We Don’t Have Time to Go Back
by Janet Lynn Garcia
First and foremost, let’s talk about time. We must know our most precious commodity is nothing more but time. There is no more time to waste. Here we are in this story of the ten wise and foolish virgins, “The Story of the Virgins “God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep. “In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bridegroom’s here! Go out and greet him! “The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, “Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil. “They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.” “They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked. “Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in. “He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you. “So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.” The Message.
WHY HAS THE BRIDEGROOM BEEN DELAYED?
The bridegroom has delayed because sleeping and slumbering the meaning of slumbering is sleeping, lightly dozing off, drowsy, to be in a state of inactivity, negligence, inactive or motionless. Several scriptures really lay this out. What is our focus on? Are you doing our work heartily unto the Lord? Have we received the reward of our inheritance? Are we man pleasing or do we have the fear of the Lord yet?
Paul said, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” Colossians 3:23-24. Do you think it would be even more advantageous to consider whom we are working for on this earth so that we could see the marketplace moving forward taking over territories with the city set on the hill light?
Then there is this scripture, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going we know Solomon spoke of “grasping for the wind”. Yes, we can live and enjoy the abundant life, enjoy our work IF YOU ARE IN YOUR CALLING, enjoy your spouse, children and do everything in your undertaking with all your strength, “But if anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” 1st Timothy 5:8 NKJV. One of the various lessons learned in the five wise and five foolish virgins are we utilizing our time wisely to prepare our hearts for the coming return of our Lord. Are we caught up in the things of the world? Or are we doing the things of God?
Raising a family can be challenging these days with the increase of knowledge. I see even the challenge of raising my own children to stay focused on the Word of God while allowing them some access to these necessary communication tools called iPhones. Let me encourage you we mustn’t take cellphones lightly and you should add parental software to your phones otherwise the enemy lurks. One of our favorite things to do as a family is at the end of the day is have family alter time. During this time, we focus on Lord, His word or what blessing they may have witnessed or received in the day. We want our children to grow in the admonition of the Lord daily.
The scriptures say at midnight, the call (the cry was heard) “Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him”. 1st Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Back to the story, five wise virgins were ready with their oil filled in their lamps and wicks trimmed adorned in beauty (the bride that is pure, holy, undefiled) but the other foolish virgins were ready asking for oil and wicks from the wise what happened they had to go back. “They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked. “Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in. “He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’
What did the foolish virgins do? They spent time going back? There is no time to go back. Let’s look at Moses and the Israelites leaving Egypt. There are hard pressed on all sides. The Pharaoh, let them go after all the pestilence, plagues, Passover and the death angel. Let us walk in our Kingdom authority because the Passover lamb, his blood has instituted redemption, justification, and sanctification and yet the enemy continues to dig up our past and show it to us, failures, etc. Fear can paralyze us from moving forward in visions, dreams, future hopes and taking territories. The gates are open to the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. We must believe!
Harvest is here and there is a refreshing regeneration needs to happen NOW so we can go out to the fields ripe with the harvest. Praise be to God there are enough laborers now but we could continue to add to the faith daily like Paul, Peter and the rest of the disciples did with the God-given authority He’s given us. Be ready and move forward in the springing up thing the Lord has called you to do. Old dreams are being reborn NOW. The Israelites were on the brink of freedom they had just taken off they were so close to the crossover. God is using the enemy of our soul to push you forward and get something’s accomplished, “God told Moses, “Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his arm, that Egyptians may know that I am the Lord, And they did so” Exodus 14:5.
NO MORE TIME TO GO BACK
If you continue to read Exodus 14:6-12 and Exodus 14:25-30, you will find they had no time to go back. Let me point out we need to be “watching” what time it is. Remember the virgins were sleeping and slumbering before the midnight watch came and there was a cry a loud voice from heaven the archangel. Did you know Evangelist John Ramirez a former third-ranking satanic officer served Satan for twenty-five years? He had a Jesus encounter now serves the Lord to get the word out to the churches and God’s people? We are sleeping. He claims He did his best work between the hours of 7:00 p.m. through 6:00 a.m. He said he could get more done, killing, stealing and destroying while Christians are sleeping at midnight. I know a very seasoned woman in the faith that says she does her best prayer times at midnight. That means she’s awake I can only imagine her prayers are dismantling all the works of the enemy at these hours of the night. We try to get our best sleep at those hours but I guarantee if we will learn how to pray dismantling prayers the Lord will bless our times and we will be on the other side praising and worshipping him because we will see Him working things out and the dead dreams rising up and birthing forth to make a major push to do the work He’s calling us to. Then the enemy is going to say, “Let us flee from the face of Israel (the people of God, serving, praying, worshipping and doing the greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit) for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians” Exodus 14:25.