Strive not-It's sowing time

 Scripture reference:

(Judges 6:11-17)  And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi–ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

(John 20:19-31) Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

(Acts 1:3)To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:   

 Strive not-It's sowing time

As believers we sometimes need to be reminded of our Christ-like nature and responsibility that accompanies our journey while we are in this world, being in it and not of it. To live Holy, preach the Gospel and do the works that Yeshua did through the guidance of the Ruach HaKodesh.  The enemy gives us resistance sometimes but we are commanded to rebuke the devil and he will flee.  The flesh gets weak but we are not to lean on excuses, on the contrary be strong and courageous.  The Ruach HaKodesh is in you, strength and courage is in you.  The Apostle Paul at times describes our existence in the world as being in a state of war because there is constant conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. He told Timothy that perilous times would come, a time of increased and deceptive wickedness, a time of striving.

This is a time of striving, people are striving (wrestling) against the truth, logic, morality, and the word of YHWH. But the Lord said, when he saw the wickedness of man before he sent  Noah“ (Genesis 6:3a) My spirit shall not always strive with man”.  This is not the time to faint or to hide in caves as the Israelite did  in the time of Gideon.  Fear expresses doubt, courage is a fruit of faith.  In this time of striving we must continue to sow the word of YHWH although it seems that there is no use because the days are evil.  Gideon continued to work his father’s field knowing that the Midianite would wait until harvest time to raid the fields and steal the fruits of his labor. But Gideon  was wise in his work, he had a plan. We must have the faith to know that the word of YHWH does not go out void, it is always fruitful and will accomplish that of which it is sent to do. Let your words be savored with grace. Be laborers in this wilderness. You are now the light of the world , don’t stick your head in the sand  when trouble arises, you are the sword that YHWH wants to use to deliver men and women from the striving of the enemy. (John 9:5) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14 ) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. If you trust in the Lord as in “((Proverbs 3:5-6 AMPC) Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord will all of your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding, In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plan your paths.)). He will show you show you exactly how to win the battle in his strength and you will reap of the harvest and Gideon did.  It is His desire to give you the land in abundance.  YHWH delivered the Israelite from bondage and gave them a fruitful land but there was still work for them to do.  They had a mission to root out all of the other tribes of people of the land under his guidance so that they would be a beacon to the whole world, children of the Most High, a city on a hill guiding men and women to Him.  Joshua’s ministry started after the death of Moshe and YHWH spoke to Joshua as he spoke to Moshe.  He told him “ (Joshua 1:6-7)Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.  The people did well until the death of Joshua so YHWH raised Prophets and Judges to teach the people and to accomplish the mission but they did not remain faithful , they began to strive to survive.  They were constantly being harassed and pushed back.  YHWH then called and sent Gideon who’s name means Feller or Hewer.  The Lord would use him to cut down the enemy. He gave Gideon the same command and formula for success as he gave the other patriarchs, be strong, be courageous, trust and you will have success!

Yeshua delivered the world from sin by his life on earth, death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave and its for all to have on their unconditional surrender to him by repentance and obedience to his command.  The disciples were with him 3 years but did not fully understand while he was with them in his earthly body.  After His passion, they feared and hid from the world until Yeshua rose from the dead and brought light to their understanding.  They had to see to know, especially Thomas. Yeshua showed himself to the disciples for forty days after the Passover.  YHWH revealed this wrapped up in the creation narrative and in the establishing of the feasts that the Jews were to keep.  The day of the feast of the first fruits, the offerings of the first fruits were to be presented, an Omer (about 5.1 pints), the measure of the Manna (the whatever of what you need) that was distributed to the Jews while they were in the wilderness. The first fruits were offered, first by a wave offering and then offered up, all from the grains harvest, the first fruits to the Lord.  After first fruits (Yeshua being the first to rise from the dead and return to the Father) began the barley season.  Barley is a rustic grain representing strength and valor, Gideon was told in a dream by a man of a barley cake that tumbled over the Midianite who were harassing the Israelite.  The barley cake was Gideon.

Yeshua talked with his disciples and opened their understanding about his purpose and then told them to go out into the world and shine the light, preach the Gospel.  After the Passover the Jews celebrated the feast of weeks, which was observed on the 50th day and marks the beginning of the wheat season.  It is believed to be the same day when the Israelite were in the wilderness that YHWH gave the Torah to Moshe on Mount Sinai. This isthe day of Pentecost, the day the Ruach HaKodesh was poured out fro Heaven to dwell in true believers. This was all done by the zeal of the Lord to accomplish his work of redemption.  He desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth but the enemy opposes the work of YHWH by striving against the Saints.  Yeshua said worry not, don’t let your heart be troubled, believe in YHWH, believe in me, he is you rereward if you remain diligent and BE. Be means to live, to exist in the great I AM.  If you be in him there is no weakness, no shame, only peace, joy and the things that pertain to life abundantly.  

You may feel like Gideon who thought he was not worthy being the least in his father’s house but YHWH called him a man of valor.  Because Yeshua lives, because he rose and you were reborn in his image, you are mighty in him.  Now instead of Mr. or Mrs. or Ms., place Mighty in front of your name, place healer in front of your name, place repairer of the breach in front to your name.  You can do all things in Yeshua HaMashiah who strengthens you for the work of the kingdom.  It’s sowing time for the next season is eternity. Yeshua delivered us from all evil but we must continue in this world until we pass from it or be caught up to meet him in the sky.  Until then we fight the good fight of faith! Occupy!