The Harvest
By Zahida
Published March 2008
By Rick Joyner
The Lord has revealed to many of His prophets that there will soon be a great outpouring of His Spirit. This revival will be greater than all those preceding it. This vision includes key elements to this coming harvest and what the Lord is doing in the Church now to prepare for it.
This outpouring will ultimately result in some very radical changes for both the Church and the world. These need to be understood by those who would be used by God for one of the greatest events in history. To those who are diligent seekers of God and obedient to His will, this vision does not represent disruption. These things will happen to them as a natural flow of the Spirit moving them to increased light and intimacy with Him. Those who are comfortable and resistant to change will have a very hard time. I ask you to openly and prayerfully reflect on what I am sharing. Some of these statements may not speak to you now, but I believe they will in the future, giving you great peace and confidence as you remember them.
Fitting Together
For the coming harvest the Lord is preparing a great spiritual “fishnet,” one able to hold the catch that is coming. This net is formed by the linking together of His people. The stronger the intercommunication and interrelationships, the stronger this net will be. It is not only happening in the local churches among the members, but between ministries and congregations throughout cities, states, and crossing international barriers around the world.
In Ephesians 4:15-16, we see this principle: “We are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the Head, even Christ, from whom the whole Body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies …” A joint is not a part, but it is where two or more parts come together. There is a great fitting together going on in the Spirit right now, and it will increase in the near future on all levels.
Walls to Come Down
The Spirit is compelling pastors to get together with other pastors, prophets with prophets, apostles with apostles, and even whole congregations are beginning to visit and interrelate with other congregations apart from their own circles of emphasis. This is the Lord’s doing. Some of these meetings may seem fruitless because of improper agendas, but they will bear fruit. Links will be made. Soon the Lord’s presence in these meetings will melt all presumption and remove the façades which separate us from union with Him and each other. His presence will stimulate a worship which brings about Psalm 133 unity. As we anoint the Head with our worship the oil will flow down to the edge of His robes, covering the entire Body.
He is beginning the breakdown of barriers with the leadership because this is where most barriers originate and where they are the strongest. As the walls come down here the entire Body will begin to flow together. If the leaders resist this move, the Lord will continue it through the congregations. These groups will begin to relate to other members of the Body of Christ and their bonds will grow stronger, regardless of the resistance or warnings of their pastors. Some pastors and leaders who continue to resist this tide of unity will be removed from their place. Some will become so hardened they will become opposers and resist God to the end. Most will be changed and will repent of their resistance.
Because of the magnitude of the “catch,” this net will be rent many times and will be in need of constant mending. Much of the discord now taking place in the Church is being used by the Lord to prepare those whose task in the harvest will be almost exclusively that of mending and binding this great net. These peacemakers will have a great part in building the net and have a major impact on the entire effectiveness of the revival. Those who seem to always find themselves in the middle of conflicts should be encouraged with the knowledge that they are being prepared for a great work.
Some who were used greatly of God in the past have become too rigid in doctrinal emphasis, or are too engaged in spiritual “Ishmaels,” to participate in this revival. Some of these will try to join the work, but their interrelationships will be so superficial that they will be quickly torn from the net with the first catch. Those who are linked together by doctrine or who gather around personalities will quickly be torn away. Only those who are joined by and through Jesus alone will stand the pressure this harvest will bring upon the Church (Colossians 1:17).
Enormous Stress
The redemption of so many will bring much joy, but the newly redeemed will come with problems which bring enormous stress to congregations and ministers. The cords of unity must be very strong to stand this pressure. Those who have not learned to take the Lord’s yoke and resist trying to carry the burdens themselves will be overwhelmed. Entering the Sabbath rest of the Lord will become a major emphasis in preparation for the harvest. Heed this word!
A large number who are now considered Christians – even spirit-filled Christians – have never been led to the Lord. They were led to the church, to a personality or to a doctrine or emphasis. Some of these will think they are important links in the net but will actually become part of the harvest, starting over again on the proper Foundation – Jesus. This group includes many well-known ministers and pastors. Their humility in this will lead multitudes to question and strengthen their own relationship to the Lord. This will strengthen and encourage the entire body of Christ.
Many denominations, extra-local fellowships and circles of emphasis will begin disbanding and severing those ties – even those that were ordained by God for a season – in order to take their place in this great net that the Lord is now forming. For some these ties will just be ignored or forgotten until they have passed away, almost without notice, because of the greater intensity and substance of this new move. For others it will be a very painful rending as they are persecuted and rejected by those who do not understand. Those who are required to leave much behind will soon receive many times what they have left.
Marvel of the World
Some leaders will actually disband their organizations as they realize they are no longer relevant to what God is doing. Others will just leave them behind to disband by themselves. Ultimately, all circles of ministry or influence with individual identities will dissolve into a single identity of simply being Christians for all who become part of this harvest. Single presbyteries will form over cities and localities. These will be made up of pastors and leaders from all backgrounds. Their unity and harmony in purpose, as well as that of the various congregations, will become a marvel to the world. The Lord will give these presbyteries great wisdom and discernment but there will be no doubt that Jesus alone will be the Head of His Church. What is coming will be bigger than any man or council of men could control or administrate.
The Lord’s purpose in preparing for the harvest is to join, not separate. The dismantling of organizations and disbanding of some works will be a positive and exhilarating experience for the Lord’s faithful servants. They will not be just leaving something behind; they will be going on to a much greater work. Those who have fallen to worship the work of God more than the God of the work will have trouble, but most of these too will be set free by the tremendous anointing that is coming.
Those who feel called to attack and tear down the old will not be sent from the Lord. There will be many “stumbling blocks” circulating in the Church that will cause confusion and some destruction from time to time. They will perceive themselves as prophets sent to judge and deliver. Those serving in leadership must trust their discernment and remove the stumbling blocks.
To be distinguished from the “stumbling blocks,” a great company of prophets, teachers, pastors and apostles will be raised up with the spirit of Phinehas. Just as the son of Eleazar could not tolerate iniquity in the camp of the Lord, this “ministry of Phinehas” will save congregations, and at times even whole nations from the plagues that will be sweeping the earth. They will be moved by the jealousy of the Lord for the purity of His people. They will be sent to save and preserve the work of the Lord, not tear down, as the stumbling blocks do.
A Great Shaking
For a time, there will be such an inflow of people that even this great net cannot hold them all. Many of the former works and organized churches will be swelled with this overflow. Because of this they will assert that they are both the cause and primary purpose for this revival. This delusion will not last long because concurrent with the harvest a gripping tribulation will arise in the world and eventually consume them. This is the judgment of the Lord against the works He did not commission: The great “sea,” or mass of humanity, that they sought to rule, will rise up to destroy them.
Wars will increase. There will even be some nuclear exchanges, but on a limited basis, mostly between Third World nations. Far more will perish by plagues and natural disasters than by wars during the period of this vision. The very foundations of civilization will shake and erode. Even the world’s most stable governments will be melting like wax, losing authority and control over their populations. Eventually it will be hard to find anyone with the courage to assume authority. This will cause sweeping paranoia throughout the entire earth.
Huge mobs will attack everything in their path. The infrastructure of the great denominational churches and large visible ministries will be one of their primary targets and will vanish almost overnight. Pagan religions, cults and witchcraft will spread like plagues but these will also become targets of the mobs. By this time governments will have broken down to the point that lynchings and mass executions perpetrated by these mobs will be ignored by the authorities.
Fear and deep darkness will cover the earth, but this just makes the glory which is appearing upon the saints more striking. Huge masses of people will be streaming to the Lord, the inflow so great in places that very young Christians will be pastoring large bodies of believers. Arenas and stadiums will overflow nightly as the believers come together to hear the apostles and teachers.
Extraordinary Miracles
At this time few congregations will remain separate or individual entities. Many elders and pastors may be stationary, but groups they oversee will be constantly changing. Some of these are moving on because of persecution and others because the Lord scatters them to carry His message abroad like seed. Near the end (of the vision) the Body of Christ is like a great, flowing river sweeping about as freely as the wind. One day there may be meetings in a public auditorium or stadium, the next day in a park, and continually from house to house.
Great meetings that stir entire cities will happen spontaneously. Extraordinary miracles will be common while those considered great today will be performed almost without notice by young believers. Angelic appearances will be common to the saints and a visible glory of the Lord will appear upon some for extended periods of time as power flows through them.
A Different Authority
Conferences of apostles, prophets, pastors, elders, etc. will be called and used greatly by the Lord, but without denominating and separating from the rest of the body. Their unity will be in Jesus and He alone will be the Head of His Church. Eventually, the Lord’s presence will be so great during this revival that, like the 24 elders in Revelation, all will cast their crowns at His feet and spiritual presumption will be unthinkable.
Those in leadership will be the most humble of all. When anyone presumes leadership without calling, it will be apparent to all. The leaders of this move will be true servants, not interested in reputation or position. Their humility will open them to become channels for wave after wave of living water. “He will dwell with the humble of the land.”
This harvest will be so great that no one will look back at the early Church as a standard; all will be saying that the Lord has certainly saved His best wine for last. The early Church was a firstfruits offering; truly this will be a harvest! It was said of the Apostle Paul that he was turning the world upside down; it will be said of the apostles soon to be anointed that they have turned an upside down world right side up. Nations will tremble at the mention of their name.
These men and women of God will take little notice of their own accomplishments because of their burning love for the One Who works through them and the recognition of His accomplishments. Like Jesus, they will flee to the mountains when men try to make them kings or exalt them in any way. Their exaltation or authority will not come through man but only from above. As the masses will be seeking anyone to take authority during these times, this comes as a warning! If the people make you king, who rules? The authority that the Lord will establish will be very different from what even His own people now perceive. Do not try to rule, just serve. Through this His authority will flow and begin to bring order through peace.
I do not believe the actual magnitude of these events can be expressed here – neither the chaos nor the move of the Holy Spirit. As to the “rapture” or second appearance of the Lord Jesus, I have my own ideas but was not given anything concerning them in this vision. What I was allowed to foresee ended with increasing chaos and increasing revival.
Points of Emphasis
There will be words and exhortations, originating from the very throne of the Lord and carrying great authority, coming to prepare His Church for the days to come. Though I do not presume this will be all that He will be saying, I believe we will soon hear His prophets and teachers begin to emphasize the following:
- Build upon the only foundation that can be laid: Jesus Himself. Works that are built upon truths instead of the Truth will not stand in this day. Many congregations and ministries are today devastated by the slightest shaking. The works that are properly built on Jesus will withstand the greatest trials and attacks without being moved. There will be a great emphasis on the Lord Jesus Himself in the days to come. The increasing revelation of Him will overshadow the many emphases of the past like the sun does the moon when it rises. The truths that have been such a distraction will seem insignificant as the Church begins to see Him “in Whom are hidden all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).
- Remove the barriers and facades that separate us from the Lord and each other. We must become more intimate with Him and, through Him, with each other. Spiritual pride and the exaltation of men, individual truths or works, will come under unrelenting discipline from the Lord and will soon be understood as a “strange fire.” Those who continue to offer it will perish from the ministry with such demonstration that a pure and holy fear of the Lord will sweep the Body of Christ. This will help the Church to move into true spiritual worship and a unity that is based on that worship.
- Abide in the Sabbath rest of the Lord. This will become not only an increasing emphasis in the teaching but a reality as the Lord enters His temple, the Church. Our growing intimacy with Him will bring a peace that will actually calm the storm of the rising sea of humanity. The intensity of the times will overwhelm any pseudo peace. We must be one with the “Lord of the Sabbath.”
- Heed the spiritual preparation which may be reflected in the natural. For example: Some have begun moving their assets into precious metals or land. This may be helpful, but it is far more important to take the spiritual land and to lay up our treasures in heaven. The Lord is seeking givers who will become channels of His supply. For them there will not be any lack. Those who hoard or do not learn to freely give may suffer increasing crisis in their earthly affairs. This is the Lord’s discipline to set them free. Some who are faithful and generous givers may also find themselves in increasing crisis, but it is for their preparation to be great channels for the provision of many. Remember Joseph!
Some are feeling they should limit their travel to certain areas and are beginning to emphasize cleanliness because of the AIDS epidemic. This may be helpful, but there is only one deliverance from the judgments of God – the one found in Christ. Spiritual purity is far more important than the natural and can alone protect us from AIDS or any other plague.
*“The just shall live by faith,” not fear. Fears will greatly increase in the world. Actions taken by the Church because of fear will almost always prove destructive. Some “faith teaching” has muddied the waters to the degree that some do not even want to hear the word “faith.” This frequently happens before the Lord begins a great work. A great revelation of true faith is coming; it will be an essential revelation for us to serve in these days. Some will be called to walk where angels fear to tread. Know that He Who is in us is much greater than he who is in the world. The vessels He is now preparing will walk in a boldness and confidence that will astonish a world gripped in fear. Our faith will grow as the presence of the Lord increases. True faith is the recognition of the One in Whom we believe. When one truly and properly fears the Lord he will not fear anything else.
In the coming days many will exist in the miraculous on a continual basis. It will become as natural to them as the gathering of manna was to Israel. Some of the Lord’s exploits on behalf of His people will be unprecedented, exceeding the greatest biblical miracles. These will seem almost normal as they take place because the presence of the Lord will cause more wonderment than His works. He will be very close to His people in these days.
- The Lord will soon open our understanding of His Word and purpose to a depth beyond our present comprehension. The “books” are yet to be “opened” as they will be. When they are opened, our understanding of even the basic truths such as salvation, being born again, etc., will be enormously increased. This will give far more substance and depth of purpose to the entire Body of Christ. The functions of the gifts and ministries will come with increasing authority and power as their confidence increases with knowledge. The spiritual dimension will become more real to the Church than the natural. When the proper foundation has been adequately laid in the Church (our union and devotion to Jesus Himself) the Spirit of Revelation will be poured out as never before.
Do not resist the Lord in this work. Seek greater intimacy with the Lord and open yourself to your fellow members in the Body of Christ. Reach out to them and remove the barriers.
The Lord will merely cause His people to rise above such differences and worship Him in unity. As He is lifted up, we will gradually begin to wonder how many things that were so important to us, and often divided us, could have had so much of our attention. As this final battle begins, we are all going to be amazed and sometimes ashamed at those we find on our side.
Humble yourself under His mighty hand so that you may take part in a great exaltation. Those who allow themselves to be emptied, who lay aside all personal ambition to become of no reputation, who patiently suffer rejection and misunderstanding, will soon stir the entire world with the King’s message.
Rick Joyner, a former commercial pilot, resides with his wife and two children in Charlotte, North Carolina. His latest book, The Harvest, along with his monthly newsletter, can be obtained by writing Morningstar Publications, 8704 Paulston Road., Charlotte, NC 28226.
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