Copyright 2010 Theresa Harvard Johnson
In my studies this morning, my heart was a little bit heavy as the Lord revealed some things to me in his Word. It was heavy because I know that many of us, over the course of our lives, have missed seasons of reaping. I want to share this message with you today in hopes that you will understand that PIONEERS & TRAILBLAZERS are sent to launch you. Make an assessment of your pastors, leaders, mentors, etc. to see, by the Spirit, who is in your life.
Holy Spirit drew me into John 4:35-38 (CJB) this morning. It reads: 35 Don’t you have a saying, `Four more months and then the harvest’? Well, what I say to you is: open your eyes and look at the fields! They’re already ripe for harvest! 36 The one who reaps receives his wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that the reaper and the sower may be glad together — 37 for in this matter, the proverb, `One sows and another reaps,’ holds true. 38 I sent you to reap what you haven’t worked for. Others have done the hard labor, and you have benefited from their work.”
You see, many times we fail to know WHO or WHAT we really have in the people around us UNTIL they are gone. Many times we take relationships at FACE VALUE and compartmentalize them in our intellect, and give credit to the Lord. I tell you, I’ve learned more from people who had nothing tangible to give me… than I ever have from those who appear to have much. The lessons that the Spirit teaches run deeper than what the natural eyes can see.
People of God, don’t burn bridges! Don’t wreck your ship or prematurely jump into something before it’s time. Learn how to be FAITHFUL. Learn how to serve. LEARN HOW to complete what you start in the lives of others. YOU WILL be rewarded. I am a testimony to this as are many others here in this group.
We must stop looking at the natural and saying, “LORD, you said my time was coming SOON! You said the reward was near me!”
Through this passage of scripture, the Lord FIRMLY said to me: “OPEN YOUR EYES AND LOOK AT THE FIELDS! THEY ARE READY FOR A HARVEST!”
I chuckled, realizing that the Lord is constantly seeking to take our focus off the cares of this world. He wants us to know that we CANNOT CHASE OUR DESTINY, but that our destiny CHASES US when we simply follow Him. Truly, if we could just SEEK THE KINGDOM — letting the Lord of the Harvest guide us as we fulfill the mandate to make TALMID (disciples) of those whose lives we are destined to impact — we would be a people fortified in the Lord that could not be moved. Look at that…. really…
Leaders, rising leaders — your WORK is not in vain. It is VITAL that we recognize WHO has been sent to us and how Holy Spirit wants to use them in our lives. Many of us have REAPED in Heaven’s field. Many of us have SOWN in Heaven’s fields. The Lord wants us to rejoice together in these things!
But you see, there are people around you who have SOWN SO MUCH and REAPED MUCH in areas that you are JUST NOW walking into. For you, these people are PIONEERS. I pray that you hear the Spirit of the Lord in that statement because IF YOU STAY CONNECTED to those PIONEERS, you will REAP A HARVEST that you have NOT worked for…
I tell my oldest daughter this all the time: “Baby, if you’d just listen to me… follow some of the simple things I’ve told you, you won’t have to walk the road that I have.” Did someone say this to you in your youth?
Studying about JESUS CHRIST is blessing me. I have really poured myself into his life and ministry these past few weeks, desperate for a fresh revelation of what it means to be a VOICE OF CHRIST. He is speaking….
I say to you, don’t disconnect from those whom the Lord has placed to walk with you.
FAITHFULNESS has an immovable place in the kingdom. Can you be faithful? So many believers never, ever grasp a revelation of what this really means. If you’re contemplating moving in any capacity in this season — do it with wisdom, do it with truth…. do it with Holy Spirit. You don’t want to be out of place when your season of reaping comes…
Luke 12:16 NKJV says, “And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?”
By faithfulness, MANY OF US will reap blessings in our lives that WE HAVE NOT WORKED FOR. Opportunities and doors will open that were “destined to open” long before we entered the world. Stay in position, wherever that position might be. Why? Because Jesus SENT US TO REAP ….
