IF OTHERS SLEEP, DON’T!

Dear Believer,

Here’s a warning from the scripture:

1Thessalonians 5:4-6 KJV
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

Jesus didn’t just want His disciples to pray; He asked them to watch, too.(Mark 13:33).

He also emphasized the importance of being prepared always. His parable of the 10 virgins well illustrates this. In that parable, only the virgins who were prepared and had enough oil in their lamps went with the bridegroom even though all of them had waited a long time for him. (Mathew 25:1-13).

Now, being a Believer is not enough, God wants us to be ready at all times for the coming of our Lord and the events before it. An ongoing situation well illustrates how important this is.

This is the month of September of 2020, and the whole world is still under the terrible impact of a pandemic. Let me ask you, if anyone had told you just one year ago that we’d all go through this experience, would you have taken him seriously?

If someone had said people the world over would be locked down in their homes for months and that the economies of nations would crash, and that death would walk the streets picking people off at will, wouldn’t it have sounded far-fetched?

The events of the end time were prophesied to come upon the world suddenly, so Believers should not be afraid or shocked, we should rather be spiritually prepared, for this isn’t the worst thing to happen; more terrible things will still take place.

Some Bible passages tell us how things will happen. See this one:

1Thessalonians 5:2-3 KJV

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Believes should realize that the ‘peace and safety’ that the world gives are fake. We live in the midst of a ‘crooked and perverse nation’, (Philippians 2:15). The Word of God enjoins us to be ‘sober and vigilant.’ (1 Peter 5:8).

The featured Bible passage tells us not to sleep as others sleep. We can get at least two points from this:

1. Spiritual sleep is dangerous. The vast majority of people referred to as ‘others’ are indulging in the ‘sleep of death.’ They aren’t spiritually aware. They don’t understand the spiritual implications of the things happening around them.

2. Physical sleep should be regulated. Don’t sleep like other people sleep. When the Spirit of God wakes you up to pray, do not resist. And when He moves you to work with Him, don’t sleep.

All this is important because these are perilous times. Believers must not live sloppy, careless lives. More terrible events will still take place before the coming of Jesus, and we must be watchful and prayerful so that we won’t be caught unawares.

Jesus said concerning these times:

Luke 12:35 KJV
Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning.

In other words, ‘be prepared always!’

Dear friend, don’t get carried away with the cares of this world. Keep yourself spiritually prepared and take care of the things that matter most.

Live for the Lord. Win souls. Fire up your prayer life. Feed on the Word always. Pray in the Holy Spirit. Do away with besetting sins.

‘The Lord is nigh!’

Talk to your Father:
Dear Father, I thank You for making me spiritually aware. Today I wake up from my slumber and shake off spiritual weakness in the name of Jesus. I rise up to my responsibility in Christ and become watchful and prayerful in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Have a great day.

Your friend,
Deon.