With One Accord - Prepare for Harvest (Part 1)
Antioch Movement “Word of the Lord” for 2025: “PREPARE FOR HARVEST”
We came up with 5 activities that we sensed were part of a preparation season:
Pray for Laborers!
Refine your Processes
Sharpen Your Tools
Prune what isn’t Fruitful
Prepare your Barns
A few weeks ago, Davis Kinney sends me a prophetic word that the Lord had given him last year about WATCHMEN on the wall and the role of intercessory prayer. As He leaned in to study this with the Lord, he discovered that the watchmen were hired RIGHT BEFORE THE HARVEST to keep watch over the fields at night because that is when the thieves come to steal the fruit… right before the reaping.
One week later, on Palm Sunday, I get another word from a Prophetic man I’ve never met about WATCHING in prayer until Pentecost, which is coming up on June 8th. Pentecost is also known as the “Feast of Weeks” - it is one of the 3 main Jewish feasts in which all able-bodied men were required to travel to Jerusalem to celebrate. Guest what the “Feast of Weeks” is celebrating… the FIRSTFRUITS of the wheat harvest. “Lift up your eyes and see…”
Remember what happened on the day of Pentecost after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit… the FIRSTFRUITS of the New Covenant harvest. 3000 people get saved from Peter’s first extemporaneous sermon! I believe we are in a critical window of opportunity, preparation, focus and spiritual warfare because, yet again, THE HARVEST IS ON THE HORIZON.
1. Unity prepares us for harvest.
Acts 1:12-14 // Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
One accord = one mind = a fierce, passionate TOGETHERNESS
“A unique Greek word, used 10 of its 12 New Testament occurrences in the Book of Acts, helps us understand the uniqueness of the Christian community. Homothumadon is a compound of two words meaning to "rush along" and "in unison". The image is almost musical; a number of notes are sounded which, while different, harmonize in pitch and tone. As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concert master, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives of members of Christ's church.” (BlueLetterBible.com)
John 17:22-23 // The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Psalm 133 // Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 // Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
2. The power of a unified party according to God’s Word…
A unified body of believers set the stage for the first pentecost revival.
A unified body of believers carries the anointing of spiritual life.
A unified body of believers cannot be quickly overpowered by the enemy.
Ephesians 4:1-3 // I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Colossians 2:19 // “holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
Colossians 3:12-14 // Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
So very simply, God calls us to this life of COMPASSION, HUMILITY, GRACE, FORGIVENESS and above all, LOVE. Because these fruits of the Spirit will preserve and protect healthy ligaments in the body, which will strengthen and preserve the UNITY of what God wants to do through us.
4. The enemy knows all of this…
So guess what he spends a good deal of his time doing?
Attacking the body of Christ by attacking our relationships with one another.
1 Peter 5:8 // Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
John 10:10 // The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Good news: If you know what he is up to, you can overcome his schemes.
Remember the word last week about unforgiveness giving an ADVANTAGE to Satan? That is super empowering and practical! None of us want to be the person who gives back the advantage to an enemy that Jesus has already defeated for us. We cannot be ignorant…
How does Satan attack our relationships?
Through our thoughts
In our hearts
By our lips
4. The Accuser of the Brothers
Rev. 12:10 // “who accuses them day and night before God”
This greek word occurs 22 times in the NT… half of them are the Pharisees accusing Jesus, and the other half are Jewish leaders accusing Paul at the end of Acts
It’s a courtroom term, which tells me it’s rooted in legalism. And it is always used in connection with religious people, which brings me to this conclusion… The religious spirit drives the voice of accusation with the goal of bringing condemnation.
Romans 8:1 // There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
THIS EMPOWERS US TO OVERCOME THE ACCUSER OF THE BROTHERS. If you struggle with tormenting, accusatory thoughts about yourself that leave you feeling condemned and hopeless, you can be sure that the enemy is at work through some open door. Also, if you regularly struggle with accusatory, critical thoughts towards others, you can be sure that the enemy is at work.
Satan = prosecutor (it was a title before we turned it into a name)
He uses the legal system to accuse you, condemn you, with his end goal being to dishearten and ultimately destroy you (FATHER OF LIES)
Now let’s contrast this with the Identity of the HOLY SPIRIT, whose name is “Advocate”
HOLY Spirit. How many of you know that Jesus was holy? How many of you know that Jesus was absolutely NOT religious. GRACE drives the religious spirit mad. At the cross, by grace, God made a way for the ungodly to be MADE HOLY. When we place our faith in Jesus to save us, we are asking Him to make us spiritually alive again… the bible calls this being BORN AGAIN. The way God does this is by sending the Spirit of His Son into our hearts to regenerate us spiritually. So when we believe and receive, HOLINESS comes to live inside of us… and it goes to work transforming us from the inside… all we have to do is yield to the process
Conviction vs. Condemnation
Conviction = Specific corrections of holiness to help you
Condemnation = Generalized accusations to dishearten you
Illustration: “Do not grieve the Spirit” // End of a long day, just want to relax and unwind with some humor or adventure or action. And then it happens… something comes through the screen that just doesn’t sit well with your spirit. A word… an action… a violent or sexual scene… I cannot even begin to count the number of shows and movies we’ve had to turn off!
His holiness is teaching us righteousness through the conviction of specific things that do not honor or please the Lord.
The Father’s discipline addresses specific areas where we have “fallen short” or “missed the mark”
Healthy discipline addresses unloving words, actions or deeds while reinforcing true identity
Unhealthy discipline attacks character and identity through broad generalizations that bring shame (You are such a __________. You always _________.)
Which spirit are you walking with? Accuser or Advocate?
Watch for critical spirit
Watch for powerful judgmental thoughts toward others
“Taking every thought captive” applies to the hidden and secrets places of our thoughts toward one another.
5. The Heart
James 3:13-18 // Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
This is very practical, watch…
If you find yourself jealous over someone else’s position, gifting or calling, you simply need a fresh revelation of YOUR position, gifting and calling. You are an image-bearer, created in Christ Jesus for good works that have been prepared beforehand for you to walk in! Stop watching others walk in theirs… get a fresh vision for walking in yours.
If someone hurts you, extend forgiveness quickly in a biblical way. If you can’t forgive and move on without a conversation, approach your brother or sister quickly and in love. Watch out for offenses that turn into bitterness.
6. The Lips
Proverbs 18:21 // Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
1 Corinthians 14:3-4 // On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
Proverbs 6:16-19 // There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
7. BE AWARE, BE DILIGENT and PUT ON LOVE.
Colossians 3:12-14 // Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.