“Don’t be impulsive like peter was, true sons of God are led by the Spirit of God.”
We need a holy fear and a determination never to hurt or hinder the harvest — never to use it for our own ends and purposes.
“Great grace will be given to our generation, but great accountability will also be required.”
MATTHEW 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. The word teach is from the Greek word, matheteuo (G3100): to disciple, instruct and teach.
The commission was not just to get people saved; it also involved making disciples!
In the coming harvest, the easy part will be getting people saved. This will be almost effortless, as God pours out His Spirit and great signs and wonders are manifest.
Making disciples and training an army is something else altogether.
In the past, Bible colleges have offered courses in theology and other Christian disciplines, carefully dissecting various books of the Bible. As good as that may be, we need to take note of the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:20: “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”.
I have never ever seen a course or heard any real teaching or training that followed this particular theme of teaching believers to observe everything that Jesus had commanded His disciples.
Many Bible schools have served the Christian church well. However, we are living in days in which much of what may have worked in times past will no longer work in this present age. The coming new wine of harvest souls must have new wine skins in order to facilitate what God has purposed for this last generation. The harvest will come in.
It is the Lord’s harvest, and the coming great harvest is something that the Lord has control of — and nothing can stop it. But training or making disciples is another thing. Jesus clearly said that we have to teach them (disciples) to observe all things that He commanded. That’s the hard part. This generation will go to heights in God that no other generation has.
Everything is maturing as we move down to the end of the age; both good and evil are maturing.
The Scriptures clearly tell us that Jesus is coming for a church without spot or wrinkle. This phenomenon has never been seen in the church before.
If we teach future Christians to observe everything that Jesus commanded, this will propel them into maturity at a rate unheard of.
You may well say, “Foundations still have to be laid.” This is true, but it should not take five years to do it.
We must move on and do it quickly
HEBREWS 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit.
The apostle Paul was exhorting the church to move beyond basic doctrines. In saying this, we need to understand that the Lord reveals further truth in each successive generation.
Ever since the reformation, God has been unveiling greater understanding and truth to each new generation. For example, He is shedding much greater light and understanding in regard to the foundational truths listed in Hebrews 6:1-2.
Truth is revealed progressively. Our grasp of these basic truths is about to be enlarged to such a degree that it will bring positive changes in our lives and accelerate the process, not just of understanding, but also life-changing reality.
We need to prepare to disciple the harvest
We must now start to prepare.