READ: PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14
While the ten virgins
awaited the coming of the bridegroom, the time of his arrival was not
specified. Hence in Matthew 24:42-44 Jesus commands us to watch. Every virgin
must be extra careful if she wants to make it home eventually. The five who
took extra oil did so because they wanted to satisfy the requirements and be
sure that nothing disqualified them from meeting the bridegroom. They never
took any laid down condition for granted. If anything, they felt it was better
to be told they had over prepared.
Such wise virgins today never joke with God’s word. Whenever the Holy Spirit reveals a weakness or fault in their lives or character, they do not sweep it under the carpet or dismiss it as ‘it doesn’t matter,’ like the foolish virgins did but they immediately run to the Cross and have the problem dealt with before leaving.
In addition, the wise virgins never allowed their past success to get into their heads because they knew that after one victory comes another. So while they are thanking God for winning one competition, they know another is brewing (Philippians 3:13-14). As long as you have not reached your ultimate goal, do not allow momentary successes to hinder you.
Do not become a victim of success. A victim of success is the one who allows the small victories of today to rob him of greater victories ahead. Perhaps, God enlisted you in a local competition and backed you up to win. After the victory, pride suddenly filled you up and God became your mate. How will he enlist you in an international competition tomorrow? Some believers were on their way to Heaven when God promoted them to become pastor or leader. Today, many of them have landed in hell and many more are still on their way there. God answered your prayers and gave you a job and blessed you financially, and materially. Today, that blessing has made you to look down on your pastor, to harass and embarrass the pastorate, to sponsor activities against God’s people. Suddenly you have become a king maker that should make and unmake the future of others. You have become a victim of success and a child of hell. May your blessing not destroy you.
Such wise virgins today never joke with God’s word. Whenever the Holy Spirit reveals a weakness or fault in their lives or character, they do not sweep it under the carpet or dismiss it as ‘it doesn’t matter,’ like the foolish virgins did but they immediately run to the Cross and have the problem dealt with before leaving.
In addition, the wise virgins never allowed their past success to get into their heads because they knew that after one victory comes another. So while they are thanking God for winning one competition, they know another is brewing (Philippians 3:13-14). As long as you have not reached your ultimate goal, do not allow momentary successes to hinder you.
Do not become a victim of success. A victim of success is the one who allows the small victories of today to rob him of greater victories ahead. Perhaps, God enlisted you in a local competition and backed you up to win. After the victory, pride suddenly filled you up and God became your mate. How will he enlist you in an international competition tomorrow? Some believers were on their way to Heaven when God promoted them to become pastor or leader. Today, many of them have landed in hell and many more are still on their way there. God answered your prayers and gave you a job and blessed you financially, and materially. Today, that blessing has made you to look down on your pastor, to harass and embarrass the pastorate, to sponsor activities against God’s people. Suddenly you have become a king maker that should make and unmake the future of others. You have become a victim of success and a child of hell. May your blessing not destroy you.
MEMORIZE:
PHILIPPIANS 3:13 –Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one
thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to
those things which are before.
