Working Heartily (Prepare for Harvest - Part 2)
Prepare for Harvest // A Call to Faithful Diligence
As part of the Antioch Movement of Churches, we join a global family that seeks the Lord each year for His word to the body. For 2025, the message came clearly and consistently: Prepare for Harvest.
When God speaks to His people, it is more than encouragement—it’s an invitation. His word is a seed, and like any seed, it must be received, watered, and tended if it is to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:6–9 (ESV)
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth... You are God’s field, God’s building.
As an elder and staff team, we’ve prayerfully asked: “How do we partner with You, Lord, in preparing for harvest?” Through that prayer, four clear areas of focus emerged:
Spiritually: Jesus is calling us to lift up our eyes, see the time, and pray for laborers.
Practically: We are refining our processes and sharpening our tools.
Prophetically: We sense a pruning of what hasn’t been fruitful.
Relationally: We are preparing our storage—making room for others to belong and connect.
A Unified Body Prepares the Way
In Part 1 of this teaching, we explored how unity prepares us for harvest. The early church lived with one accord—a passionate togetherness that created the conditions for revival and fruitfulness.
A unified church cannot be easily overpowered by the enemy. Scripture exhorts us to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace—the ligaments that hold the body together. The enemy, aware of this, attacks our relationships through our thoughts, hearts, and words.
But when we’re aware of his schemes, we can recognize and overcome them. As a church, we responded by praying for the Lord to convict and purify our thoughts, hearts, and words toward one another.
Work Heartily // A Biblical Call to Diligence
As we move deeper into this season of preparation, we recognize that harvest time is work time. When fruit is ripe in the field, it’s not a time for comfort and coasting—it’s a time for focus, energy, and faithfulness.
On a large farm, every person plays a role. To reap the harvest fully, everyone’s engagement is required.
1 Thessalonians 2:7–9 (ESV)
...we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us... we worked night and day...
Colossians 3:22–24 (ESV)
...Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men... You are serving the Lord Christ.
To work heartily means to give our all—heart, soul, mind, and strength. Grace does not eliminate the need for effort. In fact, grace empowers effort.
“Grace is opposed to earning; it isn’t opposed to effort.” — Dallas Willard
1 Corinthians 15:9–10 (ESV)
...His grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
This is a season to reclaim a mind to work—not out of striving or performance, but out of a deep sense of calling and participation in God’s purposes. Let every believer find their place in the field and engage with diligence.
1 Corinthians 16:8–9 (ESV)
...for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
Colossians 4:12–13 (ESV)
Epaphras... has worked hard for you...
Where Has God Called You to Serve?
This is a personal question each of us must ask: Father, where are You calling me to serve? The Kingdom of God often reflects the heart of a servant—and no one exemplifies that more than a mother who gives tirelessly for the sake of her children.
“The greatest among you will be your servant.” (Matthew 23:11)
We are not called to busyness for busyness’ sake. We are called to faithfulness, diligence, and wholeheartedness for the sake of His Kingdom, His Name, and His harvest.
Encouragement for the Faithful: Do Not Lose Heart
If you’ve already been laboring diligently, here’s God’s word of encouragement: Do not lose heart. Your work matters. You are seen. And your reward is coming.
Colossians 3:23–24 (ESV)
...from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Matthew 25:21 (ESV)
‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
...knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
...let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
And when it feels like too much—when weakness surfaces and weariness weighs heavy—remember: His grace is enough.
2 Corinthians 12:8–9 (ESV)
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…”
One of the places where this becomes most real is parenting. Nothing exposes weakness quite like it. Yet in those places of inadequacy and dependence, His power rests. His mercies are new every morning, and over time, He shapes even the weakest areas of our lives into places of grace and maturity.
It’s not about perfection—it’s about completion. Christ is adequate where we are not. The stretching reveals the Savior.
Reflection Questions
What does “working heartily for the Lord” look like in your current season of life?
Are there any areas where you’ve grown weary or discouraged in serving the Lord? How can His grace renew you?
Where is God calling you to engage more fully in His harvest—spiritually, practically, relationally, or prophetically?