New Year - Still No Harvest: What to Do When You Are Still Waiting on a Harvest

Resources: Dr.Leory Thompson Sr., January 1, 2004, “You’re Not Broke, You Just Have A Seed”, EVER INCREASING WORD MIN.

I think many of us have a misconception of God- I know I did, it is something that I find

myself still working through at times. We all, or most of us, especially new believers sometimes think God can be this Gene in a Bottle. If we just make a wish then everything will come true. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case, God isn’t just someone or something that we can come up to casually ask for something and it appears. God instead wants us to come to him with a clear mind, sober mind, and a pure heart when we make our request known to him, this is only the first step. The Lord wants to honor our request but we also want to make sure of a few things, first, it’s in his will for us, and when it’s time for the harvest. 

I Prayed When Haven't This Happened For Me?

When asking God for anything we want to make sure that this request is in his will or that we are asking God for the right things. For example, I am unhappy with life, things aren't going right at work or home. So I ask God to “Come in and free me from all my worries.”  Now that’s good to request to be set free but we should ask God to come in and deliver us from the spirits/ strongholds/habits that are keeping us from him, to show us his will for us, and to clear out what is not sent by Him. (We will get into detail prayers, or “how to pray” later). Once, the request is known unto heaven comes the “waiting season” for the harvest of that planted seed. Your seed is your prayers, praise, and tithes/offerings. When we do these acts we are not only thanking, honoring, and praising God, but also at times asking for things. The seed is the act of faith that needs to be exchanged for the request to work, then it is the praising or waiting season where the request is being worked on, or watered. Last comes the harvest, or the seeing/results of our request and praise. It’s like taking a seed, planting it in the ground, and waiting for it to sprout fruit to eat. While you wait you, water it, weed it, fertilize it, and even sometimes speak to it. This is the same process God takes, He wants the exchange of our praise for his blessings. 

What To Do In The Waiting Season

So what does this waiting season look like? What do when you are there? Great question. In Dr.Leroy Thompson's book, “You’re Not Broke You Just Have A Seed” he clarifies that there is a time for sowing, a time to reap, and the waiting season; which comes in between. In his book, he gives some tools to prepare for what we are waiting. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, these verses talk about there is a time to do this and a time for that in all eight verses. Dr.Thompson points out that the word time is the key in this passage, reminding us there is a time for everything; understanding this will help you in your waiting season. Many times after we ask God for something we don't expect it to take as long as it does and in that waiting we give up hope and faith that God hears us or even cares- Let me just tell you that is a trick of the enemy. The praise is the thing to water the seed, if the enemy can keep us from understanding “due season” then he can keep you from your blessings and he knows that. This term due season is important because this is God’s timing, not yours. Sometimes delays can be from us not being ready for what we ask for, not asking God for the correct thing, or even just the enemy sending tricks to delay your messenger. There is a verse in Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”- translation God is not a joke nor does he play tricks, if you sow something unto the Lord you are going to reap. So what is the promise or takeaway here, it's not if God will do it, but it’s when God does it that should be the mindset. So while we are in the “hallway waiting” we praise Him in advance. We plan and prepare for the blessing like a farmer for the harvest. We must understand that the system in which God operates is not of this world, it’s supernatural. Faith and praise are the main components needed for it to work. In the book, Dr.Thompson makes another point, if your heart posture is incorrect you will not reap the harvest because you have cursed the seed. One big component many miss when it comes to God is heart posture. The Lord knows what we need before we even ask but he also knows our intentions behind the request and watches us in the due season. We must be sure to water the seed properly through the “due season” so that the ground will remain fertile. 

Overall Take Away

The takeaway? When you are waiting on a harvest, this is a time of patience and trust in the Lord's provision and promises. The book of James, says, "Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord comes. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains" (James 5:7). We too must wait patiently like the farmer for the fruit of our labor. During this waiting period, it is important to continue to work diligently and trust in God’s timing. If you planted a seed you will reap a harvest. That every season has a due season. In the due season be sure to keep your heart posture remain on God and continue to praise Him in the hallway. During this time seek God's guidance and pray, asking for strength and patience as you wait for the harvest. You are to not grow weary and keep the faith. The Devil will test you even try to delay you so you will never see the harvest of your seeds. You must set an expectation for your harvest know that it is coming and be prepared for it when it gets here. Pray, fast, read, sing, plan, journal, and dream; be ready because your harvest is coming!