What do the oil in the lamp and the oil in the vessel refer to? The oil in the lamp signifies the regenerating Spirit. Therefore, the oil in the lamp does not need to be prepared. All ten virgins, both the foolish and the prudent, had oil in their lamps, which were all shining. What they still needed to prepare, in addition to the oil in their lamps, was oil in their vessels. Most people who know the Bible acknowledge that oil signifies the Spirit. When we are saved, the Spirit enters into us. This is the oil in the lamp. The oil in the lamp signifies the regenerating Spirit. When we are saved and receive the Lord as our Savior, we are regenerated, and the Spirit begins to live inside of us. From that time onward, the Spirit wants to shine forth from within us. This is the experience of every saved person. If someone does not have the regenerating Spirit in him, then he has not been saved yet. Every saved Christian has the Spirit of the Lord and the life of the Lord inside and thus is a genuine virgin with oil in his lamp.
It is not enough to have oil merely in our lamps. It is not enough to have merely the regenerating Spirit. Besides this portion of the Spirit, we need to have another portion of the Spirit. The second portion of oil is not the oil in the lamp but the oil in the vessel. The Lord said this to show us that there are two different portions of the Spirit. The first portion is the regenerating Spirit that all believers gain when they are saved. However, after they are saved, they have to prepare themselves with the second portion of the Spirit, the infilling Spirit. We have the regenerating Spirit, but we may not necessarily have the infilling Spirit. Although we are saved, we may not be filled with the Spirit. We have the first portion of the Spirit, but we may not necessarily have the second portion of the Spirit. Although the Spirit is in us, it may not fill our entire being. Thus, although we are Christians, our condition may not be very vital because we may not have enough of the infilling Spirit. We may not have enough oil prepared in our vessels.
We have all believed into the Lord, are saved, and have the life of the Lord. However, I must ask you all whether you have the Spirit of the Lord. Perhaps some of you may say, “Thank the Lord, we all have the Spirit of the Lord.” This is good. You have believed into the Lord and are saved, and you have the life of the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord. However, I want to ask whether or not you are fervent deep within. Some may say, “Although I am saved, inwardly I am lukewarm. I go to the movies, but I am not thrilled. I go to the meetings, but I am dispirited and discouraged. I am truly lukewarm.” This is exactly the situation that the church in Laodicea was in.
Are you strong in the spirit? Do you have power in your gospel preaching? Are you released in the meetings? As a Christian are you full of joy and free? Many of you may answer, “I do not know why I am so weak. When I do not attend the meetings, I do not feel right inside. But when I go to the meetings, I feel bored and very depressed. I can neither open my mouth nor pray. I know that it is my duty to preach the gospel, but I do not want to do it. When I preach the gospel, I cannot speak much and I feel exhausted. I do not have any power. Originally, I thought it was a joyful thing to be a Christian, but I have been sad for a long time. I want to give up the Lord and stop being a Christian, but deep within I cannot get through. I want to be a good Christian, but I cannot make it.” What kind of condition is this? This kind of condition indicates that “our lamps are going out” (Matt. 25:8). This means that there is a little bit of oil in our lamps, but there is no oil prepared in our vessels. In other words, we have been regenerated and we have the regenerating Spirit, but we are not filled with the Spirit. We have the regenerating Spirit but not the infilling Spirit.
When the Spirit fills our entire being, that is, when we gain the infilling Spirit, we cannot help but become hot. We cannot be cold anymore. Once the Spirit fills us, our inner being will be burning, and we will become hot. When we come to the meetings, we will be released. We will open our mouths to pray, praise, and testify. We will have power inwardly. When we preach the gospel and speak about the Lord Jesus to people, we will touch their feelings and will have the presence of the Spirit. Moreover, we will be filled with joy and peace deep within. We will be free from bondage and oppression.
For example, suppose there is a dear brother sitting in the meeting whose spiritual condition is like a lamp that is going out. He is weak, his spirit is depressed, and his inner being cannot be lifted up. When he talks about worldly matters, he is interested, excited, and has much to say. But when it comes to spiritual matters, he is uninterested and has nothing to say. If we are those who are full of the Spirit, then we will open our mouths to pray, sing, and praise. The burning fire in us will not allow us to be silent. In this way the majority of the saints in the meeting may be depressed, yet even though we are the minority, we can still make the meeting living and burning because we are filled with the Spirit. This will deliver us from the pitiful situation of being lukewarm, naked, poor, blind, and self-contented.