RECEIVE YOUR HARVEST

By Rev. Kenneth A. Fletcher

"Excerpts from this article were originally written to our Faith Partners.

                 I 'm now lead to share these exciting truths with you also." KAF

The apostle Paul wrote to his partners in the gospel, the Philippians, in Phil. 4:15-17 "....no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account."

Receiving is an important part of spreading the gospel just as giving is. Notice he said above, "giving and receiving". Of course, our purpose in receiving is to have more resources available to distribute the life-giving message of Jesus to a lost and hurting world. You must be a giver AND a receiver to be productive in the work of the Lord. Here is what I want you to meditate on: Just as you GIVE in faith, RECEIVE in faith! In other words, just as you plant your financial seeds in faith expecting multiplied fruit, harvest your fruit by faith!

Listen, dear friend, when you plant seeds into the gospel you should expect those seeds to bring forth multiplied fruit. What many do not realize is, after planting their seeds, they walk off and leave their harvest untouched! A good while ago, the Lord gave me a short vision of fields containing un-harvested financial fruit of many years of sowing into the gospel. He said to me: "These are the fields where you have planted. You have harvested only a small amount and the majority remains."

I was shocked and amazed by this revelation! But, I clearly understood what Jesus was trying to get across to me. He wanted me to learn how to harvest my fruit so I could get more into circulation for the gospel. Now, the good news is, unlike a natural harvest, our spiritual seeds sown do not decay after a period of time. We do not lose it like a natural harvest if not reaped during a certain season. But, much like a natural farmer, we DO have to harvest them! We have to go get it and bring it into the barn. Just as we have sown the seeds by faith, we harvest the fruit by faith! Hallelujah!

Oh, it is so exciting to awake to the fact that the fruit, (that grew from the seeds you have sown and have not yet reaped), IS STILL THERE! It is still waiting for you to harvest! It is as fresh and vital as it was when it first came to maturity! Praise God! Now, just as natural fruit, your spiritual harvest   comes in a variety of forms. It can come to you in the form of material things, money gifts, favor, new jobs, promotions, customers, contracts, divine connections, relationships and many, many other ways. It can even take the form of your things not breaking down and needing repair ( which costs you money). For instance, there will be more money in your pocket because you don't have to spend a bundle on an expensive car repair. That is prosperity too!

Many times, significant harvests come to us in the form of IDEAS. Ideas are powerful! One good idea can change the whole course of your life! Though they are harvests, they are also seeds planted in our hearts. From idea seeds, many great enterprises have blossomed in every area of life. Just one God given idea is more powerful than the cumulative thought of thousands of highly paid executives. IDEAS INSPIRE VISION. VISION PRODUCES ACTION. ACTION BRINGS THE MANIFESTATION. So, you see, contained inside the "idea seed" is the harvest! What ever you do, don't throw out a good idea! Contained in it may be the key that unlocks the door to your successful future or a solution to a major problem that you are facing. Always be open and ready to respond to God's ideas. Desire them! Expect them! Believe for them to come to you, and they will!

Dare to think a new thought! Break out of the normal hum-drum drudgery of old stagnant thinking. Make receiving money, things, favor, promotions, divine connections, good deals, and positive, fresh new ideas, etc., a regular part of your thought life and your speaking! Develop your believing, thought processes, and your words to RECEIVE! Believing, thinking, and speaking right is vital in receiving. As you change your believing, thinking, and speaking, you're learning to harvest your fruit by faith! If you mess up and say something contrary to God's Word, stop and correct yourself. Don't give up! Practice it every minute of every day! If you want to bring change, YOU will have to change! I'm telling you, IT WILL WORK!

Dear friend, another important thing to remember is ONLY look to God for your harvest. Do not look to man. Never try to manipulate people. God is your source! Let Him flow through whoever and whatever He wills to bring the harvest to you.

What a blessing it is to GIVE AND RECEIVE. As you sow your seeds in faith, harvest your fruit by faith too. Earnestly expect your harvest to come to you. May you experience abundant increase in every are of your life is my prayer. Bless you! KAF