God's Harvest Field

‘Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”’ Matthew 9:35-38

What is your response to the lost? What is your response to people who don’t know Jesus? In Matthew 9:35-38 we see two responses to the lost from Jesus. In the first response we read of Jesus travelling through towns and villages, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and healing the sick.  

The second response we read is that when Jesus saw crowds, He had compassion on them. They were harassed, helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then Jesus looks at His disciples and tells them to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send out harvesters. The word used for ‘send out’ is a Greek word, ‘ekballo’ and it means to thrust out or forcefully send out with power. Jesus asks His disciples to pray that the Lord of the harvest would thrust out, with power and authority workers to work in His harvest field.

These two responses show us how we should respond to the lost, to the harvest that is before us. Firstly, we are called to pray! We are called to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send out harvesters in the power of the Holy Spirit into the harvest field. We are to pray that He would send them out into our spheres of influence, into our nation and to the nations. Praying for workers to be sent into unreached people groups.

Something that has really helped me is setting a reminder on my phone for 10am (based on the parallel passage in Luke 10:2).  Everyday at 10am it pops up, reminding me to pray. I pause and pray that the Lord of the harvest would send out the harvesters into the harvest field.

Secondly, we are not excused! In fact, after asking His disciples to pray for workers, Jesus then sent them out to do the very thing they prayed for (Matthew 10). They were, in effect, the answer to their own prayer! Jesus taught them to go and do what they saw Jesus demonstrate in Matt 9:35. Jesus calls us to pray but that doesn’t excuse us from being those workers ourselves. Who will you share Jesus with today? How will you proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom today? Will you pray for those who need healing today?

- Josh Raybould

Inward prayer: Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.
Prayerfully read through Matthew 10 and read the instructions Jesus sends His disciples with.

Outward prayer: Pray that you would be one of the harvesters who Jesus would send out! Ask for boldness from Holy Spirit and ask for opportunities to share Jesus! Start by writing a list of 2/3 people in your circle of influence and pray that they would have a revelation of Jesus.