Oil For The Latter Times

 Matthew 25:1-13

In the text passage we see Jesus sharing a short but very meaningful story which is known as the parable of the 10 virgins.

5 of the virgins were wise, while the other 5 were foolish, it's a great story with several symbolisms and it can be interpreted while drawing many lessons from it.

Key words like lamp, oil, night time, bridegroom, and virgins are used in this parable. 

The bridegroom is Jesus Christ, while the virgins represent the church, the saints, those who believe they are part of God's kingdom.

A major lesson we see from this parable is the importance of oil.

It shows us the importance of oil for our spiritual lives, and very importantly for making it when the bridegroom (Jesus Christ) comes.

Oil according to this story/parable represents the Holy Ghost.

The lamps according to the story/parable is our spiritual life.

As lamps need oil to power them and make them shine forth light, our spiritual lives need the Holy Spirit to shine forth.

The Holy Spirit is the oil we need for our spiritual journey.

If we are to make it spiritually, the Holy Spirit is a must!

Night time according to this parable represents the latter times, the end times, the season on earth before the Lord returns. I believe we are in that season already, a dark time, the latter times. A season or time of the Lord's return.

There's no doubt about it that a dark time is upon the earth.

If we are going to make it on this earth as God's people, and most importantly when Jesus comes back our relationship with the Holy Spirit must be cultivated and developed.

Among Christians/believers we have those who are wise and we also have those who unfortunately are foolish.

Whether you will be in the category of a wise believer or foolish believer at the appearing of Jesus Christ will depend on on how well you have developed your relationship with God's Spirit.

Running out of oil comes about when believers don't develop their relationship with the Holy Spirit. 

When the bridegroom comes if your relationship with the Holy Spirit doesn't suffice you will not make.

A friendship that's not developed will not grow. 

The most important relationship in our lives is the relationship we have with the Holy Spirit. This relationship determines our ''oil''.

We see from this parable 5 virgins had oil at the appearing of the bridegroom, while  the other 5 had run out of oil.

What this means is that there was a time all 10 virgins had oil.

5 virgins were careful to develop their relationship with God's Spirit, so they had oil, while the other 5 were a bit complacent and they didn't have oil when they needed it most.

Every child of God or Christian has been given the Holy Spirit at salvation, but it's not everyone who develops their relationship with the Spirit.

Those who develop their relationship with the Spirit will be wise virgins, while those who do not develop their relationship with the Spirit will fall into the category of the foolish virgins. They will look foolish when the bridegroom - Jesus Christ appears!

The good news for us today is that oil is available for the latter times we are in.

The oil is available because the Spirit is being poured out in the end times according to God's promise!

Acts 2:17, Joel 2:28

An evidence of the outpouring of God's Spirit upon us is that our love will increase- love for God and love for our fellow man for the Spirit of God sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts.

Romans 5:5

Olutosin Ogunkolade, a spiritual blogger and teacher shares this message.