John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Every so often, a pastor or prophet somewhere starts talking about an end time harvest of souls that is to come in the last days. Many ministries have dedicated themselves to praying for the lost and preparing for this sudden influx of new converts. Of course none of that is biblical. As Jesus himself stated the Harvest is already here, and its been here and ready for over 2000 years.
Jesus instructions to the church was not to pray for the harvest, but in fact to pray for the labourers in the field. Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
The word so calmly translated as “send forth” is the Greek word, “Ekballa” (Strongs 1544), which is the same word used to describe the casting out of devils from a person (Mark 16:17). In essence Jesus is asking us to pray to violently eject labourers into the harvest to work.
Many times we are the answers to the very prayers we are praying. We are the ones who are supposed to go out and love the very people we are asking God to comfort. We are the ones who are supposed to go touch the people we have been asking God to touch. And those people who we think should hear the Gospel are waiting on us also.
Prayer is certainly important but unfortunately, most people use prayer as a religious substitute and excuse for their own inaction. Hence, we must pray for them, rather than praying for souls in a Harvest that is ready and waiting.
Amen
Amen