7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
9 And let us not grow weary (weak and fail {in heart}) while doing good, for in due season (Occasion, a set or proper time) we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (KJV uses faint which means relax or to loosen)
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:6-10 NKJV
There is a lot going on with this scripture or letter Paul is writing. I want to zero in on the part of not losing faith and confidence in the process.
There are times we have all had a feeling of a continual struggle, a feeling of being washed out. I tend to feel as if I have ridden off in all directions. I have found myself praying and asking God to help me because I feel used up. My prayer is that I need a fresh wave of inspiration and anointing to just wash over me. I tend to feel like an empty ditch, I need a rain. You know the feeling I’m sure. Oh, I haven’t stopped praying. I have been anointed greatly. I know God is near. I set in my office some time ago and I told God that I don’t want to go through life feeling empty or like I could care less. Why do I feel that I am wrung out? It was at that moment of asking God what‘s up with me? I heard Him loud and clear.
I didn’t hear an audible voice but I felt like God started speaking from my heart into my mind.
It was if He said, “You have just come through a season of planting and sowing now think about that.” I got to thinking about the last several months and all that this church has been doing. I can truly say we have not been turned in on ourselves as a church. A great majority of you have put your shoulder to the wheel and pushed for some time now. As I set there going over all the feelings and thoughts God seemed to whisper it’s like you have just planted a large crop. The labor is intense and the work trying, but the seed is getting in the ground. Though we can’t see the fruit, if you will have faith and confidence in the seed, the promise is that in due season there will be a crop.
Having planted a large garden several times, a smile and a sigh of contentment escaped my lips as I realized I understood the feelings I was now dealing with. I know what it is like to work hard in preparing and planting. There is that heavy tired, used up feeling that come from the labor. The wind has blown dust into my eyes and my lips are chapped. The sun and wind has reddened my face and there is dirt in my shoes. But as the day ends I know that with time, rain, and sunshine there will be a good crop. I will have to work to get a harvest but the sowing is finished now it’s up to the process that God set in order to make it happen.
Understand, you have put your shoulder to the wheel and there has been a lot of seed shown that time will show for it. The seeds will come up. If you are feeling a little used up and spent, it natural, it’s supposed to feel that way. Just don’t become so weary in doing good you faint and give up. There are times that after the seed has been planted that there is nothing you can do but wait. You can’t plow, you can’t cultivate, you can’t weed, you can only wait on the seed to come up.
During that time don’t get impatience and do something that will ruin the coming harvest. Understand there is power in the germination of seeds. Just don’t lose focus waiting on the seed to come up. Don’t become weary in well doing. So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Galatians 6:9 The Message
I have list some things we need to be on guard about as we join with what God is doing and expecting the season to produce a harvest. There are some things that fatigue will produce in our daily living if we don’t pay attention to what is going on. Don’t get caught stirring the soil where seeds have been sown. Here are some things to remember.
· Our attitude must stay right.
If there is anything that can hinder ones faith and destroy your effectiveness in the kingdom of God it is a bad attitude. Regardless of the environment if there is a wrong attitude it will stop faith and revival in one’s life. If left unchecked it will either cause you to be pushed aside or if others buy into your spirit you become a hindrance to the church, the family of God. This is dangerous for your soul. Studies have shown that it is possible for two businesses, two teams, or two churches to have the same resources, abilities, education, revelation, money and talent but have drastically different results. Attitude determines the results. The attitude must be correct to have the results of blessings, deliverance, power and revival.
· Keep your confidence and faith alive even when discouraged.
There will be times when your faith is staggered but make sure that you don’t lose that faith and confidence. We must continue to believe in the product. When we believe in the produce we will be a great sales person. You will never persuade someone to come to church where you don’t believe in. It’s our confidence that builds expectation and hope that great things are happening and the next service or the next person we tell about the Lord will start that spiritual avalanche. Confidence makes us lose a gloomy, oh-hum attitude. Faith and confidence makes you have success in your evangelism efforts.
· Worship and praise to Jesus must always be part of our life.
When we enter His courts it must always be with praise and worship. If we want to see people moved towards God we must make sure that God is worshiped and praised.
In Numbers 33 the Lord instructed Israel that when they came to the promise land that were to tear down the heathen altars and high places. High places were erected by those who controlled the land. Altars were built there to the god of the land holder. The owner of the land and the god worshiped were distinguished by these places. In other words, the titleholder of the high places also possessed the land. The owner’s god would be worshiped throughout all the land adjoining the high places. God told Israel to tear down the high places and the altars. He told them to build an altar to the one true God so that the worship would change the surroundings. When sinners come into the House of God it has to be full of the praise and worship to the one true God. Every great soul-saving, church changing, miracle-working revival, worship and praise to the one true God is the bottom line of that congregation. It causes those with other altars in their life to tear them down and run to the real Lord in repentance.
As God moves and increases the borders of your life and the church, we must be on guard not to allow anything to move us. I know there are times you feel washed out and washed up. So do I. All those feelings are natural to those who are laboring but understand them for what they are. It may be that the seeds you planted have not come up yet but the changing season will make the field look totally different. We must; Keep our trust in God and make sure we are not a hindrance to what God is doing.
Don’t become weary in doing right and faint by the wayside. There is a blessing coming if you don’t.
We saw some of the harvest this weekend when another person, (Jessica) was Baptized in Jesus Name. To God be the glory!
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