Are you Ready?

Salutation 18/09/2022

• 2 Corinthians 2:12 >> Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
• 2 Peter 1:12 >>That though you know these things that you might be established in the present truth.

Title: Are you Ready?

Question: Ask your neighbour if Jesus were to come right now are you ready? Get a response from your neighbour.

Core Scripture: Matthew 25 vs 1-13

There are many days that we consider to be special days in our lives. Some are birthdays some are anniversary days. But there is one particular day that is so special in the calendar of heaven, that is the day of the Lord – the day that Jesus is coming back.

When you woke up today, you expected the day to be so good, but I want you to know that someone out there has died and were expecting to see a beautiful day to day like you.

• Yes we know that you come to church every Sunday and take communion., but are you ready?
• Look at you neighbour and say Jesus is coming.
• Many people today do not believe that Jesus is coming back because of the time that it was said 2000 years ago – delay. It took Noah more than 50 years to build the ark and the people stopped believing.
• 2 Peter 3 vs 3-4 >> Delay of Jesus’s coming
• A day will come that those that give been given the privilege to accept the Lord Jesus and they refused, will cry in condemnation.

• One thing that characterises the 5 foolish virgins was the regret they had, and in our dispensation you could be having regrets about the person you married or about the career you choose.
• This parable represents the worst kind of lost opportunity that any Christian can face in their spiritual walk
• It is also a parable that shows us that each and every person is responsible for his or her own spiritual preparation to enter heaven
• Each person on earth will be given an opportunity to ask the Lord to forgive their sins and to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their saviour. On judgement day, no one will claim that I was not given that opportunity
• No one will find them selves in heaven or hell accidentally
• Matthew 24 vs 3 – 14, 23-24 >> Signs that the coming of the Lord Jesus is near
• Matthew 24 vs 27 >> The way the Lord will come back again will be so quick
• Matthew 24 vs 36-44 >> What will happen when the Lord comes back
• The appearing of the Lord Jesus should motivate us to be obedient and faithful to He’s work.
• In the same why that preparation needs to be done for a wedding you as a Christian must take steps to prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ
• Outwardly all 10 virgins appear the same, they are in the right place, at the right time and they have the right garments, but vs 2 says 5 of them were wise and 5 of them were foolish. What made the 5 wise? >>> Oil
• Those that were wise were Christians that were ready for the coming of Jesus and those that were foolish were Christians that are not ready for the coming of Jesus.
• The Lords coming shall be so quick like in the twinkling of the eye, there will be no time to repent.
• 1 Corinthians 15:52 >> Like what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah when brimstone and fire fell
• Virginity talks about those that have given their lives to Christ, that have done the prayer of salvation.
• The wise virgins are the Christians that have fully repented and the foolish virgins are the Christians that have given their lives to Christ but are not repented.
• How many of us are born again and we hate someone?
• How many of us are born again and still practicing sexual immorality?
• How many of us are born again and we still visit the witch doctor?
• How many of us are born again and we curse others?
• How many of us are born again and still lie, steal, gossip etc? Or commit some other forms of evil?
• Luke 14:15–24 >> Individuals that give excuses when it comes to repenting or giving their lives fully to Christ. These are considered to be the foolish virgins.
• Are all professors of Christ really possessors of Christ?
• The wise virgins were not only professors of the oil but they were possessors of the oil.
• Matthew 7 vs 21 – 24 >> Depart away from me I never knew you
• The oil in the wise virgins’ lamps represents the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit such as righteous living and obedience.
• The lamp represents our lives
• The wise virgins filled their lives with obedience and righteousness.
• The light talks about the degree or extent that we radiant the name and the goodness of Jesus.
• The closing of the door is the final judgment.
• Mark 4:21 >> Does one put a candle under a bushel?
• Matthew 10:33 >> if you deny me before men I will deny you before the Father.
• Vs 5: the bridegroom will delay. The scripture also mentions that there will come a point in the life of every Christian were they will slumber spiritually, but what will save you is the oil that you have accumulated. Speak about a thief that comes when you are prepared for him – Karate
• A lamb that has no oil wont switch on and serves no purpose, a foolish virgin is a torch without batteries
• Matthew 7:24-27 >> Wise man and Foolish man build houses
• There are people that say I am a Christian, I go to church, I carry the bible, I fellowship with others after the service, I take holy communion, I am baptised but there is no light in you there is nothing burning inside of you
• If you know about Jesus and do not know Jesus you remain in Spiritual darkness, like the 7 sons of Sceva. (Acts 19 vs 11-16)
• The foolish virgins have a form of goodliness but they deny the power thereof, they do not have any spiritual life within them. (2 Timothy 3: 5)
• So many people are committed to their religion or to their denomination but they are not committed to Christ by being fully born again. They have never come to a place of personal repentance
• It is possible to fool the your family, the pastor, the people and the church but it is impossible to fool Jesus
• When wheat and tares grow together they look like but when the day of harvest comes the wheat bows down and the tares remain straight. Wheat and tares have the same color, grow in the same way and have the same seeds; the only difference is that one is always unfruitful – Tares
• One of the most striking facts about this story is how similar the ten virgins appear on the surface:

• All had been invited the banquet and all had responded positively.
• All ten had gone out to wait for the bridegroom.
• All of them had their lamps with them.
• All the virgins wanted to see the bridegroom.
• All were in the right place at the right time for the right reason.
• All of them wanted to go to the wedding banquet.
• All had some oil in their lamps at the beginning.
• All fell asleep while waiting for the bridegroom.
• All were awakened by the midnight cry.
• All ten virgins got up to prepare their lamps.
• All appeared to be equally prepared for the bridegroom’s coming.

• Believing in God alone is not enough to go to heaven, in James 2:19, the demons also believe in Jesus and some even come to church! So does that mean that the demons will go to heaven because they believe in Jesus? NO
• The coming of Jesus Christ will reveal the fake and the true Christians, ask you neighbour are you ready for the coming of Christ?
• The delaying of the coming of the Lord is actually an extra time of grace given to mankind to make their lives right before the coming of the Lord
• 2 Timothy 2:17-18 >> Hymenaeus and Philetus – resurrection is past already
• In fact Jesus is always on time, remember the time when Jesus delayed to go to the tomb of Lazarus, everyone thought that Jesus was late but Jesus was on time.
• Its not the external activities that are crucial but it’s the internal state of the heart that matters the most, Are you prepared on the inside
• Being prepared means having oil which entail means practicing good stewardship, generosity to those in need, proclamation of the Word and so on
• vs 6: Midnight is an unexpected hour for a significant event. Midnight is a time for sleeping, particularly for people who have only oil lamps or candles for artificial light. People under those circumstances go to bed early and arise early to take full advantage of daylight hours. At midnight, they tend to be deep in slumber.
• It is the midnight which marks the end of a person’s opportunity to get right with God, and the beginning of one’s eternity either with God or without Him.
• 1 Thessalonians 4 : 17 >> At midnight, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
• At midnight, it’s a time that most people sleep but that is when God begins to work, that is when Jesus comes:
  • Egypt’s first born were killed at midnight (Exodus 11:4; 12:29)
  • It was midnight when Samson took the doors and gate-posts of the city of Gaza, and carried them to the top of the hill overlooking the city of Hebron (Judges 16:3)
  • It was midnight at Philippi (a city in northern Greece) when Paul and Silas sang praises to God in the jail. God’s power was demonstrated by an earthquake which resulted in their freedom, and in the salvation of the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:25-28)
  • Eutychus fell asleep at the midnight hour and tumbled out of the window. The Bible says he was taken up dead (Acts 20:7-9)
• The shout is what all preachers around the world should be doing, preaching about the coming of the Lord Jesus.
• Both the wise and the foolish are going to face the bridegroom.
• Revelation 1 vs 7 >> Everyone shall see him when he comes
• The wise virgins were not selfish at all, there are certain things that you will not be able to give someone else even if you wanted to – salvation.
• Salvation is not a gym membership card that you can hand over to someone else and say just pretend you are me.
• Did the foolish virgins know that they were not fully prepared to see the bride groom? YES
• If you are driving a car and you don’t have a driver’s licence, when the police stop you, you will immediately know that you are in trouble.
• Only you know the circumstances of your heart, are you saved?
• The reason why they didn’t get oil is not known, but they knew that the oil that they had was not enough. Maybe they thought that they still have enough time on their hand or maybe they thought it wasn’t a big deal not to have oil.
• The foolish virgins probably thought that since they had the right garment, they were at the right place and at the right time, it would be enough to enter.
• Some people live in a painful delusion that they can get saved anytime that they want. Some say I will wait until I get married, I will wait until I stop drinking, I will wait until I graduate, I will wait until I stop drinking etc.
• Today the door is still open its not too late., the Lord shut the door on the ark in the times of Noah.
• Do you have a right relationship with God?
• Amos 4:12 >> Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
• Do not postpone establishing a relationship with Jesus, Hebrews 3:15 >> As long as it is today do not harden your heart
• Now Pastor how do I get the oil? Matthew 25:31-46

Conclusion

How do I become a wise virgin>> Romans 12 vs 9-21 >> Christian conduct

Song: 1. Days of Elijah (Behold he comes shining like the sun)

Prayers

1. 1 John 1:9 >> “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness >> Prayer of Personal Salvation

Song: Be to our God (Salvation belongs to our God)

2. 2 Corinthians 4:4 >> “In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them.” >> Pray for the salvation of your family
3. Let every stronghold of the enemy barricading my mind, the mind of my spouse or the minds of children from receiving the Lord be pulled down, in the name of Jesus.
4. Let all hindrances coming between the heart of my family members and the gospel be melted away by the Fire of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus.
5. In the name of Jesus, I bind every demon attached to my life, the life of my spouse or the lives of my children , from keeping us from receiving Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, fall down and die.
6. Lord, build a hedge of thorns around my family, so that they all turn to the Lord and that they are ready for your second coming like the 5 wise virgins
7. All the children who have been dedicated to the Lord and have become bound by the devil in my family, be loosed, in the name of Jesus.
8. In the name of Jesus, I break the curse placed on any of my family members that are stopping them from receiving the Lord.
9. You spirit of death and hell, release . . . (mention the name of the person), in the name of Jesus.
10. 10. Every desire of the enemy on the soul of . . . (mention the name of the person) will not prosper, in the name of Jesus.
11. You spirit of destruction, release your hold on every member of my family and depart and never come back in Jesus name.
12. I bind every spirit of mind blindness in my life, in the lives of my children, in the name of Jesus.
13. Let there be no peace or rest in the mind of every family member connected to me until they surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ and receive salvation in Jesus name.
14. I command every evil Spirit of bondage, Luke warmness and perdition, to release me and my children, in the name of Jesus.
15. I come against the powers of darkness blinding and holding all the people in Namibia from receiving the gospel, in the name of Jesus.
16. I command you spirit of the power of the air to loose your hold on unsaved people in Africa so that they will be free to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, in the name of Jesus.
17. I tear down and smash every stronghold of deception keeping my family members in the enemy’s camp, in the name of Jesus.

Song: Give me oil in my lamp

18. Holy Spirit, reveal to me other strongholds that need to be broken in the life of any family member connected to me in Jesus’ name.
19. I ask that the Holy Spirit fills me and all my children, Lord pour more oil in our lives in Jesus name

Holy Communion

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Giving

Bishop