Praise The Lord.

SERMON TOPIC:
God Can Make the “Worst of Times” the “Best of Times” — Month of God’s Harvest and Breakthrough

Sunday, October 11, 2025

Bible Verses:

“No one will eat or drink with anyone to offer comfort when a loved one dies. No one will show sympathy, not even for someone who has lost a father or mother. Do not enter a house where people are feasting. Do not sit down with them to eat and drink. Listen to what I, the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, have to say: I will silence the sounds of joy and gladness and the happy sounds of wedding feasts. The people here will live to see this happen.” Jeremiah 16:7-8


“Happy are those whose lives are faultless, who live according to the law of the Lord. Happy are those who follow his commands, who obey him with all their heart. They never do wrong; they walk in the Lord’s ways. Lord, you have given us your laws and told us to obey them faithfully. How I hope that I shall be faithful in keeping your instructions! If I pay attention to all your commands, then I will not be put to shame. As I learn your righteous judgments, I will praise you with a pure heart. I will obey your laws; never abandon me!” Psalm 119:1-8

Introduction

The world often feels caught between storms and seasons of joy, yet scripture consistently reveals that God is present in every moment—transforming even the darkest trials into times of profound blessing and breakthrough. Jeremiah 16:7-8 is a sober warning to a people caught up in difficulty, yet it also invites reflection on how obedience and attentiveness to God prepare us to endure and overcome. Psalm 119:1-8 echoes this theme, celebrating the blessings of walking in God’s ways, even when the path is unclear or the journey steep. As we enter this special month—dedicated to harvest and breakthrough—let us be reminded that God’s promises reach deeper than any hardship. The fields of our lives, sometimes battered by loss or discouragement, are the very soil in which new hope and abundance can spring forth. Today, we’ll discover together how God turns the worst of times into the best of times, unleashing harvests of grace and breakthrough in unexpected ways.

 1: The Message of Jeremiah’s Warning

Jeremiah’s ministry unfolded amid crisis and judgment. In Jeremiah 16:7-8, the prophet is told not to participate in mourning rituals or feasting—symbolic actions pointing to the seriousness of impending judgment and the call for radical dependence on God. God’s instructions separated Jeremiah from the casual pleasures of his day, highlighting the urgency of repentance. Yet, within the hardship, God remained sovereign. The people’s loss of celebration, joy, and companionship was a signal that their hearts had wandered. But even here, divine discipline was meant to draw them back to God’s restorative plan. For us today, when good times fade or difficulties surge, God calls us to recalibrate our trust. These moments, uncomfortable as they are, can become catalysts for spiritual hunger, deeper prayer, and renewed faith. Jeremiah’s warning becomes God’s invitation—when we set aside distractions and return wholeheartedly, He prepares us for breakthrough even in seasons of apparent loss.

2: Psalm 119—Walking in God’s Ways

Psalm 119:1-8 paints a compelling picture of blessing amid devotion. “Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.” Yet the Psalmist is honest about struggle: there’s longing for steadfastness and awareness of human frailty. Even when the world seems at its worst or our own failures weigh us down, scripture reminds us that dedication to God’s statutes positions us for blessing and redemption. It’s not perfection that brings a breakthrough, but honest pursuit—seeking God with all our heart and asking for help to stay the course. In times when everything feels uncertain, Psalm 119 calls us back to God’s path, promising that obedience yields joys and victories otherwise unseen. Our deepest breakthroughs often arrive as we persevere, trusting God to bring clarity and abundance out of confusion and need.

 3: From Hardship to Spiritual Harvest

Harvest imagery in scripture is more than a metaphor; it’s a promise that God transforms every barren field into a place of abundance when we trust Him. In moments of hardship and drought—when the soil of life seems scorched and empty—God invites believers to sow in faith, persevere, and prepare for supernatural increase. Difficult seasons refine us, expose our need, and draw us to the source of true provision. The process of spiritual harvest begins with surrender: laying down fear, bitterness, and disappointment and inviting God to plant new hope.

Throughout the Bible, times of famine, persecution, and despair were followed by breakthroughs of blessing and restoration. Joseph endured years in prison before stepping into a season of harvest that rescued nations. Ruth gleaned in the fields during a time of grief and loss, but her faith secured a lineage of hope. Even the early church, pressed by trials, saw rapid multiplication by the Spirit. For each, suffering was a seed sown for future joy.

What does this mean for us today? It means that hardship is never wasted. Every struggle, when given to God, is transformed into a harvest of wisdom, compassion, and spiritual strength. The promise of Joel 2:25—that God restores “the years the locust have eaten”—is a promise for everyone walking through pain and uncertainty. Let this month be a time to ask: What have I lost or given up? What part of my life feels unfruitful? Invite God’s Spirit to breathe new life, trusting that He is working for harvest and breakthrough, even when the evidence is unseen.

4: Breakthrough in Troubled Times

It often seems paradoxical, but the seasons of greatest trouble are the very times when God sows the deepest breakthroughs. Adversity strips away our illusions of control and compels us to lean fully into God’s sufficiency. In scripture, the worst of times prompted worship, prayer, and acts of faith that opened floodgates of blessing. Paul and Silas, chained in prison, sang hymns—and the walls trembled. Daniel, faithful in exile, continued fasting and prayer until harvest and favor arrived. Mary Magdalene, in grief at the tomb, encountered the risen Christ. These stories echo the principle: breakthrough is born when believers choose faith and praise where fear and despair might otherwise reign.

Practically, a breakthrough requires a shift in perspective. Instead of just asking God to remove hardship, we pray for strength to endure and eyes to see His purpose unfolding. We confront giants—financial uncertainty, failure, loss, and sickness—not with denial, but with declaration: “My God is able!” Isaiah 61:3 promises “beauty for ashes” and “joy instead of mourning.” Romans 8:28 insists that God works all things for good to those who love Him. Such promises anchor us in seasons where nothing looks promising on the outside.

This month, choose to view adversity as a training ground for greater blessing. Ask, “Lord, how are You preparing me for the next harvest?” Celebrate small victories and breakthrough moments, knowing each one is evidence of God’s faithfulness. Praise, even in the valley, transforms the worst times into testimonies of divine grace. Whether the breakthrough is dramatic or subtle, God is still moving, and the best of times are being prepared, even in the midst of trials.

This Week’s Declaration

This week, choose to declare: “God is with me in every season—He transforms my trials into testimonies. I receive this month as a time of harvest and breakthrough, and I expect God’s goodness to overflow, even in hard places. I am walking in blessing, victory, and renewal as I trust His promises and praise Him through every circumstance.”

This Week’s Reflection

Reflect today on how God has met you in moments of pain or uncertainty. Recall a recent difficulty and ask: how did God show up, provide, or change your heart?

What harvest has sprung from hardship, and how have you grown in faith?

Consider praying for eyes to see possibility in places that seem barren. Let gratitude for past breakthroughs fuel your trust for new ones this month.

Self Examination

• In which areas of life am I most tempted to lose hope or complain during troubled times?
• How have I responded to hardship in the past—have I made room for God, or tried to push through in my own strength?
• What practical steps can I take to pursue God’s statutes and walk in His ways, especially when life feels chaotic?
• Am I willing to praise God before the breakthrough arrives, believing His plan is always for my good and His glory?
• How can I cultivate expectant faith, believing that my worst times are being transformed into seeds of harvest?

Offering honest answers and seeking the Spirit’s guidance positions us to receive God’s blessing and embrace breakthrough, even now.

Conclusion

God specializes in transforming the worst of times into seasons of harvest and breakthrough. Jeremiah’s message urged repentance and trust in difficult days, while Psalm 119 assures us of blessing for those who seek God wholeheartedly. The journey through hardship tests faith but also prepares the ground for miracles—joy, restoration, and abundant life. As believers, we are invited to reframe our struggles not as obstacles but as opportunities for God’s grace to abound. Let this harvest month be marked by undaunted praise, faithful obedience, and an expectant spirit. The Lord of the harvest is working, bringing new life, hope, and breakthrough where it seemed impossible. Receive this as your promise: with God, the best of times are always rising from the ashes of the worst.

 Prayer

Almighty God, thank You for Your faithful presence in every season. When troubles surround us, You remain our anchor, turning trials into testimonies. Teach us to trust Your promises, to walk in Your ways, and to praise You with unwavering hearts. Unleash Your harvest in our lives—bring breakthrough, restore hope, and let Your blessings overflow. Help us see beyond difficulties to the joy and abundance You have prepared. Fill us with courage and faith, that we might honor You through every circumstance and bear witness to Your transforming love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God bless you abundantly.