As I waited upon the Lord, I heard His voice so closely. He began to minister to my heart and show me things to come.
We are entering into a moment of inspection from the Lord. Man looks at the outward, but the Lord looks at the heart. First Samuel 16:7 says this, “…The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Man looks at the outward display of the leaves, but we are now entering an inspection time of the root.
While many will cast their attention upon numbers, popularity, promotional materials, videos, photos, one-liners and a plethora of other prestigious recognitions, the Lord is focused on the oil of the secret place. I heard the Lord clearly speak that the time for gathering oil before His return is coming to its close.
Matthew 25:1-13 (NLT) says this:
“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.”
Friend, we are in the final hour before the great and glorious return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! It is the most crucial hour of preparation that the world has ever known. You see, right now, the Lord is watching, and inspecting the roots of His beloved bride. He’s preparing her for His return for her beautiful wedding day.
As He implements His end-time harvest plan He is calling to and awakening a generation of mighty champions who have been found ready and waiting. He is revealing Himself in the secret place to those who have taken the time to gather oil in their lamps. He is filling their lamps to the brim. He is taking those who have chosen with their own free will to invest it into Him and His presence. It’s costly, it’s time-consuming, it’s sacrificial, it’s expensive, it can even be humiliating and it is oh so precious and holy.
A.W. Tozer is known to have said this, “To desire revival and at the same time to neglect personal prayer and devotion is to wish one way and walk another.” As the Lord inspects our roots, He is pruning us. Oh, the pain and joy of this excruciating process of becoming more like Jesus. It’s this very process that allows the full expansion of the root system for the full weight of what He is about to display in the earth upon it.
The prophets have spoken for decades of a coming billion-soul harvest, of an end-time revival, of an outpouring of the Spirit prophesied in the Bible in Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17. The days of the outpouring of God’s Spirit are knocking at the door. He will fall with fire upon those who have oil in their lamps, ready to be a lamp that is kept burning and whose fire will not go out.
I heard the Lord say that He is about to reposition and remove some who have masqueraded as anointed. It isn’t even that they weren’t anointed or haven’t walked in the gifts they were given, but that in the spotlight of pressure that has been upon them that some have coasted off of a previous season of oil. For these, they are dangerously close to empty. The repositioning or removing will depend upon their heart posture to return to the secret place and love Him as their first love again. The choice is theirs.
I also heard the Lord say that He will advance His secret place champions into places of prominence and prestige. Watch for these warriors to rise from obscurity into political offices, leading roles in Hollywood, to places of financial influence, and to become kings and prophets in their spheres of society. Wickedness will rise during the same timeframe, but those found ready in waiting will be promoted by the living God as Esthers in our generation. Their fame will come as a voice of opposition to all that the enemy plans to do. Perhaps, it will be you.
What is the oil? Friend, it is the oil of intimacy with Jesus. It’s Jesus. John 1:29 says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” He’s the only One found worthy to open the scroll in the book of Revelation (5:4-10). He’s the Lion and the Lamb, He’s the Alpha and the Omega, He’s the Savior of the world! All hail King Jesus! Your relationship with Him is the oil this world needs! Your history with God will be brought to the forefront as, “creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed” (Rom. 8:19).
Friends, turn all your attention to Jesus while there’s still time to gather the oil for your lamps. When He returns, it will be too little too late if you’re not ready. Nobody else can go and gather it for you. Only you can do it. Will you be found ready?
Evangelist Caleb Wampler is founder and CEO of Kingdom Encounters International. He has seen hundreds of thousands of people come to Jesus in countries that are hostile to the gospel, witnessed incredible miracles and regularly experiences God’s wonder. For more information on evangelist Caleb Wampler, check out his ministry website at kingdomencounters.us. Stay connected through Caleb’s social media on Facebook and YouTube.
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