UNENDING WEEKS OF HARVEST We are approaching the end of the year again. The season of gathering and making assessment of our takings, gains or harvest for the year 2013 is knocking at the door already. Very soon accounts of how we faired for the year may soon be prepared by those in charge to show if business went well or did not. Once this is done rewards or dividends would then go to those who did well. The house of God is not left out of this. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth saying: 1 Cor. 16:1-2 (KJV) Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. [2] Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. Every true child of God who believes that it was God that gave him or her power to accomplish what he or she had accomplished for the year, must take time to assess how well God had prospered him or her. We are all commanded to thank or appreciate God behind our successes and achievements. Thanking God is a command to all believers to do. The Bible says: 2 Thes. 1:3 (KJV) We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; Appreciating God for ourselves or for someone else is not just right but also a duty or debt that we owe God. The Living Bible version says: 2 Thes. 1:3 (Living) Dear brothers, giving thanks to God for you is not only the right thing to do, but it is our duty to God because of the really wonderful way your faith has grown and because of your growing love for each other. God considers ingratitude as a criminal offence since it robs God of His entitlement. Infact, it is strongly believed that you do not have right to ask God for another blessing when you have not appreciated Him for the past one. We must give appreciation a place in our relationship with God if we want to advance in the things of the Kingdom. Aristotle, one of the world’s greatest philosophers categorized friendship in three groups. According to him, friendship either involves a state of character or a virtue. There are three kinds of friendship. These are based on pleasure in another’s company (friendship of pleasure), or on usefulness in association (friendship of utility), or on mutual admiration (friendship of virtue). All are essential to good life, and the best sorts of friends will not only admire each other’s excellence, but take pleasure in each other’s company and find their association of a mutual advantage. God considers us as His friends as long as we do His will here on earth. Jesus said: John 15:14 (KJV) Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. As His friends God wants us to be warm towards Him. Unfortunately man treats God shabbily (meanly) instead of warmly. Do you know that it was those He considered as friends that betrayed Him? The Bible says: Matthew 26:50 (KJV) And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. Zech. 13:6 (KJV) And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Jesus showed love to those who never treated Him well. The nails, grave and cross were cruel yet He bore them for our sakes to show His love towards us. He paid the debt He did not owe all to show His love for us. Glory be to God (Jn 3:16). It is better to appreciate God for the things we cannot have than to have the things we cannot appreciate Him for. We lose so much from God when we refuse to appreciate Him for all His benefits, including the ones we have not received. The Bible says: Ephes. 5:20 (KJV) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; If you have not been thanking God for all things you had better begin because it is the secret of booking an accommodation in the heart of God. It is a major doorway into doing the will of God without stress. The Bible says: 1 Thes. 5:18 (KJV) In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Do you see why you cannot exhaust praising and thanking God? The more you praise God the more He does for you. The owner of a large department store offered a prize of $5,000 to the one giving the best answer to the question: “How can my business be most speedily and surely improved?” Many students of economics submitted different lengthy answers. Roy McCardell received a cheque for $5,000 for simply writing on a postal card, “Tell your clerks to say ‘Thank you!’ ” One day, I was meditating on offering thanks and appreciation to God, when I heard in my spirit, Thanking God is a plus, and not a minus! But why? I discovered that: • Gratitude to God makes you live longer than unthankful people. Those who thank God carry a joyful spirit which brings healing to them. Gratitude helps you to live happier and healthier; it helps to heal you emotionally. It is hard to find a happy person who is not grateful to the one who made him happy. Psalm 42:11 (KJV) Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Proverbs 15:13 (KJV) A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:15 (KJV) All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Proverbs 17:22 (KJV) A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a persons strength. Cheerfulness is a medicine on its own. God’s Word version says it is a good medicine. Proverbs 17:22 (GW) A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains ones strength. Can you see why thankfulness is a plus and not a minus? It is a plus in marriage, on the table, on the bed of sickness, in the examination hall, on the pulpit and wherever you find yourself in life. Why not try it and see? The Bible says: Eccles. 9:7 (KJV) Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. • Gratitude to God makes you conscious of what you have than what you do not have. It makes you count your blessings and forget your sorrows and woes. Oprah Winfrey said, Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. Gratitude is like removing the wrapping sheet from a wedding gift to behold what is covered from the receiver. It makes the receiver more happy and exciting over the gift or present inside. Thanksgiving is a cart that pulls along all those who are merry and ready to celebrate with you. Happy people attract happy people like them. People tend to gather around those who are ready to thank God and celebrate. Neh. 12:43 (KJV) Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. Luke 15:6 (KJV) And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. • God bestows more grace upon those who are thankful to Him. Thankfulness comes from the humble soul. In other words it takes humility to fall before the altar of God and thank Him from the depth of your heart. Proud people find it difficult to kneel or fall before God in expression of appreciation of what He has done for them. Pride slays thanksgiving, but a humble mind is the soil where thanksgiving freely grows. It is this humility of mind that attracts grace from God. The Bible says: James 4:6 (KJV) But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Humility begets gratitude but pride begets ingratitude (Lk 18:9-14). • Your gratitude can bring you in covenant with God. As part of His providence and good pleasure towards His people, God has reserved for us a feast of harvest. This is available to all His saints as a compensation agenda for leaving all and choosing to serve Him. God is arranging an elongated feast of harvest as we approach the close of the year. This feast had been in the days of the law, and still exists till today, the days of grace. It is a time to rest from your labour as the year draws to a close. The Bible says: Exodus 23:16 (KJV) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. My prayer for you this month is that the season of harvest you now enter would blot out every memory of failures, defeats, difficulties, tears and regrets that you ever encountered in the past months of 2013. Thank God the year is ending well for His children. Every investment you had made that seemed as though you were just wasting your time shall begin to pay off as you start to count your harvests in multiples of weeks. The Bible says: Jeremiah 5:24 (KJV) …the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. When the season of harvest comes in Israel, they enjoyed an uninterrupted seven weeks of harvest in which no rain falls so that they can properly do their harvesting of the crops that are ripe for harvest. God (who controls times and seasons), in His providence and power, ensured each year that the rain does not interrupt His children, who have, before now, been sowing their seeds. It is the harvest break (rainless period) that ushers in the weeks of harvest in Israel. The seven weeks between Passover and Pentecost, on the seventeenth of Nisan began the weeks of harvest in Israel each year. The Bible says: Deut. 16:9 (KJV) Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. Beginning from this month of November, God is about to give you a break of evil rain to allow you enter into your appointed weeks of harvest. All your labours shall be rewarded with bumper harvest this month in Jesus name. The Bible says: Psalm 126:6 (KJV) He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. May God grant you the privilege and opportunity to begin the celebration of your weeks of harvest this month in the name of Jesus. God is set to restore every thing you have lost since the beginning of this year. Usually the time of harvest is a time of restoration. For instance it was the time of harvest that the Philistines returned the captured ark. The Bible says: 1 Samuel 6:13 (KJV) And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. I declare to someone reading this bulletin that in this month of unending weeks of harvest everything that the enemy has captured or stolen from you shall be restored back to you in Jesus name. God will crown you with joy as you behold the restoration of your divine entitlements. When Israel saw the captured ark being returned in the weeks of harvest they rejoiced with exceeding gladness. May you see what will make you rejoice this month in the mighty name of Jesus. God shall bring you to the Beth-shemesh (meaning house of the sun) where you will behold the restoration of all your missing blessings. The sun shall arise and usher you into a new dispensation of your life in the name of Jesus Christ. May the harvest-kind of joy break forth in your life this month in the name of Jesus. The harvest-kind of joy is an extraordinary kind of joy that emerges from the substance that is available to you after the pains and labour of sowing and waiting patiently for the harvest. It is the joy of manifestation of your long awaited dream. The Bible says: Isaiah 9:3 (KJV) …they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. You have wept long enough; God shall interpret your tears and baptise you with the desires of your heart. The outcome of all the tears which you invested during your sowing season is joy unspeakable. The Bible says: Psalm 126:5-6 (KJV) They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. [6] He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. WHAT IS HARVEST? Harvest is: • The ingathering of the fruits of your field. It is the gathering of the ripe fruits of your field. The Bible says: Mark 4:29 (KJV) But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. Proverbs 10:5 (KJV) He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. • A time of celebration and rest from labour. The Bible says: Exodus 34:21-22 (KJV) Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest. [22] And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the years end. • The yield or proceed from a single planting season. It is the yield or gain that falls to you in a particular season or time. The Bible says: Genesis 8:22 (KJV) While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. • The result of any exertion (travail) of the physical or mental energy of an individual or group. It can also be the consequence of an effort or activity. For instance, the harvest of love in a family. It is possible to experience the rain in one place while in the other it is dry. It is also possible for one person to experience harvest in one place while the other is not. The Bible says: Amos 4:7 (KJV) And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. The condition of your heaven is paramount to the quantity and quality of the harvest that accrues to you in a particular season. What is the condition of your heaven? Check and deal with it immediately. It is the condition of your heaven that determines the type of harvest that you receive. The Bible says: Deut. 28:23-24 (KJV) And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. [24] The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. God shall blast the heaven open for your sake and pour out abundance of rain that would prosper your harvest this month in the name of Jesus. God shall release upon you the former and the latter rain to favour your harvest this year in Jesus name. Joel 2:23 (KJV) Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. Deut. 11:14 (KJV) That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. THE FEAST OF WEEKS EXPLAINED The Feast of Weeks, also known as Harvest (Exodus 23:16), Shavuot (Hebrew), the Day of Firstfruits (Numbers 28:26), or Pentecost, was a festival of joy and thanksgiving celebrating the completion of the harvest season. It was the second major feast in which all able-bodied Jewish males were required to attend (the other two being Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles). It was celebrated as a Sabbath with rest from ordinary labours and the calling of a holy convocation (Leviticus 23:21; Numbers 28:26). Essentially a harvest celebration, the term weeks was used to describe the period from the grain harvest to the barley harvest and finally to the wheat harvest. It is called the Feast of Weeks because God specifically told the sons of Jacob that they were to count seven sevens of weeks (seven complete weeks) from Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:9), and then on the morrow this fourth feast was to be observed (Luke 23:16). Seven sevens of weeks are forty-nine days. Add one additional day (on the morrow), and it brings the total number of days to fifty. This fourth feast was to occur precisely fifty days after Firstfruits (Christs resurrection). Therefore, the feast was given the name Pentecost (Acts 2:1) which means fifty. On this occasion, the children of Israel were not to simply bring the firstfruits of the wheat to the Temple (as they brought the firstfruit of the barley at the Feast of Firstfruits), but rather two loaves of bread. These two loaves were specifically commanded to be made with fine flour and baked with leaven (Leviticus 23:17), and they were to be used as a wave offering for the people. These two loaves, however, could not be eaten until after the ceremony was completed (Leviticus 23:14; Joshua 5:10-11) and could not be placed on the altar due to its leaven content. In addition to the wave offering, two lambs, one young bull, and two rams were to be offered as burnt offerings before the Lord (Leviticus 23:15-22; Numbers 28:26-31). The feast was concluded by the eating of communal meals to which the poor, the stranger, and the Levites were invited. What Does It All Mean? The Feast of Weeks is a symbolic festival which pointed to the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Church. The Son of God arose from the grave on Firstfruits. He then spent forty days with His disciples in post-resurrection ministry (Acts 1:3). Immediately after forty days, Jesus informed them that it was necessary that He leave them and ascend to His Father in Heaven (in order to apply the benefits of His once and for all sacrifice). However, He told His disciples that they would not be left abandoned and comfortless. He would then send them His Holy Spirit who would come alongside to help in His absence (John 14:16-17). The disciples were commanded to tarry at Jerusalem until He came (Acts 1:4), and they knew exactly how long they would have to wait. The coming of the Holy Spirit would occur on the next Jewish holiday - a festive time when Jews from different countries were to be in Jerusalem to celebrate the completion of the harvest season. This annual feast was none other than Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks. The disciples waited as they were commanded; however, their wait was not long - only ten days. And then it happened. The Spirit of God descended on those first-century believers. The two loaves which were brought to the Temple represented both Jew and Gentile; however they became one in Christ with the advent of the Spirits coming. Writing to the Ephesian believers, Paul said: Ephes. 2:14-16 (KJV) For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; [15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; [16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: There was to be leaven in those two loaves, for the Church had not yet been glorified. During this age, there is still sin within the Church. On the other hand, the Church (the body) still has leaven within her. Therefore, leaven was to be included in those two loaves. HOW TO ENTER INTO YOUR WEEKS OF HARVEST 1. Understand the seasons and times. Seeds are seasonal; they grow in their seasons. Choose the season and seed that would grow in the season. 2. Sow into it. Take advantage of the season and sow into it. 3. Patiently wait for it. Waiting helps you renew your strength. 4. Ask for rain from above to water your seed. 5. Protect your seed as it grows so that strangers will not tamper with the tender grapes. (Song 2:13, 15). 6. Reap your ripe fruits and enter into your celebration. 7. Offer thanksgiving unto God You shall no more experience scarcity of harvest but succession of harvests- one harvest shall meet another one in your life in the name of Jesus. The Bible says: Genesis 8:22 (KJV) While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Amos 9:13 (Living) The time will come when there will be such abundance of crops that the harvesttime will scarcely end before the farmer starts again to sow another crop, and the terraces of grapes upon the hills of Israel will drip sweet wine! Get ready the feast or celebration of harvests is here at last. God shall empower you to gather substance upon substance this month of November in Jesus name. BREAKTHROUGH PRAYER POINTS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, 2013 1. Every serpent planning to swallow up everything that I have worked for this year, fall down and die. 2. My Father! If there is anything in my foundation that would deny me the privilege of celebrating the weeks of harvest, send your divine fire and purge it now in the name of Jesus. 3. My Father! Arise; declare a season of unending harvest in my life now. 4. O Lord, give me power to eat from the harvest which I have laboured for. 5. Enemies of my harvest! What are you waiting for? Release my harvest and die. 6. Every hungry mouth waiting for my harvest! Your time is up; fall down and die. 7. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest my expectation shall not be dashed in pieces. 8. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest every set up to upset or provoke those assigned to bless me must expire by fire. 9. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest I will not end up as a casualty in the battlefield. 10. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest the God of Rehoboth shall enlarge my coast and make room for me. 11. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest I shall not be a victim of wasters and emptier of destiny. 12. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest the voice of accuser shall not stop me at the altar of blessing. 13. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest I shall not sow for another man to harvest; I shall not labour in vain. 14. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest the terror of God shall go with me and my family in the journey of life. 15. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest God shall reward me double for my trouble. 16. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest my helpers shall not be tired of blessing me. 17. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest my helpers shall not die unexpectedly. 18. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest my prayer shall not be unfamiliar to the throne of grace. 19. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest I shall not be a victim of counterfeit blessings. 20. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest my net shall not catch the fish that would drown my boat. 21. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest every demonic mouth that Satan has ordained to suck my milk and honey shall die by fire. 22. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest I shall not travel with leaking hands and pockets. 23. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest I shall not be a candidate of bad luck. 24. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest my name shall not be covered. 25. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest one harvest shall meet another harvest. I shall enjoy the feast on harvests. 26. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest my God shall arise and position me where I would reap all the benefits due to me. 27. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest God shall bring me to the place of the fulfilment of my harvest dreams. 28. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest every satanic embargo of my father’s house must expire by fire. 29. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest God shall settle me with extra-ordinary blessing. 30. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest my God shall open the womb of good things of life for me. 31. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest all my harvest which has been transferred to the top of evil tree shall be returned by fire. 32. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest every illegal bank in dark kingdom holding on to my riches and wealth, shall be released to me by fire. 33. Every anti-harvest dream working against my ability to collect my harvest in full, expire now. 34. My Father! I am tired of the old dance; arise, change my dancing steps by fire. 35. My Father! Arise; order my steps from poverty to prosperity. Give me a super-abundant supply this month. 36. O Thou that changes times and seasons! Arise; change time for my sake. 37. My Father! As I begin to pray; arise, launch me into my personal Shiloh by fire. 38. My days of adversity and tears! What are you waiting for? Expire now by fire. 39. Overturning power! Intervene; turn my situation around by fire. 40. My days of fruitless toil! What are you waiting for? Expire by fire. 41. Holy Ghost! Incubate my life and grow me above my expectation by fire. 42. That which I carry but has not manifested in my life! What are you waiting for? Manifest now by fire. 43. Every shoe and dress of poverty attached to my destiny! I yank you out by fire. 44. Every power labouring to stop me from breaking through to the paradise of my dream, die by fire. 45. O Lord! Arise, lift me into the paradise of my dream by fire. 46. Any dark personality that has donated himself or herself as witchcraft broom to sweep away my harvest, die by fire. 47. My Father in heaven! Arise; open the next chapter of my life now. 48. Every good dream that has been swallowed up by the bad one, be vomited now by fire. 49. In this month of Unending Weeks of Harvest my God shall surprise me and give me a mountain dance. 50. Any power assigned to swallow up my harvest, your time is up, die by fire.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 08:50:07 +0000
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