Luke 12:35-36 stands as one of the most crucial passages for serious believers in this present hour. This scripture provides us with three essential insights: it clarifies our marching orders, instructs us on how to live faithfully amid present darkness, and helps us prioritize what truly matters as we align ourselves with God’s prophetic intentions for our day.

As I’ve meditated on this passage in light of my own spiritual journey and where I stand in God’s purposes, one truth emerges with striking clarity: the Lord commands His disciples to keep their lamps burning if they are to remain relevant to His redemptive counsel and ready for His return.

The Psalmist declared, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). While there are many practical applications we can draw from this imagery, I want to focus specifically on how this relates to the Lord’s return. We must remain ready in service, continuing steadfastly in whatever the Spirit of the Lord has called us to do.

The Enemy’s Strategy: Snuffing Out Your Light

The danger we face is real and immediate: we can be derailed, distracted, or find ourselves in situations where our lamps are snuffed out by the deception of the evil one. The enemy’s lies are designed specifically to extinguish the light that God has placed within us.

Therefore, beloved saints and biblical students, I urge you: Do not allow the enemy’s lies to turn off your lamp. Keep your hearts alert to the reality of the Lord’s return. Stay ready in service. Continue faithfully in your calling. Let nothing, no deception, no distraction, no discouragement extinguish the light of God’s Word burning within you. The times demand our vigilance. Our lamps must keep burning.

The concept of church and nation share something fundamental: they both require long-term development and vision. Neither the nation nor the church is an immediate or even midterm project. These are enduring visionary mandate, designed to outlast individuals. When we truly grasp this reality, it changes everything about how we build. The way we lay foundations, create frameworks, and establish structures for both the ecclesia and the nation must be designed with permanence in mind. These structures must be built to outlast even the best intentions of their current leadership.

Right now, both the church and the nation stand at a critical junction. We desperately need clear prophetic insight to navigate this moment we’ve been thrust into. I think anyone would agree that we’re living in critical times. Whether we want to accept it or reject it, whether we even realize it or not, the church and the nation are in a state of deep crisis. Where we find ourselves today is like someone in the ICU, in critical condition, requiring serious intensive care to revive that which is about to die.

Certain ideologies about leadership have been promoted as the solution for what the church and the nation need. But these very ideologies have done tremendous damage and continue to cause harm through division, segregation, and marginalization.

I want to expand on this further because this is critical to understand. God’s intention has always been to unite. Wherever we find division, wherever we find the works of separation and fragmentation, wherever we find all kinds of things that are not a reflection of divine counsel, we can know with certainty that we are not seeing the heart of God at work. The Bible tells us clearly that the enemy has come to steal, to kill, and to destroy. And one of the primary ways the enemy accomplishes this destructive work is through the spirit of divisiveness.

Division is not the nature of God. It is not the nature of the church. Neither should it be the innate nature of nation building. To truly have a nation, you must find unity. You must discover and cultivate the things that unite people together.

But when the rhetoric coming from leadership centers around division and segregation, when the language is constantly about separating people into opposing camps, when the focus is on what makes us different rather than what brings us together, that is a massive warning sign.

Any leader who is in a position of leadership and authority but whose message and methods create division is not representing the heart and intention of heaven.

A fundamental aspect of overcoming the religious mindset involves viewing all aspects of life through the lens of Christ as the divine measure and pattern of thinking and acting. This encompasses our understanding of creation, history, culture, tradition, identity, relationships, ministry, business, family, leadership, governance, and every other aspect of human existence. When we fail to filter our perceptions and judgments through this Christ-centered lens, we become vulnerable to the distortions of the religious [mindset] spirit.

This spirit is particularly adept at using personal experiences, especially religious ones, as channels through which it defines and interprets life. More critically, these experiences become the framework through which individuals view God, their spirituality, and by extension their interpretation of their assignments.

This creates what the scripture warns about in Colossians 2:8, "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ."

The religious spirit employs sophisticated methods of control and manipulation. It often establishes its authority through seemingly innocent means – using good works, prayers, fasting, hospitality, and benevolence as vehicles to gain confidence and legitimacy. This mirrors the warning in Matthew 7:15 about false prophets who "come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."

Once established, this spirit positions itself as the authoritative voice of God over various spheres – be it geographical, institutional, or spiritual. It creates systems of control that can be both overt and subtle, using what might be termed as both "hard" and "soft" power. This can include financial influence, social pressure, and spiritual manipulation, often leading to what Paul described in Galatians 5:1 as a "yoke of slavery."

The art of intercession is beyond our traditional concept of prayer. It calls us into a deep and profound comprehension of a sacrificial way of lifestyle that collaborates with the forces of heaven to bring about reformation and transformation to society. It flows from a selfless heart, fully and wholly devoted to God’s kingdom purposes and prophetic mandate for man and creation.

When we intercede, we step into a sacred calling, standing in the gap in relentless love and courage, aligning earthly realities with the divine will to shift the course of human affairs for individuals, communities, and entire nations.

At its core, intercession is an act of love; it’s an intentional, Spirit-led intervention on behalf of others. It’s the moment when a human heart aligns with God’s heart, pleading for His mercy, justice, and purposes to manifest in the earth. Whether it’s for a family member, a city, or an entire nation, intercession carries the weight of heaven’s redemptive plan.

The Bible is filled with examples of intercessors who changed the course of history through their relentless, heartfelt prayers: Daniel, Nehemiah, Abraham, Moses, and countless others who stood before God on behalf of broken people and wayward nations.

Consider Daniel’s story in Babylon (Daniel 10). From the moment he began to pray, God dispatched an answer, but a spiritual adversary, the prince of Persia, hindered the response for 21 days. Daniel’s persistence in prayer, coupled with angelic intervention, ultimately broke through the resistance. This account reveals a critical truth: intercession is not just a spiritual exercise; it’s a confrontation with unseen forces that seek to oppose God’s will. It requires tenacity, spiritual insight, and a deep understanding of the agencies at play in the spiritual realm.

Intercession is heaven’s ordained mechanism for transformation. If a nation is to experience revival, renewal, or restoration, it begins with a people who understand the ministry of intercession. These intercessors are the forerunners of change, the ones who labor in prayer to align earthly realities with heaven’s purposes. But to be effective, intercession demands more than fervent prayers; it requires a clear understanding of the spiritual dynamics involved and a heart fully surrendered to God’s redemptive plan.

The art of intercession is beyond our traditional concept of prayer. It calls us into a deep and profound comprehension of a sacrificial way of lifestyle that collaborates with the forces of heaven to bring about reformation and transformation to society. It flows from a selfless heart, fully and wholly devoted to God’s kingdom purposes and prophetic mandate for man and creation.

When we intercede, we step into a sacred calling, standing in the gap in relentless love and courage, aligning earthly realities with the divine will to shift the course of human affairs for individuals, communities, and entire nations.

At its core, intercession is an act of love; it’s an intentional, Spirit-led intervention on behalf of others. It’s the moment when a human heart aligns with God’s heart, pleading for His mercy, justice, and purposes to manifest in the earth. Whether it’s for a family member, a city, or an entire nation, intercession carries the weight of heaven’s redemptive plan. The Bible is filled with examples of intercessors who changed the course of history through their relentless, heartfelt prayers: Daniel, Nehemiah, Abraham, Moses, and countless others who stood before God on behalf of broken people and wayward nations.

Consider Daniel’s story in Babylon (Daniel 10). From the moment he began to pray, God dispatched an answer, but a spiritual adversary, the prince of Persia, hindered the response for 21 days. Daniel’s persistence in prayer, coupled with angelic intervention, ultimately broke through the resistance. This account reveals a critical truth: intercession is not just a spiritual exercise; it’s a confrontation with unseen forces that seek to oppose God’s will. It requires tenacity, spiritual insight, and a deep understanding of the agencies at play in the spiritual realm.

Intercession is heaven’s ordained mechanism for transformation. If a nation is to experience revival, renewal, or restoration, it begins with a people who understand the ministry of intercession. These intercessors are the forerunners of change, the ones who labor in prayer to align earthly realities with heaven’s purposes. But to be effective, intercession demands more than fervent prayers; it requires a clear understanding of the spiritual dynamics involved and a heart fully surrendered to God’s redemptive plan.

Indecisiveness is often considered a defining characteristic of immaturity. On the other hand, individuals with maturity and strong character demonstrate the ability to make precise, well-considered decisions guided by knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Many adults today, especially those in some form of leadership positions, often face significant challenges when required to make decisive choices they can support because they’ve thought through them.

This difficulty frequently stems from an underdeveloped capacity for decision-making, as the mental faculties that aid this process were not sufficiently cultivated. Moving into the future clouded by disruptions and uncertainties will require men and women who have the knowledge and character fortitude to make swift, precise decision that are well calculated in bringing the right advancement initiatives to bear.

As you might have noticed that decision-making is not an innate gift bestowed upon us; it is a learned, trained act, a critical value meant to be cultivated and refined through our developmental years as children and refined into adulthood.

Like a muscle, the ability to make sound, resolute choices must be built and ingrained through childhood training and experiences, guidance, and intentional practice. By the time we reach maturity, we are expected to have understood the rudiments of crafting high-quality decisions that align with our visionary purposes, values, and objectives.

Yet, many adults today find themselves paralyzed by indecision or prone to impulsive choices they cannot sustain. This struggle often stems from a failure to develop the “mind muscle” required for effective decision-making—a skill that was either neglected in their formative years or undermined by fear, insecurity, or lack of discipline.

The consequences of this gap are profound. As the Bible warns in James 1:8, “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,” unable to receive from the Lord or, by extension, from life itself. A double-minded approach, marked by wavering or hasty choices creates instability in relationships, careers, and personal growth.

Advancing into uncharted waters and the uncertainties of tomorrow’s future would require a quality of leadership behavioral character with the ability and fortitude to make well-calculated decisions that drive families and communities towards their prophetic assignments and initiatives. Without this foundation, individuals and communities would remain crippled and trapped in cycles of indecision or premature choices that could further hinder the potentials the well-being of those around them.

Indecisiveness is often considered a defining characteristic of immaturity. On the other hand, individuals with maturity and strong character demonstrate the ability to make precise, well-considered decisions guided by knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Many adults today, especially those in some form of leadership positions, often face significant challenges when required to make decisive choices they can support because they’ve thought through them.

This difficulty frequently stems from an underdeveloped capacity for decision-making, as the mental faculties that aid this process were not sufficiently cultivated. Moving into the future clouded by disruptions and uncertainties will require men and women who have the knowledge and character fortitude to make swift, precise decision that are well calculated in bringing the right advancement initiatives to bear.

As you might have noticed that decision-making is not an innate gift bestowed upon us; it is a learned, trained act, a critical value meant to be cultivated and refined through our developmental years as children and refined into adulthood.

Like a muscle, the ability to make sound, resolute choices must be built and ingrained through childhood training and experiences, guidance, and intentional practice. By the time we reach maturity, we are expected to have understood the rudiments of crafting high-quality decisions that align with our visionary purposes, values, and objectives.

Yet, many adults today find themselves paralyzed by indecision or prone to impulsive choices they cannot sustain. This struggle often stems from a failure to develop the “mind muscle” required for effective decision-making—a skill that was either neglected in their formative years or undermined by fear, insecurity, or lack of discipline.

The consequences of this gap are profound. As the Bible warns in James 1:8, “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,” unable to receive from the Lord or, by extension, from life itself. A double-minded approach, marked by wavering or hasty choices creates instability in relationships, careers, and personal growth.

Advancing into uncharted waters and the uncertainties of tomorrow’s future would require a quality of leadership behavioral character with the ability and fortitude to make well-calculated decisions that drive families and communities towards their prophetic assignments and initiatives. Without this foundation, individuals and communities would remain crippled and trapped in cycles of indecision or premature choices that could further hinder the potentials the well-being of those around them.

Indecisiveness is often considered a defining characteristic of immaturity. On the other hand, individuals with maturity and strong character demonstrate the ability to make precise, well-considered decisions guided by knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Many adults today, especially those in some form of leadership positions, often face significant challenges when required to make decisive choices they can support because they’ve thought through them.

This difficulty frequently stems from an underdeveloped capacity for decision-making, as the mental faculties that aid this process were not sufficiently cultivated. Moving into the future clouded by disruptions and uncertainties will require men and women who have the knowledge and character fortitude to make swift, precise decision that are well calculated in bringing the right advancement initiatives to bear.

As you might have noticed that decision-making is not an innate gift bestowed upon us; it is a learned, trained act, a critical value meant to be cultivated and refined through our developmental years as children and refined into adulthood.

Like a muscle, the ability to make sound, resolute choices must be built and ingrained through childhood training and experiences, guidance, and intentional practice. By the time we reach maturity, we are expected to have understood the rudiments of crafting high-quality decisions that align with our visionary purposes, values, and objectives.

Yet, many adults today find themselves paralyzed by indecision or prone to impulsive choices they cannot sustain. This struggle often stems from a failure to develop the “mind muscle” required for effective decision-making—a skill that was either neglected in their formative years or undermined by fear, insecurity, or lack of discipline.

The consequences of this gap are profound. As the Bible warns in James 1:8, “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,” unable to receive from the Lord or, by extension, from life itself. A double-minded approach, marked by wavering or hasty choices creates instability in relationships, careers, and personal growth.

Advancing into uncharted waters and the uncertainties of tomorrow’s future would require a quality of leadership behavioral character with the ability and fortitude to make well-calculated decisions that drive families and communities towards their prophetic assignments and initiatives. Without this foundation, individuals and communities would remain crippled and trapped in cycles of indecision or premature choices that could further hinder the potentials the well-being of those around them.

Indecisiveness is often considered a defining characteristic of immaturity. On the other hand, individuals with maturity and strong character demonstrate the ability to make precise, well-considered decisions guided by knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Many adults today, especially those in some form of leadership positions, often face significant challenges when required to make decisive choices they can support because they’ve thought through them.

This difficulty frequently stems from an underdeveloped capacity for decision-making, as the mental faculties that aid this process were not sufficiently cultivated. Moving into the future clouded by disruptions and uncertainties will require men and women who have the knowledge and character fortitude to make swift, precise decision that are well calculated in bringing the right advancement initiatives to bear.

As you might have noticed that decision-making is not an innate gift bestowed upon us; it is a learned, trained act, a critical value meant to be cultivated and refined through our developmental years as children and refined into adulthood.

Like a muscle, the ability to make sound, resolute choices must be built and ingrained through childhood training and experiences, guidance, and intentional practice. By the time we reach maturity, we are expected to have understood the rudiments of crafting high-quality decisions that align with our visionary purposes, values, and objectives.

Yet, many adults today find themselves paralyzed by indecision or prone to impulsive choices they cannot sustain. This struggle often stems from a failure to develop the “mind muscle” required for effective decision-making—a skill that was either neglected in their formative years or undermined by fear, insecurity, or lack of discipline.

The consequences of this gap are profound. As the Bible warns in James 1:8, “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,” unable to receive from the Lord or, by extension, from life itself. A double-minded approach, marked by wavering or hasty choices creates instability in relationships, careers, and personal growth.

Advancing into uncharted waters and the uncertainties of tomorrow’s future would require a quality of leadership behavioral character with the ability and fortitude to make well-calculated decisions that drive families and communities towards their prophetic assignments and initiatives. Without this foundation, individuals and communities would remain crippled and trapped in cycles of indecision or premature choices that could further hinder the potentials the well-being of those around them.

TRACKING THE LORD’S COMING AND FINAL RETURN.

35 “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. 36 Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. 38 Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 40 You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” Luke 12:35-40

The True Nature of Christ’s Return

The return of our Lord Jesus Christ has been the subject of countless predictions, calculations, and speculations throughout church history. Yet Revelation 22:17 provides us with profound insight into the true nature of this divine event: “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

This verse reveals that Christ’s return is fundamentally about the union of relationship between the bride (the church) and the Spirit. When the church reaches a place of genuine maturity and readiness through our union with the Holy Spirit—who prepares the church for the coming of Christ—only then can we properly understand the timing and nature of the Lord’s return.

Acts 3:21 further clarifies this truth: “whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” The phrase “restoration of all things” does not refer to material restoration, but to the complete alignment of our spirit, soul, and body in perfect union with God’s divine intentions for humanity. This restoration speaks to mankind returning to his original ordained position so that when Christ returns, He can find a truly mature church to call His bride.