Harvest Heartbeat
“Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest?’ I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”- John 4:35
Many people are surprised when they discover that my family is from New York and that I spent much of my childhood in the “Big Apple”. I tend to throw people off my scent, as I never really had that thick accent that is acquainted with our brethren from the east coast. However, there is one word that quickly gives away my New York roots. I have always pronounced the word ORANGE with an “A” instead of an “O”. The sound is what you would picture when a New Yorker says “water” or “quarter”. Based on my pronunciation, you would think this succulent fruit was spelled incorrectly or that I was messing with you, like the recent “Laurel” or “Yanny” internet debate.
Orange has been given a greater focus and deeper place in my life in this spring season. About a week ago as I was praying, I felt the Holy Spirit put this color in my mind. As I meditated on what could be the meaning, I was stirred as Pastor Joanie brought a powerfully illustrative message on the dry and rocky places of our lives being transformed by the stream of God and being filled with beautiful flowers. It was in that moment that the message of orange made sense and that the Lord was trying to plant in me a HARVEST HEARTBEAT.
With any word from the Lord, there should come a response. We are to receive and respond to the words He delivers with heartfelt worship, complete obedience, and unwavering faith. As this word was planted and has taken root in my spirit, I believe now comes the watering and blossoming of what the Lord wants to accomplish. In Isaiah 55:10-11 the Lord declares, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” What I am doing with this word has to do with believing for an amazing and abundant harvest in the places in my life, family, and church. I have committed that at times I see (and notice) orange that I am going to take a moment to pray that God’s harvest would come. This faith action is aligning my mind and spirit to the possibility of God doing the impossible and His delivering victory to our “here” and “now’s”. For me, when I see orange I will be praying for open doors; for covering over my wife and kids; for family members to be saved; for provision in our finances; and for the church to grow miraculously, even while we are on sabbatical this summer!
I want to invite you to join me on this Harvest Crusade. Would you consider over the next few months, the end of spring through summer, to utter harvest prayers when you see orange? I believe this action is choosing to do as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” Orange represents harvest: a pumpkin in the field, the leaves changing colors as they fall from the tree, and even the harvest moon that fills the sky. Yet, our natural mind often limits the idea of harvest to the fall portion of our calendar (which is about four months away). I believe that the Spirit of the Living God wants to stir within us to believe for His outpouring, His answer, and His fruit today! Our offering of these short prayers at our orange encounters become confident confessions for the places we desire life, freedom, and victory!
For some this commitment may seem intimidating and impossible to fulfill. I want you to be at peace, to operate in the Spirit’s liberty, and not turn this into some sort of religious and legalistic aerobics. This response is not about saying a prayer every time you see orange or fretting about how many times you failed to pray when seeing the color. The fact is, we all will miss a prayer from time to time…our kitchen sponge is orange, so I am going to see that multiple times a day, and in passing it often I will miss it. The key is not how many times you miss praying when you see orange, but that when you see it and are moved by the Spirit, you take a moment to offer a HARVEST PRAYER. In those times, declare a one to two sentence prayer, asking God to deliver a mighty harvest in your life. May you see people you know and love come to salvation; may you see a breakthrough in your marriage and kids; may you see an open door in getting a job or receiving a promotion; may you get clarity and peace when it comes to fulfilling God’s purpose for your life; may you grow stronger against areas of lies, doubt, lust, and fear; and may you ask the King for KEYS TO THE KINGDOM!
The Harvest is Here, our God rules from Heaven, and His perfection is available to all who ask. I am looking forward to 2 Corinthians 6:2 becoming a present promise, “In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now if the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”