"ALL-AGES" HARVEST - URGENT
Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
-by Andrew Strom.
We see events all around us today that remind us again and again
that time is short, that we cannot delay, that every one of us is
needed in the Harvest fields RIGHT NOW. -Old, young, everyone.
We have ignored Jesus' words for too long: "Do you not say, 'There
are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your
eyes and see how the fields are ALREADY WHITE for harvest."
(Jn 4:35) We have ripe fields - yet not enough LABORERS. That
is the problem! Why do we forever put off the 'Harvest' into the
future? Why has its coming been prophesied now in the prophetic
movement for about 20 years, yet no laborers are thrust forth as
Jesus commanded? What is wrong with us? Why do we sit? Jesus
says it is not in "four months"! It is TODAY! -Jesus says it is TODAY!
Some people have written to me asking why I emphasize the
'Youth' so much - when it is clearly ALL age-groups that are in
need of salvation. Of course, this is true. The main reason that
I have emphasized a Youth Revival is that this is what God has
been emphasizing to me. But definitely there will be a harvest
of older people, middle-class people - all ages, all backgrounds.
And time is short! It is not just the Youth! Let every one of us
ask ourselves whether we are truly ready for "OUR PART" in this
Harvest. Young and old. If this is the hour for Reaping (and I truly
believe it is) then every one of us needs to find our "field" quickly
and get to work.
The hour for 'waiting' is gone.
Our neighbors, our friends, the people on the street, in the Old
Folks homes, in the prisons - all of them need Jesus. Most of us
have a particular group or type of people that we have always felt
drawn to. -And now is the time that we need to step out and
start witnessing to these ones. What many of us need is a renewal
of the ZEAL and passion for Christ that we had when we were
first saved. We need to get excited about sharing Jesus again.
Do we really 'NEED' music or sound systems? Of course not!
These things are tools, but God moves in all kinds of ways. He
may have you witnessing one-to-one. He may have you filled with
zeal, and standing in a crowded bus-station preaching at the
top of your lungs! -Or approaching sick people on the street and
praying for them to be healed. -Or He may simply have you
witnessing to fellow church members (-many of whom are unsaved).
Are you BOLD enough? Are you ZEALOUS enough for the love of
Christ? Will you STAND in the face of persecution?
Some of us need to ask ourselves some hard questions: "Why is
there a hesitancy in me to share the truth with others? Is it 'fear of
man'? Is this something I need to repent of?"
On the other hand, some of us feel that we "don't know what to
say" or how to broach the subject. This is where practical training
can come in handy (-such as the "Way of the Master" by Ray
Comfort - which I recommend highly, because he shows how
to preach conviction of sin and REPENTANCE - not just a "Jesus
loves you" message. He makes it very practical). We need to go
out there preaching DIFFERENTLY - not just the same old gooey gospel.
I think what a lot of us need to do is simply "START". It is amazing
how God can take over your mouth if you will simply open it and
begin to speak! Stepping out for the first time is always the hardest
thing. If you can just "START" and keep doing it for a week or two,
before you know it, it will be 'natural' for you to share with others.
If only we could get hundreds of Christians simply doing this, we
could see this nation begin to change. It is estimated that only
2% of Western Christians share their faith regularly with others.
-Only 2% !!
Who is a 'minister' of the gospel? -YOU ARE! And who should
baptize new converts? -YOU SHOULD! And who should lay hands
and pray for them to be filled with the Spirit? -YOU SHOULD! And
who should disciple them, and show them how to move in the
Holy Spirit? -YOU SHOULD! And who should then send them out
baptizing and healing and making new disciples themselves? -YOU
SHOULD! -Its just basic New Testament Christianity.
If we all start doing this kind of thing, Christianity will become
exciting, adventurous and TOTALLY SCRIPTURAL again. It will
be a revolution!
But it all begins with each of us making a "START". -Opening our
mouths and speaking. -That is all it takes. "A thousand mile journey
begins with a SINGLE STEP" - as the saying goes. The simplest
word can spark a revolution.
All heaven awaits the moment when the Western church will arise
and simply begin to SPEAK to those around it.
The harvest fields are thirsty, my friends. They are waiting for YOU.
God bless you all.
Kindest regards in Christ,
Andrew Strom.