Are you prepared and ready?

Read:

Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV): “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.

Act:

Let us be determined this week to:

Evaluate the level of oil in our lamps. Have you found yourself spiritually depleted lately? Do you feel unprepared, missing that extra jar of oil for the coming of our Bridegroom? Where on the spectrum from ‘Full’ to ‘Empty’ is your lamp when it comes to God’s Spirit? Are you ready and prepared, at any time, to OBEY God, FOLLOW His instructions, ACT upon His promptings, PRAY without ceasing, and PROCLAIM the good news of the Gospel wherever you go? If you are not, why are you procrastinating? What is your excuse? Why are you not ready for when the Bridegroom arrives?

Fill our lamps with oil AND have an extra jar for just in case. Being filled with Jesus, with His Holy Spirit, like being prepared with oil in a lamp, is as simple as asking Him for that filling every day. We receive His Holy Spirit into our lives the moment we ask Him to be our personal Saviour, but often we don’t depend upon the Holy Spirit to keep our lights shining every day. As God’s Children, we don’t have to live through dry seasons of thirst and darkness, with our lamps empty. We can trust God to rehydrate and refill us with His Living Oil. The fire of the Spirit can burn so brightly in us that it can bring healing, restoration, purpose and fulfilment to our lives. This Living Oil is our source of power in weakness, wisdom in decision-making, peace in turmoil, joy in trials, and direction in assignments. Because of this Living Oil, we do not have to fear the hour of the Bridegroom’s coming, or get stuck in yesterday’s waiting. We can love being in the present – ready to enter through the doors and join Jesus at the wedding banquet.

Keep watch and be prepared! God gives us the power to glorify Him here on earth. It’s not in our own strength, but through the empowerment we receive from our Lord, that we can perform His work. When our lamps are empty, we cannot walk in the power and authority available through our relationship with Jesus; and we cannot enter the Kingdom of God as His wise and well-prepared children. So, let us walk confidently in faith, knowing our lamps are filled with His Holy Spirit Oil! As we work to serve God and to keep our lamps filled with oil, glorifying and honouring Him in all we do, may we always realise the importance of finding rest in God? As we wait upon Him – seeking silence and solitude with Him, He keeps us ready, refilled and refreshed for whatever is next.

Pray:

Father, thank You so much that we can approach Your name in this time. For many of us, it may be a season of drought or thirst. Lord, we are dry, we are in a dry season, in a dry place of our lives. Many of us feel like a person wandering in the desert, with our tongues and lips almost bursting with dryness and desperation for water to rehydrate us. Lord, I ask that You would rehydrate us by Your Holy Spirit, in a way that we may not have even realised You are able to do. And as we get refilled and refuelled by Your Holy Spirit, may Your life live in us so that we can magnify You, and take Your name and Your message to the world who needs it so desperately. Thank You so much that we can ask this in Jesus’ name.

Oh, Lord Jesus, You know our hearts. We stubbornly want our will, in our timing. May we always remember that, because of our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ, we have a promised hope. That hope extends from the challenges of our earthly lives, to the promise of eternity with You. May we remember what You tell us in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!” May we take it to heart and boldly say, silently or out loud, “I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday, and I love today!” You, Oh Lord, have it all taken care of! In Jesus’ Precious Name.

Father God, Lord, thank You so much for the truth of Your Word. Thank You Father God that everything that You have created – heaven and earth and everything in it – has been created and designed intentionally and with purpose. Lord, help us to go to Your Word. Help us to not be influenced by the world around us, but to run to You for clarity, direction and guidance. Lord, help us. We cannot do it in our own strength, and we ask that You will walk with us each and every single day. In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Holy Spirit, we just want to thank You for Your presence here. Thank You that You empower us through Your wisdom, through Your leadership, and through Your closeness. You empower us to walk in everything that the Father has given to us, everything that the Son has died on the cross to win for us. I pray that every person that has aligned their hearts to gather as the saints and unite in prayer would experience your impartation of fresh authority in them. Remind them of who they are in Christ Jesus. Remind them that the blood of Jesus covers them – that they have power. They have the authority to walk and overcome every obstacle, everything this world tries to throw at them. Lord, impart strength to them. Strengthen them in their innermost being. If there are any that feel inadequate or weak, or just tired of the fight and of praying… Holy Spirit, come and refresh them right now. I pray that You strengthen them, put boldness and courage in them, and remind them of their standing with You. Remind them that they are Your beloved, they are Your daughters, they are Your sons. Holy Spirit, empower them today. Empower them with Your Spirit. Empower them with Your power, in Jesus’ name.

Lord Jesus, thank You for this reminder to come to You prepared on every level, so that we will have enough oil in our lamps, especially spiritually. Will You show us when we are starting to run dry? And Lord, we crave a fresh touch of Your Holy Spirit, especially today. And we Lord, we don’t want to start running on empty now! So we ask for a fresh touch from You. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

(This WRAP is with great appreciation towards Tanya, Mary Lynn, Suria, Nicole and Christo)

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