Autumn is considered the Season of Harvest—a time when farmers reap what they have planted in the spring. It is the time to gather nature’s bounty—the fruits and vegetables, the grains, and nuts. Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. The completion of harvesting marks the end of the growing season, or the growing cycle for a particular crop.
While this helps to understand sowing and reaping in the natural realm, did you know that there is a spiritual context to sowing and reaping as well? Galatians 6:7-8 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” The Amplified Bible expresses the last part of this verse as “For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap.” You can’t reap what you don’t sow.
This verse is saying that whoever doesn’t believe or practice this spiritual law of sowing and reaping is deceived. It doesn’t matter if someone believes this or not; it is a kingdom principle that works. We know it works because we can see in the natural realm how sowing and reaping works from farmers and the harvesting of their crops. In context, this scripture is referring to sowing money into ministers’ lives; however, it can be applied to anything in our lives, especially healing.
God established this principle of sowing and reaping right after He created man in His own image, blessed them, and then told them to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1: 27-28). Everything in God’s kingdom is about seeds and multiplication. Genesis 1:29-30 establishes the principle of the seed and gives the understanding that everything is a seed and is programmed for increase.
You might be thinking, “OK, this is cool but how does it relate to healing?” I’m glad you asked! Words, thoughts, patience, and time are all examples of seeds. Good, positive words and thoughts will reap (produce) good results. Bad, negative words and thoughts will produce bad results. What words, thoughts, or seeds have you sown or planted as it relates to healing? Have you said that it is flu season and you always get the flu? Do you have doubts that you will ever get healed of an illness or disability? Your life is a harvest of seeds you have sown over your lifetime. If you said and believed you would never amount to anything in your life, you might now, as an adult, be reaping what you sowed or spoke as a child.
If you are struggling with a medical situation or waiting on a healing, sow the Word of God into your heart (soil), do not doubt, and it will produce a harvest (healing). Sow healing scriptures day and night and the Word will heal you. It is important to remember that, just as a natural seed doesn’t produce overnight, spiritual seeds take time to produce too.
Do not wait until you are experiencing a crisis to begin to sow good or healing seeds into your heart (soil). Just like in the natural realm, there is a period of time between planting a seed and reaping the harvest. The farmer plants seeds in the spring and then reaps his harvest in autumn. While miracles do happen instantly, most healings take place after the Word (seed) of God has been planted in your heart, takes root, and revelation knowledge (harvest) takes place. Hearing the Word and the truth about healing brings forth the fruit or harvest from the spiritual realm into the natural to experience healing and wholeness. But you can’t read, speak, or believe once and expect your harvest. Joshua 1:8 says to meditate day and night and, if you do what is written, you will have good success. It is a continuous process throughout a lifetime.
A farmer doesn’t plant a seed one day and then dig it up the next to see if it is taking root. Make sure as you plant the Word of God about healing, you don’t dig it up by speaking words (seeds) of doubt or unbelief. Speak out healing scriptures, praise and thank God for His healing touch, and patiently wait with expectation for your harvest of healing. Your heart is the soil that determines the future of the seeds you sow (plant) every day.
It is time to plant God’s seeds of promise and reap the healing harvest!
~Donna Jones