“Reaping the Ready Fields: Positioning the Church for a Global Harvest” -Rev. Adebayo Azeez

“Reaping the Ready Fields: Positioning the Church for a Global Harvest” -Rev. Adebayo Azeez

By Dr. Afolabi Olajuwon

On a serene Sunday morning at the Foursquare Gospel Church, Wuse District Headquarters, Abuja, worshippers gathered with hearts full of anticipation. The air was saturated with praise, and the choir’s harmonious worship ushered the congregation into divine expectancy. Under the overarching theme “Securing and Preserving the Harvest,” the message of the day, “Positioning the Church for Harvest”, was delivered with passion and prophetic depth by Rev. Adebayo Azeez.

Drawing his text from John 4:35–38, Rev. Azeez declared that the harvest season is not futuristic, it is now. Quoting Jesus’ words, “Lift up your eyes and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest,” he reminded the congregation that the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19–20 is not a mere mandate but a divine fulfillment awaiting active participation by the Church.

The Divine Mandate: Finishing What We Start (John 4:34)
Rev. Azeez began by contrasting starting and finishing, emphasizing Jesus’ words: “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.” The Church, he said, must not be content with initiating projects or missions, it must be committed to completing them.
He noted that in God’s kingdom, half obedience is disobedience, and unfinished assignments stall divine reward. Drawing from the parable of the sower, he explained that fear, worry, procrastination, and uncertainty often choke the seed of evangelism before it yields fruit. “No need for postponement,” he urged. “The fields are ripe. Delay is disobedience.”

Rev. Azeez affirmed that reaping at the right time brings reward, Galatians 6:9, “Let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Spiritual Preparation: Recognizing the Prompting of the Spirit (Acts 16:9–10)
“The first posture of harvest is spiritual,” Rev. Azeez proclaimed. Using Acts 16:9–10, he highlighted how Paul’s sensitivity to the Spirit redirected his mission to Macedonia, unlocking divine expansion.
He also referenced Acts 8, where Philip, guided by the Spirit, met the Ethiopian eunuch, a single encounter that birthed an African revival. “Without spiritual discernment, the Church risks missing divine appointments,” he cautioned.

Practical Application:
Rev. Azeez challenged the Church to pray for missions, not only for open doors but for sustaining grace for harvesters. He urged churches to structure prayer chains, mission-support systems, and intercessory groups dedicated to nurturing both the seed and the sower.
“When we are in tune with the Holy Spirit,” he said, “we don’t chase opportunities; opportunities locate us.”

Embracing Interdependence in Harvest (Acts 2:43–46)
In his second major point, Rev. Azeez emphasized that God’s harvest requires teamwork, not competition. “The harvest field is too vast for any denomination to handle alone,” he said.
Referencing Acts 2:43–46, he illustrated how early believers achieved unprecedented growth through unity and shared purpose. “Unity,” he declared, “is the backbone of revival.” Collaboration among churches, districts, and ministries is essential to achieving sustainable impact.

Building Capacity and Serving the Community (2 Corinthians 5:18; Proverbs 11:30)
Rev. Azeez concluded with a powerful call for capacity building and community service as tools of evangelism. “Evangelism without empowerment is like sowing without seed,” he declared.
Citing 2 Corinthians 5:18, he explained that God has given the Church the ministry of reconciliation, making believers ambassadors of grace. Evangelism, he said, must go beyond words, it must manifest through training, equipping, and service.
Practical Examples:

Outreach programs: feeding the hungry, visiting hospitals, mentoring youths.
Skill empowerment: giving tools to believers to witness in their workplaces.
Community development: building wells, schools, and clinics as open doors for the gospel.
Quoting Proverbs 11:30, “He that winneth souls is wise,” he emphasized that true evangelism balances spiritual fervor with practical compassion. “The Church must not only preach salvation, it must live it,” he said.

The Time Is Now
In closing, Rev. Azeez’s voice rose with conviction:
“The quest for souls is not only God’s focus, it is also the devil’s. If the Church sleeps, the enemy will sow tares among the wheat.”

He called for urgent reawakening, urging believers to lift their eyes and see the readiness of the field. “God is calling us,” he said, “not to admire the harvest, but to gather it.”
As worshippers bowed in prayer, the atmosphere thickened with divine presence. Many responded with renewed commitment to personal evangelism, missions, and unity of purpose.

Final Reflection
The message of “Positioning the Church for Harvest” transcends the walls of Foursquare Wuse, it speaks to the global body of Christ. In an age of distractions and divisions, Rev. Azeez’s sermon is a timely reminder that the Church’s relevance lies not in its seating capacity but in its sending capacity.
The fields are white. The harvest is ripe.
And the Church, empowered, united, and Spirit-led, must rise and reap.

Dr. Afolabi Olajuwon is a freelance writer and Christian educator based in Abuja, Nigeria, with a passion for documenting faith-based initiatives and their impact on communities.