Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha
The Apostle Paul was greatly used of God to harvest souls
for the kingdom; great harvests in different geographical locations, cities,
towns and villages. As geographically far apart as these places were from each
other, Paul managed to stay very close to the people despite the fact that they
very fast methods of communication and transport of the 21st century
were lacking in the days of Paul.
How did he achieve such great feat? Paul had a great audience and he did not for
once neglect them. Paul secured his spiritual and physical harvests through
constant communication with the people. He always communicated with them, had
great words for them, prayed for them and encouraged them through the letters
he sent to them through human couriers on a regular basis. An insightful
perusal of the Pauline epistles (Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, reveal Paul’s great care and concern
for the bountiful harvests God gave to him. Paul could have chosen to ignore
them and move on; after all he was working in other mission fields and had
raised leaders in those Churches. Yet Paul maintained constant communication of
love, care, concern and compassion with the people God gave to him. He is a
great study in securing spiritual and physical harvests, as well as a manual
for sustaining Church growth. In essence, Paul consolidated on every success
and in the process had lasting success.
Additionally, and this is really significant and instructive
to everyone who desires to secure harvests and ensure zero waste whether in
personal affairs, business or ministry or even as parents and community
leaders. Paul spent hours and days
interceding for and agonizing for the souls of men, his labor, and his harvest from
the different mission fields he labored in to ensure that his labor was not in
vain; to ensure zero waste in his ministry. Please read Galatians Chapter 4
verse 19 where the Bible records Paul’s consistent and fervent intercession for
the souls he had harvested to mature in Christ Jesus.
Paul also invested in the people God gave to him by
mentoring them and raising leaders among them to maintain and secure the
harvests from predators and when the leadership was limping as was the case in
Ephesus, Corinth and Crete, Paul deployed some of his trusted lieutenants to
intervene to ensure that the harvests were secure. In worst case scenarios,
Paul showed up. Significantly, he prayed intensely for open doors to make such
trips and God’s divine intervention in the hearts of the men and women. Paul was
a great zero waste person. Even in prison, Paul was used of God to restore
Onesimus back to Christ and his earthly master, Philemon. His intervention in
this case speaks further of his zero waste policy and attitude.
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