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Intention
Now is the time to share Jesus

Scripture

Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. John 4:35 ESV

Reflection
When I visit different cities and towns in Australia, I often hear people say things like, “This area is really hard” or “Australia is hard soil”. My response is usually the question, “When did you last preach the gospel?” because I believe Jesus said the opposite. My personal experience is that Australia is ripe for harvest.

Our words have power because what we confess with our mouths determines our belief. Likewise, what we believe, determines our action. e.g. If we say the area is really hard, we believe it is really hard, so we don’t preach the gospel and people don’t get saved. This confirms what we originally said. It is what the world calls a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Self-fulfilling prophecy: process through which an originally false expectation leads to its own confirmation.

However, if we choose to believe the words of Jesus, that the fields are white for harvest, then we will share the gospel and see people saved. I see this everywhere I go. In the last 6 months I have visited cities and towns in NSW, QLD, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. I have seen salvations in every place I have visited, and it has been easy, because the harvest is ripe.

Last week I saw 12 salvations on the streets in Western Australia. On Busselton Jetty we were handing out Hope Cards. One girl sat staring at the card saying, “This is exactly what I have been searching for”! We shared the gospel with her, her friend and her friend’s dad. They all gave their lives to Jesus.

A few days later I was at the Marlston Hill Lookout praying with a friend. While I was there a young couple climbed to the top of the tower. I offered them a Hope Card. They looked at it and said the same thing as the girl a few days earlier, “This is exactly what we have been searching for.”

I was overjoyed and so I shared the gospel with them, and they gave their lives to Jesus.

We also met a young Muslim man and an atheist in Perth and after hearing the gospel they gave their lives to Jesus.

I believe right now the harvest is riper than ever before. COVID-19, and all that it has bought with it, has been like fertiliser for the harvest field. People are searching for HOPE and we have the answer, His name is Jesus.

We must preach the gospel. Jesus said that the fields are white. Farmers know that after the fields are white, they very quickly turn black, and the harvest is lost. So, let’s not wait around for that to happen. Let’s make hay while the sun shines.

Don’t delay any longer. Let’s believe what Jesus said, that the harvest is ripe and go preach the gospel to everyone everywhere.

Prayer
Then he said to his disciples, “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.” Mathew 9:37-38

Thank you, Lord, that the harvest is ripe. We ask God that you would raise up more labourers to go into your harvest. Give us boldness to be your witnesses and to preach the gospel so that people can hear the good news, believe the good news and call upon the name of Jesus for salvation.

Prayer Points for May 2021
1. Pray for Revival and Transformation for Australia
2. Pray for 1 Billion people worldwide to hear the Gospel
3. Share the Good News of Jesus with 5 people

Pat Steele is a Missionary Evangelist with Youth for Christ and Director of Hope Movement. Pat was radically saved, healed and delivered in 2002 and has now devoted his life to sharing the same powerful gospel that saved him. Pat ministers from the overflow that comes from an intimate relationship with God and wants everyone to know about Jesus. Support Pat here.

Share HOPE using Hope Cards. Hope Cards are a fun and easy way to share the hope of Jesus. They are a great conversation starter and the QR code and website on the back of the card make it a powerful seed to leave with someone. www.yfc.org.au/hopestore

We invite you to join the daily 1-hour Zoom video National Prayer Call every night:
DATES: 1st–31st May 2021
TIME: 8pm-9pm AEST
ZOOM URL LINK: https://zoom.us/j/776881184
ZOOM MEETING ID: 776881184
See Zoom tutorial here.

Daily devotions brought to you by the Canberra Declaration.