I. Dew From Heaven
A. Text: Zechariah 8:11-12
“But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew –I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these.”
1. God is promising a three-fold blessing to His last day’s remnant church.
a. The vine’s fruit – which also means “reward.”
b. The ground’s increase – which also means “wealth.”
c. The heaven’s dew – which also means “covering.”
B. Galatians 6:9 “…let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.”
1. This is not the “due” that I want to talk about.
2. Let’s discuss the “D-E-W” of heaven. Not “d-u-e” time, but “d-e-w” time.
II. The Dew Point
A. What exactly is dew?
1. According to the encyclopedia, “dew” is the name given to tiny, glistening drops of water, that often appear on plants and blades of grass early on clear mornings. The dew point is the temperature at which moisture in the air begins to condense. Objects receive heat from the sun during the day by the direct process of radiation. But, when night comes, the blade of grass is not able to retain the heat that is stored during the day. So, the little grass becomes cool. Also, the air around it becomes cool as well. Then, when the air reaches the dew point, it can no longer hold all the moisture that’s present in the air, and so it deposits this excess moisture as dew on the blade of grass.
2. The air at the dew point begins to be so heavy with moisture, that it can no longer contain the weight of that moisture.
B. It comes in the morning.
1. If you sleep all day, you won’t see the dew!
2. When the sun begins to warm up the day, it draws the dew away by the process of evaporation; it draws the moisture back into the air.
III. It’s Dew Time
A. God desires to drop His dew from heaven in little droplets of His anointing.
B. Everyone of us enjoy a virtual downpour. We all need it, in fact! However, you and I know that it doesn’t rain everyday! Every day doesn’t bring Pentecostal showers. But, every day of your life, you can receive a touch of holy dew from the heavenlies!
C. You say, “I don’t believe that stuff!” Does that mean it’s not real…because you don’t believe it?
D. Would you agree that the church is the Bride of Christ? And, as I mentioned in last week’s sermon, He is our husband!? Then, wouldn’t you also agree that God is not a god that has to get His wife’s permission to do something before He does it? He doesn’t have to get permission from denominational leaders. He doesn’t have to ask the backsliden preachers. He doesn’t have to get permission from church deacons. He doesn’t even have to ask His Bride. God is God. And, God is sovereign. He is God all by Himself. He doesn’t need our help. So, if He desires to bless us from His holy dew…so be it!
E. We must be careful that we not murmur and grumble against our Husband, because He may leave you in the house alone. The Bible says, “It’s better to dwell in a corner of the rooftop than in the house with a brawling woman.” (Proverbs 21:9 ) In other words, the doghouse is actually better.
F. In the spiritual sense, if we begin to question God and offend Him with our doubts and unbelief, if we become so brawling in the face of God, He may have to go somewhere else and bless someone else. Revival will take place on the rooftop, while we sit here in the house wondering what happened.
G. Just as the dew regenerates and renews the earth, that spiritual dew that comes from Heaven, His glorious presence, the anointing of the Holy Spirit renews you and I.
IV. What Does the Dew Do?
A. The Dew of God’s Presence does six specific things for us. They are:
1. Even though dew is just a fine mist, it oftentimes is enough to start softening the hard ground.
2. Heavenly dew provides strength to move forward. Natural dew is only produced when everything is still - - no heat, no wind, no noise. In the cool, quiet of the morning, before the sun arises, before people arise, the dew forms on the ground. This dew, produced in the stillness of the morning time, brings strength and nourishment to the lawn for the entire day. Remember, last week we spoke about being silent before His presence. If you and I will dare to be still before the Lord, then the heavenly dew will begin to fall upon us, bringing revelation and guidance for our soul…nourishment, if you will, for the day’s journey. But, dew doesn’t fall when it’s windy. Dew doesn’t fall during the rainstorm! Dew doesn’t fall when it’s hot! It falls when things are cool, still, and while everything is waiting on God! Isaiah 30:15 says that we shall receive strength “in quietness and confidence.” You don’t get direction during a commotion. You get it in stillness.
3. The dew of the Holy Spirit imparts overcoming power! Look at Deuteronomy 33:28-29 with me. “Then Israel shall dwell in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone, in a land of grain and new wine; His heavens shall also drop dew. Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, and you shall tread down their high places.” In the Hebrew, there is a correlation between the dew of God’s anointing and power and strength that comes from God. By the power of the Spirit, in the form of His dew, we have the authority to dethrone the enemy’s plans for destruction in our lives!!! No matter what he’s plotted, no matter what he’s planned, all his plans, all the high places of the enemy can be taken down by those who have been anointed by this heavenly dew. The holy anointing dew that comes from the mountain of God…or, mountain dew, if you will!
4. The refreshing dew of the Lord uncovers new supply and reveals new provisions of God’s abundance! Now, turn and look with me at Genesis 27:28-29. “Therefore may God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you.” This is the blessing that Isaac prayed over Jacob. When we look at it in the Hebrew, we find that it actually speaks of provision. If we had time today, we could look at Number 7:7-9 and read of the manna that fell from heaven. As you know, the manna fell early in the morning. In fact, you would find that the manna actually fell upon the dew, which had already fallen. Thus, God’s provisions come with His dew anointing!
5. The favor of God is like the dew on the grass. (Proverbs 19:12) “The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like the dew on the grass.” Many of us desire God’s refreshing and restoration in our lives!? How many of you want the provisions of God in your lives? These provisions are the favor of God. The word “favor” means “pleasure; desire; or delight.” Why is it important to have the favor of God in your life? Because when the favor of the Lord is extended to you, you can accomplish things that you would have never accomplished before. When the favor of the Lord is extended to your family, you’ll have access to places that you would have never had access to before! You need the favor of God in your life. Another reason is because the opposite of favor is ‘reproach.’
6. The last, and most significant point to remember, dew is only temporary! It’s never permanent. You might be sitting there thinking, ‘hey, you just got me excited about the dew of God and now you’re tellin’ me it won’t last long.’ What a tease. The reason you must recognize that dew doesn’t last is that, if you always had dew, you wouldn’t expect anything more! Never limit God to whatever He is doing right now in your life! The reason is because, no matter what He’s doing in your life right now, and no matter how great it is, God has got something even greater waiting for you than you have ever known before. The Bible says we move forward three ways. Here they are. Write it down:
#1. We move forward from faith to faith.
#2. We move forward from strength to strength.
#3. We move forward from glory to glory.
We must be always abounding in the greatness of God’s power and glory! Never be stagnate and complacent where you are! There is so much more awaiting you!
