No Extra Oil

Caught in the crisis of Christ's return,
found wanting while waiting
without fullness,
the five foolish had run out of oil by
having "not enough."

And they would, with cavalier disregard,
take the oil of the five wise.

The trial of the wise is always the folly of the foolish.
Not prepared, not filled . . . the condition of those who
do not need and will not yield to the Holy Spirit.

The foolish ones said to the wise,
"Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out."
"No," they replied, "there may not be enough for both us and you.
Instead go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves."
(verses 8, 9)
 
Oil cannot be transferred, only its inspiration.
Oil cannot be given, but it can be spilled by careless
efforts to give it where it has not been valued.

The "no" of the five is a crucial word the wise must learn.
Wise virgins learn to guard their fullness against
the emptiness of the foolish.

Wherever there is fullness of the Spirit, there are
the non-workers who would take without paying
and call it innocent "borrowing."
(Acts 7:51)

Oil must be bought? The Holy Spirit is purchased?
Yes, the anointing of fullness comes at a price.

The price is repentance. you pay with your pride.
(Matt. 3:11 and Acts 2:38)

The cost is your independence: you pay with your freedom.
(Luke 4:1)

Oil of the Spirit is precious, the most valuable gift of God
for living and pleasing HIM.

Oil is the hidden source of the visible Light.
He is the fountain of burning and the gift of Holiness.
He is the fulfillment of all God's demands upon humanity.
His presence is worth any price.

For such a prize, the payment is paltry:
your pride and your liberty,
the two delusions of Adam.

The Holy Spirit is the indwelling presence of Christ,
the gift of the Father.

The Holy Spirit holds the oil and dispenses it lavishly
but only on His own conditions -
the abject ground of humility and
unconditional surrender to His guidance.

The Holy Spirit is the Perfect Preparer of the Bride.
This principle will run in absolute consistency
right through the scriptures in all the stories
of Bridal preparation.

Too Late

"But while they were on their way to buy the oil,
the bridegroom arrived.
The virgins who were ready
went in with him to the wedding banquet.
And the door was shut.
 
The "door" speaks of the Rapture.
(James 5:9, Rev.3:8)

The door is opened to those who are full and
closed to those who are empty.

In Union

Later the others also came. "Sir! Sir!" they said,
"Open the door for us!"
But he replied,
"I tell you the truth, I don't know you."

The wise are wise who cherish relationship,
who give their all to union with God,
above works
higher than any value,
more crucial than any demand.

The wise are wise . . . in relationship.
In "relationship" you find your need and
in your need you find the Spirit.
 
The Bridegroom seeks a Bride.
A Partner, not a worker.
A Lover, not a slave.

And that one is wise who builds the Divine relationship
and who lives in the frightening state of inadequacy,
dependent on the Caretaker of the Bride, who
prepares her and teaches her how to become a Bride.

Those terrible words, "I don't know you,"
mean that relationship - intimacy and union -
have not been sought or valued.
they didn't "know" Him, so . . .
at the last, they had what they bought.

He didn't "know" them.

And Jesus' final word of the parable:
Therefore, keep watch, because
you do not know the day or hour.

Copyright © 2001 Martha Kilpatrick