KEYS TO THE HARVEST OF THIS GENERATION!
(John 4:35 KJV) Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
1. SEED
(Mark 4:31 KJV) It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: (Mark 4:32 KJV) But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
The first key to the harvest is the seed. Without the seed there can be no harvest. The word of God is the seed that must be planted in the hearts of men. There is tremendous power in the seed. Even a tiny seed can become a big tree.
2. SEASON
(John 4:35 KJV) Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
The second key to the harvest is the season. Harvest can be done during the harvest season when the crop is ready to be harvested. If the crop is not harvested during the harvest time the entire crop will be ruined. In the kingdom of God this is harvest season. If we fail to harvest the souls in this time the entire harvest will be lost.
3. SERVANTS
(Mat 21:28 KJV) But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. (Mat 21:29 KJV) He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. (Mat 21:30 KJV) And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
The third key to the harvest is the servant. During harvest time there is a great need for servants. No one can be idle during harvest time. In the kingdom of God the time has come for every believer to be active in the service of God. The entire body of Christ must get involved to bring in the harvest of souls.
A. "God has three sorts of servants in the world: some are slaves, and serve Him from fear; others are hirelings, and serve for wages; and the last are sons, who serve because they love."
4. SOIL
(Mark 4:8 KJV) And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
The fourth key to the harvest is the soil. Seed sown by the wayside or among thorns or among rocky soil will fail to yield fruit. Only seed sown on good ground will bring forth fruit 30 fold ,60 fold and 100 fold. Therefore it is important to prepare the soil by prayer before sowing. The hearts of the people should be receptive to the word of God.
5. SACRIFICE
(Psa 126:5 KJV) They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. (Psa 126:6 KJV) He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
The fifth key to the harvest is the willingness to sacrifice. God’s people should be willing to sacrifice their time and energy and talent and money and pleasures and comforts to bring in the harvest. As long as people cling to everything they like and refuse to sacrifice they will not get wholeheartedly involved in the harvest.
A. If Christ is only an example, nobody needs him; but if he’s a sacrifice, everyone does.
1. Personal sacrifice paves the way for God’s miracles.
6. SHOWERS
(1 Cor 12:3 KJV) Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
The sixth key to the harvest is the showers .Rain is indispensable for the harvest. This is the outpouring of the Holy spirit. All our efforts and labor must be under girded by the move of the Holy Spirit. Without the spirit of God all our efforts will be in vain.
7. SURE HOPE
(Gal 6:9 KJV) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Rom 12:11 KJV) Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
The seventh key to the harvest is the sure hope and confidence we must have in expecting the harvest. All our labor must be undertaken with the firm assurance that God will bless our efforts and we will surely reap the harvest. If we lose confidence we will get discouraged and labor with doubt and reluctance. Laboring with faith is indispensable to the success of our efforts. God will surely honor our faith and grant us an abundant harvest.
A. Vision is merely hope with a blueprint.
8. THE MESSAGE
(1 John 1:5 KJV) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
(1 John 3:11 KJV) For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
(Hag 1:13 KJV) Then spake Haggai the LORD’S messenger in the LORD’S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.
