HARVEST PRINCIPLES 
Dr Barbara Jennison
Mat 13-24, “Another parable Jesus put forth saying, “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. When the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir didn’t not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath tares. He said, an enemy hath done this. The servants said, wilt thou then that we go and gather them up. But he said, Nay lest while ye gather up the tares; ye root up also the wheat with them. Let them grow together until the harvest and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn.”
There are strong principles for living and I believe we should take notice. Parables are stories that tell something. Jesus used a lot of parables to teach and train the people.
Here are some excellent illustrations
This generation is like...children sitting in the marketplace--Mat 11, 16
The Kingdom of Heaven is like…a grain of mustard seed about to be planted--Mat 13.31
The Kingdom of Heaven is like…a treasure hid in a field--Mat13, 44
The Kingdom of Heaven is like…unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls--Mat 13, 45
The Kingdom of Heaven is like…a net--Matt 13, 47
The Kingdom of Heaven is like…a man who is going out to hire men to work in his vineyard--Math 20, 1
The Kingdom of Heaven is like…a king who invited wedding guests to his son’s wedding--Mat 22, 2
Hypocrites are like…painted graves that are beautiful on the outside but full of bones inside—Mat 23, 27
Now in the Old Testament God gave us Power house examples:
The Glory of the Lord was like…a devouring fire—Ex 24, 17
God is like…a mighty man that shouts—Ps 78, 65
God is like…a shepherd—Is 40, 11
The Lord will come in chariots like… 
a whirlwind—Is 66, 15
a whirlwind—Is 66, 15God’s Word is like…fire and hammer—Jer 23, 29
I think one of the greatest Kingdom principles that we should understand are laws of the harvest. Simply put is what you sow is what you will get back. If you plant onions you will not have a harvest of vine-ripe tomatoes. If you want to change what you are reaping then you need to change what you are planting. You can change what you are reaping by changing what you are planting.
Many times we give the devil way to much credit in many parts of our lives. Let me say there is not a person who is not a farmer. Lots of the time we are responsible for problems in our lives, not the devils.
Many times our financial problems relates to undisciplined spending or keeping it all back and not giving anything for the work of His Kingdom. And our marriage has become unstable because either the husband or wife or both doesn’t honour God together or not honouring each other
Many times we don’t have many friends because we can’t keep our mouth shut and we are continually running our mouth off at the seams.
We continue to plant bad seeds and we still expect God to give us a good harvest. No, no it doesn’t work that way with God.
It’s called Study---- I like these 2 strong illustrations which tells it like it is.
A concert pianist gains a large audience because of her discipline practice that has made her no 1 in her field. She can now play to a sold out stadium where seats sell for $1200-2000.
I believe if you are going to be a good preacher of His Word you are going to have to study. Some believe all it takes is the anointing and nothing more. Then you must explain to me why God would give each of us a brain if it wasn’t to continue to learn more and more.
We must have a discipline of time that is spent with the gifts God has given you.
Gifts of God!For instance the Gifts God has given me especially my spiritual eyes. I studied much, me and God, God and me for about 2 years before I started using this gift. I sat and allowed Him to train me so I would understand exactly what He wants me to share with people. Then when I started I checked everything out before I actually started using this gift and when I did I started very slowly and just let Him bring the increase. I learned never to add or delete to what He is telling me for many people miss the mark here. God knows exactly what He wants to say and He will use you if you are willing to allow yourself to be put on the potter’s wheel for moulding shaping and making. And I might add sometimes it’s not so easy to change but what a joy to see Him touch a life using you! Do not worry about someone taking your gift because until they do what you have done, there is no way they can get it. It’s called the Price you pay!!
Some desire to be prayer warriors but don’t want the circumstances that will put them on their knees.
Some of you desire to be used of God but don’t want the trouble and conflict it takes to get there.
Some want to know more about His Word but don’t want to open the Word to study.
Zec4,10, “For who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven, they are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth.
Remember ----------
Don’t be frustrated with the small beginnings of your seed. (It will grow if you are faithful)
Don’t be frustrated with the beginnings of prayer time.( You must start somewhere and 5 minutes a day to begin with is fine, but you must everyday be faithful to those 5 minutes and after then more minutes)
Don’t be frustrated by the small amount of faith you seem to have. (If we can just believe as a little child believes then we get started)
Don’t be frustrated by the small amount of wisdom and revelation you have. (Continue to press on and God will bring you more and more)
There are Principles of being a Harvester
Learn there will always be Tares in the harvest (Conflicts)
Don’t look for quick results. (Be faithful)
Remember the Harvest Season belongs to God, not you! (Do it His way)
God’s in charge and He will do with the Harvest His way, not yours! (His Harvest is now which means ask God every day to send you someone that you can share the love of Jesus with)
Matt13,25, “But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. When the blade sprung up and brought forth fruit…there appeared tares. (In getting the harvest the best of what the seed had to offer; the bad appeared there at the same time. There are times in life when you are in the harvest but amidst that great harvest the unexpected sets in.)
Remember there will always be conflict with the wheat. There will always be the night season. Don’t think for a moment the enemy is going to roll over and just let the harvest take place in your life. And he will do everything is his power to hinder the work of the Lord. Be careful….recognize what is truly a spiritual battle and what is a bad choice. Sometimes we have problems because of our OWN planting. Watch out the enemy can slip in and plant something that was opposite of our expected harvest.
God allowed the children of Israel to watch and learn as He allowed Pharaoh heart to become hard many times. It made the children cry out to God for deliverance. Mostly we want deliverance but don’t want to suffer any way to have Him move for us. Instead God decides to test us then He brings deliverance in His way. You must learn to trust Him for everything!
Tares do not mean failure---they are pointing to a harvest that is taking place and that something good is happening. Remember if there isn’t opposition you probably aren’t doing much to advance His Kingdom.
Quick fixes, no I don’t think so!
Math 13, 28-29, “He said unto them, an enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, nay, lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Sometimes we make wrong choices when we become tired and slow from the harvest. Then we make wrong choices and 24 hours later we wish we had not made those choices. Women are very emotional and sometimes our emotions will try to be steady but don’t give in to do something quick. Quick fixes can be very destructive. The Word shows us several places where things went wrong.
Moses tried to help God in his flesh and murdered a man and caused him to run to the desert for a 40 year detour.
Naomi and her family fleeing in time of famine.
Sometimes you do the right thing at the wrong time. You can be right and still be wrong. If you lose your sense of timing it will come to nothing. Let God’s timing take care of everything. It’s not that God is not dealing with it but He will let those tares remain in your life until the timing is right.
All seasons belong to God for He is the author and finisher of our faith.
Mat 13, 30, “Let them both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn.”
There will always be tares in the harvest don’t think they will be gone tomorrow. The wheat and tares are always in God’s seasons. Neither in control for God is in charge. When the time comes the tares will be burnt up in the fire.
Don’t let division choke you!
Don’t let your lack of faith keep you from going and doing!
Don’t make bad choices keeping your courage from rising up!
Don’t let the tares take away your God given vision!
Believe this! There is coming a time in your life when all of the attacks of the devils and the attacks of the tares are going to be put under your feet.
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