Harvest is a season of God’s provision and blessing. Everyone loves harvest, but most people don’t tell you… harvest is hard! In Matthew 9:35-38 Jesus says, “...the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field.”

Harvest was never meant to be a solo provision. It represents a kingdom outcome. Harvest is not about us getting the bounty, it’s about the kingdom getting fed and nourished, and growing to its full potential.

There are three cycles of a harvest:

Decide and Commit: You decide to plant seeds and commit to do what it takes to help seeds grow. As believers this is where we get serious in our commitment to Jesus.
Nurture and Prune: You’re doing the work, watering and tilling the soil, but nothing seems to be happening. You may see some growth, and then suddenly God cuts off what you saw or painfully rearranges your circumstances. Without pruning, the harvest can’t come.
Trust and Harvest: We can’t cause the sun to shine or rain to fall, only God can. We must trust and depend on Him for the harvest!

The Apostle Peter grew in the cycle of harvest. If it weren’t for each stage that he experienced, the harvest we see in the book of Acts would never have come to pass.

Harvest Principle #1: Harvests don’t happen at the end of growth, they develop during and through the growth.

In Acts 1:12-17 we see Peter in his “trust and harvest” stage as his first move is administrative! Not the action or glamor we’d think, but necessary for the kingdom of God to grow.

Harvest Principle #2: Harvest requires picking fruit and then squeezing so something valuable comes from the squeeze.

In Acts 2:14-17 and verse 36, we see Peter lead thousands of souls to Jesus, and then courageously say something he would have been afraid to say before his pruning stage of harvest. He boldly confronted the people he spoke to, which led them to repentance and baptism.

Harvest Principle #3: When reaping and gleaning we don’t always understand how or why good things happen.

Acts 3:6-10 shows a man receiving healing in a supernatural way. Healing is a part of harvest. Sometimes it’s our own healing; or an internal, external, or eternal healing for someone else.

Harvest Principle #4: When you commit to being one of the workers for the harvest, the enemy will come against you and try to silence you, but keep on gleaning.

Acts 4:29-31 shows how the enemy tried to silence Peter and John, but God’s voice was strong within them, and changed the world through this harvest.

GUTSY FAITH RESOURCES:

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Episode 98: The Truth About Harvest Seasons