Laborers are Few
The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. --Matthew 9:37
When the Lord Jesus made this statement, it reflected His compassion for the multitude and also the condition of unbelief and commitment to doing the works of Christ at the time. To say that this condition still exists today would be the understatement of the year. Despite an estimated world population of several billion people, there are very few people who walk or are truly seeking to walk in the fullness of the Spirit and power of God--to be true laborers for Christ. In order to be laborers for the harvest, we must operate in the power of God. Souls are not won by words alone--but by the demonstration of the power of God. [1 Corinthians 4:20; 1 Thessalonians 1:5]
After Jesus made the statement of Matthew 9:37, He went up to a mountain to pray all night [Mark 3:13]. The next day, the Lord returned and ordained the twelve disciples, and gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sicknesses and all manner of disease. [Matthew 10:1] In the next verses, Jesus sent them forth as laborers for the harvest. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Freely you have received, freely give. As I mentioned previously, this command was re-issued just prior to His ascension to Heaven and continues to be in effect today.
1 Corinthians 3:9 says: For we are laborers together with God. Our mission or co-mission is to bring revelation of Jesus Christ to the world so that people whom have not yet received Christ will hear the gospel message of forgiveness of sins and restoration of peace with God. How do we bring revelation of Jesus Christ to the world? The same way Jesus brought revelation of the Father to Israel--by teaching, preaching, and healing. [Matthew 9: 35] How do we begin to teach, preach, and heal like Jesus did? The same way Jesus did--by being led by the Spirit of God. Romans 8:14 says, For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Be Led by the Spirit
How do we get to the point where we are led by the Spirit of God? The same way Jesus did--by being baptized by the Spirit and anointed with power [Acts 10:38]. Remember that Jesus did not perform one miracle until He was baptized with the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, the 120 people in the upper room were all baptized with the Spirit and endued with power--the same power of Christ. The Bible says that this promise of the Holy Spirit is for everyone. For the promise is unto you, and to you children, and to all that afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. [Acts 2:39]
Being baptized with the Spirit is only the beginning of being led by the Spirit. Many people are okay with being led by the Spirit as long as it doesn't interfere with their busy schedule. God forbid that we miss an evening workout, lunch, or a favorite television show to do the works of Christ. God should be more considerate than this and work His will to make it convenient for us, right? Please don't take offense at my sarcasm as I am only trying to illustrate how self-centered most of us are (and I include myself in this group). We must yield to His will and not our own, which means we have to make sacrifices for the sake of the gospel. Does anyone remember these verses of Scripture? If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. [Matthew 16:24-25]
Jesus denied Himself and became a humble servant of the Father (Philippians 2:5-8). He put aside His own needs for the sake of the will of the Father, and to serve the people He came to save. Jesus didn't do it begrudgingly, but with enthusiasm and pleasure knowing He was doing the will of His Father. Jesus said in John 4:34, in response to His disciples' encouragement to eat: My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Jesus denied Himself food, rest, and private times--all because He was committed to doing the will of the Father. Again, the Lord didn't do this with a chip on His shoulder--He did it with pleasure. It was no minor inconvenience for God to send His only begotten Son to die for people that were His enemies, so that He could restore their relationship with Him. [Romans 5:6-11] Take pleasure in knowing that you have been called to serve the Most High God--even if it means that you miss an episode of American Idol or Survivor. The model prayer in Matthew 6:10 says: Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Often, His will gets in the way of our own lives, but in order to be truly led by the Spirit, we must allow Him to lead us--not the other way around. When my wife leads a horse out to the pasture, she has the rope and dictates where the horse will go. That's what leading is all about--allowing God to hold the rope and take you where He wants you to go.
Spend Time in Fellowship
Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18
In order to be completely led by the Spirit of God, we must get to know Him through thoughtful and prayerful study of the word of God with meditation as well. As with any other human relationship, it takes time to develop an understanding of His will and purpose for you. Often our prayer life is very one-sided--with just us doing the talking. There isn't much of a relationship when only one person is doing the talking. We have to listen as well--not with our physical ears, but with our spiritual ones. God speaks to our hearts. The Bible says: The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. [Romans 8:16] When you pray, wait for a response--especially when asking for guidance on a matter. I have found that the Lord answers oftentimes, before we finish asking the question. It is therefore vitally important for us to be sensitive to His voice as it appears in our hearts.
When you search the gospels, you will find that the Lord devoted a lot of time for prayer. Prayer keeps us in tune with the Spirit--to be fully aware of His will. Prayer also consecrates and prepares us for service to God--especially when praying in the spirit or in tongues. When you pray in tongues, an anointing is released by the Spirit that edifies your spirit [1 Corinthians 14:2, 4]. In order to obey the Scripture and pray without ceasing, we must be constantly sensitive to His presence. The Holy Spirit wants to be involved in every aspect of your life--not just in spiritual things, but in all things [John 14:26; 16:13].
Just the other week, I was preparing to drive 200 miles to my parents for the weekend. As is my custom, just prior to leaving, I was in prayer, asking the Lord for protection for our journey. The Spirit quickly told me to check the oil in my car--that it was low. I checked it and sure enough, it was a quart low. I can cite many other incidents where the Lord has given me information to help me--not with spiritual things, but also with natural
Have you ever lost your keys or misplaced some papers? Have you ever faced a problem at work that you just couldn't figure out? Ask Him for help. The Bible says: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids (scolds) not; and it shall be given him. [James 1:5] Then, once you have asked God for help, listen for His answer immediately and trust it (obviously it must line up with God's word). The Lord has helped me find keys, papers, checks, and many other things--just because I asked Him for help. Friends, the Spirit is there--and He's ready to help you in all things. By the same token, we must be ready to go with Him when He calls us to do so.
Be Faithful and Obedient
But he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not. --1 John 5:18
The devil wants to prevent you from walking in the Spirit and living out God's purpose for your life. He accomplishes this the same way he was able to trick Eve in the garden--by getting you to focus on yourself. Sickness, worry, money problems, and other stressful things are devices the devil uses to keep you focused on yourself instead of on the Spirit and doing the works of Christ. However, the devil can only use these things as tools. Inevitably, you make the choice to receive them and dwell on them. The Bible says: I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live. That you may love the Lord your God, and that you may obey his voice, and that you may cleave unto him. For he is your life, and the length of your days. That you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore unto your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. [Deuteronomy 30:19-20]
God has given us a choice: obey His word and receive life and blessing; or disobey His word and receive death and cursing. Being completely faithful and obedient to Him and His word is vital to living in complete victory. I was asking the Lord the other day about achieving the fullness of God and He said: "When My people walk in the fullness of humility, obedience, and faith in My word, they shall walk in the fullness of My power." This is why Jesus was able to walk in the fullness of the Spirit--not because He was God, but because He demonstrated these attributes always. Jesus lived a sinless life because He chose to live a sinless life [Philippians 2: 5-8]. Sin doesn't only turn us away from God, but it allows the devil to come in and place sicknesses, fear, poverty, and worries in our lives--all to thwart our attention from fulfilling the fullness of God's promises. If you read the Scripture concerning the temptation of Jesus [Matthew 4; Luke 4], you will see that God allowed this temptation to test these three attributes (faith, obedience, and humility). I'll address the fourth attack in the next section. Read 1 John 5:18 above again. If a man keeps himself, meaning if he obeys the word of God, the devil cannot touch him. God's promise to us is that He will never leave nor forsake us [Hebrews 13:5], but through disobedience, we step away from the protective covering that is in Christ. This is why we must cleave to God--always.
Remember Who You Are in Christ
And you are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. --Colossians 2:10
Our position in Christ is very powerful. Because this power is brought forth by faith, the devil wants to steal the faith in our identity in Christ; therefore, binding the power thereof. If the body of Christ can just grasp this truth: We are complete in Him. [Colossians 2:10] We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. [Philippians 4:13] We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. [Romans 8:37] We shall do greater works than Jesus did, because He went to the Father. [John 14:12]
Jesus knew exactly Who He was--even as a child. We must remember and walk in the knowledge of who we are in Christ. This is a demonstration of great faith--knowing who you are in Christ. When Jesus was being tempted by the devil, Satan tried to steal the Lord's faith in Who He was. If you remember in Matthew 3:17 when the Father spoke concerning Jesus: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. What were Satan's words during the temptation? If you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. If you be the Son of God, cast yourself down... [Matthew 4:3, 6] The devil was doing to Jesus was he does to everyone--trying to get Him to doubt God's word.
He didn't say, "Because you are the Son of God." No, he said, "If you are the Son of God" Satan's been pounding this doubt in all of our minds for years, succeeding in creating skepticism of who we are in Christ. This is why it is so vitally important to meditate on God's word--to burn it in your hearts so that when (and I say when not if) the devil comes to steal it, you will know God's word is the truth and tell Satan he is a liar. Yea, let God be true and every man a liar. [Romans 3:4] The reason the Lord led me to write the initial teaching for this series "Your Christian Identity" first was because we must know--not just believe--but know who we are in Christ before we can seek to operate in any power afforded His representatives.
Freely Give
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. --Acts 3:6
Once you have come to the revelation that in Christ and by the anointing of the Holy Spirit you possess the same power Jesus had, seek to use it for the benefit of others--and not for show or for your own benefit. In Christ, you possess the cure for all diseases, so don't you want to see the sick healed, the lame to walk, the blind to see, and the deaf to hear? Let the Spirit of God build your compassion for people and lead you to pray for them, to lay hands on the sick, to preach faith and healing, then watch the Lord take over and you will see the awesome results--often right before your very eyes! All the Lord needs is two people to agree to touch anything on earth, and it will be done by the Father in Heaven. [Matthew 18:19] Don't be afraid to step out in faith. No one ever accomplished anything without first beginning to do it. Peter never would have walked on the water had he not taken the first step from the boat. Just do it! Jesus loves everyone and He wants you, as His representatives, to display this great love by reaching out to people as He did during His ministry. As I said in last week's teaching, God is not moved by need, but by faith. Your faith is demonstrated by not only what you say--although when you speak the word of God, faith will come [Romans 10:17] but more importantly in what you do [James 2:18].
The Word of Your Testimony
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. --Revelation 12:11
Take the opportunity to talk to people about the healing power of Christ. Give them testimonies of how the Lord has worked through your life or in the life of someone you know. Our testimonies are very powerful in stimulating faith in someone else and bringing them to the saving and healing knowledge of our Lord. The testimony of one woman concerning Jesus virtually brought an entire city to the Lord. In John 4, Jesus and His disciples traveled to the city of Samaria called Sychar (v.5). There, he met the Samaritan woman at the well. After Jesus had spoken to her, the woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that I ever did. Is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city and came unto him. (v.28-30) And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. (v. 39) And many more believed because of his own word. (v. 41)
Your testimony combined with God's word will ignite the faith to be saved, healed, delivered, comforted, or encouraged in a person who is willing to receive it. Share what the Lord has done for people. People love to hear about miracles and when you can provide testimony of how the Lord worked a miracle through you, then their faith will be stirred up even more. When the apostle Paul was preaching in Lystra and observed a man crippled from birth, he perceived that the man had the faith to be healed, so Paul commanded the man to stand up and the man leaped up and walked. [Acts 14:8-10] The man's healing had nothing to do with Paul's power, but it was a result of his faith in the gospel. All Paul did was agree with him and set in motion the manifestation of the man's healing.
Please remember this: Our primary goal is to lead others to the saving knowledge of Christ. After you have prayed for and/or ministered to a person, ask them if they are saved. If they are not, encourage them to make Jesus their Lord and Savior right then. Too many of us aren't leading people to Christ when their spirits are willing; but instead they only invite them to their church to be saved. Friends, the Bible doesn't say that you can only be saved in church. I was born again in my bedroom--with no one there but Jesus and me. There is no set formula for leading someone to Christ--only knowing that Christ died on a cross for your sins and rose again to give us victory. Here's a quick prayer to remember when leading someone to Christ: "Dear God, I'm a sinner and I am without the ability to have relationship with you in my own goodness. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment I deserved and I now receive the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. I confess that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and that I am a new creature. In the name of Jesus, Amen."
Fruit That Remains
I want to share two great miracles the Lord performed through me recently. If you remember in part one of this teaching ("Freely You Have Received, Freely Give") I told you how the Lord sent me to the hospital to pray for the woman with pneumonia. Four days later, on Thursday, I attended a men's Bible study meeting with a friend of mine at the church he attends. Other than my friend, I knew no one there. After the class was over, we were sitting in a circle and the men began praying around the room. When one of the men started praying, the Lord gave me a vision of this man's back. It looked just like an X-ray and in his lower back, the X-ray was cloudy. The Lord spoke to me and said, "I want you to pray for this man and I will heal him." I'll say this nowthere was no visible evidence of this man having a back injury; and neither did he say anything to this effect that would have led me to know this information. After the class dismissed, I approached the man and asked him if he had a back problem. He said, "Yes, I do."
I then told him of the vision and what the Lord had said to me and asked him if he believed the Lord was going to heal him. Again, he said, "Yes, I do."
I asked him to turn around and when he did, I placed my hand on his lower back, feeling a back brace underneath his shirt. I began to pray as the Lord led and declared him healed in the name of Jesus.
The Lord then told me to ask the man, "What haven't you been able to do since your injury?"
He replied, "I haven't been able to jump up and down without severe pain."
I told him, "Jump up and down."
He began jumping in the parking lot and he had no pain. Hallelujah! He was healed instantly! I spoke to my friend the next week and he informed me that this man was no longer wearing the back brace.
The second occurred just two weeks agowhen another friend emailed me saying that he would be going to the doctor the next day for a biopsy on his prostate gland. He had been suffering with a bladder problem for several weeks, forcing him to wear a catheter. The doctor had told him that his prostate was enlarged and he was concerned about prostate cancer. I called him immediately and offered to come and pray for him. He agreed and I went to his house. During the drive, the Lord gave me a word of knowledge about a situation that had been going on in this man's life--something I was not aware of. When I arrived, I began telling my friend about all the awesome things the Lord had been doing through me--how people were getting healed and delivered. I then began speaking faith and healing to him. While speaking, I felt the anointing of God rising up in me. Apparently, the Lord had told my friend as well, because he blurted out, "I'm ready for you to pray for me." I had brought some anointing oil with me, so I anointed his head and began to pray. As I prayed, the Lord again gave me a vision. I actually saw his prostate shrinking. The Lord gave me another word of knowledge about some pain in his back (again I didn't know this); then the Lord began to speak prophetically through me. I'd tell you what He said, but for the sake of space, the word involved the situation my friend was going through and that the Lord delivered him from the torment of it. My friend's back pain was gone and his face, because of the deliverance, looked different as if it were glowing. I told him to have the doctor check his prostate again before the biopsy and call me as soon as he came back from the doctor. He sent me an email the next day informing me that his prostate was normal. Hallelujah!
