We know that currently in the world, there are a lot of conspiracy theories about whether Covid-19 is linked to the creation of the 5G superfast internet technology. A friend recently sent me a Whatsapp voice note of about twenty eight minute in length explaining to me the relationship between the two. I have also seen two foremost Nigerian pastors talk about the same issue. While all these back and forth remain at best conspiracy theories, there is something I am sure and believe, and it is in the fact that Christ Second coming is real and there is no conspiracy around it because the word of God is final.

 

Listen to Podcast: HOW TO LIVE READY FOR CHRIST SECOND COMING

 

One of the things I believe is very possible to happen in our sojourn here on earth as believers is that it is very easy to get distracted to the extent that our gaze are shifted away from the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. While it may be difficult for a believer to hold firmly to his or her faith, I tell you, it is possible for a believer to be distracted or get carried away with the happenings and the mundane things of this world. Apostle Paul said something about Demas. He said "for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia" (2 Timothy 4:10). Notice he did not say Demas forsake Christ, but him the apostle Paul. That tells you that a believer though still in faith, can be distracted by the things happening around.

 

While it is God's plan that we enjoy everything here on earth, because His word says in 2 Peter 1:3 that "as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue," and 3 John 1:2 says "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers", it is never part of God's plan that we get distracted and lose our focus. And that is why we are examining what we have before us today: How To Live Ready For Christ Second Coming.

 

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. ⁶ “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹² But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Matthew 25:1-13

 

The preceding chapter 24 had shown us a number of things Jesus told His disciples would signal the end of the age. Then following that up in Matthew 25 was Jesus telling us in a parable how to live ready for His appearing. The joyous thing about this account of Christ's second coming is that even though the Bible says no one knows the hour or the day, Jesus has never left anyone in the dark as to things that will happen and how to stay ready, even though His coming still tarries. And because we live in a time of grace, there are warnings of what would precede the end of days so that people can prepare their hearts. In the time of Noah as documented in Genesis chapters 6 and 7, the people weren't warned, except that Noah found grace and God specifically told him what was about to befall the world at the time.

 

But Jesus, who is grace Himself, told us all these things. So, we have all these signs and warnings because Christ does not want us to be ignorant of His second appearing and this is why it is pertinent that we live ready because definitely, He is coming back again.

 

1 Be Filled With The Holy Spirit

In this latter times, there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like never before because it has been foretold. In Joel 2:28-29, God said:

 

“And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
²⁹ And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

 

There is a link between the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that God talked about and the Oil that Jesus talked about in His parable of the ten virgins because oil symbolizes the filling and empowering of the Holy Spirit. 1 Samuel 16:13, the Bible says: "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah." That tells you there is a link between oil and the Holy Spirit.

 

Now I want you to notice something in Matthew 25:3-4 and 8. It says: ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ The first thing I want us to notice here is that there is a leveler between the foolish virgins and the wise virgins. What is the leveler? The leveler is that both the wise virgins and the foolish had their lamps with an initial oil. This could mean in our contemporary times the initial infilling of the Holy Spirit.

 

This experience (the infilling of the Holy Spirit) first took place in Acts 2:4 which signaled the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophesy in Joel 2:28-29.

 

But where the difference became clear between the wise and the foolish virgins in that while the foolish virgins think the oil in their lamp would be sufficient enough to carry them through the journey and till the bridegroom arrives, the wise virgins the bible says took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Which means that they didn't only rely on the oil in the lamp, they took additional oil with them in their vessels. In our contemporary times, it means they didn't just rely on the initial experience of the infilling, they were being filled every now and then and hence, the need to carry additional oil.

 

To live ready for Christ's second coming, we must constantly and consistently be filled with the Holy Spirit. We must not remain at the level that we have the Holy Spirit resident in us, and not being filled by Him.

 

2 We Must Consistently Watch and Pray

 

"Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you unexpectedly. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

Luke 21:28, 34 & 36

 

The word "watch" there depicts preparedness. It does not explicitly mean that you should watch the events that is happening in the world so to say because that is the traditional interpretation many give to what Jesus was saying in that place. What Jesus was telling His disciples was to get ready. In other words, when what is happening in the world is happening, don't be distracted by them. You should get ready!!! The word "watch" also means that there must never be a time that we will lose touch with the reality that Christ is coming again. We should never be like the scoffers recorded in 2 Peter 3:1-4 who doubt the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

"Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), ² that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, ³ knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."

 

The other leg is "prayer." As we watch physically in preparedness, prayer helps us prepare spiritually as well. It gives us the necessary strength we need to be able to watch adequately. Prayer sustains our spiritual engine room and keep it lubricated all the time. So Jesus said to them: "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." And so, I am not surprised at the number of prayers that is going up to heaven to God in this, either offline or online. People across the globe are praying and I believe that those prayers put together will take believers through this period of Covid-19 and beyond in Jesus' name.

 

3 We Are Expected To Live Fully For Christ

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ²⁵ not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. ³⁴ for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. ³⁵ Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. ³⁶ For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: ³⁹ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul."

Hebrews 10:23, 24-25, 34, 35, 36 & 39

 

Hebrews chapter 10 gives us a picture of what it means to live fully for Christ as we prepare for the second coming of Christ. Embedded in living fully for Christ is an admonition to persevere as we read in verse 23 with the assurance that God who has promised us is faithful. Also, we are admonished to encourage one another in love and good works in verse 24-25 because Christ's second coming is drawing near. In this latter days, the love of many shall wax cold and there will be some who would want to depart from the faith.

 

¹² And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 24:12-13

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

1 Timothy 4:1

 

Also, verse 34 of that Hebrews chapter 10 shows us that in living fully for Christ in this period, we are to endure suffering knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Verse 35 shows us that we should never throw away our confidence in Christ's second coming knowing that there is a great reward at the end of the day for as many people would not give up. Likewise in verse 36, we are admonished to endure and do the will of God so that at the end of the day, we will receive the promise. and finally in verse 39, we are admonished to hold on to our faith which ultimately guarantees the preserving of our soul.

 

I believe you have been blessed!

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Obayomi Abiola Benjamin!

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