Ready Or Not...
In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus told of ten virgins: five wise and five foolish.
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV)
We are all responsible for our own relationship with Jesus. No one else can get us to heaven or make us ready. We must each make the personal decision to accept Christ, live for Him, and be ready when Christ comes for His church (at the rapture, or catching away).
In this passage, oil represents the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Wise people stay full of the Holy Spirit by daily spending time with God in the Word, prayer, worship, seeking and waiting on Him, as well as spending time with other believers.
The anointing keeps us ready for the appearing of Christ, our heavenly Bridegroom. It keeps us burning brightly for Christ so nothing can put out the Holy Ghost fire within us. It also keeps us to persevere to the end, not in our strength, but in His (Zechariah 4:6, Ephesians 6:10).
It is important for us to guard our anointing, just as the wise virgins guarded their oil. This is because some people are too lazy to do what it takes to stay filled up with the anointing. Also, trials, troubles, people, and devils will try to steal our anointing. Wise believers guard their anointing and stay filled, ready for the moment when Jesus will appear in the clouds.
In Matthew 25:6 (NIV) it says, “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’” The trump will sound and Jesus will call us up out of this world, and we will meet Him in the air.
Matthew 25:10 (NIV) says, “The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.” Just as it was in the days of Noah, once Noah and his family entered the ark, the door was shut. Sadly, Christ will come for the church and some will miss the rapture, just as many missed getting into the safety of Noah’s ark. Once God shut the door of the ark, the floods came. In similar fashion, once the rapture takes place, then there will be seven years of horrific tribulation such as the world has never known.
So, my friend, be ready, for surely Jesus is coming soon. Be watchful, ready, and keep filled with the anointing of the Holy Ghost. The time of His appearing is closer now than it has ever been. Look up, for your redemption is drawing nigh. Even so, come Lord Jesus!
