Church Of Laodicea - The Overcoming Saints

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Entry. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:13] Be blessed. Revelation chapter 3. Thank you Jesus. For a very long time now I've been teaching on the seven churches of Asia.

[0:31] Those of you who are just here the first time of visiting us. Jesus wrote a special letter to his churches in heaven or from heaven.

[0:47] And he wrote the letter to the churches. The churches are seven churches of Asia. But these are not just. It was existential in those times. The churches were actual churches that existed.

[1:00] So the letters he wrote to them were relevant to them. But the letters he wrote to them were prophetic in nature.

[1:11] Anything documented in Revelation is prophetic. So in Revelation chapter 1 from verse 1.

[1:22] The Bible says that the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show to his servants. The things which must shortly take place.

[1:33] Okay. So things which must shortly take place. The words of Jesus Christ.

[1:52] Verse 3. Verse 3. Verse 3. Verse 3. Verse 3. Verse 3. Verse 3. Blessed are they. Watch this. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of what? The words of what? The words of what?

[2:02] The words of this prophecy. Revelation. The book is a prophecy. So even though he was writing to address situations with current or incumbent churches.

[2:15] He was. The letter of Revelation was also speaking into the future. So the churches that were mentioned which were Ephesus.

[2:26] The church of Ephesus. The church of Smyrna. The church of Pergamos. The church of Titeria. The church of Sardis. The church of Philadelphia.

[2:37] And the church of Laodicea. All these churches existed. However, they stood for two things. Number one. They stood for. Watch this.

[2:48] They signified the progress of the church of Christ over the ages. So the first church was kind of the church of Ephesus.

[3:00] That was the initial church. Then it began going through a protracted period of persecution by the Roman authorities. So that became the church of Smyrna.

[3:14] So church of Ephesus went through a lot of pressure and a lot of persecution. And that stage was the church of Smyrna.

[3:24] And then after that, the Emperor Constantine becomes a Christian and declares Christianity as a state religion. And so by doing that, the church of Pergamos came in.

[3:36] And that's the church that became worldly. So the world has come in. And you really can't tell what is church and what is world. Everything else is open plan system. And then the worldly church became an apostate church.

[3:50] When you hear the word apostate, meaning that turn back against God. So an apostate church. You can't identify even God in the church, the things of God. Jezebel became the head.

[4:02] All right. So you can see that the initial church, the suffering church, the worldly church, the apostate church. It's four first churches. And the initial church became the Smyrna, suffering church, which became the worldly church.

[4:19] And the worldly church in its advanced state became the apostate church. Now watch this. And then God does something. So church historians believe that the apostate church represents the Catholic church in the Middle Ages.

[4:34] Because those times when you watch the Catholic church, it's like you don't even see anything God. That's when Mary came in, the rosaries, and so many things. The practices were not biblical. Even though it was a church.

[4:47] All right. So the church degraded so much and became an apostate church, which was not representing God. But then, I'm telling church history.

[4:59] And then in the, I think, around the 15th century, around the 15th century or so, there was what is called the Reformation.

[5:12] Or 17th century, whatever, Martin Luther. There was the Reformation. The Reformation that was started by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and the team. They brought Reformation, so they broke out of the Catholic church, and they recovered the key things about Christianity.

[5:28] So there was the Reformation. But even the Reformation was not totally sanitized, if I can put it that way. You know, the way it should be because of where they are coming from.

[5:40] So God broke through the apostate church and brought out the Reformed church, which was sadist. But the Reformed church still had issues. That was not defaulted.

[5:50] The Holy Spirit and love for God, passion for God came into the church, which is the Philadelphia. So the church of Philadelphia. And then after the church of Philadelphia, there is this infiltration.

[6:02] There was this infiltration of the church, which now Philadelphia becomes, part of Philadelphia, the church now advances or degrades better into the degraded church.

[6:15] So that is the Laodicea. So you can tell it's represented stages of church history. However, it's also represented types of church.

[6:26] So even though in church history, it's represented stages, when it comes to symbolism, it's also symbolized the type of churches.

[6:39] There are churches that are Laodicean churches. There are churches that are Philadelphia churches. There are churches that are sadist. There are churches that are just going through persecution, and they don't have problem. Christ doesn't have problem there because they are faithful.

[6:51] That's a minor churches. Are you getting what I'm saying? So it could be that even in our times, there are all kinds of different, all these kind of churches may be existing.

[7:02] Because they are descriptive of what a church can be. It's still a church. It's still a church. So the charismatic churches are still churches.

[7:17] Catholic church is still a church. Presbyterian churches, Baptist church, Lutheran. There are different types of churches. And when you go, some of the places, their behavior or their practices are very different from others.

[7:33] So these are the different types. So the churches that I mentioned in Revelation represent different types of churches. At the same time, it represents the progression of the churches across the ages.

[7:45] Now let's go back to what we have been dealing with. Revelation chapter 3 verse 14. Dealing with the church of Laodicea.

[7:57] Laodicea or the Laodiceans. Laodicea means the judgment of the people. It's like a religious democracy. We have to vote to know what the church must do. Chapter 3 verse 14 of Revelation.

[8:11] And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans. Write these things, say the amen, the faithful and true witness. The beginning of the creation of God. I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.

[8:25] I could wish that you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say I am rich and have become wealthy and have need of nothing.

[8:37] And do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in fire, that ye may be rich. And white garments, that ye may be clothed.

[8:49] That the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed. And anoint your eyes with eyesalves, that ye may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent.

[9:00] Because I, behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him. And he with me.

[9:10] To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my throne. As I also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne.

[9:23] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. We spoke about the garments. I want to pick it from there. Then verse 15 says that, I know your works, that you are neither hot or cold.

[9:36] Not cold nor hot. I could wish that you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Verse 17. Behold, because you say, watch this.

[9:49] This is the word I want you to notice. Because you say I'm rich. I've become wealthy. And I've done it. And do not know. God is looking at you. He said you don't know your condition.

[10:02] He said you are saying all this. Why? You don't know your situation. Now, very interesting. The church of Philadelphia is the best of all churches.

[10:14] But I believe that our church must be like Philadelphia. However, Philadelphia can end up becoming Laodicea. Because we have become so comfortable, so confident in ourselves.

[10:31] We are fine. We are not like others. We are that. We are that. And when we begin to drift off, we will be realized. So, you can be drifting off without knowing you are drifting off.

[10:44] Anybody here who has backslided before, you know how it happens. When you start backsliding, you actually tell people that, no. The fact that you are not seeing me in church doesn't mean I'm not praying. That's what they always say.

[10:55] I've been around for so long. People will say, I mean, the fact that I was there sitting with them or having the party or hanging around with them doesn't mean I'm doing anything wrong.

[11:06] I'm praying. It's you. You don't know. Don't judge. And then they start, first of all, don't judge. When people say don't judge, it's because usually people say don't judge when they feel guilty. Don't judge.

[11:16] Don't judge. Don't judge. You can't judge me. You can't judge me. Bible says that shall not judge. No, I'm not judging. If I tell you if you fornicate, God will judge you. I'm just telling you the facts.

[11:29] There's different fruits in judgment. Judgment is when you are passing, concluding that you, this person, you are going to hell. Jesus will never accept you. You have condemned somebody. You have judged the person.

[11:40] Sometimes you can be in church and your condition is so miserable, but you don't know. Jesus said, you say, but you don't know. That's a worrying situation. Very, very much so.

[11:51] Put you on the screen. He says that because you say I'm rich and all that, and you, verse 7, and you do not know that you are rich.

[12:02] You are rich and all that, and you do not know that you are rich. Then he goes on to, I like Jesus. Say, I like Jesus.

[12:12] Say, I love Jesus. How many of you love Jesus? I do. I do. He says that that's what you're saying. Then look at verse 18. He didn't leave them. He gave them an advice.

[12:22] He said, I cancel you. Buy from me. Say, bye. Bye. Say it again. Bye. Say it louder. Bye. Bye. Bye. Sometimes I quite feel disappointed and sorry for people who want to get the best of gold, but they don't want to make an investment.

[12:41] Nothing of value in life counts without effort. You know, the salary, most of the time, averagely, normally, the salary of a medical doctor is more than the salary of a nurse.

[12:58] Yes, yes, yes. But they are working in the hospital. You know, we have more nurses than doctors. Why? And the salary of a specialist is more than the salary of just a normal doctor.

[13:11] Yes. Yes. A consultant takes, and they don't even call them doctors. They are normal.

[13:22] They don't work many hours. They don't work many hours. Yeah, that's true. They are not called doctors. They're called mister or miss. That IVF specialist.

[13:35] No, it's called miss. and actually some of them work in different hospitals. Training, what it takes to become a consultant is way above what it takes to become a junior doctor, which is way above what it takes to become a nurse, which is way above what it takes to become an assistant, a healthcare assistant, but they are all good.

[14:01] Everyone has a role to, but your salary is determined by what you have been through. You want a good marriage, but you still want to behave like the way you always behaved.

[14:14] Everything in life comes with a price tag. Everything good comes with a price tag. Jesus said, you want what I got?

[14:25] Pay the price. He didn't tell us what kind of the price. He didn't say bring gold, bring silver. No, he said just come and buy. So what we are buying, everybody is different. The price you pay is different from the price I'll pay.

[14:36] Yeah, absolutely. Different prices, but you have to pay. Yeah, yeah. Pay yourself. And everything in life, practically most things in life, when you go to the shop, those of you have been to self-registerals and some of those, maybe Tesla or whatever, but you go, you see a shoe.

[14:52] Wow, this shoe is nice. What? Wow. And then you take the shoe. And then what do you do the next thing? Look under it. Right, right. Now he puts it down. Drop it.

[15:04] You just drop it. Everything is for sale. Are you willing to pay the price? Wow. Everything is for sale. That's it. Wow. Are you willing to pay the price?

[15:15] Yeah. He wants much, much of it. Apart from spiritual, even spiritual attacks, you can pay a certain price and work in honor, honoring authorities and spiritual principles, in sowing seeds, work in prayers, work in, you can work in some things, it can neutralize the potency of the negative things from your mother's background, father's background.

[15:42] So Jesus said, pay the price. Tell somebody, you got to pay the price. You got to pay the price. The important things in life come with a bigger price to pay.

[15:53] Like raising good children, having a good marriage, having a good job. Those things are key in life.

[16:05] You have to pay the price. Being an effective Christian is a very expensive thing to do. So some of us, we are in and we are out. Because you want to enjoy the world and still enjoy Christ.

[16:20] It's a price to pay. So Jesus said, I counsel you, buy from me gold, refined in fire, that ye may be rich, and white garments, that ye may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and anoint your eyes with eyes.

[16:37] Three things that he spoke about, they should get. What are the things he said they should get? Gold. Gold. White garments and what? Anoint your eyes with eyes.

[16:50] That's a nice one. What does gold signify? The nature of God. Pay the price to have enough proximity to God. Get God into your life more.

[17:04] You have to pay the price. White garments, I told you, it is a righteous behavior. You don't have it. It comes from Christ within. When you are a believer, the Christ within, who becomes your expression, your living, is what gives you the covering, the clothing, acceptable and approved behavior.

[17:25] Nobody can demonstrate an approved behavior before God, outside of Christ. So, is there Christ in you, which you live out, who you live out, like you hear people say, WWJD, what would Christ do?

[17:38] Actually, just leave Christ out in your life. Let Christ express. So, the Christ in you, when you are a believer, who is lived out in your life, is what we call, are you listening to me, what we call the garments.

[17:53] The garments, the white garments, behavior, Christly behavior. Are you noticing the trend? The trinity is appearing now. The trinity is appearing.

[18:08] Oh, oh yeah, come on, I know it. The Holy Spirit is there. Isaiah chapter 61, verse 1, he said, the spirit of the Lord is upon me. Why? Because he has anointed me.

[18:19] When you talk about anointing, you're talking about the spirit of God. So, you need God, the Father, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit, pay a price to have the trinity into your life.

[18:31] The Holy Spirit is the one who will help you understand the things that are taught. He's the one who will help you. Your eyes will be clear. You will be anointed with eyes out. So, when we talk about anointing, we are talking about the spirit must do his way.

[18:45] Hebrews chapter 1, verse 9, he says that, because thou have loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore, therefore, God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness, more than your companions.

[19:02] May God anoint you more than others. Amen. In every field of your endeavor, may you excel above others. Amen. So, he said, buy gold, the nature of God, buy white garments, which is the expression of Christ.

[19:22] You have to pay the price and then anoint your eyes. Let the spirit of God work on you. Then he says that, that you may see. I'll come back on the Holy Spirit again.

[19:35] But let's move on to the next verse. Verse, thank you, Jesus. Verse 19, says that, as many as I love, I rebuke and chase them.

[19:46] Therefore, be zealous and repent. Last week, I didn't get to think about this zealousness. See, that's, initially, I told you that being hot, said, you are neither hot, you are neither cold, nor hot. That hot or cold is not talking about, like, be on fire for Jesus.

[20:00] It's talking about, because it's using their water system to explain their state. And the water system is either hot water from nearby Hierapolis or cold water from nearby Colossae.

[20:12] But they are only steppid. So it's lukewarm. So he's talking about your lukewarm water, which makes people sick or which is nauseous, is the same condition as you.

[20:23] Right? So, but if you drink the hot water, you are fine. You won't be sick. If you drink the cold water, you won't feel like, you won't feel, nauseous. All right? So, but that tepid water in Laodicea makes people feel nauseous.

[20:38] That is nauseous. That's why Jesus said, you are either, I wish you were hot or you are cold. Now, fire, zeal here, he said, repent. He said, verse 19 again, please.

[20:50] He said, he who I love, I just, as many as I love, I rebuke and test him. So, if I love you, I rebuke you and correct you.

[21:05] Bible puts it this way. He said, if you are without correction, if we are without correction, we are bastards. That's a serious one, yeah. Bastard. Bible said, you are a bastard if you are without correction.

[21:18] You are an illegitimate child. Hebrews chapter 12, some of you don't know it's in the Bible. Hebrews chapter 12. He said, which child is it that whose father or mother will not correct you?

[21:29] So, he said, if you are without chastisement and correction, you are a bastard. Verse 7, you are a bastard.

[21:41] When you read one of the translations, use the word bastard. Bastard. Other versions use illegitimate. King James.

[21:51] Yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. masach Jesis. áala. But if ye be with a chastisement, whereof all are partakers?

[22:01] Everybody partakes, hey, listen, everybody partakes in chastisement. Wow. Everybody will have your share of correction if you are Christian. Yeah. You have, but you are without chastisement?

[22:15] Read it again. But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are companies? Some of you are not reading it. Let's go.

[22:32] They're not sons. Say, you are not a son of God. You are a bastard. Can you imagine the Bible look at you and say, bastard. Well, let's get on.

[22:45] So he says that those I love are chastened. Okay? Those I love are chastened. Hebrew Revelation chapter 3 verse 19. Those I love are rebuke and chastened.

[22:57] Therefore, be zealous and repent. How to be hot for Christ. Can I give you just some five points quickly? I'll mention them because I still have to finish. I want to finish on overcoming saints. So today is overcoming saints.

[23:10] So seven points. How do you become fervent in spirit or zealous or hot? Number one, prayer. You can't be hot for God if you don't pray.

[23:22] You can't be hot for God. You are wondering why you are so dull. You are so unresponsive to God. It's because you are not praying. You cannot be hot for God if you don't pray.

[23:39] Number two. Oh. Hmm. The word. You can't be hot for God if God's word is not getting into your system.

[23:53] If you don't take the word of God inside you on a private basis. Most of us, the best you get is corporate basis. We come together. You are hearing the word. And then some of us, when you close your Bible today, the next time you open it is when we are in church.

[24:07] Get focused. Get focused. And please, read the Bible. Read your Bible and grow. Some of us do not have any relationship with the scriptures.

[24:18] We don't have a relationship. The closest you ever come to the scriptures is the ones I've been quoting. Christianity means make time for God. Don't let someone always be doing it for you.

[24:29] You yourself. Develop a personal relationship with God through your prayer and your Bible reading. And then the next thing that will help you to stay on fire or be on fire for God.

[24:40] This is so important. Proverbs chapter 13, verse 20. This is a good one. Good one. Proverbs 13, 20. Good one. Shall we all read it from the screen, please? One more time.

[24:57] Louder. What determines your wisdom? If you want to be wise, what do you do?

[25:10] And if you want to be destroyed, what do you do? Keep competing with fools. You go and create problems somewhere and people are fighting with you and they will come and be looking for all of you.

[25:20] You are not part of the problem. And they will come and kill you because your friend went to annoy them. You have to be very selective of who becomes your friend.

[25:34] Some of you, where you are, you have to now move on. Change your friends. Change your friends. And invest. Make it a project. You are on a, say that I am, you have to make it a project that I am on a, I'm at a stage in my life when I am on a friend change, friendship changing face.

[25:56] You don't have to be cantankerous enemies. No, no, no, no. Just know that you don't spend time talking with them, hanging around them the way again. You are trying to develop these new folks who seem to be going where you want to go.

[26:11] I am telling you. Some of you, you know, I will always use marriage. Is that okay? Some of you, the kind of friends you are, it will affect the kind of marriage you have. Because your friends are always insulting men.

[26:27] Your friends are always insulting men. Oh, this is a student. So that good man who has come into your life, they see a man as an object of insult. First of all, you know what I am talking about.

[26:37] If you want to have a brand new world, check your friends. He who works with their fools shall be destroyed. You want to be on fire?

[26:48] Say, all my friends are pastors. Practically, are on fire. My friends, my actual, they are all on fire. From my teenage years, my friends have almost all become pastors.

[27:00] Why? Because we have always been on fire. I don't know fireless friends. So don't think I am so good. It is just that I have surrounded myself with people who, I mean, I can be different from them.

[27:12] You cannot be on fire in spite of your friends. If you want to do well in Christ. Some of you, when you come to church, even in church, in the ashes, in the choir, in the hosting.

[27:23] Some people, you don't have to make them your friends. They are Christian sisters. Christian brothers. But they can't be your friends because they will always complain about everything. And you catch that habit very soon.

[27:34] Number three is your company association. Number four is what's your exposure. That's so important. What are you exposing yourself to? Someone came to me with a problem.

[27:47] I'm talking to a lot of people here. And you see, you know why you can't stop it. Your exposure, the things you keep exposing yourself to, will lead, one thing will lead on to the other.

[27:58] But that's where the thing is going to start from. Your exposure. 2 Peter chapter 2, look at this. I think this will be a blessing to you. 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 7.

[28:14] This is a very interesting text. What happened to Lot? God delivered Lot. He was oppressed by the filthy...

[28:31] Give me a New Living Translation. Let's see how I put it. But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man. He was a righteous man who was sick of shameful immorality of the wicked people around him.

[28:46] Back to my new King James. So, the people around him affected him so much. The Bible says that he was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked.

[28:56] Now, go to the next verse. Look at the next verse. For this righteous man dwelling amongst them... Who are the them? The wicked. Dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing the lawless deeds.

[29:11] He tormented his righteous soul. So, do you know, Lot, when God delivered them from Sodom and Gomorrah, when they arrived, their mother, Lot's wife became a pillar of salt.

[29:26] Do you remember? He had two daughters. The daughter said, there's no man here. There's no man here. But we are growing. And our biological clock is ticking. So, we need a child.

[29:36] Ah! They said, we know what to do. Let's get our father to drink. When he gets drunk, he won't be caught himself. We will make our father sleep with her.

[29:47] Where does this righteous... Watch this righteous family. Wow. How can your daughter be talking this way? Yeah. Wow. What has been speaking to my daughter?

[29:59] Yeah. What has been speaking to my son? How are you suggesting this? I'm telling you that when we travel, we can't go because it will be too long and the holidays is in.

[30:14] I can't stay there because I have to go back to work. And my daughter is telling me that, oh, dad, you just tell them that you had a problem and you were sick. And I'm wondering, ah! Who's that?

[30:25] Why did he get this idea from? Exposure. Most of us don't know a lot of various opportunities because of our restricted exposure.

[30:38] Exposure. You want to be on fire for Jesus? Be careful what you're exposing yourself to. Be careful what you so-called say, this is what I enjoy most.

[30:49] Because possibly those things you have been watching and hearing, the music you claim you enjoy most, is what is actually affecting. Lord, righteous Lord, he vexed his soul by the things he saw daily.

[31:03] Day by day, the things he was seeing. This righteous man dwelling amongst, King James said he vexed his soul. You can just say he's tormented his righteous soul. You are righteous, but your exposure is killing you.

[31:17] You want to be on fire? Check what you are watching. Check what you are listening to. And let's not make it a religious thing that someone is listening to a certain, watching something, so you're upset. Why are you upset?

[31:28] Is it your ears they are using? So it's not religious. Let's not make it. It's not a sin. It's not a sin, but it's a major weight. It's going to slow you down. You want to be on fire for Jesus, at least, if you have this.

[31:42] Number five is don't ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is telling you, do something. Don't ignore it. Sometimes you are sitting somewhere in a conversation with some people or something is going on, and the Holy Spirit will tell you, no, get up.

[31:57] You know deep in your heart you are supposed to get up. Don't ignore the promptings. Other than that, you will compromise your fire. You are about to say something. The Spirit of God said, you knew that I'm not supposed to say it. Don't ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

[32:10] It will affect your fire. And then finally, walk by faith. So number one is prayer. Number two is the word. Number three is company or association. Number four is watch your exposure. Number five is don't ignore the promptings of the Spirit.

[32:22] Also is six. And then number six is what? Walk by faith. So Jesus said you have to be zealous and repent. This is how to keep yourself hot.

[32:34] See, I just had to throw that in so you can help somebody. Be zealous and repent. Revelations, again, chapter 3, verse 19. It says that, He who are alive, I rebuke and chastise.

[32:45] Therefore, be zealous and repent. That's how I showed you. He said be zealous. This is how to be zealous. Because some of us, we genuinely love God. But every time, it's not showing. Every time you realize that you are low, you are down.

[32:57] You are low, you are down. How can a God-loving guy like you, a God-loving sister like you, be caught in such a mess? And yet, you can't explain yourself. Because deep in your heart, you really want to do the right things.

[33:09] But you don't know why you are struggling. And sometimes, you run into conclusions that, I don't think this thing is for me. I'm failing. And you are so miserable. It's because it's not that... You see, human beings are so susceptible to what we are exposed to.

[33:23] So whatever you expose yourself to, will determine what is growing in you. So if you want to be on fire for Jesus, expose yourself to fiery messages. Fiery things.

[33:33] It will keep you on fire. I'm telling you, I listen to messages all the time. I'm not better than you. I'm not better than you. Even though I look more fiery than you. Why? Because I'm always bringing in fire.

[33:46] I expose myself to what brings fire. You have exposed yourself to freezing conditions. And you are wondering why you are not on fire. Change your temperature. Exposure. Exposure.

[33:57] And get exposed to some heat. And you will catch heat. Praise God. So Jesus said that, be on fire or be zealous and repent. The next verse, verse 20.

[34:09] Behold, I stand on the door and knock. This time he said, I'm doing the knocking. If anyone hears my voice and counsel. If you don't open the door now, you'll be the one doing the knocking later.

[34:22] Wow. Wow. This leads me to the 10 virgins. Imagine chapter 25 from verse 1. Quite an interesting story.

[34:33] Very interesting story. Jesus told about the 10 virgins. He says that, the kingdom of heaven shall be likened. You see, the kingdom shall be likened to 10 virgins. Say 10. Say 10. 10. Why 10?

[34:43] Write this scripture down. 12 is God's number. Okay. Number of, so we have, you remember that we have 12 sons of Jacob? Yeah. How many sons of Jacob?

[34:55] 12. How many tribes of Israel? 12. How many disciples of Jesus? 12. So 12 is a very significant hour. So it should have been 12 virgins. Okay.

[35:06] Because it's totality of Christians. All right. God's people. 12. So Genesis chapter 42 verse 3 and 4. Nice to remember. 2, 3, 4.

[35:17] Genesis chapter 42 verse 3 and 4. It says that Joseph's 10. How many? 10. Oh, come on. How many? 10. How many children did he have? 10. How many children did he have? 12.

[35:27] How many of them now? 10. Joseph's 10 brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. Why 10? 10 is the biggest, biggest significant chunk out of the 12.

[35:39] Okay. I'm going to explain the 12 virgins, 10 virgins in a minute. Now, 1 Kings chapter 11 verse 30 and 31. 1 Kings 11, 30, 31.

[35:50] It says that then Ahijah took hold of the new garments that was on him and tore it into 12 pieces. Representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

[36:01] Okay. 12 pieces. Look at verse 31. And he said to Jeroboam, take for yourself 10 pieces. For thus says the Lord God of Israel, behold, I will tear the kingdom out of your hands, the hands of Solomon, and will give 10 tribes to you.

[36:18] So, the 12, he said, I'm going to take 10. There's always something about 10 out of the 12 of God's people. I'm just trying to draw attention to something. So, when you read the Bible, the Israel, the tribes of Israel, there are 12.

[36:30] 10 tribes became Israel, and then the two tribes became Judah. It should have been one tribe because it's actually the tribe of Judah. It should have been one. But two and 10.

[36:41] Two and 10. Jesus has the disciples in Matthew chapter 20 verse 24. Two guys came. Two guys came. Their mother came and told Jesus, can we have, can you get my sons to sit on your right hand?

[36:53] And then when the 10 had it, that's the 12. Out of the 12. The 10 had it. They were greatly displeased with their two brothers. Why 10? It should have been even 1 and 11.

[37:06] But 10. And 2. 10, 2. Why 10 virgins? Now I'm telling you. Because, let's read the story, Matthew chapter 25.

[37:17] Are you interested in knowing? Yes, yes, yes. Answer the story. Then the king of God had 10 virgins. Okay. I like that. Watch this. Like, like, it's like into 10 virgins. Who took their lamps?

[37:27] Say lamps. Say lamps. Lamps. Lamps. Lamps stand for Christians. Write this text down quickly. Don't open to it because I don't have time. Ephesians chapter 5, verse 8.

[37:40] Ephesians 5, 8. Lovely scripture. Philippians 2, 15 and 16. Lovely scripture. Ephesians 5, 8. Philippians 2, 15 and 16.

[37:53] That you become blameless, harmless children of God without faults in the midst of the crooked and perfect generation. You see the way the Bible describes the generation.

[38:05] Among whom you do what? Shine as lights. All right. We should be shining as light. Ephesians talks about that we should be like God. We should shine. Ephesians 5, 8. We should.

[38:16] We should. For you were once darkness, but now are lights in the world. So we are lights in the world. It's very important. Right? So we are supposed to. In Matthew chapter 5, verse 14. Matthew 5, 14 and 16.

[38:28] Matthew 5, 14, 16. It says that you are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. All right? Verse 16. It says that. Let your light so shine before men. So we are supposed to.

[38:39] I'm just trying to tell the ten verges who took their lamps. A Christian is supposed to be like a lamp. A lamp. A lamp. To be shining. A lamp to be shining.

[38:52] Say a lamp. A lamp. In Luke chapter 12, verse, I think, 35. Yeah. Luke 12, 35. It says that. Let your ways be gathered and your lamps burning.

[39:05] What lamps? Yeah. Because you are a Christian. You are supposed to be like light in our generation. A lamp. Now, where is the light coming from? Watch this. First of all, it's your spirit that is the lamp of God.

[39:17] And it's supposed to shine out of your life. So Proverbs chapter 20, verse 27 says that. Watch this. I like that. Proverbs 20, verse 27 says that. The spirit of the man is like the lamp of the Lord. Did you see that? Yes. And searching all the inner.

[39:29] So your spirit is like a lamp. That's where the whole thing is. Now, watch this. So if it's your spirit, what makes your spirit a lamp? The Christian, when the Christian is become born again, the Holy Spirit, who is the oil?

[39:42] The Holy Spirit, who is the oil, comes into your lamp. Do you remember? It says that the spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me. In Romans chapter 8, Romans chapter 8, verse 9, it talks about if you don't have the spirit of Christ, you are not of him.

[40:01] So if you have the spirit of Christ, that's the oil of God that's coming to you. See, Romans chapter 8, verse 9 says, but you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit. If you need the spirit of God, it dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, it's not.

[40:13] So if you have Christ, you have the spirit of Christ. Now, look at verse 16. You have the spirit of Christ. But look at what the spirit of Christ does, where it works. The spirit himself bears witness, where? Where?

[40:25] Where? So your spirit, which is the lamp of God or the candle of the Lord, the spirit now comes into your spirit. And then that's where the lighting starts from. It's your spirit.

[40:36] And so once you are a Christian, your spirit is lightened. And for the light to shine, you have to now allow the spirit of God to have an expression in your life. Now, watch this.

[40:46] Ten virgins, they all took the alarms. Every Christian has an alarm. So how come there was five and five? Go back to the text. They were going to meet the, and went out to meet the bridegroom.

[41:01] This time, I think I should take time and teach on this. They went to meet the bridegroom. The bridegroom is Christ. According to John chapter 3, verse 29. So they were going to meet the bridegroom. And then when they went out, go to the next verse.

[41:13] This is a very interesting one. Who? Verse 2. Now, five of them were wise and five were foolish. Time will not permit me to go further into wise and the foolish.

[41:23] But let's go to the next verse. Those who were foolish took their alarms and, you see, and took oil, sorry, no oil with them. The next one.

[41:35] But the wives, the wives took, what does oil stand for? But if you have lamb, the spirit of God is already in your heart. So why do you have to take the spirit again? Now, watch this.

[41:47] The oil they took, the extra oil they took, is how you are engaging the spirit of God. Watch this. In your soul. Where is your soul? Where your emotions, your intellect, and your will is.

[41:58] Most of us are Christians. Our spirits are illuminated by our souls. You have not allowed the Holy Spirit to begin to infect or affect and influence you in your thinking, influence you in your feeling, influence you in your decisions.

[42:10] The Holy Spirit hasn't affected you. It has made you a foolish Christian. Now, look at this. Five were wise, five were foolish. And he told us what the foolish was did and the five wise was did.

[42:22] Go to the next verse. Quickly. But while the bridegroom delayed, they slumbered and slept. The bridegroom is delaying.

[42:39] He's delaying, but he's going to come, but he's delaying. Since the time of Peter, they say he's coming, he's coming, he's coming. He's not coming. So people sleep while he hasn't come. Christians don't die.

[42:50] They sleep. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. I'm going somewhere. It's very interesting what happened. Christians sleep. So Jesus said in John chapter 11, verse 11, Lazarus is asleep.

[43:02] I'm going to wake him up. Christians sleep. They don't die. Did you see that? So he said, Lazarus sleeps. I'm going to wake him up. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 14, he says that people sleep.

[43:13] Those who sleep in the Lord. All right. For we believers, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with him those who sleep in Christ.

[43:25] So this is talking about death. Now watch this. And so all the virgins, the ten virgins went to sleep because the bridegroom delayed in coming.

[43:35] So it's not a sleeping of sin, but they slept like death. So this, watch this. I'm going further. These virgins is not talking.

[43:47] These virgins are not talking about, oh, I feel like. These virgins are not talking about some foolish people or any other. He's talking about Christians who have slept.

[43:58] Not who are slumbering. Okay. When I say slept here, who have died to be with the Lord. Because whilst they were all, go to the next verse. At midnight, the timing of the day, when the new face, new age was about to come.

[44:15] At midnight, a cry was heard. Behold, the bridegroom is coming. Go and meet him. We shall all meet him one day.

[44:26] But the truth is that some will die without Christ having come. Those are those who sleep. Make sure you get enough oil before you sleep. Because, you know, Christians, they all belong to Christ.

[44:47] But when Jesus Christ comes, the rewards are going to be different. Some will be, he says, he will tell some, away from me into outer darkness. Where there will be weeping and gnashing.

[45:00] I showed you how the talents, the parable of the talents. The one who didn't do anything. It comes after this text, actually.

[45:12] The one who didn't do anything with it, they said, away from me into outer darkness. And then Jesus talks about how people who are rich in this world and are not rich towards God. He said, he will tell you, away from me into outer darkness.

[45:25] So the servants, we are all Christians, but all of us are not going to have the same faith when Christ comes. So what's going to happen? People who have died when Christ comes, according to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, he said, The last trumpet will sound, and those who have died in Christ shall rise first.

[45:45] Yeah. Verse 16. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 16. He said, For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of an archangel, and the trumpet of God, and the death in Christ will rise first.

[45:59] So when the sound, when the bridegroom is now coming, there will be a sound, he's coming. That's the first result. People will resurrect to meet him. But some will resurrect to realize that, oh, I've run out of.

[46:14] Because they are Christians, but they were not practicing the Christianity. It doesn't matter. It's only in their spirits. No, no, wait, wait. Go to the next verse in Matthew, so I can finish this thing.

[46:26] Is it okay to go on? Let me finish this thing. Matthew chapter. Yes. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. Oh, Jesus is coming.

[46:36] I'm going to meet the wedding supper. We're going to meet the bride, the groom. Go to the next verse. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of the oil, for our lamps are going out.

[46:51] What did the wise say? He said, the wise said, no, this time we can't share. Because there are things we can't share. We can't share.

[47:02] Lest there should not be enough for us and you. But go rather to those who sell. Do you see the buy? See the buy? He's just told you, come and buy. When it comes to excelling in God, you have to pay a price.

[47:18] Go and buy. So they said, okay, let's see how we can do a little bit more about our spiritual work. But it's too late. So whilst they went, they stand.

[47:29] But while they went to buy, the bridegroom came. And those who were ready went in with him to the what? You know, I was telling you about the wedding feast. Someone came with the wrong clothes.

[47:40] Said, how did you come in with this clothes? Take him in outer darkness. Yes. It's looking at this. You see, the same outer darkness is only prescribed to Christians. Now watch this.

[47:51] Go to the next verse. Afterwards, the other virgins came also saying, Lord, Lord, open us. Go, go, go. She said, now I'm knocking on.

[48:03] I'm now knocking on. Allow me to be actually involved in your life. Because the time is coming. You'll be knocking by. It will be too late. Wow. What a message. Time will come.

[48:13] You'll be knocking too late. And listen to what he told them. They're knocking on the door. He said that by answer, they said, surely I say unto you, I do not know you. You see, he didn't say virgins and prostitutes. They're all virgins.

[48:24] The same level. The only difference was the lamb and the oil. So it's not that they are not Christian. They were Christians. But they are intensity. So I do not know you.

[48:35] Look at the next verse. This is scary. The next verse said that. Watch therefore, for you do not know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man will be coming. Go to the next verse.

[48:45] Verse 14. Quickly. For the kingdom of heaven. Okay. Then he went on to talk about the seven. So this is the thing. Pastor, how about the two? There are ten. There should be two.

[48:57] They all slept. A chunk of Christians have slept. From generations. Many Christians have slept. The royals that are not slept, we are only two.

[49:10] Can I show you? Look at Matthew chapter 24. Verse. Oh, Pastor. I think. I should have gone this instead of the marriage and marriage.

[49:22] I can't imagine. I'll go deeper into this when we go to the camp. Matthew chapter 24. Verse 40 and 42. 40, 41, 42. Look at this. Shall we all read it from the screen?

[49:33] Let's go. How many men? Let's go. Let's start. Then two men.

[49:48] So we are all in the field. Now we fall in the category of the two. Look at the next verse. Let's go. When the rapture comes, even though we are all alive, we are all active in church, the same field.

[50:06] It has not got to do with what they were doing, because they were all in the field. They were all grinding. Why is one taken and one is left? Verse 42. I thought on this a while ago. Verse 42. Watch therefore.

[50:17] Those who are not watching are the ones who will be left behind. But the ten virgins are asleep. Those who have gone to be with the love, they are slept. But now, there are two. So because the completeness of God's people is 12.

[50:29] Ten have slept already. And at the second coming of Christ, the trumpet will be sound. Those who have oil will make it. Those who don't have oil, they will be knocking. Open the door.

[50:41] Jesus, can I come in? Can I come in? He says, I don't know you. I don't know you. When you were in church and you were still messing up, you were in church and fornicating, you were in church and stealing, you were in church and gossiping, you were in church and lying.

[50:51] The pastor is preaching, you are judging. I don't know you because you never lived the life in your soul. You only were Christian in your spirit. I know what questions some of you are thinking.

[51:03] So does it mean that you are a Christian, you go to hell? This is not hell. We didn't say hell. Out of darkness. Then Jesus said that, they that overcome, I will grant them to sit with me.

[51:16] That is the Christians that are watching. Revelation chapter 5. I am done. So those who overcome are the watching Christians. Are the watching Christians.

[51:27] Revelation chapter 3. It says that, to him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat with my father. So we are going to reign with Christ.

[51:39] Those who overcome. Overcome what? Overcome the pride of thinking that I don't need anything, I am fine. Overcome that. Overcome what? The second thing Jesus told them. He says that, come and buy. Buying.

[51:50] Overcome what will stop you from buying and where buy. Overcome what? Jesus has overcome the world. We are not overcoming the world. We are overcoming the things that are going to block us from becoming who we have to be in Christ. Jesus is looking for some overcoming Christians.

[52:03] And he's coming back for overcoming Christians. He who overcomes. I will make him sit on the throne with my father.

[52:15] Pastor, I've said. I pray that God will help all of us. Amen. I've said so much, a lot of things this morning. Amen. But it's all pointing to one thing.

[52:27] That somebody will overcome. Amen. That somebody will overcome. By living out their Christian life from your spirit, letting it permeate and spread into your soul and spread into every aspect of your life.

[52:41] Overcome pride. Overcome not wanting to buy from Christ. Overcome. Overcome anything that will block you from opening the door for Christ to come in. Overcome it.

[52:53] Overcome it. I pray that God will help us all. Thank you for helping us to know how we should be on fire for you. Thank you for prompting us to overcome.

[53:06] Thank you for your word. We are grateful to you. We thank you. Thank you. Help us to be overcoming Christians. Help us.

[53:17] So we don't become experientially Christless. We don't become a church that is experientially Christless. So we kick Christ out of the church in our experiences.

[53:29] Lord help us as a church. That Christ will remain the center. Help us. We thank you. In Jesus name. We thank God for using his servant, Reverend Dr. David Entry, to share this awesome word.

[53:43] If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at caris.org. Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Caris Ministries.

[54:01] Stay blessed.