“Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38 KJV).
There are a whole lot of people out there, but labors are few. The word “pray ye” implies supplication and fervency. The laborers mentioned in the text are saved people. This scripture is saying that we should pray fervently in the spirit that the Lord of the harvest would send forth people who are saved into the harvest.
Where is the harvest? It is everywhere you are. It is on the street, on the job, in the ministry, at the grocery store, at school. If you are saved, then you are a laborer sent to some of those you meet to tell them about the love of God.
Another place of harvest is the local church. Pray that God sends people to serve and help the ministry, because you can do nothing without the ministry of helps. I thank God that we have one of the best ministry of helps in the country. But, we cannot function without people sent into this harvest to help. Thank you to all of our people who work in the ministry of helps.
Once again, we must pray for the saints. Not only pray that they go into the harvest, pray that they would mature enough to understand that they need to make the harvest their focus, and not themselves.
That is why Paul said it would be better if the single people remained single. It would be easier for them to do what is really important, carrying out the will of God. Then he told the married folk to act like they’re are single. In other words, focus on doing as much of the work of God as you can and still satisfy your mate and have a happy marriage.
In 1 Corinthians chapter 7, it says there is a time that married couples should mutually agree to give themselves to fasting and prayer. He said they should set aside time that they abstain from marital relations for the purpose of blessing somebody else through prayer. Then he said don’t do that too long. Come back together again so that you are not tempted from being very needy.
Prayer is needed in this area so that instead of it being only the 10 or 20 percent of the people doing all the work, doing all the praying, doing all the helping, it should be much more than that.
You need to fire up all the troops with your prayers. God is saying that if we ask Him, He’ll get after these people. This is how your praying in the spirit makes you a catalyst for change in the earth.
Scripture Reference: Ephesians 4:11-13
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).