Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 1 Thessalonians 5: 6-10.
In the above text, there is a warning of a looming danger of the wrath of God on the spiritual sleepers in the church to prepare his bride for the sudden and unannounced arrival of the bridegroom as a thief in the night which should not found any of them unprepared or embarrassed.
The author of eternal salvation knows our strength and limits. He is the discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart, and all things are naked and opened before him with whom we have to do.
Every prophetic revelation requires proper scrutiny, great spiritual consideration, and careful observations and sifting.
If proper action is not taken regarding the prophetic revelation on the part of individual like the proud and self conceited Hazael who disputed against the accurate prophetic revelation of Elisha concerning the evil exploits and wickedness he will commit against God and humanity in Samaria, even before he became king, were foretold and eventually fulfilled by him, we might as well found ourselves at the negative and bad side of the scripture or prophetic prophecy . 2 Kings 8;11-13.
The good news about any negative prophetic revelation is that it can be prevented from happening or changed for the better if we can pray, sometimes fast in humility to nullify it’s fulfilment in our lives by imploring the grace of God for help against the accomplishment of any negative parts of the scripture or prophesy been fulfilled in us. To pray always, because great darkness shall cover the nations, that we may have grace to escape those things that shall come upon the nations, and to be able to stand before the Son of man at his appearing and kingdom.
Another thing about any future prophetic revelation is that it will help us to wage a good warfare of faith, and to align, constantly positioning ourselves with what God is doing or about to do on earth and in us. 2 Chronicles 15:1-8.
For our advantage to better prepared, the Lord’s coming is delayed by the Father, whereby, many are sick of his promised coming, but no where to be seen, - hope defers makes the heart sick. This is not the reason for anyone to be spiritually sleeping, either by living in sin or having lost the fervency of the spirit to become cold and lukewarm to their detriment.
By the reason of Christ tarrying in his second coming, the enemy has taken advantage to win over many believers to violate and adulterate the word of God, saying where is the promise of his coming. But one thing is sure according to the scripture, Christ will not come back to the earth until the fullness of the Gentiles are saved into the kingdom. Not until the last elect sinner is saved, and the gospel is satisfactory preached in the sight of God unto all the nations on earth as testimony against them, then shall the end come. Romans 11:25.
The scriptures cannot be broken. In one way or other, all shall be found sleeping before the arrival of the bridegroom in the church. Except those who had earlier prayed for grace not to fall into bad slumbering of sin and death as others, they shall be able to keep the breast plate of faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation until Christ appearing - Maranathan.
The act of sleeping in the above text is not necessary the natural state of periodic rest during which the consciousness of the world is suspended. This sleep is the prophecy of the spiritual, mental and moral decline state of the entire body of Christ such as conscious willing neglect of duty by some in the church and ungodly practices increasing in the church: and that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke 12:47-48.
In other believers, spiritual slumbering imply complete abandonment of their spiritual duty and godly lifestyle in pursuant after the world and the works of the flesh inside the church: but and if that servant say in his heart, my lord delays his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looks not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. Luke 12:45-46.
It also signifying the entanglements of many people from the church in the affairs of this life, a very displeasing moral and mental backslidding before to the Lord. Instead of engaging and occupying in soul winning bussiness for the Lord, so that those who have not been told about Christ should see, and those who have not heard will understand the gospel, they turned the house of God to the dens of thieves into a bussiness centre.
Those who are spiritually sleeping cannot see what is happening around them, unable to see afar off of what is coming upon them. Christ has become the product of personal enrichment and means to an end for many of them in the church today. Christ is marketed to make themselves as the enemies of the cross. They mind earthly things, their belly is their god, and they glory in their shame. They willingly ignored the signs of the time, that it is high time, that now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed.
Slumbering spirit refocused the attention and energy towards that which will eventually destroy the soul because the victims of this spirit have forgotten that they were once blinded in sin in which they continue living in their trespasses. Psalms 68:21.
Also, the shepherds over them are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Isaiah 56:10-11.
Slumbering in this passage also reveals the worst case scenario of certain people in the church having lost the treasures of Christ deposited in them (2 Timothy1:14) which was given unto them by the Holy Ghost when they first came to Christ in their early walk with him.
They have lost the fire and the oil; thus they become trees whose fruit withers, tree without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the root: they’ve qunched the spirit, no more fire in them. When the Spirit is quenched, what is left behind is the word or preaching without the quickening power that gives life and the absence of fire that burn in the souls of the hearers.
The foolish sleepers are not only slothful in business (Romans 12:11) but have altogether gone out of the narrow way. Like the mixed multitudes among the church in the wilderness, though they mixed up with other people who are on their way to heaven, but they are as vessels wherein is no pleasure to God, therefore the bridegroom will disowned them at his arrival, even as God overthrown all those who walked and lived contrary against his will and ways in the wildreness on their way to the promised land. Matthew 25:12.
The kingdom of God is not in talk, but in power. 1 Corinthians 4:20.
If the lamp (vessel) is empty of oil, there is no way to spark fire to power it. The foolish sleepers possesses the entire letter and theology of the scriptures, but they are lacking in the demonstration of the spirit with the transforming power of it, both in them and in their hearers: and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5.
Certain spiritual sleepers have for a long time silenced the voice of the Spirit of God in them to make you wonder if they are indeed children of God by the manners they comport themselves. They cannot grieve the spirit of God because he has of a long time side tract in them, though it is believed that they were sealed or secured by him unto the final day of the redemption of their bodies when they shall be gloried with Christ at his second coming; but because the Spirit lusts towards envy against any friendship with the world, they made him to forsake his house, and when the arrival of the bridegroom was announced, though they woke up from their sleep to meet him, and they went out to look for oil, but the door was shut behind them by the bridegroom they thought they are expecting to come and seems to represent in the world.
It was just like Samson, upon hearing the arrival of the Philippines who has come for him, woke up from his bed to fight, but he knew not that the Lord has departed from him.
Again, the sleeping here is an indication of present of besetting sins they ought to have dealt with long ago, but have done nothing against it, failed to purge themselves, thereby made themselves vessels of dishonour; being overcome by the unfruitful works of darkness, ignored the warnings, wherefore he says, awake you that sleeps, and arise from the dead – stop sinning, and Christ shall give you light. Ephesians 5:14. Hebrews 12:1.
Woe unto them that are at ease in Zion. Amos 6:1.
The fact that they were left with no fire for the Lord in their lamps (vessels) shows that they’ve completely swayed over by the flesh and the world around them.
Lovers of pleasure more than God. These brethren are foolishly living in pleasure to the flesh and world; but the curse of the scripture is upon them that whoever is living in pleasure of the world is spiritually and eternally dead while he is alive.
They are the class of believers with diabolical spiritual gifts. Or like the seven sons of Sceva, they are faking or copying others in ministering of spiritual gifts to set up different kinds of strange fire in the church. They are of the world, and speak of the world, and the worldly in the church enjoying listening to them.
Surely the anointing of Elijah has fallen upon Elisha (2 kings 2:15) but not on finger click, but from the intense desire and determination of Elisha to receive the double portion of the annointing of Elijah against all odds of ridicule and mockery of the sons of the prophets in every cities they both travelled through before the transportation of Elijah to heaven by chariot of fire.
Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in your works? Psalms 85:6.
It is the Lord that pours and anoint individual’s head with oil for their unique assignment in the body of Christ and for the position of authority in the kingdom, sometimes obtainable from the Lord on the altar of consecration and sanctification.
To borrow oil from somebody is to mimic or intrude into their ministry like king Saul did against prophet Samuel’s ministry. It is to steal the glory of it from them if they will not hold fast to what they have, lest another should take their crown. It is to seek to measure up in position of authority with those your consecration to theirs is zero before the Lord. Acts 19: 14-16.
It is therefore of no surprised that the wise virgins refused to give or share their extra oil with the foolish virgins when they were asked for it, but turned away their request, and advised them to go out to buy oil for themselves elsewhere. Matthew 25:9. Note: as for those things regarding to your stewardship and devotion before the Lord, they are personal, and should be without respect of person, in the absence of sensual sentiment which could influence to play any role to diminsh your devotion, dedication and consecration of the command to love Christ more than yourself, husband, wife, father, mother, sons and daughters, lest you fall from your steadfastness into the errors of the foolish and the wicked and be unworthy of him.
My head will thou anoint with fresh oil. Psalms 92:10.
Oil is maintained for fire burning on the altar of your soul before it can be increased for a new and additional oil on the altar of consecration and devotion before God while serving him in spirit and truth.
Divine oil is precious, not something to waste away like dirty water thrown into the sewer. Divine oil is not meant to borrow others like the foolish virgins requested to borrow from the wise. Even Christ, when he discerned that a virtue – healing annointing has left him, after that the woman with the issue of blood touched his garment by faith for her healing, questioned for the perceived stolen precious oil, to teach us that though the anointing is free, but it is not something to distribute anyhow; but to cherish it for proper use, keeping it for the appropriate time for use, nourishing it day and night through continuation in prayers and meditations in the word, while appreciates it's presence in your life. Proverbs 17:8.
It is the holy anointing oil of God which should not be given to the dogs, or rob it on pigs, lest they trample it under their feet and turn again to rend you. Even God the Father will reprove, rebuke and avenge any unjust or cruel dealings against his anointed ones.
He places great value on them because of the oil of consecration upon them. He would not hesitate to fight against, and to punish any confrontations of wickedness against his anointed ones just as he punished Miriam with leprosy for her unjust and envious rebuked of Moses - just as he destroyed Dathan, Koran and Abiram for their envy, fight and rebellion against Moses and Aaron leadership because of the oil upon their head.
Satan will fight and intensify his attacks against you because of the rich and increase supernatural oil upon your head, but is it written, you are of God little children and have overcome them, because greater is he that lives in you, than he that lives in the world.
If God values your life because of his holy anointing oil upon your, you should position yourself to live and to act in the consciousness of this anointing for proper functioning and maintenance in righteousness for readiness for proper accountability before him, even as David, after the conquest of Goliath does not walk proudly because he has anointing, but humbly and wisely before the king, and before the people at the king’s palace, and great favour and grace was upon him.
Present sleepers in the kingdom doesn’t have what it takes to pay the price to obatin new fire and holy annointing oil from God, therefore shall they go unto Satan to get evil anointing oil to sell in the church to make money, seeing they wanted to borrow from the wise, that which no one can grant another, except God.
Genuine and lasting anointing makes your life a wonder, and causes you to rejoice with trembling, wondering at the marvels of God in your life, while musing on his loving kindnesses and mercies obtained.
Permit me to say that the wise sleepers were sleeping because it was at the end of the day’s work and theirs was the restorative and restful sleep. Besides, it was at midnight when the arrival of the bridegroom was announced, and the necessity of nature demands that man should take rest at night after the day’s work – the sleep of a labouring man is sweet unto him, whether he eats little or much. Ecclesiastes 5:12. Matthew 25:6.
Though they were asleep at the arrival of the bridegroom, but were in a state of zealous vigilante and awakening spirits by the reason of the extra oil in their possession. As soon as the arrival of the bridegroom was announced, they were more than ready to go into the banqueting hall with him at once.
These are the believers whose inner man is conscious and awaken to the happenings around and within them with perfect knowledge of the signs of the time. They are not following multitudes to sin. They cannot be influenced from their devotion, consecration in holiness and faithfulness to the Lord by those whose love for the Lord has faded away because of the increase of iniquity, both in the church and in the world. Matthew 24:12.
Though they were outwardly weary, yet are they restful in Christ, consciously ready, being mindful of their responsibilities in the Lord. Day or night, they are able to rise up to any occasion at any time because of the extra oil they have in their possession.
They are in a great preparation to go extra miles with Christ, that if he comes at anytime, either they sleep or awake, he will find them ready to go in with him into the banqueting hall.
The failure of the foolish sleepers was on their unwillingness to dig deeper and to go distances with the Lord in their walk of faith and spiritual life – periphery Christians. They are not growing in their spiritual life. They are lazy to pray. Lazy to fast. Rebellious to live by the word of God etc.
God is a rich, free and generous giver, but oil is given, supplied and programmed to increase according to the distances we are ready and willing to cover with the Lord while he is guiding us in the paths of righteousness and spiritual brokenness even as Elijah revealed to Elisha that if he is able to endure the confrontations, molestations, direct assaults from the sons of the prophets, including overcoming the deceitful discouragement of his spiritual father to stay behind (2 kings 2:2. 2:4. 2:6), and the humiliations from the sons of the prophets at Bethel and Jericho (2 Kings 2:3. 2:5) designed to cajole him to become a dry, powerless and lifeless Christians like them, the double portion of the oil with all its distinctive factors (anointing makes the difference) of honour, power, authority, glory and respect shall be his (2 kings 2:10) in life as well as in death: and it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet. 2 Kings 13:21.