An Open Heaven
Inundation
Lastly, we consider inundation:
The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head and not the tail …
Deuteronomy 28:12-13 NIV
When we are living under an open heaven not only is the Spirit outpoured but we can often also experience increased financial blessing. While not always the case, increased spiritual outpouring can signal increased financial outpouring. It is possible though to experience the one without the other. Why is this? Space doesn’t permit us to explore this in-depth, suffice to say that there are a number of reasons including: timing, spiritual warfare, the dealings of God, sowing and reaping, the trial of faith, purity of motive, and curses.
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Even in view of these exceptional circumstances we are assured from Scripture that God desires to bless his children materially (see Ps 65:9-13; 68:10; Isa 60:5-9; Jer 31:12; Mtt 6:25-33; Rom 8:32; 2 Cor 8:9; Heb 13:5-6; 3 Jn 2). As his glory increases on the church this will be manifested by increased financial blessing for the sake of the gospel. The heavens belong to the Lord but the earth he has given to the sons of men (Ps 115:16). With the increase of the kingdom there will be an accompanying release of the earth’s resource for the work of God. In fact, under an open heaven there is a transfer of wealth as the abundance of the nations flows into the house of God. Where previously there has been financial struggle, suddenly with an open heaven, the floodgates of provision are opened and the kingdom moves forward.
Even so, we must sound a warning. This does not imply an increase of personal wealth, although obviously this can occur. What I am saying, is that under an open heaven “no one will claim that any of their possessions are their own” (see Acts 4:32). Neither am I implying a ‘community of goods’ or ‘common purse’, although some may be called to this. Nonetheless, under an open heaven there is such a fundamental inner change that material things have no hold. In obedience to the Spirit they can be released for the benefit of the gospel. We can therefore be trusted with substantial material increase.
Having described some of the characteristics of an open heaven, how do we experience one? There are several prerequisites.