DAY 49 – THE SECRET OF BUYING OIL
In the Bible, Oil often represent the Holy Spirit. So, having oil in our lamps means having the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit illuminating our lives with His zeal and glory. Without the oil, our lives is lifeless. We buy oil at our secret place. As we commune with God, our spirit is renewed, and our oil levels are replenished oil in the lamp represents having an inner reservoir of Holy Spirit reality. If we are not filled with the oil of the Spirit, we will not survive the chaos and calamities of the last days. The story of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 made us know that all ten virgins had oil in their lamps, but only the five wise virgins brought extra vessels of oil with them because they had anticipated that the return of the bridegroom might possibly be delayed beyond their expectations. The five foolish virgins made the mistake of assuming that the bridegroom would return sooner than later. They were confident that they needed no extra oil and that their oil would sustain them till the return of the bridegroom.
The oil could be said to represent a leader’s ministry anointing that is cultivated in the secret place. The wise doesn’t just go to the secret place to buy oil for ministry impartation, they also go to buy oil for themselves in order to have a private burning heart relationship with God. It doesn’t cost much to get oil for ministry, but it will cost you a lot to get the oil of an intimate relationship with Jesus. Then, when the ministry time is over, you’re still a burning love-flame for Him. The oil of authentic relationship is bought at the cost of investing time and energy in the secret place.
You can’t derive the authority of anointing from another person; you have to get it yourself in the secret place. The bridegroom’s delay has a way of distinguishing between the foolish and the wise. It reveals those who had developed their own personal history of a living relationship with the bridegroom. Those who persevere in love through the heartsickness of deferred hopes will be entrusted with the authority to minister deliverance to the captives. The wise will become mighty deliverers in the end.
We will need a reservoir in the Spirit if we are to sustain through the hour of trial that is to come upon the entire earth (Revelation 3:10). Buy oil! Devote yourself to the secret place until your heart is overflowing with love and zeal for your Beloved. Then, make it the first priority of your day to keep that oil replenished. The secret is “The secret place” and it is the threshold for resourcing the replenishment you need to sustain through the dark night of Christ’s delays.
