Preparing for the Harvest
By Chad Taylor
"The People say, ‘The time is NOT come, the time
that the Lord’s house should be built…’"
(Haggai 1:2)
In an hour of gross darkness and impending change the popular opinion is one of ease and relaxation. A state of casualness permeates the air, somehow ignoring the plea of help that rings in the streets of America. The casual Christian meanders by the masses oblivious to their eternal plight of doom. Shifting our eyes from their faces, the images that remind us of a dying crucified Jesus, paying a terrible price for the lives of the ones that are so easily ignored. A landslide opinion that says, "Everything’s cool! Church as usual! No need to be alarmed! Everything is O.K.!" Forgetting the words of Peter, "For the end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer…"
(1st Peter 4:7) We have declared in our casualness, "The time HAS NOT come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built." The Lord’s reply? ‘Consider your ways…" (Haggai 1:5)
A state of transition grips the church. The old and familiar no longer satisfies the people. The hunger of the believer will no longer tolerate the old manna. There is a cry for the Living Bread! The Bread that comes from above! To taste the Water that will eternally quench the thirst! This is the cry of the people of the Most High God! "MORE! Give us MORE! More power, more love! More of You in my life, that I can effectively walk out into the market places of my city and have them exclaim, "What must I do to be saved?" That we can have enough to pour out to the poor and hungry that stare at us on every corner! That we can have a place that will take them in and heal their hearts and bind up their wounds and set them free! Give us more of the power of God to cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the dead! Give us more of this power! To trample on serpents and scorpions and set our cities and streets free from the hold of darkness and sin! Yes! Give us this! Give us Him and only Him!"
The transition is one of preaching to training. A simple dialogue of revelation is no longer sufficient. We must train them for works of service! We must ‘commit these things to faithful men that they can teach others also.’ We must SHOW them how to effectively transform their neighborhoods from ghettos to safe places where children can safely walk!
The call to the leaders in this hour is to prepare the church for the harvest. To have the knowledge and ability to save a soul, lay hands on a sick person, to confront a gang leader with the gospel message and see them converted, ‘translating them from darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son..." This is the mandate from Heaven! Prepare My people for the Harvest! Prepare My people for the "draught" the greater catch that is coming upon the church! Perils will result in a harvest! Crisis will only create a realm of signs and wonders! God’s pay back to the devil for chaos and tragedy is genuine revival and power. He has done it then, He will do it now.
"Now be strong says the Lord, BE STRONG, all you people of the land says the Lord, AND WORK… For I the Lord am with you…" (Haggai 2:4)
The transition is to facilitate His glory and this influx into the Kingdom of God. The harvest of souls that is beckoning the laborers into the fields that are white and heavy with fruit. Swaying in the winds of His Spirit that woos them and draws them to the Cross and the Church. We must be ready to receive them! This is the anointing that is upon us! "…To preach good news to the poor, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound…"
This is the year of the favor of the Lord! This is the time to prepare the nets, repair the riggings, and boats, and launch out into the deep, and take them in…This is the heart of the Father, this is the heart of His Son, this is the heart of the Spirit, ‘Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15) We must obey now or forever be accountable for their souls. "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation…" (Hebrews 2:3)
If there is ever been a time to ‘fulfill your ministry,’ it is now. God is rattling the cages of our vision that the gift and the calling that He has ordained from the womb may soar like it was created to soar. To bear fruit, and to reproduce. We must set our vision free.
We must endeavor to obey the holy calling and election that He has given each of us, to reach the uttermost parts of the earth with His power and love. To move the slipping tide of mankind to the Father. To convince the prodigal that there is more bread in the Father’s house. To persuade the sinner of a father’s love that knows no bounds or limits to bring them to the knowledge of salvation’s grace. We must compel them to come in that our Father’s house may be filled. We must ‘fulfill our ministries,’ we must strive for the upward call in Christ Jesus.’ We must ‘cast our nets on the other side…’ This is the day of salvation.
The gang member will renounce his vows to death when he is shown a ‘life more abundantly.’ The prostitute will forsake her trade when she sees Jesus’ face demonstrated in the hearts of His own. The runaway will run to the arms of the church when the heart of the Father is revealed through her. The junkie will cast away his needles when he is injected with the power of His Spirit and love. The money hungry business man will sell all that he has and give it to the poor when he is confronted with a destiny greater than his own. The woman on welfare who has had three abortions will consider her ways and repent when she is faced with the blood stained love of Jesus through His Bride. This is the hour He is calling us to live what we believe. To demonstrate not just imitate His power and grace. The call is to all of us. The commission is to every Christian,
‘If any man will come
after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and
follow Me…" (Luke 9:23)
Chad Taylor (5/23/99) destiny@televar.com
web page: www.consumingfire.com