May 6, 2025

The Harvest is Ready

“It was 1973, and I was attending college, traveling fast but going nowhere. I had been running from the Lord for two years, serving the gods of alcohol, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll. Though I had been raised in church (Dad was an evangelist and then a pastor) and had surrendered my life to Christ at a young age, at age seventeen, I rebelled from the Lord. Our family had gone through some devastating circumstances, which resulted in me becoming extremely bitter and disillusioned. The pain was so great and my confusion so strong that I did not know how to cope with it. I rebelled, turning away from God and the life I had known.

“God was very patient with me, knowing my pain had caused the rebellion. He loved me through my pain-filled responses and didn’t take them personally. Then, in 1973, at a bar named The Boar’s Head—aptly so, since I was a prodigal and this was my pigpen—while I was listening to a rock band and stoned on marijuana, Holy Spirit spoke to me.”(1) 

This was not the first time He had done so. God would often speak to me through my thoughts when I was alone. He was never condemning, only affirming. Often, I would lie in bed at night, when the world around me finally became quiet, thinking thoughts about God, life, and what I was doing with mine. I know now that Holy Spirit was stirring those thoughts, reaching deep into the hidden places of my heart, keeping me tethered to Him. On this night in the Boar’s Head, however, His tactics were different. He shouted through the clamor and noise around me, drowning out even the loud music.

“‘What are you doing here?’ He asked. The Lord’s voice was so clear it may as well have been audible. His question wasn’t a rebuke, but rather a sincere prompting from deep in my heart. ‘You know this is not who you are,’ He continued, ‘and will never be who you are. You’ll never find the fulfillment and peace you’re looking for through this lifestyle.’

“Shocked and amazed that God would follow me into this place, my first response was, ‘What are YOU doing here?!’

“‘I’ve come for you.’

“Instantly sober, I went outside the bar to walk and think for a while…and dialogue with my Father, who was pursuing me. The Lord and I had several more conversations over the next couple of months, until I was finally ready to return to Him. Like the prodigal returning to his father’s embrace, I walked back into the loving embrace of Papa God. When I did, I found more than pleasure; I discovered my purpose in life.

“Realizing the field of study I was pursuing was not what I had been created to do, I withdrew from college. I began a passionate pursuit of God, became active in a good local church, and connected with several other hungry seekers. I also began going on short-term mission trips, serving missionaries and the poor in Guatemala. Eventually, realizing I wanted to serve God in full-time ministry, I decided to attend Christ For The Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas. There I discovered God in new ways—over and over—and eventually met Ceci, to whom I’ve been married for forty-seven wonderful years. It has been a great journey.”(2)

Back to Today

Perhaps the number one request we receive at Give Him 15 is teaching on how to pray for people’s salvation. I will be doing so off and on over the next few weeks.

Though many would find it surprising, there are seasons in which it is easier for the Lord to reveal truth to unbelievers and draw them to Himself. The biblical word for revelation literally means “uncovering or unveiling.” This lifting of the veil occurs not only in individuals but in the spiritual atmospheres of regions. When this occurs, the spiritual darkness and deception that blind people to the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) are removed, and individuals in that region begin receiving personal revelation (See Jonah 3; John 4:40-42; Acts 8:1-8, etc). This phenomenon occurs in all true revivals.

We are moving into one of those seasons. As we do, entire cities and nations will experience this lifting of the veil, and many people will be saved. Our prayers are used to generate this. It is time now to intercede for your loved ones’ and friends’ salvation. Angels have been activated to work in their lives, and God will speak to them, just as He did to me.

It makes no difference what caused a prodigal to leave Father’s house, or what may be controlling a particular unbeliever: drugs, addictions, a wrong relationship, a broken relationship, or bitterness. God can reach them. The important thing is to be assured that He knows what is needed in order to save and/or restore them, and that He wants to do so. 

• Begin asking the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to them. He will (Matthew 9:38). 

• Ask Him to give them dreams and cause them to hear what they need to hear. He will. 

• Declare His promises over them; they don’t have to be in your presence for you to do that - He “sends” His word ( Psalm 107:20). 

• And believe that He loves the unbeliever more than you do!

• Bind the powers of darkness that influence and control them. Loose the unbeliever from demons and wrong influences (Matthew 16:18-19). 

• Speak to every mountain between them and Father God, commanding it to be cast into the sea; do so with faith and confidence (Mark 11:23-24). When we do, the demons and mountains of adversity don’t stand a chance!

Pray with me:

Father, we believe Your words. You said if we believed upon You, we would be saved and our household (Acts 16:31). You said revival has begun, a billion souls will be saved, and prodigals are coming home. You have said signs and wonders will occur, drawing people to You. You said our sons and daughters will see visions and prophesy (Acts 2:17). We believe You!

In Your mercy, lead prodigals into their pigpens. Feed them the husks and slop. Then, bring them to their senses. Speak louder than the music, the pain, the confusion, the anger, the temporal pleasures of sin, and the pigs. Awaken them to Your heart. Awaken them to the destiny You have for them. Remind them that they are called to know and do great things for You, not partner with the evil one who steals, kills, and destroys.

We bind every evil force controlling the unbelievers for whom we are praying. We bind the lies that have been planted in their thinking, placed there by the world, the flesh, and the devil. We loose them from demonic control, addictions, and all other bondages. We call out in the spirit, “Come to Father‘s house! Prodigals, come and receive back your robe of righteousness, wear once again His ring of authority, and eat the fatted calf. You are called to know God intimately, to be a passionate worshiper, and become a powerful instrument in His hands. You are destined to be a deliverer, a reformer, a world changer. And you will experience this destiny.”

We pray and decree these things in the name of the Great Shepherd, Jesus. Amen.

Our decree:

We decree that unbelievers and prodigals are hearing a voice they cannot resist, and feeling a tug they cannot refuse. They are coming to Christ!

Today’s post was adapted from my book The Pleasure of His Company, published by Baker Books.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

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1. Dutch Sheets, The Pleasure of His Company (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group) pp. 28-29.

2. Ibid.