Joel 2:23 Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.
Back in the days when there were no irrigation systems, dams or reservoirs to supply water throughout the year, farmers were dependent on the rain to water their crops. Farmers in Israel planted their crops in autumn and harvested in spring. Autumn, winter and spring were rainy seasons that watered the crops. Summer was hot and dry. So, the autumn rain flooded the dry land and softened the parched fields for the farmers to sow seeds. God in His faithfulness clocked the rain throughout the cropping season. There was abundant rain in autumn and then showers that watered the crops throughout winter and spring until harvest. The rains determined the health of the crops and the abundance of the harvest.
The autumn rain in the Bible is the symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit. Where the anointing is missing, there will be dryness and dehydration in the soul. The presence of the Holy Spirit will drench the parched, burnt and hurt areas of our soul and bring healing. Anointing will turn the wasteland into a fruitful garden. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools (Psalm 84:6). “Valley of Baka” is the ‘Valley of Weeping”. As autumn rains cover the Valley of Baka, the dry valley turns into a valley of springs, meaning, as the Holy Spirits anoints us with His presence, placate and peace, the tears will turn into a testimony. The rain of the Holy Spirit will turn a futile life into a fruitful garden.
Turn your sorrows into succulent fruits:
1. Tears: The tears in life make us juicy and fruitful. We go through the valley of tears not to be torn down but to triumph through it. Give your tears to the Lord. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Psalm 56:8). Tears become the lubricant to open the door of deliverance.
2. Toil: Labour and toil will not yield fruits until there is ‘autumn’ and ‘spring rain’ on the soil. Likewise, all our efforts will yield no eternal fruits until the Holy Spirit is poured over our efforts. Our family, children, ministry, work, career, relationships, and finance will flourish only when our toil is watered with His powerful presence.
3. Trench: Dig a trench to channel the stream of heaven into your soul. A soul that is filled with God’s presence, God’s voice and God’s Word will never feel dry, let down, rejected or snubbed. We will even look at rejection as God’s severing tool to disconnect the people who will destroy our fruitfulness.
Turn your tears into triumph, toil into testimonies and fill the trench of your soul with the solace of the Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah 31:13 “I will turn their mourning into joy”.
Prayer: Dear Holy Spirit, I welcome you to fill me with your overflowing presence to make me fruitful. Teach me to turn my sorrow into succulent fruits. Amen
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