Ripe and Ready

The harvest fields are white. The opportunity is now. The question isn't whether there are people ready to encounter Jesus—it's whether we're ready to step into our divine appointments.

As we enter this new year, we're not merely turning a page on the calendar. We're stepping into a season marked by a powerful declaration from John 4:35: "Look and see that the fields are ripe and ready to harvest." This isn't a distant promise or a hopeful wish. It's a present reality waiting for laborers willing to participate in what God is already doing.

When Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman at the well, He demonstrated three essential elements that unlock supernatural harvest. These aren't complex theological concepts requiring years of seminary training. They're simple, reproducible actions available to every believer.

First, Jesus made Himself available. He positioned Himself where divine appointments could happen. How often do we hide in our comfortable spaces, insulated from the very people God wants to reach through us? Availability requires intentionality. It means being present in our communities, open to interruptions, and willing to go where God leads rather than where convenience dictates.

Second, Jesus initiated a conversation—not just any conversation, but a Jesus conversation. He didn't discuss the weather or current events. He spoke words that introduced the kingdom of God into an ordinary moment. This is where many of us falter. We're comfortable with small talk but hesitant to bring Jesus into the dialogue. Yet people are desperately searching for something real, something that addresses the deepest longings of their hearts.

Third, Jesus operated in a Holy Ghost moment. Through a word of knowledge, He revealed details about the woman's life that He couldn't have known naturally. This supernatural encounter became the turning point—not just for one woman, but for an entire village. People need to see something before they can believe something. When the supernatural intersects the natural, hearts open and lives transform.

Here's the liberating truth: we don't accomplish any of this in our own strength. John 14:10 reveals the secret: "The Father who dwells in me does the works." Jesus didn't operate from His own authority but from partnership with the Father through the Holy Spirit.
This same power source is available to us. In fact, Jesus made an astounding promise in John 14:12: "The works that I do, he will do also, and greater works than these he will do." This isn't hyperbole or exaggeration. It's an invitation into supernatural partnership.
The Helper, the Holy Spirit, has been given to dwell within us forever. He teaches us all things. He brings to our remembrance what we need in the moment. He opens our understanding of Scripture. He empowers us to be witnesses. Without Him, we're simply people trying to accomplish divine purposes through human effort—a recipe for frustration and burnout.

Before God created humanity, He prepared everything we would need. The provision precedes the people. This means we don't step into this mission lacking anything essential. We've been given the seeing eye and the hearing ear—spiritual senses attuned to what God is doing. We've been given peace that surpasses understanding—not just as a nice feeling, but as a guidance system that confirms when we're in the right place with the right people at the right time.

We've been given the gift of healing. Luke 10:9 instructs those sent on mission to "heal the sick" and declare that "the kingdom of God has come near to you." Healing isn't reserved for a special class of super-Christians. It's part of the normal Christian life, a sign that points people to the reality of God's goodness.

The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—becomes increasingly evident as we spend time with the Holy Spirit. These character qualities attract people more powerfully than any program or performance. When people encounter genuine love, unexplainable joy, and unshakeable peace in the midst of trials, they recognize something supernatural is at work.

Amid all the talk of power and gifts, we must never lose sight of the simple gospel message: Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. This is the foundation. Repentance—changing the way we think, which changes how we act—and remission of sins are essential.

Christianity isn't merely an event or a prayer. It's a process, a lifestyle, a kingdom we're called to build. When we have Holy Ghost moments with people, we don't just pray and walk away. We call them out of darkness into light and help them get planted, grow roots, and mature so they too can be sent to the harvest.

Romans 2:4 reveals a crucial truth: "The goodness of God leads you to repentance." People don't need more condemnation—the world provides plenty of that. They need to encounter the overwhelming goodness of God. When we accurately reflect His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, people respond.

God isn't an angry old man with a big stick waiting to clobber us for our mistakes. He's a loving Father who prepared everything we need before we were born, who wants us to have His best, who is faithful even when we're faithless.

Luke 10:1 tells us that Jesus appointed seventy others and sent them ahead of Him to every place He was about to go. You are appointed for this year. There are places God wants to go, and He's chosen to go there through you. There are people waiting for their divine appointment, and you're the answer to their unspoken prayers.

This isn't about perfection. It's about partnership. It's about being available, initiating Jesus conversations, and cooperating with the Holy Spirit. The harvest truly is great, and you're not just invited to participate—you're essential to bringing it in.

The fields are ripe and ready. The question is: are you?