This was written by my co-administrator on my forum, Warriors of God. It is a look into the last days and the harvest that is becoming ready for His return. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Peace,
LA

Please note that this is a simple message and is not intended as an intense Bible Studies on the 10 Virgins. I have posted posts on this... the thing is, we need to take this story and apply it to our lives in are we stirred up? Do we have the anointing... the oil in our vessels? Are we ready?

Our MAIN TEXT is found in: Matthew 25:1-13 " 1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five [were] foolish. 3 They that [were] foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. "

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING PARABLES IN THE WORD OF GOD AND HAS IN IT ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING WARNINGS THAT WE CAN BE GIVEN.

The story is about 10 virgins. Many preach that there were five Christians and five sinners, but a virgin is someone who is pure and unspotted. A pure person is not a description of one in sin. The story is a story about the church of the Lord Jesus Christ awaiting the marriage supper. There is a warning in this story that seems to be lost today when that time is so near. JESUS IS COMING!

All had lamps and all were virgins, and all were asleep..... we think we have this thing figured out but the fact is that the bridegroom did catch all of them asleep.... THERE IS A SPIRIT OF SLEEP.

Romans 13:11-14 " 11 And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]. "

Jesus is coming, His coming is closer now than it was when we first got saved... the church in these last moments is falling asleep and many are being corrupted by the darkness of this world. Some that have known Christ has given into worldly lusts... drunkenness and wantonness.. a last days sign..... but even more are involved with those last two fleshly traps: strife and envying.

MANY PROUDLY DISPLAY THEIR LUST-FREE LIVES ONLY TO BE FILLED WITH JEALOUSY AND BITTERNESS TOWARD OTHERS. WE ARE FALLING ASLEEP LETTING OUR FLESH RULE. It's time to put on the Spiritual armour. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. That is how you stay from sinning, putting on Jesus. Don't let your oil run out.

Ephesians 5:14-18 " 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord [is]. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; "

The days are evil, it is time to walk wisely that these days don't take us unaware. Don't be foolish, the only way to overcome the darkness is to be full of the Spirit and Light. Be filled with the Spirit... don't let your oil run out.

ALL TEN WERE VIRGINS, ALL TEN WERE ASLEEP, BUT FIVE LET THEIR OIL RUN OUT AND FIVE KEPT THEIR OIL FOR THEIR LAMPS....... MANY SIT IN THE CHURCH TODAY WITH NO OIL. HOW ABOUT IT, DO YOU HAVE THE OIL... THE PRESENCE OF GOD... THE ANOINTING IN YOUR VESSEL? YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST... IS HE FILLING YOUR TEMPLE? ARE YOU A VESSEL OF POWER, OR ARE YOU ONE OF THE LOW IMPACT, HIGH MAINTENANCE BUNCH? (thank you Mario Murillo)

Be filled with the Spirit. You need as much of the Spirit of God as you can get in your life. It is not enough in this life to just get saved and somehow muddle through life. To be an overcomer you need God and His power to flow through your life.

Ephesians 6:10 " 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. "

You are saved by God's unmerited love.. grace, through our faith in Him... Ephesians 2:8-9 " 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. "

But we need the power of the Holy Ghost moving in our lives. In fact, it really is not an option...

Acts 1:4 " 4 And, being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith he], ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. "

Acts 1:8 " But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. "

You need to be filled with the Spirit! You need as much of God's presence in your life as you can get. You need to be revived, excited in the Lord.... with His presence in your life making your lamp glow brightly. We are to be lights in this dark world, but we can't if our fuel is run out. Ephesians 5:8 " For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light:"

The sad thing is that they didn't know that they didn't have any oil until it was too late. Many sit in church thinking that they have what they had.... but the joy is gone, the power flowing through their life has been replaced with either discouragement or compromise or bitterness and they don't know it.

IT IS TIME TO STIR UP THE GIFT THAT IS WITHIN US CHURCH... DON'T WAIT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE TO GET OIL FOR YOUR LAMPS:

2 Timothy 1:6-7 " 6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. "

Sometimes we let the gift grow cold and don't even know it. AND WHILE WE ARE WONDERING WHAT IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE, AND IT IS US THAT HAS LET THE OIL RUN OUT.

Fan the flame on that fire..... we must be filled with the Spirit, be strong in the Lord to overcome the forces that are trying to overcome us, and we must have the Holy Spirit moving through us to be effective in these last days. THE TIME OF APATHY AND PLAY IS OVER..... JESUS IS COMING.

This is from an evangelical message preached over 12 years ago, and the message is more needful and on target right now than it was then. We need to wake up... seek the face of God, and let Him anoint us with a fresh anointing. We cannot give what we have not received, and we cannot work this last days harvest without the spiritual power to be effective. We need the oil in our vessels. Jesus Christ is returning... this is the 11th Hour... MARANATHA!