(2 Corinthians 9:10-11 NLT) For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. (11) Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
How Do We Reap Our Harvest?
- The first step to reaping your harvest is to rightly discern your harvest.
You need to discern:
- When your harvest is.
- Where your harvest is.
- How much your harvest is
A spiritual harvest is not discerned in the natural by looking at natural circumstances.
Peter almost missed out on his harvest because he did not rightly discern that it was time to harvest. He was looking at the natural circumstances. (Luke 5:1-11 Jesus said to let down the NETS. Peter agreed to let down the NET.)
You might not be able to explain it, but you have a knowing in your spirit.
- A key indicator that harvest-time is near is joy in your spirit.
- Make sure your harvest is ready by your worship, thanksgiving, and praise.
Worship, praise, and thanksgiving help things move along, since praise and thanksgiving are the language of faith.
- Keep the weeds out of your garden!
(Genesis 2:15 AMPC) And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and guard and keep it.
Keep (HEB) = To watch over it; to guard, protect and safeguard
- Weeds include unforgiveness, bitterness, strife—anything to do with walking outside of love.
- You pull up the “weeds” and cast them out with your words.
- When you sense in your spirit that it is harvest time, you begin to call in your harvest.
(Isaiah 41:15 AMPC) Behold, I will make you to be a new, sharp, threshing instrument which has teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, and shall make the hills like chaff.
Teeth: (HEBREW) – means “double-edged”.
God says He will give us an instrument to harvest that is double- edged.
(Isaiah 49:2 NKJV) And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.”
(Hebrews 4:12 NKJV) For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Make your words line up with your harvest.
- You will find that the Bible teaches in principles and precepts.
Principle: a fundamental truth that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.
Precept: a general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought.
(Isaiah 28:9-10 NKJV) “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? (10) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”
Just implementing principles or precepts in your life will not always generate the results that we desire.
- We need a plan or strategy that is specifically designed by God FOR US.
(Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Strategy: a plan, method, or series of maneuvers for obtaining a specific goal or result.
(Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) For I know the strategies I have for you,” declares the LORD, “strategies to prosper you and not to harm you, strategies to give you hope and a future.
- Very often, God will not use the same strategy when facing the same need.
(2 Samuel 5:17-25 NKJV) Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. (18) The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. (19) So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.” (20) So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. (21) And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away. (22) Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. (23) Therefore David inquired of the LORD, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. (24) And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” (25) And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.
- Always remember, God is your Source and He has a strategy to get supply or harvest to you!
God is not limited to your paycheck that you receive on your job.
(Philippians 4:19 BBE) And my God will give you all you have need of from the wealth of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Don’t try and figure out how God is going to meet your needs or provide the harvest. He is not limited to just one channel or way of getting something to you.
(Matthew 17:24-27 NKJV) When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” (25) He said, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” (26) Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. (27) Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”
“Piece of money” – (GREEK) “stater” which was the exact amount to pay the tax for two people.