Embracing the Season of Abundant Blessings
Summary
### Summary
In Joel chapter 2, we find a powerful message about the season of blessings. The scripture speaks of God’s promise to send both the former and latter rains in the first month, symbolizing a time of abundant blessings and restoration. This is a season where God will restore the years that the locusts have eaten, bringing back what was lost and more. The key to understanding this season lies in recognizing the spiritual and agricultural cycles that God has set in place. Just as the agricultural year in Palestine starts in September, so does God’s spiritual calendar for blessings.
Understanding the seasons is crucial for aligning ourselves with God’s timing. Many frustrations arise when we act out of season, influenced by false prophets or our own misunderstandings. The church must reintroduce spiritual giftings and ensure that people are in the right roles, as misalignment can disrupt God’s order and anointing. The anointing flows from the head down, and maintaining this divine order is essential for experiencing God’s full blessings.
This season of blessings is not just about material wealth but also about wisdom, relationships, and spiritual growth. God’s blessings will overflow, exceeding our capacity to contain them. This overflow will manifest in various areas of our lives, including wisdom, which is crucial for navigating changes and challenges. The season will also bring restoration of lost trust, confidence, and relationships, as well as peace and rest.
As we enter this season, our response should be one of praise and gratitude. The blessings will be so evident that we won’t need to explain ourselves; people will see God’s favor upon us. This is a time to prepare, to align ourselves with God’s timing, and to remain teachable and faithful. The season of blessings is upon us, and it’s time to embrace it fully.
### Key Takeaways
1. Understanding God’s Timing: Recognizing the spiritual and agricultural cycles is crucial for aligning with God’s timing. Acting out of season can lead to frustration and missed opportunities. Just as the agricultural year in Palestine starts in September, so does God’s spiritual calendar for blessings. Aligning with this timing ensures we are in sync with God’s plans. [07:22]
2. Restoration and Overflow: God promises to restore the years that the locusts have eaten, bringing back what was lost and more. This season of blessings will see an overflow in various areas of our lives, including wisdom, relationships, and spiritual growth. The blessings will exceed our capacity to contain them, leading to an abundant life. [26:15]
3. The Importance of Order and Anointing: Maintaining divine order is essential for experiencing God’s full blessings. The anointing flows from the head down, and misalignment can disrupt this flow. Ensuring that people are in the right roles and reintroducing spiritual giftings in the church is crucial for maintaining this order. [04:51]
4. Wisdom Over Wealth: While material blessings are part of God’s promise, wisdom is equally important. Wisdom helps us navigate changes and challenges, ensuring that we grow together and not apart. It is the key to sustaining relationships and making sound decisions in every area of life. [27:16]
5. Praise and Gratitude: Our response to God’s blessings should be one of praise and gratitude. The blessings will be so evident that we won’t need to explain ourselves; people will see God’s favor upon us. This season will bring a level of praise that starts even before we enter the sanctuary, reflecting our deep gratitude for God’s goodness. [44:37]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Reading from Joel 2:23-27
[02:06] - Prayer and Introduction
[02:56] - Declaration of Faith
[03:56] - Reintroducing Spiritual Giftings
[04:51] - Importance of Divine Order
[05:39] - Understanding Agricultural Cycles
[07:22] - Aligning with God’s Timing
[09:11] - Former and Latter Rains
[10:22] - Seasons and Frustrations
[11:07] - Rainy Seasons and Harvest
[12:51] - Managing Blessings and Wisdom
[14:31] - September: The Season of Blessings
[15:44] - Atonement and Forgiveness
[18:10] - Recognizing the Right Season
[21:56] - God’s Unusual Productivity
[24:43] - Harvest Exceeding Capacity
[27:16] - Wisdom Over Wealth
[31:48] - Preparing for the Blessing
[35:36] - Recovering Years of Loss
[40:37] - Continuous Teaching and Impartation
[44:37] - Praise and Gratitude
[47:34] - Evident Blessings and Favor
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Joel 2:23-27 (ESV)
> "Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, 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 again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Joel 2:23-27 promise about the former and latter rains? How does this relate to the concept of a season of blessings? [01:00]
2. According to the sermon, what are the consequences of acting out of season? [07:22]
3. How does the sermon describe the importance of maintaining divine order and anointing within the church? [04:51]
4. What are some of the specific areas of life where God’s blessings will overflow, as mentioned in the sermon? [26:15]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. What might be the significance of God restoring the years that the locusts have eaten in Joel 2:25? How does this apply to personal experiences of loss and restoration? [37:25]
2. How does understanding the agricultural cycles in Palestine help us align with God’s spiritual calendar for blessings? [07:22]
3. Why is wisdom emphasized over material wealth in the sermon, and how does this wisdom help in navigating life’s changes and challenges? [27:16]
4. How does the concept of divine order and anointing influence the effectiveness of church leadership and the flow of blessings? [04:51]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you acted out of season in your spiritual life. What were the consequences, and how can you better align with God’s timing in the future? [07:22]
2. In what areas of your life do you feel you need restoration? How can you trust God to restore what has been lost, as promised in Joel 2:25? [37:25]
3. How can you cultivate wisdom in your daily life to better navigate changes and challenges? Identify one specific area where you need more wisdom and make a plan to seek it. [27:16]
4. Think about your role in the church. Are you in the right place according to your spiritual giftings? How can you ensure you are aligned with God’s order and anointing? [04:51]
5. How can you practice praise and gratitude in your daily life, especially in anticipation of God’s blessings? Share a specific way you plan to express gratitude this week. [44:37]
6. Identify a relationship in your life that needs restoration. What steps can you take to rebuild trust and confidence in that relationship? [37:25]
7. How can you prepare yourself to receive and manage an overflow of blessings in various areas of your life? What practical steps can you take to be ready for this season of blessings? [26:15]
Devotional
### Day 1: Aligning with God's Timing
Understanding the seasons is crucial for aligning ourselves with God’s timing. Many frustrations arise when we act out of season, influenced by false prophets or our own misunderstandings. The church must reintroduce spiritual giftings and ensure that people are in the right roles, as misalignment can disrupt God’s order and anointing. The anointing flows from the head down, and maintaining this divine order is essential for experiencing God’s full blessings. Just as the agricultural year in Palestine starts in September, so does God’s spiritual calendar for blessings. Aligning with this timing ensures we are in sync with God’s plans. [07:22]
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (ESV): "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted."
Reflection: Think about a time when you felt out of sync with God's timing. What steps can you take today to better align yourself with His spiritual calendar?
### Day 2: Restoration and Overflow
God promises to restore the years that the locusts have eaten, bringing back what was lost and more. This season of blessings will see an overflow in various areas of our lives, including wisdom, relationships, and spiritual growth. The blessings will exceed our capacity to contain them, leading to an abundant life. This overflow will manifest in various areas of our lives, including wisdom, which is crucial for navigating changes and challenges. The season will also bring restoration of lost trust, confidence, and relationships, as well as peace and rest. [26:15]
Joel 2:25-26 (ESV): "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, 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 again be put to shame."
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you have experienced loss. How can you open your heart to God's promise of restoration and overflow today?
### Day 3: The Importance of Order and Anointing
Maintaining divine order is essential for experiencing God’s full blessings. The anointing flows from the head down, and misalignment can disrupt this flow. Ensuring that people are in the right roles and reintroducing spiritual giftings in the church is crucial for maintaining this order. Misalignment can lead to frustration and missed opportunities, but when we are in the right roles, the anointing flows freely, and God's blessings are fully realized. [04:51]
Psalm 133:1-2 (ESV): "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!"
Reflection: Reflect on your current role in your church or community. Are you in the right place to allow God's anointing to flow through you? What changes might you need to make?
### Day 4: Wisdom Over Wealth
While material blessings are part of God’s promise, wisdom is equally important. Wisdom helps us navigate changes and challenges, ensuring that we grow together and not apart. It is the key to sustaining relationships and making sound decisions in every area of life. This season of blessings is not just about material wealth but also about wisdom, relationships, and spiritual growth. [27:16]
Proverbs 3:13-14 (ESV): "Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need more wisdom? How can you seek God's wisdom today to make better decisions and sustain your relationships?
### Day 5: Praise and Gratitude
Our response to God’s blessings should be one of praise and gratitude. The blessings will be so evident that we won’t need to explain ourselves; people will see God’s favor upon us. This season will bring a level of praise that starts even before we enter the sanctuary, reflecting our deep gratitude for God’s goodness. As we enter this season, our response should be one of praise and gratitude. [44:37]
Psalm 100:4-5 (ESV): "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a heart of praise and gratitude today? What specific blessings can you thank God for right now, even before you see them fully realized?
Quotes
1. "Because if you're not that person, then you're going to get us off with the seasons of the Lord. And too many times we have people in the wrong places. And if they're in the wrong places and they don't have the knowledge nor the anointing, then they're going to throw things off. Just because you can manage your business out there, don't mean you can manage God's business in here." [03:56] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Whenever you sense a heavy anointing, there's a heavy order in that house. Because you can't get a heavy anointing with a house being out of order. You can't get that. So what I'm going to do, because many people are doing things and they're very frustrated because they're outside of season. Because they've got the wrong people trying to lead and trying to speak into things they don't know anything about." [04:51] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "So he's saying to us that I'm going to take this early rain and I'm going to take this late rain and I'm going to bring it all in September. Now, if you don't know that, if people don't teach you, you don't have the faith to believe that in the next few days, heaven is going to open over refresh for sure. And everything that's joined to refresh. Heaven is going to open. And God is not just going to send one season of rain, but he's going to send two seasons of rain at one time." [09:11] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "So if you're trying to if you're trying to grow corn and wheat and all that kind of stuff and you're in your winter season. You're going to be very disappointed. And so a lot of disappointment has hit the church because you got either. Well, let me tell them what I think. You don't even know anything about farming. No seed time. Okay. You don't. It's going. It's going. It's going to rain. As long as the earth remains, you're going to have seed time harvest time." [10:22] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "You need wisdom. You about to get a level of wisdom you never had. And let me tell you why you still stuck where you are, because you don't have the wisdom to come out of that place. So you got to learn how King Solomon, he asked for wisdom, and he gave you more than enough. Because any person that's stuck, they stuck because of a lack of knowledge and lack of wisdom. But I believe this is the season you're going to come out because you're going to overflow with wisdom." [27:16] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "You need wisdom. I've been married 35 years. It'll be 36 years next year. And I still need wisdom. Because I've changed. She's changed. And if I try to deal with her like we were when we first got married, it's not going to work. You need wisdom. When everything around you is changing, you need wisdom. You tend to say, well, we grew apart. No, you didn't have enough wisdom to grow together. When you're growing, if you have wisdom, you know how to grow together." [27:57] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "This blessing will cause us to recover from years of loss. He said everything these worms have eaten over the years he said this season I'm bringing you into you're going to recover years some of y'all don't know what you lost you forgot about what you lost you didn't know the thief had broke in and taken anything there's stuff you lost there's trust you lost you didn't just lose money you lost you lost trust you lost confidence some of you lost you lost the image of what you're supposed to be." [35:36] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "There are some people that's broke right now. I'm fixing to pass some of you middle class folks. I'm telling you right now. You think you really got it going on. There's somebody that came in a broke busted in discussion. That's going to catch what I'm saying. And in September, they're going to pass you in their wages. know it's the truth. I've done it. All them boys that thought they knew what they were doing. All of a sudden, I got synchronized with the with the agricultural cycle and all of a sudden and they wonder what in the world happened to Steve Davis." [11:56] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "So, you have to understand how God operates, when God operates, when's the best time to do whatever it is that you're going to do. It may not be the best time to leave a job. I was talking to Shannon a while back. And he was talking about joining up with this guy doing business. And I said, Shannon, I just don't feel like it's a good time to do that. So, Shannon did not do that. That guy is out of business now, isn't he? The pandemic hit. He's out of business. So, you got to understand these things." [19:34] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "You got bruises everywhere from training, not from performing. me say that again. You got bruises everywhere from training, not your performing. You ever watch those gymnasts? How they're bloody and they're wrapping up their feet and they're doing all this stuff. That's where we been. But when we go to the Olympics, you gonna see all the stuff we went through. Getting ready for the day that God promised us. Look at your neighbor, tell them all that tough stuff has just been practiced." [33:41] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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