PROPHETIC WORD: God is your Kinsman Redeemer! The harvest is ripe with potential!
“The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.”
2 Timothy 2:6
One of my favorite things about the Kingdom of God is the realization that we are always in a spiritual harvest season! The Lord Jesus is the Source of every blessing and we are simply His servants.
When speaking about his ministry, Paul said: "For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building" (1 Cor. 3:9).
We labor together with Jesus to help people. We plant and water, but God causes the seed to grow. Planting and watering seem like menial tasks, but there cannot be a harvest without doing the work. There should be no competition in the body of Christ because we all work together. We are called to bring believers into the maturity of Christ.
"He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded to his own labor" (1 Cor. 3:8).
In Matthew 9:38, Jesus says we are to pray earnestly to God, "the Lord of the Harvest." We must pray for harvest hands! We are to ask the Lord to send us out into the world as His disciples because the fields are ripe with potential! We are to GO FORTH in the name of Jesus!
We are in a time of spiritual surplus right now because many people are desperate to know God as a loving Father. They need encounters and an understanding that the Holy Spirit walks with us every single day. The Father is One with us. We are not left to figure out life on our own. People are hungry to hear about the Good News of Jesus Christ. You have been hand-selected to be a farmer in God's ecosystem! There will be a bumper crop if you get to work for the Kingdom! You must use your time wisely and plant with all your heart and soul because you never know what will grow!
Just like with Ruth, you have been planted somewhere on purpose to glean your field. God truly has a great and mighty purpose for your life!
Your life is about to leap forward and you must pay special attention to any movement from the Holy Spirit! This is the SET TIME for many people; you will see a rapid burst of spiritual growth that comes alive in your field if you put in the work!
There is no such thing as an overnight success in the Kingdom of God. The Lord always prunes and prepares believers for many years, even decades, before seasons of major advancement. This is so you always keep your focus and eyes fixed on Jesus Christ. We learn to be servants instead of seeking the spotlight. Some of you have been through a very long journey with the Father in recent years and He's about to show up and show out on your behalf! Trust Him! You will have plenty of "scraps" left behind to then go and feed even more people.
God is going to give you extra resources to help His people with very practical needs and matters.
We learn in the Book of Ruth how God can bring honor and great favor when we are dedicated to doing the small things without applause. As you dig and go deeper with the Father, there will be a point where water comes from a rock. You will enter a time of divine destiny and receive favor and honor from King Jesus.
KAIROS SEASON: TRANSFORMATION IS HERE
There are three steps that usually unfold when someone steps into a kairos season, which reflects HARVEST TIME in the life of a believer. The Greek word kairos means "opportunity" and “appointed time,” and it’s all handcrafted by God. The word kairos appears 86 times in the New Testament and it reflects a time when "everything comes to a head" and promotes movement and action.
Some of you are entering an appointed time on God's calendar and you must get ready for a bountiful harvest!
We can look at the story of Ruth in the Old Testament to see what happens when God divinely orchestrates a season of transformation. The story of Ruth and Boaz has New Testament implications because Jesus came from their lineage. Here’s what happens in the life of a believer when you step into kairos time…
1. Movement – Change is at hand. God shifts you into something new in an instant.
[Ruth intentionally left behind her past life to walk forward into her future. Her life was one of small steps that led to greater rewards. We know God was sovereignly working through her to make this decision because her lineage would eventually lead to Jesus. Still, we see a shift as the Lord pushes Ruth to move into purpose].
2. Momentum – The Holy Spirit gives you divine power and speed to accomplish great things for the Kingdom of God. Everything starts to align at once with force; you will actually sense the hand of God at work in your life.
[God led Ruth to a field belonging to Boaz. When she humbled herself and started to work, the surplus started. God arranged things so that she took home a monumental amount of grain].
3. Miracles – The Lord supernaturally intercedes in human affairs and reveals Himself through a sign, wonder or power. The Father can even work miracles through people to put everything in order.
[Ruth was a Moabite, and the miracle was that she ended up in Bethlehem in the first place, and later ended up in a field belonging to her future husband. Some miracles take place instantaneously, and other miracles happen through a process. Ruth's "big moments" might have unfolded in a matter of months, but this was really a process that was years in the making].
PROPHETIC ENCOURAGEMENT: Some of you are entering a significant three-month period where God will align everything in perfect order. Recently I have been seeing 1,2,3, and 3,2,1 everywhere. This denotes a time of God's order and a countdown until the new thing is released.
When I asked the Lord to explain more, He led me to the story of Ruth to remember God's Divine Providence. God is a Provider. He's our Kinsman Redeemer and really cares about the everyday matters of our lives.
Ruth is such a beautiful story because God's handiwork is fully displayed. We remember the lineage of Jesus Christ and how the Lord was working from the beginning of time to unfold His plans. We also remember how God reverses tragedy for His people. He's such a faithful and loving Father who has already written your destiny. He sovereignly guides you even with ordinary decisions in your life.
When we get to Ruth 2, God leads her to a field owned by a wealthy landowner and man of God named Boaz. Ruth is there to glean leftover grain to feed her and Naomi. As Ruth takes a step of faith, the Lord ensures she's protected in an atmosphere of safety and security.
Boaz first tells her to stay in that field and work for him. He will keep a watchful eye on her. Then in verse 2:9, he says, "Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled."
Fast-forward to Jesus walking the earth in His public ministry. He had some interesting things to say about the harvest. After encountering the Samaritan woman beside a well, Jesus reveals that He can provide her with living water, which gives her eternal life. He treats her with kindness and respect, just like Boaz did with Ruth.
Jesus later explains to His disciples, "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, 'four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are ripe for harvest.'" (John 4:34-38)
In Matthew 9:37-38, as I shared earlier, Jesus also speaks about the harvest: "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
So, what is the Holy Spirit saying at this time?
Boaz represents Jesus. He is our Kinsman Redeemer, and protects and ensures salvation for His people and always keeps His eye on you. This is especially true in everyday life. God is a very present help in times of trouble. He fights for you.
Work your field. Your "field" can be at home, with children, in the workplace, in a ministry, on digital platforms, at the grocery store, soccer field, or wherever God places you to "feed" His people with your love, kindness and sincerity. It's important to always display the characteristics of your Heavenly Father wherever you go because you never know when someone will be planted along your path. Your life is also a garden that God is cultivating. He’s constantly tending the garden of your heart to produce an abundant harvest. The fruit of the Spirit starts to ripen and grow as you draw closer to King Jesus. Overtime, you become a whole new creation. The dry field of your soul suddenly bursts to life with all sorts of colorful fruits! The Lord constantly waters the garden as you seek His Living Water that never runs dry. He pours out His love in such a way that you’re given excess to provide overflow to others.
God is the Lord of the Harvest, and He's publicly declaring how ripe the fields are. He's showing us a portrait of both Ruth/Boaz and Jesus/His Disciples to see just how much "grain" there is to glean. Many lost souls need to know about the Father, and He's planting you in a specific place to be a voice for the voiceless and to bring hope and healing to nations.
Just like with Ruth, it's so important that we take that first step and just try and glean where the Lord plants us. He will then provide in very supernatural ways.
One of the most important questions that believers often want to know is their purpose in life and how one is to discover their calling. We must not overthink this. We all have the same calling to be disciples of Jesus Christ. God gives us specific gifts, talents and opportunities to glorify Him wherever we go. Sometimes your personality and love of people is the gift and calling. God gives you a unique ability to reach people and send them love and encouragement that can change their entire day. Those with platforms are given a chance to glorify the Lord on a larger stage and bring the love of Christ to more people. For others, their calling is to use their creative talents to bring glory to Jesus. Others are called to work in the home and raise children who are world-changers; the home is absolutely a ministry and a faith-filled family can shake nations!
Your assignments can change, but your larger purpose will always remain the same. You are to be the light and carry the love of Christ with you since He beats through your heart.
The enemy of darkness wants believers to constantly feel like they're not doing enough so that we get our focus off Jesus and start looking inward at our lack. However, Jesus will let you know what's important and where you need to be. He’s sovereign and He will not let you miss destiny! Saul, who later became Paul, was persecuting Christians until Jesus appeared to him. The Passion Translation says Paul heard a voice in Aramaic that said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are only hurting yourself when you resist your calling” (Acts 26:14). The Lord then identified Himself as Jesus and revealed Paul’s destiny. The point is this — if God has purposed you for something, He will do everything needed to get you in alignment! It’s best to just trust Him and do exactly what He says so we don’t end up in the belly of a whale like Jonah!
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord, you’ll receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
God is the very best Boss. When you work for the Lord, He can accelerate your life from influence to impact. As you work in the field, you'll see the Lord's favor all around.
When people heard about Ruth marrying Boaz, she received notoriety and might have seemed like an overnight success to others. However, the truth is she'd lived in a place of lack for many years after losing her first husband. She didn’t even believe in the One True God, but she decided to follow the Lord when she left with Naomi. She then set out to a foreign land and had to work hard to recreate a new life. This was during the time of the judges when people lived as outlaws. Unattached females had almost no protection, and men could have quickly taken advantage of them. Ruth and Naomi were vulnerable and defenseless, but God always watched out for them.
Boaz treated Ruth with extraordinary kindness, just like Jesus does for us. Ruth returned home each night with far more provision than she'd expected, and the favor and honor she received truly changed her life.
Favor cannot be earned; it's freely given by the Father to those He chooses at His discretion. One commentary says the best definition of favor is "demonstrated delight." Isaiah 66:2 says, "These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word."
The Bible has a ton to say about favor!
Noah found favor with the Lord. (Genesis 6:8)
Joseph experienced favor because the Lord was with him. (Genesis 39:3-4)
The Children of Israel found favor with the Egyptians because the Lord gave it to them. (Exodus 11:3)
Moses found favor in the sight of God. (Exodus 33:17)
Mary, the mother of Jesus, found favor with the Lord. (Luke 1:25, 30)
Esther found favor and kindness with her king. (Esther 2:17)
Ruth was just trying to work and get food to survive, but she found favor with Boaz because of God's goodness and kindness (Ruth 2:2, 10, 13).
When Ruth heard about this favor bestowed upon her, she fell down in shock!
Boaz told her,“I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” (Ruth 2:11-12)
Boaz uses a metaphor for God's protective wings like we see in Psalm 91:4. "[God] will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."
Later when Ruth meets Boaz on the threshing floor, she says, "Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer" (Ruth 3:7-9).
The Lord Jesus is written all over these verses! He is, indeed, our King and Kinsman Redeemer! He really does care about your safety and protection!
Boaz did a few different things for Ruth, just like Jesus does for us.
He met her emotional, spiritual and physical needs. He made her feel a part of the group and he kept a watchful eye on her while providing extra resources. She also received respect and honor. God promises to care for the foreigner, orphans, and widows and Ruth was very special in the eyes of the Lord. Man might look at the outward appearance, but God always looks at the heart. We don’t have to “do” anything to receive God’s favor. Ruth was just living her life and trying to fulfill a need and the Lord Jesus interceded on her behalf.
Boaz secretly arranged for the reapers to leave the extra grain she did not labor for, giving her some dignity. Sometimes the Lord will do things that allow you to partake in the reward. You will do a little work, and the Father will provide extra so you can regain confidence along the way. Life really can change in an instant. By the end of the day, Ruth took home between fifteen and thirty times more than Boaz's employees (Ruth 2:17).
Finally, Boaz showed her that there are people you can trust. He was a leader and made her feel protected. He also correctly states that Yahweh intends to repay Ruth because of her loving treatment of Naomi. Boaz was an exceptional man who was the son of a harlot named Rahab who God also spared. He had a unique ability to see the needs of women because of his own life experiences. The Lord matched him with someone who was similar in spirit. Their story became one of tragedy to triumph.
Eventually, Ruth and Boaz married, and they had a son named Obed, who had a son named Jesse, who eventually became the father of King David. They were direct ancestors of Jesus Christ.
This whole story is remarkable because we remember how there is strength in kindness, and no one does it better than our beloved Jesus. The Lord arranged things so that Ruth received a spiritual, emotional and physical harvest!
Some of you also have a great reward coming this season! It will be absolutely fantastic! God favors and delights in you because you decided to wholeheartedly follow your Father with a pure heart. It's as simple as that. God loves you as is!
Jesus told us to "pray earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest…" We must pray that God works through our hands and sends us into the ripe fields!
It's important to remember that Jesus didn't just invest in and teach His disciples; He also prepared them to be sent out. Some of you have been in God's classroom long enough, and you are ready to glean in the fields. God is orchestrating situations on your behalf behind the scenes!
Others of you have already been given a field by the Lord and you know with absolute clarity what you’re supposed to do. Do not allow fear to hold you back! You must do the work! There are people ready to know Jesus very intimately and you hold the secret to give them freedom. Teach them all about God’s amazing grace! You are the person chosen to be a beacon of light to many folks! Do not take your calling or "field" lightly because the harvest is very ripe and the set time is NOW!
You never know what you might "catch!"
In closing, Jesus wants our whole hearts. He doesn’t want token worship or religious customs created by man. He wants our hearts to love Him and His people. He wants relationships and intimacy with His beloved people. We are not called to be self-satisfied and comfortable in life. We must wake up and do what is right before the eyes of the Lord. It’s so important that we take concrete steps towards change in this season. We must complete the tasks that God has given us! Change really is at hand!
You are so very loved, my friends! Go forth in the name of Jesus!
Matthew 9:36-38, MSG
Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. "What a huge harvest!" he said to his disciples. "How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!"
Deuteronomy 10:17-19, NlrV
The Lord your God is the greatest God of all. He is the greatest Lord of all. He is the great God. He is mighty and wonderful. He treats everyone the same. He doesn't accept any money from those who want special favors. He stands up for widows and for children whose fathers have died. He loves outsiders. He gives them food and clothes. So you also must love outsiders. Remember that you yourselves were outsiders in Egypt.
