Prophetic Joy by guest- Kathy Essig

Prophetic Joy

Prophetic Joy is a feeling of celebrating God's presence, even when there is longing. It's a type of joy that can be experienced during Advent, and it's based on the idea that God's kingdom is woven together through invisible threads, even in times of longing. In the Bible, joy is described as a feeling of happiness and good pleasure that comes from the Holy Spirit, and is dependent on who Jesus is, rather than on circumstances or who we are. The Bible mentions two types of joy: joy in spite of circumstances, and joy because of circumstances. Some Bible verses that mention joy include: John 15:11: "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" Galatians 5:22: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness" Proverbs 17:22: "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones" Here are some ways that prophetic joy is expressed in Christianity and Judaism:, Christianity In Christianity, prophetic joy is a profound experience of God's presence that transforms the understanding of earth and heaven. Joy in God is the basis for joy in ministry. Judaism In Judaism, joy is often connected with God and is known as simcha b'shamayim, or joy of heaven. Joy can be found in everyday moments and shared through kindness or laughter. What is the most joyful thing you’ve ever experienced? For Elizabeth, it was the experience of finally being pregnant after a lifetime of barrenness. Sure, pregnancy is a common enough occurrence, but not for everyone. She was well past childbearing years, and yet God chose Elizabeth to be the recipient of one of the birthing miracles we read about in scripture. (Luke chapter 1 and 2). However, because her story is so intertwined with the one about Mary, the details of Elizabeth’s encounters with the divine are often overshadowed. It is my passion and my calling to shine a light on the stories of biblical women who have so much to teach the whole church. Another woman from the Old Testament, Hannah experienced in her barrenness and how her birthing of Samuel set in motion a multi-generational line of faithfulness that was part of God’s plan to pave the way for the Messiah’s birth 1,000 years later. Elizabeth’s experience is more a culmination of a long life of righteous living before God. (I Samuel Chapter 1). Luke 1 is the only place in scripture where we read about Elizabeth, yet her influence is evident in the life of her son, John the Baptist, and in Mary of Nazareth. I encourage you to read Luke 1 for yourself to get the full story, and so you can put into context the details I want to emphasize here. Hasty travel brings prophetic joy As soon as Mary was told by the angel Gabriel that she was going to have baby Jesus and that her older relative Elizabeth was also miraculously pregnant, Mary “went with haste” to Elizabeth’s house (see Luke 1:39). In my mind, this shows that Mary chose Elizabeth to be the first person with whom she would share her news. I also believe it implies that Elizabeth and Mary had a strong, loving bond, that Mary knew Elizabeth would receive her with open arms. Then the scripture provides the familiar detail about Elizabeth’s reaction to Mary’s arrival, yet have we truly grasped the full meaning of it? Here are some of the things God chose a woman–specifically Elizabeth–to be the FIRST to experience: Mary’s greeting when she arrived at Elizabeth’s caused the baby in Elizabeth to leap, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth is the first person in the New Testament to be filled with the Holy Spirit. In addition to the miraculous pregnancies both these women are experiencing, Elizabeth is also given prophetic knowledge about Mary’s pregnancy–the first person in scripture to know about it (other than Mary herself), to confirm it verbally to Mary, and to rejoice with Mary about it. Can you even imagine the utter joy in that moment? I can just hear the squeals of glee, can’t you? This makes Elizabeth the first person to speak a prophetic word in the New Testament–and it was the joyful news about something only women can do: give birth! (Note: it wasn’t Elizabeth’s priest husband, Zechariah, and it wasn’t Mary’s fiancé, Joseph, who were the ones to confirm Mary’s pregnancy!) I encourage you to consider what these “firsts” say about what God can choose women to do. Mentoring Lessons A number of mentoring lessons are revealed in Elizabeth’s “loud” statement as well: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” The older Elizabeth verbally acknowledges God’s work in the younger Mary’s life. The older Elizabeth humbly receives the presence of the divine brought to them by the younger Mary. The older Elizabeth listened to the younger Mary and experienced a unique inner joy. The older Elizabeth confirmed the younger Mary’s experience of hearing a specific message from God, affirmed Mary’s belief in God’s plan, and reaffirmed her own relationship to God. When God wants to communicate a first-time, joy-filled message (even prophetic), sometimes the best choice is a woman’s voice! “What’s the most joyful thing you’ve ever experienced?” An Accidental Classic Did you know that “Joy to the World” was not written as a Christmas carol? In its original form, it had nothing to do with Christmas. It wasn’t even written to be a song. Isaac Watts was one of the great hymn writers in church history, and I guess nothing shows that better than the fact that he wrote one of his most famous hymns by accident. In 1719, Watts published a book of poems in which each poem was based on a psalm. But rather than just translate the original Old Testament texts, he adjusted them to refer more explicitly to the work of Jesus as it had been revealed in the New Testament. One of those poems was an adaptation of Psalm 98. Watts interpreted this psalm as a celebration of Jesus’s role as King of both his church and the whole world. More than a century later, the second half of this poem was slightly adapted and set to music to give us what has become one of the most famous of all Christmas carols: Joy to the World Joy to the world! The Lord is come Let earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing Joy to the Earth! The Saviour reigns Let men their songs employ While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat the sounding joy No more let sins and sorrow grow Nor thorns infest the ground He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found Far as the curse is found Far as, far as, the curse is found He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love And wonders of His love And wonders, wonders, of His love! Isaac Watts How Joy Flows Borrowing a few lyrics from this wonderful hymn, here’s how I think the joy of God flows out from our hearts into civilization: Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room The Holy Spirit miraculously transforms us through our relationship with Jesus, giving us the joy of God in mind, heart, and life. Let Men Their Songs Employ Because God made human beings as social creatures, this joy of God is not locked up in an isolated heart; it flows among us and transforms how we relate to one another. Let Earth Receive Her King The church is the special community of people who are undergoing this transformative work, and the Spirit uses the distinct life of the church to further that work by means of doctrine, devotion, and stewardship. He Comes to Make His Blessings Flow We live most of our lives out in the world, among people who are not (yet) being transformed in this special way. How we live in the world should manifest the change the Spirit is working in us, carrying the impact of the joy of God “far as the curse is found.” He Rules the World with Truth and Grace As we learn to manifest the Spirit’s work in our hearts through the ways we live in the world, the portions of the world that are under our stewardship start to flourish more fully—not in a way that directly redeems people, because only personal regeneration can save a human being, but in a way that makes the world more like it should be and delivers intense experiences of God’s joy to our neighbors. Father, I pray for each one reading these words. May we learn from the lesson of prophetic joy. One word can change a life forever. We choose joy and to celebrate ! In the name of Yeshua. Amen

2024 New Year Prophesy

Happy New Year! Our hope is not in the new year, but in the One Who makes all things new!! These are great times of transition in the Body of Christ! We have entered into the New Millennium, the 3rd day and the 7th day. There are major things happening that we have prayed for and prophesied over the years. These are exciting times, but they are also stressful times. The old wine skin is not able to take us where God is heading with the Church. We are making a paradigm shift to a new wine skin. The Lord says this is the new you, not the new year. New thoughts, new thinking, new actions, new blessings, new ideas, new resources, everything I have already given you - abundantly more. Today is the beginning of the New you, says the Lord. Yes, we are crossing over. And as the Hebrew priests put their foot in the water. And Scripture says: So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), 16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away [e]at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So. the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan. We are there crossing over into the New. And the waters will roll back to the beginning. This is a bold prophetic declaration, the entirety of the finished work of the cross of Christ ! Jesus, the sacrifice of Himself to the cross, cuts off, by His death, the root cause & reason for sin in mankind, all the way back (a great distance away) to Adam! (Gen. 3, esp. V 15; Rom. 5:10-20; I Cor. 15:21-22; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:14). One of Jesus’ final words from the cross … Tetelestai – It Is Finished!! (John. 19:30). This Greek word carries the more full definition, It has been completed! Jesus utterly dealt with everything, and so rolled everything all the way back to Adam, the very reason death even exists, even the very issue of wrath, of judgment taken care of for the believer! And this is where we rest in the New Year, It is the revelation of inheritance. You have crossed over!! Rejoice and be Glad.

THE THREE MAGI

The stars sang on that holy night and the NIGHT WIND BLEW... While the shepherds watched the sheep, the wise Kings watched the stars. Placing ourselves inside the Scriptures allows us to look allegorically and also see beyond the first layers of the natural occasion. We can begin to realize that these same principles can happen within us. Hey, you can choose to worry about the Covid variant, Armageddon, and National Disasters or many other things -- OR... just flip the switch and focus on possibilities of your NOW. Where will you be when everyone else is claiming doom and gloom? God WILL GUIDE you. Even the very universe itself provided their directional guidance of the star that led the three wise men to the Savior of the world. These Wise Men came from the east for only ONE purpose... to WORSHIP HIM. They traveled together. 
 These Kings probably arrived when Jesus was about two or three years old. When the magi arrived at the house, Jesus is referred to as a "young Child" (Matt. 2:11). The Greek word used here is paidion (not brephos, translated as "baby" when referring to Jesus in Luke 2:12 and 16). That means that the Wise men worshiped Jesus in a house, not at the manager, as is commonly depicted. Vatican archives tell of the Syriac story (1,700 years old) about the original Magi, and this recently translated text says that these kings are descendants of Adam and Eve's third son, Seth. Tradition says that it was Caspar (Gaspar), a king from Tarsus (present day Southern Turkey) brought the gift of Gold. Melchior (from Persia) brought frankincense. The gift of Myrrh was given by Balthazar, a King from Saba (present day Yemen). Other legends give different names. 

 Strong tradition says that there were three, but since the Bible does not say how many Kings, we have no way of knowing. It's interesting that we know they gave three gifts. Also, it's clear that these gifts provided the financial means necessary to sustain Joseph, Mary and Jesus for a long and expensive journey into Egypt that would where they would stay for a considerable time. What is important is that theirs was a journey of trust; they heard and obeyed. They searched to find the Promise. Why? TO WORSHIP. 

 TODAY, let's see these THREE MEN TRAVELING TOGETHER to REPRESENT OUR THREE-FOLD NATURE - SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY. Each of these faucets of our humanity must unite and progress together on the journey of our life. One of the most important revelations a believer can have is the understanding that we were created by God with three distinct parts: spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess. 5:23). 
 According to the Bible, these three Kings came to worship! Our full nature must worship -- TOGETHER. Salvation is ongoing. It is not just spiritual! We also bring along our soul (our personality, conscience, mind, will, and emotions) and our body (our feelings, 5 senses, health, and needs of comfort). And our whole being must discover and worship the Savior. Even our intellect can praise Him. 

 Every day is another revelation. Praise and worship unwrap the swaddling clothes that covers our minds. Worship allows our body's renewal. The new creation (2 Cor. 5:17-18) moves together as we become aware of how to function in wholeness. The Christian life isn't a process of "getting something from God" -- it's a process of progressing in wholeness. It is a three-part journey of worship! 
 For the purpose of this article, each king represents a facet of our being that brings Gifts of Worship. But many believers have LOST the real purpose of worship. Worship is NOT music. Music is merely one vehicle to help us get into God's presence. Worship is clearly about the giving of yourself. Romans 12:1, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to OFFER YOUR BODIES AS LIVING SACRIFICES, HOLY AND PLEASING TO GOD--THIS IS YOUR SPIRITUAL ACT OF WORSHIP." The Message Translation says, "Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering." 

 EVERYTHING YOU ARE AND EVERYTHING YOU DO IS WORSHIP. This year let's let us bring our prophetic gifts to the Lord. The greatest gift that we can offer to Jesus this season is the tribute of wholeness of our spirit, our soul, and our body. This is a chance to leave the past behind and let it only contribute to the strength you have now. Look in your ever-present now with abiding faith and allow what needs to be healed to be healed at last. A new and engaging future awaits. 

 The Gifts They Brought Had Spiritual Significance: 

 1. THE GIFT OF WORSHIP FROM YOUR SPIRIT IS GOLD. The word "gold" originates from the Sanskrit term meaning "to shine." It is a type of Divinity. GOLD IS THE SYMBOL OF KINGSHIP. When your spirit worships Jesus, it is as a gift of gold. It represents the acknowledgement of His Deity, and the acceptance of Him as King and Chief Apostle, Emmanuel -- God in the flesh. Release your human SPIRIT and offer worship of communion and peace -- of intimacy and presence to the King. And receive the infinite fullness and boundless abundance of all that God is. 

 2. THE GIFT OF WORSHIP FROM YOUR SOUL IS FRANKINCENSE which was a highly valued and rare commodity. FRANKINCENSE IS THE SYMBOL OF PRIESTHOOD. The Jewish people directly connected frankincense to the worship of God. The Altar of Incense continually burned with frankincense that gave off a sweet-smelling white smoke. This gift represents the aroma of Christ the Prophet, His Words, and His Message that is energy to your soul. It represents incense, perfume, prayer, sacrifice, and purification. Frankincense is thought to be a method of transfiguration. Burned frankincense is a physical vapor symbolic to His willingness to wholly give Himself up for YOU. Open the gate of your SOUL and offer up the pain of disappointment, grief, and tragedy in exchange for His LOVE. Allow woundedness, offense, forgiveness to become a vapor ... and find LIFE there waiting within. 

 3. THE GIFT OF WORSHIP FROM YOUR BODY IS MYRRH. The gift almost seems to convey the fact that Jesus was born to die and rise again. He identified with us in our pain and sorrow. This gift is the balm of the death of the God-man's body. MYRRH IS THE SYMBOL OF MOVING FROM DEATH TO RESURRECTION IN THIS LIFE. In worship, understand that your body is the dwelling place - the temple- of God. Open the access doorways of your Body and end death and defeat. Find LIFE, healing, and health. Allow wholeness in your senses and every portal gate into your BODY. Allow the LIFE of Christ to emerge from every pore! Awaken to the truth that you have been given LIFE - and live fully today! No matter what. When things seem too hard to bear, when you are in the crucible of personal pain, when you can no longer lift up your own head -- just know that His death conquered it all. Make it personal and give Him worship with everything that is in you. And... when you can no longer pray, KNOW that the Holy Spirit and Jesus Himself forever make intercession for you. His death and resurrection sees every tear and sorrow. You finally DISCOVER THAT OUT OF HIS DEATH HE BRINGS YOU HIS LIFE. 

 We see that the gifts of the wise men are SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY, devoted to the service of humanity. To give oneself is in true worship is to imitate Christ, to follow in His steps. To fully worship with your spirit, soul, and body means to live in love and kindness being spiritual aware and conscious of LOVE in every arena of life. This year, let's commemorate Christmas with the spiritual meanings embedded with this personal application as we present our three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh ... How wonderful it is to live, move, and breath in the wholeness that allows the fullness of Christ to be revealed. Upon seeing Him in our present NOW, our human spirit soars a little higher, our soul rejoices with greater soundness and increased faith, and our body sings at the wonder of Divine life dwelling within. I declare with apostolic and prophetic force that right now you be centered in the greatness of the I AM, the God Who is. That you find yourself in the very center of His Love. That you KNOW that you are a part of His great plan for NOW. It is time to rise up and worship with wholeness.

'Tis the Season to Give Birth to What God Has Placed Inside You

"Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women...and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" Luke 1:28 & 42b She is known by many names, Virgin Mary, Saint Mary, Mother Mary, Lady Mary, Mary the mother of God. In truth, Mary, Miriam in Hebrew, was just an average Jewish maiden who said yes to the call God had on her life. She allowed the Lord's will to be manifested in her life...literally. Is that it though? Is that all there is to this story, or perhaps is there more that the Lord would like to speak to us today in this passage? Second Timothy 3:16-17 says that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Therefore, although Scripture is revealing the historical significance of Christ being born of Mary, could it also have some spiritual significance that we may be able to apply to our life? Let's take a look together and see what the Bible reveals to us this holiday season because, I believe, we all have a call to bear His fruit from our spiritual womb. You Are Highly Favored and Accepted – Her name means "rebellion or bitter" yet she certainly didn't rebel against the Holy Spirit. Instead she succumbed to the special call that the Lord had chosen for her. By saying yes to God she played a very valuable part in reconciling God and man after that fateful rebellion in the garden. What a fun play on words. Second Corinthians 5:18 tells us that we have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Therefore, similar to Mary, when we say yes to whatever God has asked us to do, we too play a very valuable part in reconciling God and man. "...Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" (Luke 1:28) There are so many different thoughts that can run through the human mind with this passage. Such thoughts may tend to idolize Mary and set her apart from the average servant. This mentality runs throughout the Body of Christ today and tends to over-spiritualize individuals, putting the focus on the person and not on the power of God. Turning back to our key Scripture, this particular phrase, highly favored (Strong's #5487), is used only one other time in the New Testament...in Ephesians 1:6. Here it is translated as made accepted (Strong's #5487): "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:3-6) As I write, the Holy Spirit is showing me that there are many who are reading this article who still do not feel the love and acceptance of their Heavenly Father. Is that you? Is it hard for you to believe that you are accepted in Christ? Perhaps your past is speaking and reminding you of what you have done, or maybe even the deeds of the day are making you feel unworthy of His love and acceptance. If so, please read Ephesians 1:3-6 again and let the Truth of God's Word, right now in this moment, speak over your past, present and your future. We are accepted in the Beloved; His Blood, not anything we do or say, but His Blood alone cleanses and forgives our sins, today, tomorrow and forever. It's All By Grace At the core of both "highly favored" and "made accepted" is the Greek word for grace, charis (pronounced char'-ece; Strong's #5485). Grace signifies unmerited favor and an undeserved blessing that is a free gift from our Good God. He gives it freely...we don't earn it. We all have been made accepted in the Beloved. Therefore, we all are highly favored and we all have been chosen to bring forth, to give birth to so to speak, what God has placed inside us. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). We are God's workmanship, created to do something, created to bring forth the good works which God has given us into this lost and dying world. Not in order to be accepted by God, but rather because we are accepted. It's interesting to note that in Acts 4:33, grace/charis gave power to complete the mission Jesus had given the apostles to be witnesses of Him unto the ends of the world... "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all." This same grace is ours today, beloved. We have been chosen and created with a purpose and have been given the grace to get the job done through Christ Jesus. Beloved, Spiritually Speaking, You Are Expecting! "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" (Luke 1:42) Blessed was the fruit of Mary's womb and blessed is the fruit of yours. You were created to bring forth Jesus into this world just like Mary was...she did it first in the natural, you do it now in the supernatural. In Scripture, the womb most often refers to the place inside a woman where a child originates and is developed. And that certainly is the case when speaking of Mary conceiving from the Holy Spirit and bringing forth the son of God, Jesus Christ, the Messiah. However, there is more to the usage of this word than meets the eye. In Greek, the word used here for womb is koilia (pronounced koy-lee'-ah; Strong's #2836). Here this word is being used to speak of the womb, i.e. where a child is conceived and nourished. However, the same word is also used to speak of the innermost part of a man, the heart, soul and the seat of our thoughts, feelings and will. It is used in John 7:38 as Jesus said, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart [belly – KJV] will flow rivers of living water." Beloved, spiritually speaking, you are expecting. Out of your belly, out of your heart, out of your spiritual womb, living water will pour forth spiritual refreshment! This is the fruit that God has placed inside you and predestined you to bring forth. You have the God-given potential to bring forth much fruit, and by that fruit, your heavenly Father will be glorified. Jesus said to Peter, "Feed My sheep." Maybe what you will feed God's children with will be a song that goes platinum and is on the top 40 for weeks on end, reaching many souls musically. Maybe it will be a message that, like Billy Graham, brings a multitude to Jesus Christ through powerful words of truth. Maybe what you will feed will be a hug to someone who is hurting, revealing the Father's love. Maybe it will be a word of hope to a co-worker that gives them the strength to believe again, or maybe, just maybe, it will simply be a bottle of cold water to a construction worker on the road, revealing the King's kindness. Regardless of what it is, done in the name of Jesus, you are delivering from your spiritual womb Jesus to a world in great need...a world He came to save. Let's make these declarations over ourselves right now: • I am expecting that He who has begun a good work in me will complete it. • I am expecting what God said to be so. • I am expecting rivers of living water to come from me. • I am expecting that I will be His witness to the ends of the earth. And all of God's people said..."Amen!" The Power of the Holy Spirit How is this possible? Through the power of the Holy Spirit. "Then Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I do not know a man?' And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you...'" (Luke 1:34-35a). God deposited something inside each of us when the Holy Spirit came upon us at our new birth. Let me explain. Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come upon them and give them power. "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The Greek word that is used here for the power they would receive is the same word used to speak of the power that came upon and overshadowed Mary. That word dunamis (pronounced doo'nam-is; Strong's #1411). It is the strength, ability and power of God that resides in us as a result of the Holy Spirit coming upon us. Remember, Gabriel told Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her. In both verses "come" and "upon" are the same Greek words. The word for "come" is Strong's #1904 and "upon" is Strong's #1909. You have a purpose; you have been chosen to carry Christ to others and give them hope. "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). Think about that for just a moment, Christ in you, the hope of glory. It's interesting to note that the Hebrew equivalent of the word "in" you in this passage is the Hebrew letter beit. The letter beit can be used as a prefix to mean both "in" and "with." God is both with us and in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, the beit is the ancient pictograph of a house, thus you can see the connection: you dwell "in" a house. You are the Temple not made with hands.Keeping in theme, some would call the womb the house of a fetus. What a great mystery...Christ in us, the hope of Glory! Your Life in Christ is Your Ministry of Reconciliation 'Tis the season to give birth to what God has placed inside you. Beloved, Jesus Christ has made a home in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. He has plans and purposes that He has created for us and we are to bring them forth. He has chosen us to carry and deliver Him to a lost and dying world. We are His workmanship, and the good works that God has created for you to walk in, plain and simple, is being the man or woman that God created you to be. Your life in Christ is your ministry of reconciliation, everywhere you go, everything you do; living your life as the person God uniquely created you to be will bear much fruit to the Father's glory. Rejoice highly favored one, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you and blessed is the fruit of your spiritual womb. Amen and amen.

Overcoming Sin Scripturally

“HOW TO OVERCOME SIN – SCRIPTURALLY” Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) “Power From on High” In every period of my ministerial life I have found many professed Christians in a miserable state of bondage, either to the world, the flesh, or the Devil. But surely this is no Christian state, for the apostle has distinctly said: “Sin shall not have dominion over you, because ye are not under the law, but under grace.” In all my Christian life I have been pained to find so many Christians living in the legal bondage described in the seventh chapter of Romans – a life of sinning, and resolving to reform and falling again. FALSE INSTRUCTION ON OVERCOMING And what is particularly saddening, and even agonizing, is that many ministers and leading Christians give perfectly false instruction upon the subject of how to overcome sin. The directions that are generally given on this subject, I am sorry to say, amount to about this: “Take your sins in detail, resolve to abstain from them, and fight against them, if need be with prayer and fasting, until you have overcome them. Set your will firmly against a relapse into sin, pray and struggle, and resolve that you will not fall, and persist in this until you form the habit of obedience and break up all your sinful habits.” I WAS VERY NEARLY MISLED To be sure it is generally added: “In this conflict you must not depend upon your own strength, but pray for the help of God.” In a word, much of the teaching, both of the pulpit and the press, really amounts to this: Sanctification is by works, and not by faith. I notice that Dr. Chalmers, in his lectures on Romans, expressly maintains that justification is by faith, but sanctification is by works. Some twenty-five years ago, I think, a prominent professor of theology in New England maintained in substance the same doctrine. In my early Christian life I was very nearly misled by one of President Edwards’s resolutions, which was, in substance, that when he had fallen into any sin he would trace it back to its source, and then fight and pray against it with all his might until he subdued it. This, it will be perceived, is directing the attention to the overt act of sin, its source or occasions. Resolving and fighting against it fastens the attention on the sin and its source, and diverts it entirely from Christ. Become righteous conscious instead of sin consicous! ALL SUCH EFFORTS ARE WORSE THAN USELESS (AND IN EFFECT ARE SIN BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OF FAITH) Now it is important to say right here that all such efforts are worse than useless, and not infrequently result in delusion. First, it is losing sight of what really constitutes sin; and, secondly, of the only practicable way to avoid it. In this way the outward act or habit may be overcome and avoided, while that which really constitutes the sin is left untouched. Sin is not external, but internal. It is not a muscular act, it is not the volition that causes muscular action, it is not an involuntary feeling or desire; it must be a voluntary act or state of mind. Sin is nothing else than that voluntary, ultimate preference or state of committal to self pleasing out of which the volitions, the outward actions, purposes, intentions, and all the things that are commonly called sin proceed. EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS SINFUL HABITS Now, what is resolved against in this religion of resolutions and efforts to suppress sinful and form holy habits? “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” But do we produce love by resolution? Do we eradicate selfishness by resolution? No, indeed. We may suppress this or that expression or manifestation of selfishness by resolving not to do this or that, and praying and struggling against it. We may resolve upon an outward obedience, and work ourselves up to the letter of an obedience to God’s commandments. But to eradicate selfishness from the breast by resolution is an absurdity. THE FORCE OF RESOLUTION–IS ABSURD So the effort to obey the commandments of God in spirit – in other words, to attempt to love as the law of God requires by force of resolution – is an absurdity. There are many who maintain that sin consists in the desires. Be it so. Do we control our desires by force of resolution? We may abstain from the gratification of a particular desire by the force of resolution. We may go further, and abstain from the gratification of desire generally in the outward life. But this is not to secure the love of God, which constitutes obedience. Should we become anchorites, immure ourselves in a cell, and crucify all our desires and appetites, so far as their indulgence is concerned, we have only avoided certain forms of sin; but the root that really constitutes sin is not touched. Our resolution has not secured love, which is the only real obedience to God. All our battling with sin in the outward life, by the force of resolution, only ends in making us whited sepulchers. ALL OUR BATTLING TO NO AVAIL All our battling with desire by the force of resolution is of no avail; for in all this, however successful the effort to suppress sin may be, in the outward life or in the inward desire, it will only end in delusion, for by force of resolution we cannot love. All such efforts to overcome sin are utterly futile, and as unscriptural as they are futile. The Bible expressly teaches us that sin is overcome by faith in Christ. “He is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.” He is “the way, the truth, and the life.” Christians are said to “purify their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9). And in Acts 26:18 it is affirmed that the saints are sanctified by faith in Christ. UNLESS BY FAITH, IT CANNOT BE ATTAINED In Romans 9:31, 32 it is affirmed that the Jews attained not to righteousness “because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.” The doctrine of the Bible is that Christ saves His people from sin through faith; that Christ’s Spirit is received by faith to dwell in the heart. It is faith that works by love. Love is wrought and sustained by faith. By faith Christians “overcome the world, the flesh, and the Devil.” ONLY FAITH QUENCHES THE FIERY DARTS It is by faith that they “quench the fiery darts of the wicked.” It is by faith that they “put on the Lord Jesus Christ and put off the old man, with his deeds.” It is by faith that we fight “the good fight,” and not by resolution. It is by faith that we “stand,” by resolution we fall. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. It is by faith that the flesh is kept under and carnal desires subdued. The fact is that it is simply by faith that we receive the Spirit of Christ to work in us to will and to do, according to His good pleasure. He sheds abroad His own love in our hearts, and thereby enkindles ours. WHENEVER THE MIND IS DIVERTED FROM CHRIST . . . Every victory over sin is by faith in Christ; and whenever the mind is diverted from Christ, by resolving and fighting against sin, whether we are aware of it or not, we are acting in our own strength, rejecting the help of Christ, and are under a specious delusion. Nothing but the life and energy of the Spirit of Christ within us can save us from sin, and trust is the uniform and universal condition of the working of this saving energy within us. How long shall this fact be at least practically overlooked by the teachers of religion? How deeply rooted in the heart of man is self-righteousness and self-dependence? So deeply that one of the hardest lessons for the human heart to learn is to renounce self-dependence and trust wholly in Christ. IMPLICIT TRUST OPENS THE DOOR When we open the door by implicit trust He enters in and takes up His abode with us and in us. By shedding abroad His love He quickens our whole souls into sympathy with Himself, and in this way, and in this way alone, He purifies our hearts through faith. He sustains our will in the attitude of devotion. He quickens and regulates our affections, desires, appetites and passions, and becomes our sanctification. Very much of the teaching that we hear in prayer and conference meetings, from the pulpit and the press, is so misleading as to render the hearing or reading of such instruction almost too painful to be endured. Such instruction is calculated to beget delusion, discouragement, and a practical rejection of Christ as He is presented in the Gospel. “I HAVE SOMETIMES FELT AS IF I SHOULD SCREAM” Alas! for the blindness that “leads to bewilder” the soul that is longing after deliverance from the power of sin. I have sometimes listened to legal teaching upon this subject until I felt as if I should scream. It is astonishing sometimes to hear Christian men object to the teaching which I have here inculcated that it leaves us in a passive state, to be saved without our own activity. What darkness is involved in this objection! The Bible teaches that by trusting in Christ we receive an inward influence that stimulates and directs our activity; that by faith we receive His purifying influence into the very center of our being; that through and by His truth revealed directly to the soul He quickens our whole inward being into the attitude of a loving obedience; and this is the way, and the only practicable way, to overcome sin. WHAT ABOUT WORKING OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION? But someone may say: “Does not the Apostle exhort as follows: ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure’? And is not this an exhortation to do what in this article you condemn?” By no means. In the 12th verse of the second chapter of Philippians Paul says: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” NOT BY RESOLUTION BUT BY THE INWARD OPERATION OF GOD There is no exhortation to work by force of resolution, but through and by the inworking of God. Paul had taught them, while he was present with them; but now, in his absence, he exhorts them to work out their own salvation, not by resolution but by the inward operation of God. This is precisely the doctrine of this tract. Paul had too often taught the Church that Christ in the heart is our sanctification, and that this influence is to be received by faith, to be guilty in this passage of teaching that our sanctification is to be wrought out by resolution and efforts to suppress sinful and form holy habits. This passage of Scripture happily recognizes both the divine and human agency in the work of sanctification. God works in us to will and to do; and we, accepting by faith His inworking, will and do according to His good pleasure. FAITH IS NOT PASSIVE Faith itself is an active and not a passive state. A passive holiness is impossible and absurd. Let no one say that when we exhort people to trust wholly in Christ we teach that anyone should be or can be passive in receiving and cooperating with the divine influence within. This influence is moral, and not physical. It is persuasion, and not force. It influences the free will, and consequently does this by truth, and not by force. Oh! that it could be understood that the whole of spiritual life that is in any man is received direct from the Spirit of Christ by faith, as the branch receives its life from the vine. AWAY WITH THIS RELIGION OF RESOLUTIONS! Away with this religion of resolutions! It is a snare of death. Away with this effort to make the life holy while the heart has not in it the love of God. Oh! that men would learn to look directly at Christ through the Gospel and so close in with Him by an act of loving trust as to involve a universal sympathy with His state of mind. This, and this alone, is sanctification.

RESURRECTION REVEALED AT THE CROSS

I am thankful that the baffling, deceiving and lying wind of self was crucified at the Cross, and the resurrection REVEALED the reality of who we have ALWAYS been in/as Christ. The 7 Bleeding Spots ABSORBED and the Resurrection REVEALED At the Cross: In Gethsemane-- Absorbed our struggle/wrestling in prayer, and REVEALED our posture of rest in prayer. (#1) Pulled out His Beard-- Absorbed our veiled awareness, and REVEALED our ability to see and hear the truth by the Spirit. (#2) Crown of Thorns-- Absorbed our distorted thinking/amnesia, REVEALING that we have always had the Christ Mind. (#3) Whipped & Scourged-- Identified with all sickness and pain, REVEALING that our Father IS and has always been our health. (#4) Nails in Hands & Feet-- Absorbed our 'works of religion' and 'walk of religion' REVEALING spiritual reality producing Godly works (believing) and walk. (#5) Beat with sticks/palms-- Absorbed persecution we encounter for embracing the truth, REVEALING we do not have to be intimidated by religions rejection. (#6) Pierced His side-- Absorbed false sense of identity, REVEALING our being birthed out of Him from before the foundation of the world. (#7) The number 7 denoting fullness, reveals that Jesus FULLY identified and absorbed all of our amnesia (forgetfulness) and forgetting of who we always were, and in His resurrection REVEALED the truth of our eternal being. This is the Gospel from an eternal perspective. Hebrews 9:12 records that 'His blood OBTAINED eternal redemption for us'. The word 'obtained' means: To see; To perceive; To find, (or to discover). Through His resurrection we discover something that has always been the truth about us; because if anything has been the truth, then it has always been the truth. That which was ETERNAL was revealed IN TIME (through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ), that we might EXPERIENCE who we were created to be. We are not a sinner saved by grace. We were created holy, righteous from the beginning in His image and likeness. Ecclesiastes 7:29 Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.” Hebrews 9:12 New King James Version (NKJV) 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Notice having obtained--This particular verb with having is known as a perfect participle. As the site indicates, it more or less expresses an action that was, is completed. Jesus, in His death, identified and ABSORBED (eradicated) the lie/lies of religion, and in His resurrection REVEALED the truth. That is why it is a finished work. That is a generalization of what the death, burial and resurrection was about. For example, all of the religious lies which we have believed in our lifetime were EXPOSED as lies, absorbed and crucified in His death. Then in His resurrection the truth was revealed. He came to reveal the heart of the Father concerning everything that involves our life. For example, if one experiences condemnation or guilt in life, he has exhumed, (but only in HIS MIND), the lies that Jesus absorbed in His death. That can be called, 'living in the PAST'. Paul the Apostle recorded that we are to 'forget the past and press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling', which is that which has always been true of us, and of which Jesus REVEALED in His resurrection. Then if one is experiencing worry, he is living in the FUTURE, and is concerning himself with what could happen, instead of trusting in his Oneness, and that Christ is all, as all, within him NOW. The future has been taken care of. When we came here as infants and children, we knew nothing of guilt, condemnation or worry. That's why Jesus said that the Kingdom of God was as a little child. Children live from the inside, out, spontaneously. It was later on in life that we were taught the lies of religion that brought a sense of separation, doubt, condemnation and worry. At that time we slowly became an amnesiac FORGETTING what had always been true of us. As Colossians 1:21 states, we were alienated and enemies IN OUR MIND. Jesus went to the Cross identifying with, exposing, and ABSORBING those lies which we were told; and then in His resurrection He REVEALED the Father's eternal perspective about us. Over and over He Himself said: "When you've seen Me, you have seen the Father." In other words, "You have seen the Father's perspective about your life." Jesus willingly laid down His life to reveal the love of the Father. If we truly want to see the Father, we must look at Jesus. The incarnation of Jesus revealed what the Father is like. He never saw us separate. He never saw us as a sinner. He never saw us unrighteous or unholy. WE SAW OURSELVES AS LACKING AND IN TOTAL DEPRAVITY. That is the reason we needed the Cross. Jesus' resurrection revealed that we have always had the Mind of Christ, and that as we 'put it on' it will swallow up the lies of religion in our EXPERIENCE, that have kept us in bondage. Paul the Apostle recorded that we are to 'be renewed in the spirit of our Mind' (heart) or, that we are to 'put on' the Mind that is in our spirit. Ephesians 4:23-24 Version (NKJV) and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Let us sow seeds of TRUTH into our heart awareness, which Jesus' resurrection revealed, and never again try to exhume the lies (in our mind) that have been brought to naught through His death. Col 1:21

THE LAW OF THE HARVEST

KEY/LAW OF THE HARVEST or the Law of Sowing and Reaping Gen. 8:22 Gen.8:22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night shall not cease.”

2 Cor 9:6-11 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. Gal 6:7-9 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Heb 12:11-13 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. James 3:18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. When God created the first living thing, He gave it the ability to grow and multiply. How? Through the principle of seed and harvest. Your life began by this principle, and since your birth your life has operated by this same principle. Harvest springs from the good or bad seeds you have sown, whether or not you were consciously aware of your seed-planting. The principle continues today. To overcome life’s problems, reach your potential in life, see your life become fruitful, multiplied, replenished (that is, in health, finance, spiritual renewal, family—your entire being), determine to follow God’s law of seedtime and harvest. God has established spiritual laws, principles-invisible forces-that govern every issue of life. These spiritual laws are unchanging. While our circumstances, relationships, finances, or employment will change from time-to-time, spiritual laws that govern and impact us remain constant. Ignoring or complying with these spiritual laws will bring either blessings or curses into our lives. As our spiritual maturity grows in the Lord, we will discover the circumstances we face today were actually determined weeks, months, or even years ago by the decisions and choices we made then. Likewise, today's decisions will determine our spiritual strength in the near or distant future. WHEN WE PLANT, WE HARVEST The greatest spiritual law is the LAW OF THE HARVEST. It simply says that when we plant, we harvest. Conversely, unless we plant, we will not harvest. The LAW OF THE HARVEST is not about money, as some have portrayed it. It is about harvest and the multiplication of God's Kingdom. Often what is returned to us does not come directly from the person to whom we gave. It comes from unimagined and unanticipated sources. Thus, it is God's mysterious way of multiplying His Kingdom. The Kingdom of God expands by sowing seeds. No matter what you give, more will be given to you. If you give mercy, you will receive mercy. If you offer forgiveness to those who have offended you, you will reap forgiveness. With the same measure that you give to others, it will be given back to you (Luke 6:36-38). In fact, more will be returned to you. When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored Job's losses, giving him twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10). When he gave of his time, energy, and resources to pray for his friends, Job received a double harvest of everything. SMALL OFFERINGS MULTIPLIED The LAW OF THE HARVEST was employed when Jesus took a boy's meager provision of seven loaves and three fish and multiplied them to feed 5,000 people. Even today, the Lord takes our small offerings and multiplies them to touch and feed thousands. The LAW OF THE HARVEST is also true in human relationships. When we sow kindness into a friendship, we receive friends (Proverbs 18:24). It is also true in the expansion of the God's Kingdom. When Cornelius sowed prayers and alms, it resulted in the "good news" of Jesus being released to the entire Gentile world (Acts 10). Now that was an investment with tremendous dividends! The LAW OF THE HARVEST also operates in education. Those who teach learn more than their students. As a teacher sowing into the lives of students, God has multiplied my understanding of the truths I am teaching. I honestly believe that I benefit more than my students. Furthermore, my investment of time and energy is multiplied in my life, our ministry, and hopefully in advancing God's Kingdom. GOD'S HARVEST LAW IN ALL OF CREATION God has woven the LAW OF THE HARVEST into all of creation. It permeates the laws of physics and particle exchange. Simply put in scientific terms, it is the exchange of positive and negative charges in an atom that forms the building blocks to everything we see. Negative charges bond to positive charges, thereby creating matter. In a similar way, when we give, we create a negative charge (a reduction of what we are or have). By God's design, this negative charge shouts out for and attracts a positive charge (an addition of what we are or have). By God's grace, we acquire a greater total mass in the end. Said in scientific terms, true spiritual life is an energy exchange of giving and receiving. The act of giving requires faith that God is loving, good, and gives gifts to His children. By rewarding our giving, God teaches us the value of giving, and thereby, imparts His character to us. THE LIFE OF JESUS, A SEED SOWN INTO HARVEST The LAW OF THE HARVEST is even portrayed in the death of Jesus. He said that His life was a seed that when sown would produce the harvest of the Kingdom (John 12:23-24). Whatever we give (time, prayer, mercy, forgiveness, love, tenderness, patience, or even money), it will be given back to you with dividends. God will lavish it upon you in good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38). Of course, this verse is talking about judgment, but the principle applies.For in the justice of God, what you sow will be given back to you in greater abundance. Remember, it is the LAW OF THE HARVEST-not the size of the seed-that multiplies the Kingdom of God. Sowing and Reaping The Law of Sowing and Reaping What is the law of sowing and reaping? The law of sowing and reaping is mentioned in several Scripture passages (Job 4:8; Hosea 8:7; 10:12). But the primary text is found in Paul’s letter to the Galatians: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart i doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:7-9). This passage teaches that each of us is a “sower” who will reap the harvest of his own planting. If you sow to the Spirit, you will reap a harvest of blessing. If you sow to the flesh, you will reap a harvest of sorrow and adversity. What does it mean to sow to the Spirit? The immediate context of Galatians 6 gives several examples of sowing to the Spirit. When you bear another’s burdens, you are sowing to the Spirit (6:2). Sowing is more than money but when you financially support ministries (good soil) you are sowing to the Spirit. The larger context of the book of Galatians teaches us many ways to sow to the Spirit. Obedience to Scripture is sowing to the Spirit. Expressing Christ-like attitudes is sowing to the Spirit. To manifest love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control is to sow to the Spirit (5:22-23). To be led by the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit is sowing to the Spirit (5:16, 25). When you choose to forgive and not harbor resentful feelings, you are sowing to the Spirit. When you bring your imagination and thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Jesus Christ, you are sowing to the Spirit (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). When you refuse to tell something negative about another person (even though it is true!), you are sowing to the Spirit. Each time you speak the truth, honor your word, pay your bills, offer praise to God for His goodness, you are sowing to the Spirit. What does it mean to sow to the flesh? Paul lists many practices that illustrate sowing to the flesh. Such things as marital unfaithfulness, sexual impurity, indecency, sensuality, involvement with the occult, hatred, quarrels, fits of temper, selfish ambition, dissension, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and allowing other things to take God’s place in our life are ways one sows to the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Sowing to the flesh begins in the thought-life. Every time you hold a grudge, entertain an impure fantasy, wallow in self-pity, speak ill of another person, or fail to carry out your responsibilities through procrastination or laziness, you are sowing to the flesh. To be self-centered, critical of others, or envious of others is sowing to the flesh (Galatians 5:15, 26). What are the ultimate results of reaping what we sow? Paul states that if you sow to the flesh, you will of the flesh reap corruption. “Corruption” speaks of physical decay and moral rottenness that ultimately leads to eternal death in Hell. If you sow to the Spirit, you will of the Spirit reap life everlasting. The essence of everlasting life is to have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ His Son (John 17:3; 1 John 5:11). As believers, we will enjoy this relationship throughout eternity on the New Earth. What if you fully reaped for all your sins? but Jesus paid the price for that. God is gracious and full of mercy. He does not continue to punish His children for past sins. Yes, there will be reaping in this present life: some sins lead to disease and other sins destroy marriages and families. The Christian is not exempt from the law of sowing and reaping. But God is not adding up all your past sins and making sure you pay for all of them. He forgives sin. He deals with His children in love. Even when He chastens them, (by His Word) He is doing so in order to bring them back to a right relationship with Him (Hebrews 12:9-12). What are some principles of the law of sowing and reaping? You reap WHAT you sow. If you sow wheat, you will reap wheat. If you sow a kindness, you will reap a kindness. If you sow a lie, unfaithfulness, or discord, you will reap the same. The warning, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” behooves you to be very careful what you sow. You reap in a DIFFERENT SEASON than you sow. Notice that Galatians 6:7 starts by saying, “Do not be deceived.” Why does Paul begin with this warning? The answer is found in the fact that your reaping does not come immediately after you act. Because of this, you can be deceived into thinking that the reaping will not come. Ecclesiastes 8:11 says, “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.” If you could see the long-term results of your choices, you would always sow to the Spirit. The harvest comes in God’s time—His appointed season. An example of this is seen for the Hebrew nation in the Old Testament. What are some implications of the law of sowing and reaping? What you are tomorrow will depend on what you do today. Right now you are making choices that will affect the rest of your life. It is imperative that you sow good seeds of obedience. In the future, they will bloom into a harvest of righteousness, not just for you, but also for your children and grand-children. As the saying goes, “Sow a thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.” It is easy to become discouraged in doing good. The harvest often seems a long way off. But you must remind yourself of the importance of perseverance. God promises that you will reap if you don’t give up.