The story of the Ten Virgins found in Matthew chapter 25 provides profound insight into the preparation required for the return of Christ. We begin with the first two verses of Matthew 25: “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto 10 virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.” The sermon focuses today on the wisdom of the wise virgins.
When the ten virgins went forth to meet the bridegroom, they all took their lamps. The Bible itself interprets the Bible, telling us that “Your word is the lamp unto my feet.” Therefore, the lamp represents the Word of God, which is intended to provide light to guide your path.
At the start, there was no differentiation between the virgins; they were all virgins, and they all had the Word of God (lamps). The distinction that categorized some as wise and others as foolish is introduced in verse two. The difference lies in the fact that the wise virgins were thinking about their future and were concerned about how their lamp would continue to provide light until the break of day. They recognized that without something called the oil, the lamp would not continue to provide light. The lamp is good, but it is only as good as the oil that is in it. Without the oil, the lamp is merely a vessel with the capability and potential to provide light, but what activates the lamp is the oil.
In this current age, described as the Laodicean age, no one can live a victorious life and be called an overcomer without the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the indwelling power that makes the Word of God (the light) come alive and become a continuous, permanent guide for your path. The wise virgins took oil in their vessels with their lamps. The foolish failed because they were not concerned about how their lamps would continue to light their path.
The Start of Spiritual Warfare
Once you receive the Holy Spirit, you become a debtor to use that Holy Spirit. We are debtors, not to the flesh, but to the Spirit. Once Christ gives you the Spirit, you become indebted to Him to give Him your life.
The receiving of the Holy Spirit is not the end of the road; rather, your warfare has just begun.
This spiritual warfare is not primarily praying against demons. The major spiritual warfare is mortifying your flesh and fighting against yourself. We are commanded to use the Holy Spirit in us to kill the deeds of the body so that we may live (Romans 8:13).
Therefore, do not think that once you receive the Holy Spirit, your fight against sin is over; that is a big lie. If you are not struggling or fighting, it is because you have been overcome by the flesh, and the devil has overcome you. The spiritual warfare is the battle against yourself, and it begins when you receive the Spirit of God because that Spirit is constantly at odds with the flesh you still possess.
Enduring the Waiting and Responding to the Cry
Like the virgins, getting weary is a human weakness. When the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept, including those who had the oil. The longer the return tarries, the more it drops in one’s priority list, and even having the oil does not make you immune to this weariness. The one who gave the promise knows our human makeup, so He makes plans to send awakenings, shouts, and reminders through the fivefold ministry and gifts in the church.
At midnight, when they were sleeping, there was a CRY to reawaken them. After the cry, the wise virgins had something to trim—a lamp and an oil to trim—because they had the oil. It takes the Holy Spirit in you to be able to respond to God’s reminding. Without the oil, the lamp (the Word) will not serve you, as the Spirit of God must quicken that Word for it to become a revelation that transforms you.
Evidences of the Indwelling Holy Spirit
While we should never doubt our salvation, it is necessary to confirm that the Holy Spirit is truly dwelling within us. Christ told us what the Holy Spirit would do when it comes. If you do not have the Holy Spirit, your lamp will burn out; it is only a matter of time.
Here are scriptural evidences of the indwelling Spirit:
1. What Governs Your Mind
The first evidence is what governs your mind. If your mind is constantly on fleshly things, the Spirit of God is likely not dwelling there. If you are not interested in godly things, God’s Word, or becoming like Christ, it is a red flag. Having the Holy Spirit means your thoughts cannot continually be about this world, but you must be mindful of the things of the kingdom that you look forward to.
2. The Ability to Respond (Trimming)
When you hear a cry or a spiritual prompt—whether reading your Bible, hearing a sermon, or being called to prayer—something in you should be trimmed, just as the wise virgins trimmed their lamps. If the oil is not there, there will be no interest and nothing to trim.
3. Conviction of Sin in the World
When the Holy Spirit comes, “He will convict the world of its sin” (John 16:8). The Holy Spirit accomplishes this through the believers. If you are living in this world and are not displeased with the sin that continues to get worse, or if you are not speaking against it, the Spirit that convicts the world of sin might not be dwelling in you. Not speaking against evil is an offense to your Christian walk and to the world at large, as the Holy Spirit restrains evil through the believers.
4. Conviction Beyond Conscience
The Holy Spirit not only convicts the world of sin but also convicts the believers of sin. This conviction is different from your conscience. Your conscience is based on your upbringing and exposure. However, when the Holy Spirit comes, He will prick you about certain things that your conscience might allow.
5. The Necessity of Assembly
The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth, both by speaking to you and by speaking to you through that brother who has the Holy Spirit and through the five-fold ministry. You cannot win the war against the flesh (Romans 8) alone if you forsake the assembly of one another. We receive the Holy Spirit in measures. The Holy Spirit in one believer may be sensitive to something that the Holy Spirit in another is not, requiring the conviction of fellowship (as when Paul needed to convict Peter of hypocrisy). A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, and the Holy Spirit cannot fight the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Holy Spirit that you need to overcome is not the one you have alone; you also need the Holy Spirit of your brother and sister in Christ.
6. Power to Witness
The Holy Spirit provides the power to witness (Acts 1:8). This power is not defined as the ability to perform miracles, but rather the ability to convince another human being that their current state is wrong. This is extremely difficult to do without an anointing. If you have the Holy Spirit, you will have the confidence, joy, and desire to witness about Christ. Even when passion slows down, you will know that something deep inside is disturbing you, demanding that you must witness.
7. Perseverance and Hope
One of the signs that you have oil in your lamp is that you will not burn out or quench. While things may happen that make the flame burn low, the lamp will not quench. If anyone quenches and goes back to the “country where they came back from,” it suggests they never had the oil in the first place. The Spirit of God will not let you remain in a state of doubt for long, confirming the hope of the kingdom to come.
Seeking the Gift of the Spirit
The question arises whether it is possible for someone to receive the Holy Spirit in a denomination. Just as God stopped dealing in the various sects once John the Baptist appeared, and John’s baptism ceased being valid after Pentecost, God operates in a new leaf. Paul explained that the dealings in the temple had to stop when Jesus showed up.
While it might have been possible to receive the Holy Spirit in Pentecostal or other sects up until perhaps the 1960s, as soon as God established His dealing with the seventh angel of Malachi 4:5-6, it became impossible for anybody to receive the Holy Spirit whilst in a denomination. Otherwise, God would be an author of confusion.
The Holy Spirit is a gift. God is not hiding it or making it hard to get; He gives it freely. If we, being evil fathers, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to us if we ask Him?
Do not rely on good memory; if the Holy Spirit is not present, the word of God will soon cease to be a living word, and you will get tired of it, for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.
If you see any gaps based on these evidences, you need to seek God’s face. We must ask the Lord to give us the oil in our lamps, to refill us, and to reduce our consciousness of this world, that we may be given victory against the flesh and the spirit of this age, like materialism, and be true overcomers. Shalom