A Time to Think Harvest! (Pierce)

“A Time to Think Harvest! An 8-Day Prayer Focus. Don’t Miss the Celebration of Pentecost!

by Chuck Pierce, Glory of Zion Ministries”
Reprinted by permission from https://www.elijahlist.com/ email: info@elijahlist.net

Dear Saints of Change:

This is truly the time to let go of the sorrows and losses of the past season to receive joy and experience a release into your future. In the biblical Hebraic timetable, we have just entered the Pentecost season. We must make a “shift” in our minds and thinking processes toward HARVEST.

The Spirit of God is developing and molding the shape or outline of our future. He is giving direction, meaning, and definition to how we will move and be in the days ahead. Our spiritual life is being disciplined so our mental performance will exceed our creativity levels of the past. New ideas are being conceived. We must see what training we need to advance as a new, sharp instrument. We are being rearranged so we have a distinctive, new appearance.

In 1 Corinthians 16:8, Paul purposed to stay at Ephesus until Pentecost because an effectual door was opened to him for his ministry. There are many new gates or doors forming and being seen by God’s people at this time. However, many enemies are behind these entryways into our future. But the Lord says: “Do not focus on your enemies during this season, but watch the new openings form and be ready to enter into new opportunities that will fully change your life as of NOW! I will give you grace over your enemies.”

UNDERSTANDING PENTECOST
The Pentecost Feast was known as the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Leviticus 23:15-21; Numbers 28:26-31; Deuteronomy 16:9-12; and 2 Chronicles 8:13).

This feast was observed in late May or early June, 50 days after the offering of the barley sheaf at the Feast of Unleavened Bread during Passover. Passover is a time to remember our Deliverance. Pentecost is a time to thank God for our blessings, abundance and rejoice over harvest.

Characteristics of this time include: Joy, Happiness and Celebration. During this Feast, you enter into a time of offering concerning the Firstfruit Dedication (Leviticus 23:9-14; 2 Samuel 21:9-10; Ruth 2:23). This is the Feast to thank God for His abundance, which represents blessing.

In the New Testament there are three references to Pentecost. Other than 1 Corinthians 16:8, and Acts 20:16, the most common reference is Acts 2:1. On this day, after the resurrection and ascension of Christ, the disciples were gathered in a house in Jerusalem, and were visited with signs from Heaven. The Holy Spirit descended upon them, and new life, power and blessing were evident. The 120 turned to 3,000 in one day. Ask for your 120 to turn to 3,000!

The early Christian believers who were gathered in Jerusalem for observance of this feast experienced the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit in a miraculous way. Peter explained that this was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel.

This feast was also known as the Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Numbers 28:26-31; Deuteronomy 16:9-14; Leviticus 23:15-22).

The first sheaf offered at Passover and the two leavened loaves at Pentecost marked the beginning and ending of the grain harvest, and sanctified the whole harvest season. The purpose of this feast was to commemorate the completion of the grain harvest. Its distinguishing feature was the offering of “two leavened loaves” made from the new corn of the completed harvest, which, with “two lambs,” were waved before the Lord as a thank offering. Pentecost also was the time of the giving of the law on Sinai (Exodus 12:2,19).

At Pentecost, the Lord wrote the law on our hearts and initiated the Church Age. This became the first Feast that Christians participated in and celebrated. This should be a time of celebration each year. I believe the understanding of this Feast is very important. The spiritual aspect of this is necessary if we are to multiply. Read Psalm 147:14. Recognize that the Lord had given you the best for the year ahead (Psalm 147:14) and present a portion to Him.

TIME FOR HARVEST!
Most of us do not understand harvest time. Because of our complex lives, we are far removed from the actual production of our food supplies and the origination of the source of our provision. The harvest was a most important season (Genesis 8:22; 45:6). Our lives should be aligned and reconciled around a harvest mentality (Genesis 30:14; Joshua 3:15; Judges 15:1; Ruth 1:22; 2:23; 1 Samuel 6:13; 2 Samuel 21:9; 23:13).

Revisit and review when you or your family bloodline had a breakthrough and moved forward in some type of harvest shift and mentality. I decree that you will see when any curse entered your bloodline to rob you. Let the Lord remind you of the events that came to kill, steal, and destroy your harvest progression!

Allow this to be:
1. A season of gathering (Zechariah 8).
2. A season of judgment (Jeremiah 51:33, Joel 3:13, Revelation 14:15).
3. A season of grace (Jeremiah 8:20).
4. A time for the Good News to be heard (Matthew 9:37-38; John 4:35).
5. An end of a season or age and the beginning of a new season of provision (Matthew 13:39).

We must understand that Harvest has a process:
1. The seed was broadcast and plowed under in late winter.
2. Prayer was offered for rain–the early and the latter rain (Zechariah 10).
3. The grain was grasped and cut with the sickle (Deuteronomy 16:9 and Mark 4:29).
4. The grain was gathered into sheaves.
5. The grain was taken to the threshing floor.
6. Tools were used for threshing. You have tools for harvest.
7. The grain was winnowed (tossed in the air). Let the wind blow away your chaff.
8. The remaining grain was shaken into a sieve (Amos 9:9). Some of you are in this process.
9. The grain was brought into the storehouse. Find your storehouse.

Your Harvest must be protected because Harvest has major enemies:
1. Drought. Ask the Lord to identify and break all your dryness.
2. Locust invasion. Ask the Lord to remove any devouring in your harvest.
3. Plant diseases (mold, mildew). Ask the Lord to remove any mold in your life.
4. Hot, scorching winds. Ask the Lord to turn any adverse winds.
5. War. The enemy wanted to live off the land. Declare that any enemy that has eaten your harvest will run out of your land.

FIRSTFRUITS: A KEY TO BLESSING
This feast was also called the “Day of Firstfruits” (Numbers 28:26) because it marked the beginning of the time in which people were to bring offerings of firstfruits. It was a feast of joy and thanksgiving for the completion of the harvest season. Then these offerings were presented as a “wave offering” for the people. The first ripe fruit, grapes, grain, oil, wine, and the first of fleece, were required as an offering (Exodus 22:29; Leviticus 2:12-16; Numbers 18:12; Deuteronomy 18:4; 2 Chronicles 31:5; Nehemiah 10:35,37,39; Proverbs 3:9; Jeremiah 2:3; Romans 11:16).

At this time, the Lord was credited as the source of rain and fertility (Jeremiah 5:24). In the New Testament the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), at the festive time when Jews from different countries were in Jerusalem to celebrate this annual feast. The interval between Pentecost and tabernacles was the time for offering firstfruits. Ask the Lord for your firstfruit offering.

8-Day Prayer Focus
This is a time for harvest praying. The following 8-Day Prayer Focus will help you to understand and enter into this harvest season:

Day 1: Read Hosea 6, especially verse 11. Ask the Lord to revive and raise you up. Ask Him to reveal your harvest to you. “Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you, when I return the captives of My people.”

Day 2: Read Exodus 23, especially verse 16. “And the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors which you have sown in the field, and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your labors from the field.” Thank God for His leading. Be willing to follow Him. Thank Him that He has given you firstfruits.

Day 3: Read Genesis 2 and 8:22. “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” Ask the Lord to reveal your harvest season to you.

Day 4: Read John 16:7, 13. The old Jewish festival obtained a new significance for the Christian Church by the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you new and fresh.

Day 5: Read John 17. Take Communion. Ask the Lord to reveal any horizontal relationships that are not right.

Day 6: Read Job 5, especially verse 5. “Because the hungry eat up his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and a snare snatches their substance.” Ask the Lord to show you how the enemy has had access to your harvest.

Day 7: Read 1 Samuel 12, especially verse 17. “Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for yourselves.” Ask the Lord if there are any judgments on your harvest.

Day 8: Read Proverbs 6:8. The harvest mentality of ants is mentioned as a lesson for the sluggard. Break any apathy that is stopping you from moving forward. Memorize Proverbs 20:4. “The lazy man will not plow because of winter; he will beg during harvest and have nothing.” Ask the Lord to reveal any area of laziness in your life that has stopped you from plowing. Meditate on Proverbs 10:5. “He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.” Break a spirit of slumber. Ask the Lord if you have rested when you should have gathered.

Blessings,

Chuck D. Pierce
Glory of Zion Ministries