain to fall over all the catchment areas.
4. Revival in the local church
The rain is also symbolic of the rain of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. We need a refreshing, a revival and a renewal of our love for God in the last days to enable us to have such a desire to walk close to God and to stand firm for Him in times of trail.
God's Spirit poured out on all flesh will bring us the revival and renewal that we need to strengthen and enrich our prayer life!
Joel 2:26-27 "And it shall come to pass afterward (signifying that it is an after-event of the corporate prayer and fasting) that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions, And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days"
5. Removal of reproach
Have you been put to shame by anyone or anything which has happened in your life?
God promised us in Joel 2:19 "....I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations"
"Reproach" in Hebrew is "cherpah" - a person or thing which is despised. Have you been despised by someone in school, in your workplace or in your family? Has someone been "tormenting" you or making fun of your faith or even scolding you for attending church or being a Christian?
Have you heard people saying to you "Why is his/her God not helping her in this situation?"
Fast and pray and commit this situation to the Lord. God will remove the reproach from your life!
6. Rewards of souls
God's heart is for souls.
During this time of fasting and prayer, pray for the salvation of your loved ones and claim the promise of Joel 2:32 "And it shall come to pass, That whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance...."
Not just salvation but also deliverance from sinful habits, addiction to pornography, immorality, bad temper, foul language, alcoholism, gambling and anything that takes away our attention from God!
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