Dharius Daniels - Can You Stand The Rain?

I want to talk about this subject and our time together, «Can You Stand the Rain.» Clap your hands if you’re ready for God’s word. Can you «Can You Stand the Rain»? On December 13th, 1988, New Edition, which is one of the most impactful, influential, and electrifying groups of all time, performed a song that showcased their unique ambidextrous acumen. While some groups dance and others sing, New Edition did both. One of their most successful songs is entitled «Can You Stand the Rain,» and one of the stanzas from that song is worthy of a sermon because it aligns with scriptural truth. The stanza is as follows: «Sunny days, everybody loves them. But tell me, can you stand the rain? Storms will come; this we know for sure. But can you stand the rain?» I believe this is more than just a song that New Edition would sing; it is actually a question that God would ask. I know we are accustomed to people asking God questions, but when you read the Scripture, you’ll see that God asks people questions as well. Come on, you see, God doesn’t ask questions to get an answer. When God asks a question, He’s trying to give one. When God asks a question, it is not because He needs to know something, but because we need to know something that we wouldn’t understand unless He poses a question that leads us to do some interior examination and come to a conclusion about something we would have never figured out if He hadn’t asked. In Genesis 18, He asked Abraham this question: «Is there anything too hard for God?» Come on and talk to me. He is teaching Abraham something. He knew the answer, but He asked Abraham the question because Abraham needed to know the kind of questions to ask when he found himself in quandaries that seemed difficult to overcome. The questions you ask determine the conclusions you come to. If you ask the wrong questions when you’re in trouble, you’re going to arrive at the wrong conclusions.

So, Abraham and his wife were well past childbearing years, and God asks an old man married to an old woman, «Is there anything too hard for God?» Because the conclusions you reach are based on the questions you ask. You see, if they had asked, «Can two people our age have a baby?» they would have come to one conclusion. But if they asked, «Is there anything too hard for God?» then they would reach another conclusion. Some of our problems stem not from our situations but from asking the wrong questions, leading us to the wrong conclusions. We’ve been asking, «Can I recover from this?» when we should be asking, «Is there anything too hard for God?» We’ve been asking, «Can I do this without the net worth and without the network?» when we should be asking, «Is there anything too hard for God?» We’ve been asking, «Can I do this with the mistakes I made, the missteps I’ve taken, and the time I’ve wasted?» when we should be asking, «Is there anything too hard for God?» Just in case you don’t know the answer to that question, allow your pastor to help you come to the right conclusion: there is nothing that is too hard for your God. He’ll open doors that no man can shut, and He’ll close doors that no man can open. When He’s trying to get you somewhere, there’s no risk that can stop you. There’s no Jericho wall that can block you. When He wants you in a room, there’s no crowd that can prevent you. A hater could be on the other side of the door trying to barricade it shut, but when God wants you in a place, He’ll sneak you in through the window or drop you down from the roof. Am I talking to anyone who can look back over your life and see evidence that God knows how to get you into places that not only surprise other people but surprise you? They look at you and say, «How did you get here?» and you look at God and wonder, «How did I get in here?» What is impossible with man is possible with God.

It’s one thing for us to ask God questions; it’s another thing for God to ask us questions. When God asks us questions, it’s not because He needs an answer; it’s because we need to engage in some self-examination. He asks Adam, «Where are you?» God knew where Adam was; that’s not why He asked the question. God needed Adam to know where he was, so He posed the question. Come on here. He asks the question because He knows the devil likes to deceive us about our destination. The devil deceives us into thinking we’re at a place we’re not because we are not always where we think we are. We’re not always where we believe we are spiritually, emotionally, or relationally. What the enemy wants to do is dupe us into believing we’re at a destination that we’re not because you will never chase the next level if you think you’re already there. Have you ever tried to help people who can’t see where they are? It’s one thing for us to ask God questions; it’s another for God to ask us questions. In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 9, the Bible says in verse 28: I don’t have time to elaborate on this, but it’s 12:30, so…