- Week 32
- Scripture Reading: – John 5:4
- Topic: – Before The LAMP of God Went out.
Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli
Sam 3:1
Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. 2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when [his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see], 3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, 4 that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” 5 So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” [Exo 27:21 & Lev 24:3]
Verse 7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the Word of the Lord yet revealed to him.)
Lev 6:12
And the fire [Holy Spirit in your life] on the altar [Before God on your knees] must be kept burning by it, it must not die; but the priest [Responsible] must burn wood over it every morning [Every day] and arrange the burnt offering over it and burn the pieces of fat from the peace offerings [Our dependence and gratitude] over it [Action, you must do something].
Tabernacle.
Tabernacle, Hebrew Mishkan, (“dwelling”), in Jewish history, is the portable sanctuary constructed by Moses as a place of worship for the Hebrew tribes during the period of wandering that preceded their arrival in the Promised Land.
After 440 years, Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem superseded it as the dwelling-place of God.
- The Outer Court
- The Holy Place
- The Most Holy Place.
Ark of the Lord.
Hebrews 9:4 states that the Ark contained ① “the golden pot that had manna, and ② Aaron’s rod that budded, and the ③ tablets of the covenant.”
Revelation 11:19 says the prophet saw God’s temple in heaven opened, “and the ark of his covenant was seen within His temple.”
Isaiah 40:29
He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall 31 BUT those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like [eagles], they shall [run] and not be [weary], they shall [walk] and not [faint]. If you are WEAK, you WAIT upon God, to RENEW your STRENGTH! Above their ENEMIES, above the STORMS!
As your WAIT on the Lord, your STRENGTH is RENEWED, -You shall 1st MOUNT up with WINGS, 2nd RUN and not become WEARY, 3rd WALK and not FAINT! Have you NOTICED that there is no AGE difference?
You will be WALKING and RUNNING in the SUPERNATURAL POWER of the Holy Spirit of God! He will KEEP you and SUSTAIN you! But the SECRET is that the LAMP [Presence, -Holy Spirit] shall not go OUT!
He [Jesus Christ] will prepare a TABLE for you in the PRESENCE of your ENEMIES! God will deal with them, you keep your EYES focused upon Him! SERVE Him, WORSHIP Him, and make TIME for God! We cannot FIGHT this BATTLE in the FLESH! Only be STRONG & COURAGEOUS! Do you BELIEVE it? Then you can RECEIVE it!
When believers let their lamps go out, it is because they are living today on yesterday’s oil.
That is exactly what God wanted to do with the Israelites in the Desert! God wanted them to WORSHIP Him, and He wanted to be their God, serving a TABLE for them against their enemies!
The Word of God was SCARCE in the time of Eli, -we need the VOICE of God PRESENT in our lives in order to SURVIVE! Hannah was BARREN, and could not have children, but God changed that what was DEAD and Samuel [Prophet] was born!
You may have a BARREN SITUATION in your life. Jesus Christ through the POWER of the Holy Spirit CAN and WILL speak LIFE. As a matter of fact, God has already DONE it, the FINISHED work on the CROSS!
Oil in the lamps.
In the New Testament Jesus also speaks of OIL in the LAMPS!
Matt 25
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. Acts 13:52 and the disciples were [Continually] filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Our lamps are empty! At one time they all had oil. Lamps give light, heat, protection, and direction! What is the state you are in today? Do you have oil now? You may have lamps (outer appearance) but no oil! Is your oil low or finished?
How is your relationship with the Father now? Yesterday’s and last week’s and last year’s oil will not work! The faith, anointing and fulfilment of last year will not do.
Col 3:9
Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old (unregenerate) self with its evil practices, 10 And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self-], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remoulded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it. [Gen 1:26.] AMP
What do you have now?
With oil comes power, anointing, miracle, responsibility etc. We must always be fresh and ready in the Spirit. Otherwise, you become like an old wineskin and irrelevant in the body of Christ. How good is the church if we have nothing fresh and relevant to give? What is important is not the lamp, but the oil in the lamp!
Psalm 119:105
Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Everything sounds right, sounds like church, everything looks right, but there is no oil, no power of the Holy Spirit! Talk like, look like God, but no Spirit! Talk and act like Christians, white plastered tombs.
What separates the 10 washes that were inside? What divides the church today is within! Are you dry, empty, nothing fresh no revelation? Oil represents the Holy Spirit, God’s presence! Good on the OUTSIDE, empty on the INSIDE!
People are dry and empty, and this can only be healed by the oil of the Holy Spirit! So many people give and are involved, but got tired, have problems in the house, etc.
Many have no hope.
You need new oil! Not in your own strength! The enemy will defeat you! Hope, unfulfilled expectations etc. Only new things can happen with fresh new oil.
THE OIL: – The oil is a symbol of
- The Holy Spirit
- God’s grace
- A meticulous walk of life with God
- Obedience to God and His Word
- Intimacy with God
- Knowledge of God
- The presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit
- Sufficient oil represents spiritual maturity and stability.
Matt 25:13
Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. Because for Jesus the vessel [lamp] is also very important!
May God bless His Word
The Author: Pastor Johan Venter
From: Impact Pentecostal Ministries
Pastor Johan Venter was born in 1961 and grew up in Odendaalsrus (Freestate) where he matriculated. Whereafter he attended the Police Force College for 2 years in Pretoria and served in the Army for 2 years during which Johan met his wife Charmaine.
Between 1997 and 1999 Johan and Charmaine completed Pastoral training at the Christian Revival Church Bible School under the leadership of Pastor At Boshoff. Over the years they both faithfully served in various Ministries until 2019, when God led them to ‘step out of the boat’ and start the “Impact Pentecostal Ministries” in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
They currently host the Church service at La Gratitude Home for the Aged every Friday morning. They are truly blessed and grateful for God’s Grace and are excited to see what God is going to do for the ministry in the future.
You can make a difference
With your assistance, the volunteers at La Gratitude will be able to take better care of not only the residents at the old age home but also the greater Newcastle community. La Gratitude is constantly involved in outreach projects to help the elderly in need in and around Newcastle.
Your donations will be greatly beneficial in the provision of food and other basic necessities for the less fortunate elderly people that require assistance.
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