Purchasing Oil For The End Times Church Matthew 25:1-13/ Isaiah 55:1
I believe we are the end times church. We are not in the 7 years tribulation but we could be on the fast track towards globalism and with an economic reset in the next year or so.
Matthew 24 is Jesus teaching signs of the end times.
- At end of this teaching He talks about the lesson of the fig tree. the
A warning that most will not recognize the signs of the times!
- Immediately after this He teaches just like days of Noah.
A warning that most will be distracted an weighed down with the cares of this life so that they will not be prepared the Lord’s return.
- Then parable of faithful and unfaithful servant.
A warning that some will become disappointed over the Lord’s delayed return and become careless and unfaithful.
All of this flow into one main teaching in Matthew 25 called the parable of the ten virgins. This too is a warning to the church!
A warning not to neglect our main ministry which is intimacy with God.
Story tell Mtt 25:1-13
Main emphasis is end times and being spiritually alert by having an intimate heart connection with God. 3 things I want you to see:
Virgins ”“ all believers because of Jesus’ righteousness (2 Cor. 5:17)
Lamps ”“ light for their life, influence and ministry.
Oil ”“ fuel from intimacy with God.
Light ”“ enlightenment from God.
5 foolish took their lamp but took no extra oil:
They pursued ministry over getting oil in their relationship with Jesus!
You will burn out, get bitter, disappointed and not make it through.
The foolish think: I’ve got enough to make it. I am saved- I am good to go. I have oil of HS.
I don’t need any of that praying in tongues stuff! The foolish virgins panic because they ran out of oil. Let us have some of your oil. No, because spiritual preparedness cannot be transferred to others.
Everyone has to buy their own oil!
"Go and buy for yourselves.” Mtt 25:9
When they went to buy some the bridegroom came and they missed Him. 5 of the 10 = 50% of the saved people run out of oil Jesus warned!.
Five wise took oil in their vessels and their lamps.
"but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” Mtt 25:4
In other words, acquiring oil was their first priority because they don’t know when the Lord may come. We have to stay alert.
How do we buy the oil with God?
In prayer walking around this property I was asking God to show me and tell me how to get more oil? How do I get 50% of your church to have an appetite for more and get serious and realize they do not have enough oil to make it through?
I need more oil myself: More encounters, more experiences, more enlightenment, more kisses more nudges from God!
Isaiah is called the "Invitation Chapter” from the Lord. It is a picture of Him calling us to respond to Him. It is a plea from Him to align our lives with His ”“ then He promises to satisfy our innermost longings of our heart.
"Come you who are thirsty, come to the waters; you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine, and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” Isaiah 55:1-2
God is telling us to come to the waters first and then buy things:
Water is symbol of HS that refreshes, cleanses, and renews. Note we come to the water but we buy or purchase these other things:
To buy without money means purchase that costs you:
Wine symbolizes gladness of heart, joy from HS.
Milk symbolizes food nourishment for our inner man.
Then in Matt 25 we are told to buy oil = intimacy with HS.
We "buy oil” by investing our lives in a costly way to receive from God. Acquiring oil is connecting with God in intimacy. It’s watching what the Spirit is revealing in the Word, in the world signs, events, trends, circumstances, your personal life. I compare it to taking time to put fuel in your car compared to pushing it.
Ill. Zechariah the prophet had a vision of a golden lampstand.
PIC lampstand
In this vision Zechariah is asked by an angel "do you know what these are?” This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel (who was doing the work of the Lord in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem).
What was that word? It is the same word to you and me in serving the Lord.
"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.” Zech. 4:6
This is how we are supposed to live the Spirit-led life!
You get your oil from connecting to the HS. You are made to do supernatural feats but your fuel must be supernatural.
Example: Mary did by Loving Jesus and sitting at His feet and encountering His Word. She was buying oil!
Time in prayer, time in fasting, time in meditation, worship, praying in tongues.
I may not know exactly what buying the oil of intimacy from the Lord will look like in your life ”“ but I know if you don’t start buying oil now you won’t be ready for the days ahead.
WE cannot be content with the minimum of salvation. Satan’s priority is to lead us astray from the simplicity of our main ministry is to the Lord.
I am afraid as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 2 Cor. 11:3
Out of our intimate relationship with Jesus will flow our ministry ”“ if we keep our priorities straight. Before ministry, before we run off and do things for the Lord, before our own careers and goals is this commandment.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all you mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27
Your first ministry is to God. Not that He needs anything. He is Jealous for you. He wants you for Himself. You are His bride. He is to be our first and greatest love.
Jesus is not on the periphery of my life, He is the center, the hub of my life and everything is centered around Him.
PIC of wheel:
We all have priorities for our life. We are taught to "put God first” which is true but can lead to a works, weary, discouraging of burn out. Jesus never said, "Put God first!” Instead He said love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength ”“ then your neighbor.
He is not merely the priority of our life ”“ He is our life! He is the center of all we love, think, feel and do. All other life’s priorities revolve around Him as the center piece.
I realize some of you may be thinking this is not the way you live your life. But I want to tell you ”“ if you are His ”“ this is the life He has planned for you and it will be better than your plan. I am trying to get you to "buy into” this new way of thinking about your life.
In no way do I want you to think if you make this paradigm shift in your life that now everything you do is going to be better! The truth is when your has the right priority/direction THEN Satan wars against you!
- Satan makes war on the children of God are faithful to God.
Ill. What specifically does Satan do to make war with us? Anything that will distract us from keeping the main thing the main thing. The simplicity of devotion to Christ. My 1st calling is to be a lover of God ”“ to be His one and only bride. "I am my beloveds and He is mine.” SoS 6
To obey what He said was the first and great commandment. My first ministry is to Him.
Ill. Acts 13 provides a picture of how God will move in His church to get things done.
"Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away." (Acts 13:1-3)
This is what Elder meetings should look like! First we minister to the Lord ”“ prayer, worship, prophesy, tongues, words of wisdom, etc.
Then the Lord ministers to us telling us what we are to do:
1. God already knows what He wants to do in and through His church. Jer. 29:11.
2. God will make it clear and others will know and confirm it.
Concl: I’ve been fasting and praying most Wednesdays about a bold vision for 2021. Nothing specific yet. I am asking you to join me every Wednesday as a designated day of fasting and prayer for direction.
If you get revelation please share it with me.
I believe this direction will come like Acts 13. As we minister to the Lord together ”“ He will minister to us and direct us.
When GT birthed over 17 years ago we had an intimacy with God. We were known for our passion and anything can happen atmosphere.
It was prophesied we were chosen to re-dig the wells of revival for this area. I still believe this is yet to happen.
However I believe we must get ourselves in position so that God will pour out revival on us who are expecting and watching for Him.