Introduction.

Mt 9:37,38 "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest".

Jesus commanded us to pray for the harvest. Prayer for the harvest is not an option.

John 4:35 Do not say "There are 4 months and then comes the harvest. Behold I say to you , lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for the harvest".

Below are 5 reasons why we must pray of the harvest:-

1. THE HARVEST IS "NOW"

    
DO NOT POSTPONE TO TOMORROW WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY

THE BEST TIME TO DO SOMETHING WORTHWHILE IS BETWEEN
YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW
    

We are living in the last of the last days. "Do not say 4 months".

I would like to share with you the lyrics of my song "Mighty Winds" in the album "Every Time I Pray"

"Mighty Winds" by Wah Lok, 2000.

Two thousand years have passed, This is the hour
He promised to return in awesome power
It's closer than we think, We better not dream
Prepare your hearts and bring the harvest in.

Set your eyes on the fields, the harvest is ripe
Send your laborers out and gather them in
The time is now, Tomorrow, we may never see
Prepare your hearts and bring the harvest in.

Chorus:-

Mighty Winds are blowing, Latter rains are pouring
The Spirit of the Lord is over the earth
Nations are proclaiming, Millions are declaring
Jesus Christ is Lord.

While recording the album "Every Time I Pray", the Holy Spirit constantly reminded me, "The time is now. The harvest is now. Jesus is coming soon". The song "Mighty Winds" was written in response to what he Holy Spirit spoke to me. We need to "Prepare our hearts and bring the harvest in".

2. THE HARVEST IS RIPE

    
ALL IT TAKES FOR EVIL TO ABOUND IS FOR GOOD
MEN TO DO NOTHING
  

If a fruit is ripe and it is not plucked, it will drop and be destroyed. All over the world, people are hungry for the Gospel. Today, we see many religions in the world having a positive growth.

Table 1 Growth of major religions

Religion Growth Rate (%)

Islam 2.7
Hinduism 2.2
Buddhism 1.7
Christianity 6.9

People are searching for God. They are ripe for harvest. Will we be fast enough to pluck the fruit when it is ripe ? If we are slow, we will lose the souls to other faiths.

3. THE HARVEST WILL BE DESTROYED

Joel 1:11 Be ashamed you farmers. Wail, you vine dressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field has perished.

During the dark ages between 300 AD to 1500 AD, Christianity lost ground to other religions because of the backslidden state of the church. Most of the areas where Paul won for Christ were lost to other major religions. The harvest was destroyed because of the backsliden state of the Church.

Rev 14:15 speaks of the harvest being ripe and the impending judgement. The harvest was destroyed.

"Thrust your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe".

4. THE HARVEST MUST BE SEEN.

   
WE DO NOT SEE BECAUSE WE SEE WITH OUR EYES
BUT NOT WITH OUR HEARTS.

"Lift up your eyes and look at the fields"

The problem with Christians is that many are asleep and others do not care.

a) Asleep - We don't see

b) Apathy. - We don't care

   
THE SOUL WITHOUT PRAYER IS LIKE LUNGS WITHOUT AIR

Prayer allows God to change our hearts and open our eyes to the harvest.

5. THE LABORERS MUST BE SENT

   
WHAT IS SO DIFFUCULT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE WORD "GO"
   

Isa 6:8 Whom shall I send and who will go for us ? Then I said, "Here am I, send me".

Rom 10:14b, 15 " How shall they hear without a preacher ? How shall they preach unless they are sent ………..How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring good tidings of good things"

Most of the world cannot be reached unless people are sent to do cross- culture evangelism. People must be sent.

The unreached people

1.2 billion people living in the least evangelized nations.

This group receives 4% of church money and 8000 missionaries. The balance of 96% of church money is spent on the most evangelized parts of the world. The least evangelized parts of the world has been seriously neglected.

Will the Church stand in judgement before God for this serious neglect ?

Conclusion.

Who will pray for the lost in the last days ?