Harvest of Souls
12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” Romans 10:12-15
2024 IS THE YEAR OF BLESSING || Be Fruitful and Multiply
A year to steward more of the Lord’s voice, presence, purpose and authority
We have TENDED the Garden of Our Hearts
We have SOWN the Seeds of Blessing
We have resolved to ABIDE in Christ and bear His fruit alone
Now we look to HARVEST the Fruit of Blessing
The Commission
East Gate, today you are being commissioned. Today you are being sent to Bethlehem to reap the Harvest of Souls.
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? Matthew 16:24-26
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts. Galatians 5:24
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1
Ask Holy Spirit, what part of my flesh is still calling the shots?
Evangelism and Discipleship will cost you.
IT IS HARVEST SEASON! AND IT IS TIME TO GET TO WORK!
WE ARE READY FOR HARVEST!
We are ready for Jesus to come and put a demand on the fruit He has sown in us.
We are ready to go out and harvest the city of Bethlehem.
How do we begin to harvest in a city? The answer is evangelism.
What is Evangelism?
It is sharing the good news or the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Greek word: Euangelion (you-on-gue-li-on)
What does this mean?
The kingdom of God is here. Jesus is the King of this Kingdom. He desires to expand His Kingdom with us. But we as humans have a sin problem, which keeps us from right relationship with God. However, God had a solution to this sin problem. So God the Father, sent His only son to live a perfect life and become sin for us. On the cross He became sin, paid our debt, died a sinner's death and 3 days later rose again. As a result of what He did on the cross, He took care of our sin and washed it all away. Now, we can be with Him in right relationship and prepare for His return and His perfect Kingdom to be established here on earth.
This was the Gospel that Jesus preached Himself and the one that His apostles preached and is still being preached today!
This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace. Colossians 1:6
This is the simplicity of the gospel. You are sharing the testimony that has changed your life from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
Three things to Note about Evangelism:
1.When we evangelize we walk in obedience to Jesus.
Matthew 28:18-20
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
When we share the gospel we walk in obedience to His commands and our obedience pleases Him.
2. We don’t need to be an evangelist to evangelize.
Evangelists don’t just exist to do the work for us, they exist to do the work of the evangelist and help equip the church to do the same!
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13
3. When you evangelize you GO in His authority.
“I have been given all authority on heaven and on earth…therefore go!”. Matthew 28: 18-19
We don’t go out in OUR authority! We go out in the authority of JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH!
7 ways to start authentically sharing the Gospel today:
Prioritize your daily secret place
When we set apart time and space to meet with God, Holy Spirit responds to our expectancy with His presence. When we make the secret place our priority, we become the place where Heaven touches Earth.
You can’t give from what you do not have.
But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” Acts 3:6
Ask the Lord to show you THE ONE daily!
As you go out in the world, ask the Lord for the one He has set apart to hear the good news.
Pray in faith and then be aware of the Lord’s prompting
Respond in obedience to the Lord
Don’t be afraid to take risks.
Obedience = Success
6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:6-9
Be a man or woman the Lord can trust with His voice
Share as you go about your day
Don’t over complicate things
You don’t need to pencil this in. Make it a part of your daily life.
Start small
Jesus loves you!
Jesus has a plan for your life!
Paying for someone’s meal or coffee
It is ok to do it afraid!
Practice sharing the gospel in 2 minutes
Practice sharing your testimony in 2 minutes
Outline for the your testimony:
Who I was apart from God
What God did
Who I am now as a result of God
11 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
Go out with a friend
And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. Mark 6:7-13
Ministry Moment:
Prayer for BOLDNESS
DECLARING HIS WORD: “Those who have never been told about Him will see,
and those who have never heard of Him will understand.”
20 My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. 21 I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says, “Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand.” Romans 15:20-21
