Do you desire to be used by God in a greater way? To present your talents and abilities anew to Him? To do whatever it takes to prepare yourself for His purposes?
Modern society is extremely challenging. In fact, it seems to militate against every godly pursuit in these days. Even so, Derek Prince believed that in the midst of these “fierce times,” God’s people will “do exploits” (Daniel 11:32, KJV) and accomplish much. The Lord wants to bring each of us “off the shelf” and “off the bench” to engage us fully in His work. What will that require? One step will be preparing our fallow ground.
A Fallow Field
In this letter, we will explore what might be meant by this compelling concept from Hosea 10:12: “Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD.” As an introduction, I will share some insights on this topic from my own work experience.
My primary professional training and expertise are in the realm of writing and editing. Consequently, it seemed ironic that in the 2006 job description and agreement I signed when I became president of DPM-USA, there was not one mention of the writing/editing tasks that now constitute a major portion of my work here at DPM.
Three years into my tenure at DPM (around 2009), it was as if the Lord pulled me “off the shelf” to re-engage the editorial skills that had been largely lying fallow for a number of years. Please keep this in mind as we discuss preparing our fallow ground.
Rocky, Thorny Soil
Can you identify gifts and abilities in your own life that haven’t been put to work for a while? In the coming days of renewal, I believe the Lord intends for you and me to dust off some of those skills that have lain fallow. He wants to use them in these times.
Often, when preachers or commentators talk about “the fallow ground of our hearts,” they focus on the negative—and there is a degree of legitimacy in that focus. Fallow ground, they say, is a hardened field that has been left untouched and untended, brimming with weeds and thorns. If this perspective is applied to the condition of our hearts, their premise is that the rocky soil of our hearts must be broken up; the weeds and thorns that have sprung up through inattention must be pulled out before we can be used by God. In this view, those actions are required to prepare our fallow ground.
The Positive Side
Fallow ground may indeed be unpliable and thorny—in dire need of radical steps of repentance and softening. If the Lord puts His finger on such problem areas of our lives, you and I need to obey and take remedial action to prepare our fallow ground.
However, there is another quality of a fallow field that we ought to consider. Experts in farming know that if a field has been overused, it needs time to rest and replenish itself. (We see this principle of “sabbath for the land” in Leviticus 25:3–4.)
In line with what I described earlier, your “rested field” may be an area where you have gifts and skills which haven’t been used for a while. Sure, there may be a few weeds that have grown up as well. But in good agricultural practice, the farmer simply plows those weeds under, adding their nutrient mix to the replenishment process.
In this scenario, your “tract of land” becomes an area that is full and rich in positive attributes for God’s use. This portrays the positive side of preparing our fallow ground.
The Coming Revival
For some of us, breaking up the fallow ground may mean focusing more on the repentance side. For others, it may favor the encouragement side. Or, it may combine both. In the end, our aim should be whatever it takes to prepare our fallow ground.
Beyond the preparation itself, it is important to ask the key question: What is its end? Why is the Lord emphasizing our need to prepare? For what are we preparing?
The answer to those questions relates to what we introduced at the beginning of this letter. In these modern times, there is a sense (as Derek Prince confirmed) that a revival is coming. God intends to use each of us in that revival in a specific way. Derek refers to the process of preparing for this possibility in his message, “Intercession, Fasting,” from a very powerful series of messages he delivered on the topic of holiness.
I really want to challenge you, because I don’t believe we will have revival in this nation until God’s people learn what it is to humble themselves with prayer and fasting—calling upon God. I believe God is willing to send revival.
I’ll not give the complete word that God told me, but it was in 1953. One night at about 2 a.m., I was wide awake—and the Lord spoke to me audibly. (This is the only time I have actually heard Him speak.) Here is part of what He said: “There shall be a great revival in the United States and Great Britain.”
A lot of things that are called revival nowadays have nothing to do with revival. But I believe when God says a great revival, it’s going to be a great revival! I believe it is going to start in the United States, and it is going to affect this country [Great Britain].
I think that is the only hope for this nation. There is no other hope. We’re sunk. We’re lost. We have departed so far from God and His standards that unless we can truly humble ourselves before Him and call upon His mercy, there is no hope.
Hope is not in the politician. It is not even in the church leaders. It is in a humble minority who will afflict their souls with fasting. It must be done with the right motive. We will need the leading of the Holy Spirit, because only the Holy Spirit can lead us to do it right.
Seeking the Lord
Please notice again what the passage from Hosea 10:12 says: “Break up your fallow ground, for it is time [some translations say, ‘the time’] to seek the LORD.” Could this be His time for you? Can we “seek the Lord” together, using the following prayer?
Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You at this pivotal time in my life. I want to be used by You in the coming revival. I submit every gift, every talent, every skill, every ability I have. They are Yours to use however needed.
In obedience to Your mandate that I break up my fallow ground, I confess and admit that there are rocky places, weeds, and thorns in my field. I bring those to You now, asking for Your help in dealing with them through repentance. I also acknowledge that there are areas of ability and service that have been fallow for many years. I bring those to You as well. Please show me how to steward those areas of gifting in these days, taking on the responsibility to prepare them to be used for Your purposes.
Above all, Lord, I am seeking Your face right now. I want to be pleasing in Your sight. May I be a useful tool in these times—not for my sake, but for Your sake and the purposes of Your glorious kingdom. Amen.
Responding to the Mandate
Only the Lord Himself knows what will result from the prayer you and I have just placed before Him. One truth is clear: we have just offered to re-engage our gifts and abilities. It is our response of faith to His mandate to prepare our fallow ground.
All of us at Derek Prince Ministries are adding our “Amen” to the prayer that has just been offered. We are equally committed with you to being fully used by the Lord in these strategic, challenging days. Please allow us to supply you with whatever resources you need to strengthen your walk with the Lord. The first item to request might be a free MP3 of the message from which Derek’s quote was taken: “Intercession, Fasting.”
We offer this resource as just one small way to thank you for your love and generosity to Derek Prince Ministries. We greatly value your partnership with us.
Exciting Times Ahead
When I think of this subject of fallow ground that has been prepared for use, one name comes immediately to my mind: Cindi Basham Leggatt, my wife. Let me explain.
For a number of years while we were living in Cleveland, Ohio, Cindi taught a women’s Bible study to a group of seasoned believers. (She is an extremely gifted teacher of the Word—with a profound grasp of the Bible and how to communicate its truths.) When Cindi came to join me in the work of Derek Prince Ministries, she gave up that assignment for the sake of helping me with the work of DPM worldwide. In a sense, that field—and Cindi’s gifting employed in it—was set apart for a long period of rest.
In all these years, Cindi has faithfully continued her hours of daily study in the Word of God. Her field is full of amazing nutrients—totally ready for plowing and fruitful planting in these strategic times. When that happens, it is going to be exciting!
Cindi is a picture of our response to the Lord. We continue our diligence to make ourselves ready for that day when He re-engages us. We prepare our fallow ground.
All the best,
Dick Leggatt
President, DPM–USA
