[John 4:31-42 KJV] “In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat”.
[32] “But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of”.
[33] “Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?”
[34] “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work”.
[35] “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. [36] And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. [37] And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. [38] I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours”.
[39] “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. [40] So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. [41] And many more believed because of his own word; [42] And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world”.
I want to exhort you today on the need to be hungry for the first works, especially doing and finish the will of the Father. I am exhorting you to do this because it is the surest way to command signs, miracles, wonders and breakthroughs to follow you. People can make you promises and tell you things but the first works of preaching the gospel is the surest way to activate the supernatural in the church. The Bible teaches that those who reap and gather receive wages. Getting involved in soul-winning is even a sure secret to supernatural supply: whether it is praying for souls, giving towards outreach, or even stepping out to talk to a soul; it is the secret to extra income.
It is important to let you know that working hard pays, but blindly working hard is futile labour. Increase your earning power by being involved in the work of soul-winning.
In the text above we see how the Lord taught that His meat is to do and finish the will of He that sent Him. Who sent you and what is his will? The children of disobedience are doing the will of their father; that is why you must not conform to the pattern of the world. The world is doing the will of satan who sent them. When worldly dancers are ‘twerking,’ you can’t come to church and then go and make a twerking video because you have big butts. Is that the will of He that sent you? Are you sent by the Lord or by the devil? The world dress to project the will of the devil who sent them, that is why conforming to their pattern of dressing is actually doing the will of their father.
I am exhorting you to do the will of the Father who sent you. Let us hunger for the first works. What is the will of the Father? The will of the Father who sent us is different for each person. Some are sent as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, then pastors and teachers. We are all called and sent in various capacities but for the same work and purpose of reconciling the world to God. What God wants me to do for Him may be different from what He is asking of you, but we are all marching towards the common goal of doing the first works — to gather souls unto eternity. This is why our church, the HighCity Church, uses, “Gathering unto eternity” as one of our slogans.
One day the Lord Jesus Christ said something about working for God that enlightened my understanding; He compared doing the will of He that sent Him to His meat (food). He said His meat is to do that will and to finish it. The work of He that sent us can be compared to meat or food. What a shock! I pray that we shall hunger and thirst for the song of the first works. I pray that you will catch that hunger! I pray that you will desire and do this first works.
The will of God is already defined in His word. We are called and sanctioned to do that work. I pray that you will cultivate the hunger and desire to do and to finish the work of the one who sent you. We have an assignment to fulfil, and I pray that you fulfil it. The times and days are evil and each of us must awaken and begin to do the first works of winning soul, planting churches, and growing the churches that are planted. I pray that the Lord will touch our hearts to be hungry for the first works.
The following secrets will help us to be hungry for the will of our Father;
1. Have compassion on some:
Snatch them or haparzo them out of fire. We must understand that there is a raging fire that awaits the sinner. “The soul that sins, that same soul shall die”. I pray that moved by the terror of the Lord, we shall strive to have compassion on some and snatch them out of fire.
[Jude 1:22-23 KJV] “And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh”.
2. Persuade all men:
The Apostle Paul said in the book to the Corinthians that knowing the terror of the Lord they persuaded all men to escape. We can do nothing less, we must step out there and persuade all men to escape the coming fire. We must be willing to persuade all men. Sometimes, we may appear stupid or even mad, but we must do something for Christ and for God. Sometimes, people will even wonder why we are so committed to the things of God, indeed, we are because we are filled with love and see it as our necessary food.
[2 Corinthians 5:10-15 KJV] “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. [11] Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences”.
[12] “For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. [13] For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. [14] For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: [15] And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again”.
3. Go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature:
We must pray that the Lord will birth in us a hunger and desire to go into the world and preach the gospel. May the Lord stir up our hearts; be it old, young, wise, or foolish hearts; may the Lord stir all of our hearts and move is with a passion to reach the lost.
One may anchor close to home to hold the neighbour’s hand, another may shout the gospel in the street; listen we must all work the fields of souls. We must work to advance the kingdom with love. Heaven will reward us when we rise to the occasion.
[Mark 16:15-20 KJV] “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned”.
[17] “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; [18] They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”.
[19] “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. [20] And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen”.
The Bible assures us that those who reap and gather to eternity shall equally be rewarded as those who sowed the seed. Advancing the kingdom is a collective work of the church. As we work and pay attention to the work of God, He will also pay attention to ours. Those who seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness are handsomely rewarded; all other things which the world seek after are added unto them. I pray for grace and unction to function for you.
May we be hungry for souls, not just church growth but for souls. May we live our lives impacting men everywhere. May the Lord help and sustain His work in our hands. As we pursue and win souls, signs, wonders, miracles, and breakthrough will follow us. The simple secret to living a life of signs, wonders, miracles, breakthroughs is to hunger for souls, to pursue souls, and to advance the kingdom of God. This is the sure step to walk in signs, miracles, wonders, and breakthroughs.
Be blessed, I love you!
Kofi Simpe
Prayer:
Father, I pray that you will help me to hunger and pursue lost souls to win them to You, Amen!
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Amen