We are talking about the requirement for laborers to bring in the harvest. There are three clear scriptural ways in which we labor to bring in the harvest of the Lord. The first way we labor is by going out with the sickle of the gospel. We preach and trust in the power of that gospel to bring in the souls. The second way, which was spoken of previously, is the sickle of intercession.
Matthew 9:37-38 KJV
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
In the place of intercession, we pray. We labor because it is the desire of God that all men should be saved.
1 Timothy 2:1 KJV
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1 Timothy 2:4 KJV
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
When we pray for all men, it is to see them come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved. Intercession is essential in bringing in the harvest and cannot be overemphasized. In this teaching hi we would be looking at the sickle of finance for the harvest.
In the harvest, it is either you are going, you are groaning, or you are giving. Going involves the physical preaching of the gospel. Groaning refers to interceding in prayer. Giving means you are providing the resources towards the harvest expected to be brought in from the field.
To understand why finance is a weapon, we must look at the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.
Matthew 28:11-15 KJV
Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
There was a conspiracy. The chief priests gave large money to the soldiers to propagate a lie that Jesus did not resurrect. They knew that if this narrative went out, the government might penalize the soldiers, so they promised to persuade the governor and secure them. They were employing these men to run a conspiracy theory.
From day one, there was an attempt to stop the authentic gospel—the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus—from reaching the people. This was not just an attack on Jesus; it was an attack on the gospel itself. If money was used as a basis to promote that conspiracy in the beginning, understand that the same instrument is being used today. Nations and agendas like “Jihad” or “Islamization” use finance to distort, stop, and frustrate the advancement of the gospel.
There are nations where missionaries cannot enter and Bibles cannot be brought in because the opportunity has been shut down. The weapon used to achieve this is money. Therefore, if we are to undo what has been done and propagate this gospel thoroughly, the sickle of large finance will be required.
It will be dollar for dollar, pound for pound, and naira for naira. The enemies of the cross are not sleeping; they are putting resources together to prevent the invasion of Christ into lands and cities. If we want to see Jesus glorified and enthroned in the hearts of men, the Church must take finance.
Zechariah 1:17 KJV
Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
Zion, the city of God, is the Church. God says the Church shall be spread abroad through prosperity, not through poverty. When a believer is not serious about their work, career, or business, they may be failing to be kingdom-conscious.
You must know why you are picking up a job or starting a business. It is either for the kingdom or for bread. While your comfort is important to God, the reason He helps you make money is beyond your personal needs. God is not offended when you have resources or live comfortably; He wants you to take care of your family. However, beyond your needs, there is a kingdom need.
Meeting your needs is the lowest experience God wants for you. It is a good place to start, but a bad place to stop. When you desire for God to enlarge your coast, you must understand that part of that money is gospel money. I do not believe in the idea that some people are only called to give and not to go or pray. We are all laborers. The scope and focus may differ, but every believer must labor in preaching, interceding, and giving.
Some believers have the strength and capacity to become “kingdom financiers.” They may not have the time to stay in places like the Sambisa Forest, but they recognize that God has blessed them to advance the kingdom. These individuals adopt missionaries, putting them on their payroll.
Others adopt the children of missionaries, ensuring they have a quality education so their parents can stay focused on the mission field. When you support such initiatives, you are directly contributing to the advancement of the gospel because the missionary is no longer distracted by how to pay school fees or provide food.
The Church must reach a point we call mission mobilization. We must be mission-oriented. Even if you are not the one giving the large sums, you can be the one mobilizing resources for those on the field. Money is the “wheel of the gospel.” If it was used to hinder the truth, it must be used to push it.
Salvation is free, but the gospel is not. Jesus died for us free of charge, but Bibles, equipment, and transportation are not free. I look forward to the day when God blesses you with so much that you can set up sophisticated, modern stages on trucks for evangelists. You might not be the one preaching, but you provide the platform, the speakers, and the logistics.
Imagine having ten such trucks that you partner with genuine evangelists to use for crusades in various communities. That is a ministry. That is a mission. If you do not see this vision of global harvest, you will remain mediocre in your business. If your only vision is to build a three-bedroom flat or a duplex and travel to Dubai, that is a common vision. But as the Lord unveils His intention for souls, you will realize that your money is on a mission.
Where you cannot go physically, your money can go. If you cannot touch a nation with your feet, your resources can touch it. There are people praying right now for a means to go to the nations, and you might be the answer to their prayer. Some nations remain unreached because believers are not taking their role in kingdom finance seriously.
No pipe carries water and remains dry. When you allow God to pass resources through you as a channel, you will have more than enough to live a comfortable, even a large life. But you will not be consumed by materialism.
We must not let the pursuit of life abandon the call of eternity.
1 Corinthians 15:19 KJV
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
We have a double hope: hope for this world and hope for the world to come. In this world, we want to live a meaningful life, but we know it does not end here. When we cross the border of eternity, our houses and cars are useless. The only currency traded there is souls. A “soul winner’s crown” is waiting, not a “contract secured crown” or a “best student crown.”
New Testament giving is not about compulsion or fear.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 KJV
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
There is no special formula or “devourer” coming to knock your head if you do not give. However, there is a blessing in being a generous giver. Many have used the liberty of the New Testament as a license to be stingy. If you give out of shame, guilt, or because a preacher moved you through emotion, that is no the New Testament giving. I have cancelled people’s vows because they were made out of fear or the pressure of the moment. Do not give what makes you a burden to others later in the month.
Give according to what you have purposed in your heart. Whether it is one thousand naira or one million naira, if it is from the heart, it is meaningful. God sees the heart.
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. There are few who preach, few who intercede, and few who give. We must pray for the Lord of the harvest to “drive out” laborers from their hiding places and their comfortable seats in the church.
Habakkuk 2:14 KJV
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
This is the mandate. We must carry the sickle of finance—large and sufficient finance—to see this glory cover the earth. Whether you are printing tracts, providing medical missions, or sponsoring a missionary, let your heart be in the harvest. Go all out. Be the best you can be. Understand that God wants you blessed so that you can be a vessel to reach the nations.