Redeeming the Time

Matthew 25:3-4

For the foolish, when they took their lamps, did not take oil with them; But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

In the parable of the ten virgins, the understanding concerning "lamp" and "vessel" has been a great eye opening to me. The "lamp" according to Proverbs 20:27, 

The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the innermost parts of the inner being, is our human spirit. Whereas, the vessel according to Romans 9:21,

Or does not the potter have authority over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?, is our human soul. Since all the ten are virgins, they all are believers. As "virgin" believers, we all have oil in our lamps, and we all have the Spirit of God in our human spirit. That's what makes us virgins, believers. But our soul still needs to be transformed and be saturated and permeated with the Spirit from our spirit. This transformed soul filled with the Spirit is the oil in our vessel. 

To have the oil on our lamp is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but to be filled with the Spirit in our spirit needs an exercise and paying of a price to buy the oil. The more price we pay, the more oil we can gain. This paying of the price entails dealing with the world, the flesh, the natural man, and anything other than Christ. Therefore, to have the extra oil in the vessel is a matter of wisdom; we need to be the wise virgin. 

Ephesians 5:15-18

Look therefore carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be filled in spirit, 

To be wise is to be filled with the oil in the vessel. This also means to redeem the time, every opportunity, to gain Christ. The gaining of Christ is the will of the Lord which is also synonymous to being filled with the Spirit. 

The life lesson I learned from the Lord's speaking in the Body and through the pursuit of the ministry is: Be the wise virgin knowing the will of the Lord, filled with the Spirit, being transformed in the soul, redeeming the time to gain Christ in every opportunity.