The Harvest part 9
Praying and Fasting for the Harvest
Matthew 9:36–38
Luke 10:1–3
Mark 4:26–29
John 4:31–38
2 Corinthians 9:6–13
2 Corinthians 9:6–13
6Now this I say, HE who SOWS SPARINGLY will also REAP SPARINGLY, and HE who SOWS BOUNTIFULLY will also REAP BOUNTIFULLY. 7EACH ONE must do just as HE HAS PURPOSED IN HIS HEART, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER. 8And GOD is ABLE to MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TO YOU, so that ALWAYS having ALL SUFFICIENCY in EVERYTHING, YOU may have an ABUNDANCE for EVERY GOOD DEED; 9as it is written,
“He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.”
10Now HE who SUPPLIES SEED to the SOWER and BREAD for FOOD WILL SUPPLY and MULTIPLY your SEED for SOWING and INCREASE the HARVEST of your RIGHTEOUSNESS; 11YOU will be ENRICHED in EVERYTHING for ALL LIBERALITY (Generosity/Bigheartedness), which THROUGH US is PRODUCING THANKSGIVING to GOD. 12For the MINISTRY of this SERVICE is NOT ONLY FULLY SUPPLYING the NEEDS of the SAINTS, but is also OVERFLOWING through MANY THANKSGIVINGS to GOD. 13Because of the PROOF given by THIS MINISTRY, THEY will GLORIFY GOD for your OBEDIENCE to your CONFESSION of the GOSPEL of CHRIST and for the LIBERALITY (Generosity/Bigheartedness) of your CONTRIBUTION to THEM and to ALL, 14while they also, by PRAYER on YOUR BEHALF, YEARN for YOU because of the SURPASSING GRACE of GOD IN YOU. 15THANKS be to GOD for HIS INDESCRIBABLE GIFT!
Focused Thinking:
9as it is written, “He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.”
How do verses 6–8 set up verse 9?
If you sow sparingly, you reap sparingly.
If you sow bountifully, you reap bountifully.
Each one must do as He has purposed in His heart.
Not grudgingly
Not under compulsion
For God loves a cheerful giver.
God is able to make ALL grace abound to you.
Always having ALL sufficiency in EVERYTHING.
You may have an ABUNDANCE for EVERY GOOD DEED.
You have an ABUNDANCE to scatter abroad.
You have an ABUNDANCE to give to the poor.
When we give we cause His righteousness to endure forever.
Charity/Generosity reaps an eternal reward (Prov 19:17; Matt 25:40).
The One who supplies what is needed is God.
God supplies the seed and enlarges the harvest (rewards/blessings) that results from righteous and generous living.
We must be stewards instead of owners.
Personal Application:
We cannot run out of seed when we are generous stewards instead of greedy owners.
God is able to make ALL grace abound to you.
Always having ALL sufficiency in EVERYTHING.
You may have an ABUNDANCE for EVERY GOOD DEED.
If there is ever an area that we should test God it is in the area of giving to the poor.
Let’s test Him in the area of Overton High School, Single Parents, Celebrate Recovery, and Prison Ministry.
Let’s never apologize for asking our people to give to God’s mission and especially to these expressions of God’s mission.
I need to write my OGSM and truly ask God to give me His vision for these areas and all the ways He wants to mobilize this church.
I feel compelled not to give up on this Urban Camp idea.
Interactive Prayer:
Lord, give me the vision, the leaders, the resources, and the favor with the urban community. Give us the networking relationships needed to do something like this. Father, expand our vision and expand our ability to execute our vision. Improve our internal leadership. Give me the freedom to use my gift of vision, but also give us the laborers to execute the vision. I’m asking You as the Lord of Harvest to send our laborers. Father, I pray for this “ALL IN” group to be a turning point for Highpoint. I pray that we truly embrace serving as our purpose and pleasure. I pray that we will embrace our identity as servants. I pray that we will truly be people who love God, love people, and make disciples. Father, give us the ability to BE the Church. Father, you alone are worthy of our lives, our love, and our loyalty.
Father, protect this church from the enemy. I pray You will bind the enemy and all of his demons from attacking the people of this church and the mission of the church. I pray that You break through the opposition and give us complete and total freedom instead of fear. I pray that we will be a people of faith, forgiveness, and freedom. Father, I pray that we will fight darkness and without being hurt by the evil one. Father, give our church a breakthrough this fall. Give us the ability to truly love You and love people. Give people the ability to destroy their idols and to build your altar on top of the altars of the idols. Give us an undivided heart. Give us the power of focus. Give us the power of the Holy Spirit in and through us.
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