Luke teaches us

LUKE 12:35-40

Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. ³⁸If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! ³⁹ But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Expanding on Vs 35:

Be dressed (let your loins stay girded) à you have to put on garments, you have to get ready and you need to spend time getting ready. You have to dress appropriately for the occasion. There is an event to look forward to. How do you prepare and what do you wear?

You have to prepare your mind for action (1 peter 1:3). Now the things in the mind are as a result of your thoughts so you gotta align your thoughts with what you want to do.(romans 12:2, philippians 4:8)

Then you have to put on the breast plate of righteousness and belt of truth (Ephesians 6:14). There is a call to holiness and purity, to walk in integrity. Live a life that pleases God and strive to be Holy as He is Holy. Let the things you speak be edifying.

Ready for service (ready for action) à now this is the occasion for which you are getting ready. It is a very active phase and for action you need energy, you need to be in good shape (eyesight, knowledge, battle tactics and strategy, muscle strength ...they all need to be on point)

So therefore you need to have your lamps shining à we need light to illuminate the darkness, to be able to see cos the Son of Man is coming like a thief in the night. You need to be able to tell your own fellow soldier from the enemy. You need to know where to step, light illuminates your path. This light is the Word of God (psalm 119:105). It will energise you and give you the most up-to-date and specific information you need for action!

The lamp will not give out light if it is not filled. This then means that we need to fill our lamps with oil. The Oil is the Spirit of God. We need to be close to him, ready to act on his every word. Walking in the spirit will come through praying the spirit and diligently studying the word of God. We must become best friends with Him. Now if we are wise, we will fill our lamps way before He comes! (Matthew 25:7) that way we have stored up enough to get through the darkness ahead.

So be ready, Pray and Keep watch (Matthew 25:13). Don’t be caught sleeping i.e don’t slack in your spiritual life, you must be on the ball continuously so you are not caught off guard. The devil is not sleeping so why should we? He is Looking for whom he many devour, He is looking for a point of weakness in you. If you give him a little loophole, he is going to take full control of you and oppress you. Now you choose...Staying awake to wait for the Master who is coming to show you Love or satisfying your flesh and sleeping to meet an end of oppression?

...The love of God is like the ocean,you can see its beginning, but not the end. :-)