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TIME to Think HARVEST! An 8-Day Prayer Focus |
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May 22, 2008
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 entry ways 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 (Ex 23:16; 34:22; Lev 23:15-21; Num 28:26-31; Deut 16:9-12; and 2 Chron 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 (Lev. 23:9-14; 2 Sam. 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 (Ex 23:16; 34:22; Num 28:26-31; Deut 16:9-14; Lev 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 (Ex 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 (Ps 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 (Gen 8:22; 45:6). Our lives should be aligned and reconciled around a harvest mentality (Gen 30:14; Josh 3:15; Judg 15:1; Ruth 1:22; 2:23; 1 Sam 6:13; 2 Sam 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:
- A season of gathering (Zech. 8).
- A season of judgment (Jer. 51:33, Joel 3:13, Rev 14:15).
- A season of grace (Jer. 8:20).
- A time for the Good News to be heard (Mt. 9:37-38; Jn. 4:35).
- An end of a season or age and the beginning of a new season of provision (Mt. 13:39).
We must understand that Harvest has a process:
- The seed was broadcast and plowed under in late winter.
- Prayer was offered for rain – the early and the latter rain (Zech. 10).
- The grain was grasped and cut with the sickle (Deut. 16:9 and Mark 4:29).
- The grain was gathered into sheaves (Deut 24:5).
- The grain was taken to the threshing floor.
- Tools were used for threshing. You have tools for harvest.
- The grain was winnowed (tossed in the air). Let the wind blow away your chaff.
- The remaining grain was shaken into a sieve (Amos 9:9). Some of you are in this process.
- The grain was brought into the storehouse. Find your storehouse.
Your Harvest must be protected because Harvest has major enemies:
- Drought. Ask the Lord to identify and break all your dryness.
- Locust invasion. Ask the Lord to remove any devouring in your harvest.
- Plant diseases (mold, mildew). Ask the Lord to remove any mold in your life.
- Hot, scorching winds. Ask the Lord to turn any adverse winds.
- 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 First Fruits” (Num. 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 (Ex. 22:29; Lev. 2:12-16; Num. 18:12; Deut. 18:4; 2 Chr. 31:5; Neh. 10:35,37,39; Prov. 3:9; Jer. 2:3; Rom. 11:16). At this time, the Lord was credited as the source of rain and fertility (Jer. 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.
SPECIAL PENTECOST WEEKEND: JUNE 6-8
I am so looking forward to our Pentecost Weekend on June 6-8. WE
HAVE PLOWED THE NEW LAND AND WILL JOURNEY THERE TO DEDICATE AND PLANT SCRIPTURES
AND ENJOY BAPTISM! We will begin on Friday night at 7:30 PM, meet all day
Saturday, and continue on Sunday till around 6 PM. Joining Robert Heidler
and me will be Barbara Yoder, Ray Hughes, John & Sheryl Price,
and Diane Buker. We will have extravagant worship and
celebration, strategies for increase, and miracles of harvest explained. We
would love for you to join us, so sign up now for this gathering as space
is limited. Registration is $20 per person.
You can register online at www.gloryofzion.org or by calling (888) 965-1099 or (940) 382-7231. Prophetic, Deliverance and Healing Ministry will be available. Many of you will also want to join us by webcast. That cost is $20 and you can register by clicking here. Issachar School students can receive credit for this weekend gathering. For details, please write issacharschool[at]gloryofzion.org or call 1-888-965-1099.
Included in our Pentecost Weekend will be our monthly MINISTRY TRAINING. So, if you cannot attend on Friday night or Saturday, you can still register for the Ministry Training on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 PM. Robert Heidler and I will be teaching on “How Holy Spirit Produces Increase.” The cost is $10. You can register for the Ministry Training by calling (888) 965-1099 or (940) 382-7231. To register for the webcast, please click here.
(Note: If you have already registered for the Pentecost Weekend Gathering, you do NOT need to register separately for the Ministry Training as this is already included in your registration.)
This is a time for harvest praying. The following 8-Day Prayer Focus will help you to understand and enter into this harvest season.
Blessings,
Chuck D. Pierce
8-Day Prayer Focus
Day 1: Read Hosea 6, especially v. 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 v. 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 Gen 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 v. 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 Sam. 12, especially v. 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 Prov 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.
Key Resources for this Time:
Crossing Over with "I AM" by the Glory of Zion Worship Team
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This 11-track worship CD includes two songs birthed during Tuesday morning early prayer, “Exalt the Lord our Maker” and “It is a Sure Thing”, plus your other favorites from the Crossing Over and I AM: Burn with Me CDs! The complete track list is: We Marched All Night, The Best is Yet Ahead, Jump in the River, Jude 24 (Now to Him Who is Able), I Just Wanna Dance, The Oven, Psalm 144, Behold the Lamb, I Am: Burn with Me, Exalt the Lord Our Maker, and A Sure Thing. ($12) |
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Contending for a New Beginning by the Glory of Zion International Worship Team
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This newest CD of the GZI Worship Team was released at the Starting the Year Off Right Conference. Beginning with “The Swords Will Contend” and ending with “Don’t Forget”, these 10 songs will stir your spirit and renew a zeal to war for the “new” the Lord has for you in 2008. Allow the sound and words on this recording to “Expose You” and separate yourself for the King as a “Spotless Bride”. Then get ready to “Clap Your Hands” and shout “Yes I Will” as you “Run to the Shadow” of the fiery angels’ wings. By the time you are done, your spirit man will be shouting “Let Me Outta Here” so you can “Shift” and be “Ready to Fly”! Allow this CD to propel you into your new beginning. Special: ($12) |
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Harvest Anointing Oil & Candle Set
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The Harvest Candle and Anointing Oil represent the mindset that God is developing at this time in His people. We must move into a mindset of multiplication and harvest. Anoint your home, business, church, and friends with this anointing. Trim your wick and get ready for a visitation and increase! Candle with 1 oz. Anointing Oil Roll-on: $20;
Candle with 2 oz. Anointing Oil Bottle: $24 |
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Experiencing the Spirit by Robert Heidler
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Possessing Your Inheritance by Chuck D. Pierce and Rebecca Wagner Sytsema
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The Issachar School - The Next Move of God: Recognizing the Wind of the Spirit by Robert Heidler and Chuck D. Pierce
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These and many other resources can be ordered by going to www.gloryofzion.org or by calling (888) 965-1099 or (940) 382-7231.