The Ten Virgins

7 April 2021

Salvation and the Holy Spirit are gifts from God. But the Word also says we must buy something, and the question is, what is it?

In Matt 25:1,  we read the parable of the ten virgins. Five of them were wise, and the other five were foolish. All ten virgins went out to meet the bridegroom, and all ten of them had burning lamps. The five foolish virgins had no extra oil for their lamps, but the five wise virgins took extra oil in a vessel along with their lamps. When the bridegroom came at midnight, all ten virgins woke up from their sleep and trimmed their lamps. The foolish virgins realized they did not have enough oil for their lamps and ask the wise virgins for some oil. The wise virgins said no, but go and buy from the dealer’s oil; otherwise, we will not have enough.

The dealers represent ‘trials’ in our lives. When we lay down our lives before our Father in difficult times, when we are tested and submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit, that is when we buy the extra oil and fill up our vessel when we do not turn away from trials, but press into His Presence and allow the ministry of the Holy Spirit to change us.

James 1:12
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Rev 3:14-22 brings forth the same thought of a transaction. 
I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. We are cleansed by the trails we go through, and also, when we humble ourselves before His Face, He brings forth the gold in our lives.

Rom 12:12
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

The Holy Spirit cannot be “bought”; it is a gift from above, but to what extent we allow the Holy Spirit’s ministry to operate in our lives is the purchase of extra oil in our vessel for our lamps to burn.

The dealers thus represent trials and our walk with the Lord, your closet time with Him. Our time spent in private with Him and not just our public ministry work. The time a bride is alone in her prayer chamber adorning herself for the coming of her bridegroom allows us to obtain extra oil for our burning lamps and be ready for His return. Hallelujah!

We do not want to be part of the five foolish virgins who thought or imagined that they were ready for His coming. Therefore we seek His Face earnestly and desire the working and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Matt 25:10-12
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward, the other virgins came also, saying ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’  But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.

What does this all mean?

Imagine you are on a boat in rough seas, and you see someone busy drowning. You throw a lifebuoy to the person and shout “grab and hold on – I will pull you out and rescue you. I am praying for you!” A large wave knocks the person from the lifebuoy causing a hazardous situation. You pull the lifebuoy back to you and throw it at the person again. “Grab on and hold; I will rescue you!” A wave comes and knocks the person off the lifebuoy. Satan keeps on attacking until we accept defeat. You try a few more times until you realize the only way to save this person, is to take the lifebuoy in your one arm and jump into the icy water, putting your life in danger, as you swim to the person and fold your arms around them to save their life. That is paying the price, laying your life down for a friend and taking up your cross to follow Jesus.

Luk 14:26-33
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Mar 10:21
Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

1Jhn 3:16
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Jhn 15:12-13
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Written by C&C