"THE TIME FOR HARVEST IS NOW"
TEXT: LUKE 14:16-23 (v.17) "For all things are now ready." (v.23) "compel them..."
INTRODUCTION -
Many times over the years, I’ve noticed that business deals are accomplished merely because people were in the right place at the right time.
On Wall Street, before the Stock Market Crash of 1929, there were many men who became millionaires overnight because they had the ability to recognize an opportunity and they took advantage of it.
Maybe it was just a custodian in an office hallway, or a cab driver on the street. Then the day came when a couple of wealthy men, unaware of attentive ears that were listening, were caught up in secret conversations about the stock market, and their monetary maneuvers or that of their competition.
Then at an opportune time they used that secret information to buy up stock in an area that was about to explode with increased value. And such is how many became wealthy in that day. All because someone had the ability to recognize an opportunity and seize it at the right time.
The battles of history were fought and won because men and women were ready and willing to work and fight at crucial and critical times. There were no words such as quit or concede in their vocabulary or their character. But their battle cry became that of ancient times - Carpe Diem - "Seize the Day!!"
I would like to declare to you that, in case you didn’t know it, there is a revival spirit that is sweeping our world today! We are realizing a move of God that He has promised would come! And we must act NOW if we are going to see revival and harvest in our generation!
I. THE NEED FOR URGENCY
Illustration -
A field marshal looked over his field of battle near the walls of a kingdom and as he saw the enemy rise up out of the mists of early dawn to advance, he cried out to the king, "Shall we fire?" The king replied, "No, wait."
Then as the enemy was beginning to overrun them the king cried out to the field marshal, "Fire!!" But the field marshal called back to the king saying, "It’s too late now, sir. It’s too late!!"
A. If we are going to have a revival in the midst of this wicked and sinful world, then we’re going to have to "strike while the iron is hot!" We must do it now, or it will soon be "too late, sir, too late!"
B. For the Lord spoke through the mouth of His prophets to declare the workings of His Spirit in a day that he would take out the stony heart of man, and put in a heart of flesh.
C. Joel prophesied that, "In the last days saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions; and upon my handmaids and upon my servants will I pour out of my Spirit and they shall prophesy."
D. But unless you read again the fine print, the revival that will be, is not going to be as some of us think it’s going to be!
1. We are living in a secular, academic, and analytical society, that’s too busy for God! They are caught up in the bondage of their materialism. They are satisfied in their social Christianity. And most of them are not coming, because they’ve got an excuse not to come!
2. And the Church, in all of her arrogant pride, is going to have to revamp and retune to a more spiritual frequency! It may sound a little negative, but there are some adjustments to be made! We have need of some more fasting - we have need of some more praying in the Spirit - we have need of a lot more humble service and love of the brethren!
3. But when we do...look out! It’s then we’re going have a mighty revival that will shake our world!
II. THREE DIMENSIONS OF CHRIST COMMAND TO "GO."
A. The three dimensions are the three classes of people that are mentioned in this text:
1. The first class were sent a personal invitation to come - They were the privileged - the elite. But they made excuse - they could not come.
2. Then second class was given the invitation - "Go into the lanes of the city, bring the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind."
3. But even that was not good enough. They went to the offscouring of society! To the rejects of society! But they were now sent to not merely extend to them the invitation. The Master of the house said, "Go out into the highways and the hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled."
B. I’ve come to tell you that in their minds, most of us are too nice for them! Our shoes are too shined! Our clothes are to fine! And our lifestyle is to comfortable to have the revival of the ’90’s - and for the Holy Ghost to move!
1. But I submit to you that among our ethnic groups - among the underprivileged - the outcasts - the drunks - the prostitutes - the drug addicts - the down and out - there is an Apostolic Revival that is awaiting the church of the Living God!
C. Hebrews 11 - says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
1. Not FAITH......but NOW FAITH! "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen!"
2. And as long as we put it off it’s not going to happen!
D. I’ve come to persuade you tonight! Let’s settle the issue! Let’s bury the past! Let’s take another look at destiny and recognize one thing - if we’re gonna have revival, it’s got to be now!... Now!... NOW!... NOW!
> It’s time to have REVIVAL! And we’ve got to have it! When?... NOW!
> Let me clarify it with this statement. I don’t believe that the Church is going to have to tarry for it like they did on the day of Pentecost. Because they were waiting ’for’ the Promise! It was the inaugural outpouring of the Holy Ghost!
> The difference is that we’ve got to put that three letter word back into our vocabulary - draw the line and say, "NOW, it’s going to happen! NOW it’s going to happen! Right NOW!"
> We are going to have to appropriate in our spirit an expectancy, an anticipation, an assurance, and a certainty that Almighty God is about to do an explosive act of Devine Anointing in this hour! And it’s going to happen now!
Matthew 3:10 - "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."
But hold on a second, John didn’t stop there! He said, "But he that cometh after me... he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire!"
When did John say it was gonna happen? ...NOW!
III. IT’S TIME FOR SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY!
A. I declare unto you that it’s time to get down to business with God! There’s gonna be a purging of the orchard! There’s gonna be a cleansing of the Temple of God! And the one thing that Almighty God is looking for in this hour is productivity in the Kingdom!
B. God’s not concerned with how well I preach, as He is with how good the results are in the vineyard! It’s time for an old fashioned, tongue talking, aisle running, devil chasing, sin erasing, resurrecting, Holy Ghost revival!
C. Too long we have been caught up in the fearsome and intimidating mindset of what others are doing!
1. If they refuse to come...... so be it!
2. If they don’t want it...... so be it!
> But we’re gonna keep looking! We’re gonna keep asking! We’re gonna keep searching! We’re gonna keep knocking!
> Because if we keep asking.... there’s gonna come an answer! If we keep searching..... we’re gonna find it! If we keep knocking.... it’s gonna come open to us! It’s time for Revival... Revival... REVIVAL! And it’s got to be now!
Matthew 11:12 - "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
John 2:1-8 - (have read) v.8 - "And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast..."
Illustration -
When a mother with child begins to feel those labor pains, those contractions come at different intervals, and as the times of those contractions come closer together the doctors know that it’s nearing the time for a baby to be delivered!
The timing is crucial! For when it’s time, and everything is right, those strong contractions hit! The Bible calls it travail! And that’s the time to push! It’s now! It’s now! Push! Push! And there must be strength to bring forth!
And the Bible says, "And as soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her children!"
CLOSING
I’m declaring to you that there is a mandate of the Spirit that’s calling us to move out NOW!
