Title: In Due Season
Theme: God’s Word to His church that it is time to reap what we have been sowing.
Text: Galatians 6:6-9
Galatians 6:6 NKJV Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Galatians 6:9 NLT So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.
Gal 6:9 MSG So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.
Introduction
I want us this morning to focus in on that verse 9 and especially the words “In Due Season”. These are the words that God spoke to me last night as I was sitting on the pew.
Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines the word due as “something that rightfully belongs to you.” And the word season means “a special period.” So I put both of these definitions together to come up with my own definition. So, due season is –a special period of time when we shall receive that which rightfully belongs to us.
Principle # 1: What you reap is what you sow.
That is an important principle to remember when you are talking about reaping and sowing. When a farmer would plant a seed in the ground he would expect “in due season” to receive what ever that plant was. So if he planted corn seed he would get corn. If you planted apple seed he would get apples. If he planted watermelon seed he would get watermelon. If he planted bird seed he would get . . . ? Ha Ha.
Any way you understand the principle. This is important because it works in all areas of our life. Notice what Paul says here
Galatians 6:8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Paul makes a comparison between the flesh and the spirit. The flesh is that which is inside us trying to get us to sin. You see the “sowing and reaping” could be a blessing or a curse. It cannot be ignored. It happens all the time. As there is penalty for sin there is a blessing for right living.
As is there is a cost for laziness there is a reward for being diligent in the Lord. Don’t miss this.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him (GOD), for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently (to search with zeal, earnest) seek Him.
Principle # 2: You don’t reap in the same season that you sow.
The second principle that I want you to understand is that you don’t reap in the same season that you sow. A farmer doesn’t plant a seed and expect to come back that afternoon and see a plant. Once you plant corn you can expect it to take 2-3 months to produce a crop.
You see what you reap in one season will not produce into the next.
I told you just a few weeks ago that God spoke to me and told me that we were going through a season. It was a season of limited revelations and spiritual activity from the Lord.
You know it. I have seen it and so have you. You probably even sensed in your spirit. It doesn’t mean that God has not been here.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
In other words each season has its purpose.
What it means is God is teaching a respect and hunger for His spirit.
Here is what God expected us to due during this time. Just as verse 9 begins he expected us not to “grow weary in well doing”. In other words we were not to give up. We were to continue in the disciplines of the faith.
We were to continue to pray, continue to worship, continue to work and continue to watch for the coming of the Lord. To many times we want to stop. Oh but it is in our faithfulness where God sees a place to move.
It is easy to worship and praise and celebrate when you are up on the mountain but what about when you are in the valley. Oh you are making that long clip to the top. It is not time to give up but it is time to work and pray even more.
God says that he has seen your faithfulness. He has heard your prayers. He has listened to your cries and He says don’t give up your season is coming.
Speaking of seasons. Israel spent 400 years in captivity to Egypt but Exodus 3:7-8 tells us that the Lord said to the Israel “I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt…and I am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians.”
It wasn’t that God was not listening to them. It was that God was preparing them to become a great nation. God devastated the greatest nation on Earth and all the other countries heard about. The Bible said that as Israel walked on their journey to Canaan that the other nation heard and were afraid.
Maybe that is what we need in this city. Maybe that is what God is setting us up for. Maybe he has heard you praying for your church. He has heard you praying for your community. He has heard you praying for deliverance and he is going to show up and put this community on notice.
This week I have dealt with about 4 or 5 people who has an drug or alcohol problem. These are people that come and knock on the doors of this church. Some have alcohol on their breath. Others know that they have an addiction that only the Lord can break.
Oh when the word gets out that God is moving in the church people will come.
I look at these people in the eyes and I see their hurt. I feel their pain. I see that they are about to give up. This is controlling their lives. But that is why Luke 4:18-19 means so much to me. Listen again as I read.
Luke 4:17-21 NKJV And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." 20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Now let me ask you who could you picture in this passage that needs something from the Lord.
Could you imagine in your families what would happen if God set them free from drugs or alcohol. Could you imagine in your neighborhood what would happen if God saved and delivered your neighbor. It would turn this community upside down.
God says he has heard your prayers. Don’t get weary in well doing but your season is almost here. For some it will begin tonight as you are healed. For some you will not leave today’s service the same.
Conclusion
Tonight is going to be a special healing service. God is going to perform some miracles. But today I believe that some of you have been praying for something for a long time. For 9 years my children prayed for their grandmother, 3 months ago God said it is due season.
Rev 6:10-11 KJV And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? (11) And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Rev 5:8 KJV And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
I want to encourage you first and tell you that those tears that you have been crying and those prayers that you have been praying they don’t go unnoticed. God is storing them up, the season is coming.
I just believe this morning that there are some of you who have been praying a long time for someone or something. Maybe you feel weary. Maybe you are just about to give up. I want to pray for and with you about this.
