Prayer Works Morning Devotion February 12, 2026

A Chapter By Chapter Study Of The Gospels To Know And Teach Who Jesus Is And What Is Required Of The Sons And Daughters Of The Most High God

Matthew Chapter 25 "And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’  But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

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Good morning, good morning, good morning to you everybody. I pray you had a wonderful restful night. You are ready for Thursday and I pray that today will be an incredible phenomenal day in the Lord.  

Today I want to start with a poem. We are in Matthew 25. So let's start with this poem because I think it just kind of settles some things in our hearts. How I came to love these pilgrims is to me a great surprise. 

And the way the Lord has led me is a wonder in my eyes. No, I never thought I'd be one, but I'm happy to say that although I used to hate them, I am one of them today. I feel constrained to say I love this narrow way.  

Oh, glory! Hallelujah! I am one of them today. Well, I knew the world despised them. So I said it would never do. I would lose my reputation if I joined that noisy crew. But I heard in fine ice thunder, you must surely go that way.  

I'm not ashamed to own it. I am one of them today. Often I snared when they were telling that they felt no fall within, that the grace of their Redeemer daily kept them free from sin. But conviction seized my spirit, took my hatred all away.  

I have found this great salvation and I'm one of them today. It so shocked me that I could not all my indignation hide, when they say that God's old Bible never would endorse my pride.  

Though high-headed, proud and haughty, yet I heard the Spirit say, Will you be a humble pilgrim? And I'm one of them today. Once I thought that their demonstrations were entirely out of place, that I never would constant to bring, to bring upon me such disgrace.  

So I asked the Lord to bless me in a mild and careful way. I broke through and got the glory, and I'm one of them today. I'm so glad I found them, for they have led me to the right, and I mean to stay among them, daily walking in the light.  

And someday I will join their number over on the golden shore. It is settled Hallelujah. I am a pilgrim forevermore. Matthew chapter number 25.  

Remember I said every time you see a parable about the Kingdom of God, pause, examine it, look at it, because in it contains pertinent information that either have to be followed or that have to be understood.  

So verse number one says this. At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, at that time. So all this time the kingdom of heaven is something else. But at that time, what time is being talked about?  

The return of Christ. Remember from Matthew chapter number 16 all the way through, Jesus is preparing for His departure. And He's teaching from that perspective and He's instructing from that perspective that soon I'll be leaving.  

So when we get to this point in time, He is almost there. The previous chapter, He was telling them about how it is going to be like in the last days before his return. And now he is continuing on that same pathway of teaching.  

So he says at that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.  

The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, the cry rang out, here is the bridegroom.  

Come out to meet him. Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, give us some of your oil. Our lamps are going out. No, they replied, they may not be enough for both of us and you.  

Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourself. But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.  

Later, the others also came. Lord, Lord, Lord, they said, open the door for us. But he replied, truly, I tell you, I don't know you. Therefore, instruction, keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour.  

At that time of his coming. At that time of his coming, the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins. Now, when you break down this parable, you realize that this is a wedding that's waiting to happen. 

It's about to happen the bridegroom is coming, everything has been declared everybody is in their place but even though they were in their place they were wise ones and they were foolish ones the wise ones made sure that they had enough oil.  

In other words, they had enough spirit, they had learnt so much, they had read so much about scripture, worshipped so much, they had given so much, they had trade so much, they had so much in their tank, so much quality in their tank. 

That they knew what I have inside of me. who will lust me all the time that I will be waiting for the bridegroom to come. So it's not asthe other five were not in place. They were part of the group. That they did not have enough in the tank to lust them until the bridegroom.  

This is why the Bible talks about before the coming of Christ, there will be a fallaway. that fall away is people who do not have enough in the tank. As a believer you must have enough inside of you that rivers of living water have to flow. 

Because it's very easy to run out it's very easy to run out of prayer it's very easy to run out of spirit it's very easy. You have never been in a situation that is difficult and high-pressured, and then you realize you don't have enough.  

You realize all your preparation was not enough. You did what you had to do, you did what you thought was, or will be able to sustain you. But when the time comes, you realize, I did not have enough.  

It's a very difficult thing to swallow. It's a very difficult situation to swallow. I'll give you a good example of this. When I left Zimbabwe to go to Germany, I thought I was a good soccer player.  

Until I got there and I realized there is standards to this. That what I thought was good enough had to be adjusted because there was much more to this than what I thought. And brothers and sisters, I'm sure you have heard me say this.  

It's not whether we should read our scriptures, pray, whether we should sing and worship. It's always going to be how much, how deep do you want to go? The deeper you go, the more oil you will have in your reserve tank.  

There is nothing like running on E because it puts you under unnecessary pressure. Drive a car when the red light comes on. You know any moment this car would stop. So the warning that Jesus is giving is that before my coming, at that time, what time?  

Before I come, there will be some people who will be in the place. Ten virgins, everybody is in the place. Is God the lamps? Is God something in their lamps? And some feel that man, it's taking too long.  

And when they wake up, they realize they had ran out of oil. The ones that were wise knew that I have to have something in reserve. So the instruction was, make sure that you are well packed, make sure that you have enough. 

Make sure that your tank is full and also your reserve tank is full because you don't want to be found in the last minute trying to go buy oil when the wording is about to start.  

So the instruction in Matthew 25 is that we as believers we have a responsibility to go as deep as possible in our quest to know the kingdom, in our quest to practice the values and statues of the kingdom, in our quest to examine this gospel, in our quest to pray, in our quest to worship, in our quest to fast and pray.  

We've got to go deeper so that we constantly have enough in the tank and also in reserve. That's why the Bible gives these two offers you have the wise and you have the foolish, but both are bridegrooms both are in the place. 

Both sets of wise and foolish bridegrooms, they are all, virgins, sorry, they are all in the place. But some were foolish and some were wise. So the instruction is that you must be wise. That's why you hear most times I pray for wisdom.  

I pray for wisdom and you should pray for wisdom, because it is the principle thing. Wisdom was at the beginning of creation. Because if you are not wise, it's very difficult to pray for the future if you are not wise.  

And we want to be the five that we're wise. Constantly having enough in the tank. Don't be found sleepy. And at midnight, when the cry comes out, here comes the bridegroom. Come out, let's meet him.  

And everybody's gathering what they have, and you realize you don't have enough oil, even though while you were in the place, while you were part of the team. 

So this you know these parables from yesterday and even just instructions from yesterday you realize from Matthew 60 when the Bible says and Jesus begin to prepare for his death his preparation was not for himself he wasn't preparing himself. 

He was preparing those who belong to Him. So here are the instructions that I'm leaving you with. Make sure you abide by this. So Jesus preparation was to now teach things that will become sound doctrine.  

Again, Titus 2, the old must teach the younger to be wise. So Jesus is teaching them how to be wise moving forward, because you're going to need wisdom to navigate these times.  

And you can see by these two sets of virgins, how you can easily be in the place, comfortable, thinking you got it all together until you realize, man, I did not have enough oil in the tank.  

And this does not just pertain to the coming of the Lord it pertains to these times that we are living in. That you always have to be filled by the Holy Spirit and always have to have extra in your tank. 

Because it's easy to be in the place doing exactly what you should be doing only to realize in last minute that man I should have prayed in extra hour. I should have sang two more songs. 

I should have fasted another half a day Paul says in Ephesians 5:15 be careful how you live, not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of time because the days are evil. It's a reiteration of believers to be full of wisdom.  

This parable is the parable of the virgins, the kingdom of God that is going to be like these virgins, two sets of virgins wise and foolish that's what this parable about. 

That in this kingdom you're going to find wise and foolish people do not be one pray for wisdom that God gives you wisdom to always have enough, to always go the extra mile, to always have enough in the oil tank so that you are never found wanting.  

You know, one of the saddest things that is going on is watching people who have spent years in church, giving, fellowship, Bible study, all night of prayer, all those years of giving and giving of yourself to the cause of Christ in the church, only to get tired and fall away.  

All that time wasted and the reason why that happens is because a lot of people forget oil, forget anointing. Anointing makes everything easy. It breaks the yokes. Without it, it's hard to break yokes.  

And the way you get an anointing is this constant hunger and thirsty that you must be filled and I want to be filled and I always want to have more in my spirit because having that is the difference between being wise and being foolish I don't want any one of us to be foolish. 

I want us to be wise pray for wisdom that God continue to endow you with this incredible phenomenal gift so that you always have enough. So Heavenly Father our blessed Redeemer words cannot express the magnitude of who you are. 

That two thousand years ago you saw it fit to leave us with clear proper instructions of how to carry ourselves and uphold the standards of this kingdom, the statues and values of this kingdom.  

Help us to understand our efforts so that we are never shortchanging ourselves in the name of Jesus, as you grow the desire in our hearts, strengthen us in our efforts. We want to be full of wisdom in our efforts and in everything that we do to serve you.  

We don't ever be one, we don't ever want to be found wanting. So Father, as you bless us, in various areas of our lives. Just like Solomon, we ask for wisdom because it is the principle thing.  

May we never be caught without, because we were unwise. So I pray, Lord, that as we seek you, as we hunger, as we teach, as we study, give us this fervence to God deeper in our study, in our worship. 

Because I know you are calling us into a deep place where your spirit is so rich in the name of Jesus. Bless all of us with incredible, phenomenal wisdom. The scripture says if you don't have us, so Lord, we are asking for wisdom to be part of our daily portion.  

We are not satisfied just to be believers but we want to be wise believers in the name of Jesus. Bless this group of believers with wisdom. Bless us, Lord, in our efforts to know You, in our search for truth, and in our understanding of truth.  

Grow the mental capacity that we possess as believers, so that we can house and carry enough knowledge, enough knowledge to know that we need more. Father, I pray, even for these times that we find ourselves in, keep our eyes focused on important things.  

Turn our ears and eyes from worthless things and continue to direct us in the path of your commands. Father, I pray, Lord, that as you continue to expose some things, may we continue to keep our eyes focused on you, as we continue to deal with some issues in our country.  

We want to hold on to the truth of this gospel, because it is the serving power of grace. We thank you for the gift of salvation, that has enabled us to walk circumspectly before you. We are so privileged and honored to be part of the number.  

Help us to understand that we are pilgrims on a journey back home in the name of Jesus, continue to transform us. The way we see things, the way we do things, the way we are practicing this word.  

Continue to transform us, Lord. While we are in this, Lord, we continue to ask for healing. He died on the cross and you gave us as a portion, as a gift. So, Father, heal those who are in need of healing.  

Touch everybody in the name of Jesus. Pray for seniors amongst us. Continue, Lord, to bless them, strengthen them, equip them in the name of Jesus, give them the wisdom they need.  

And I pray, Lord, that our children are blessed as we continue to pronounce blessings over them. I pray, Lord, that they are guarded, protected, from harm and danger, seen or unseen. 

And I pray, Lord, that as you continue to bring judgment to this world and to the house of the Lord, help us to self-correct. In fact, send the Holy Spirit to help us to correct in the name of Jesus.  

The things that we can't do for ourselves, send help. That which we must do for ourselves. Give us strength and wisdom. Where our courage ends, where we find strength in your presence.  

When we are weak, that's when you're strong in us. Father, help us for our faith to stand the test of time and the test of these times. In fact, Lord, we want to overcome by the blood of the Lamb in the word of our testimony.  

We want to stand in the congregation of the might and proclaim thou art our Lord Jesus Christ. Help us to teach this gospel the right way. So that somebody some way become wise, part of the wise virgins.  

As we go throughout today, open our eyes and stack our ears to hear the truth of this gospel. As the Holy Spirit confirms, confers some gifts and things to us. Help us in our understanding.  

Help us in our doing. May we never be found weary in well-doing. Because definitely, Lord, we want to reap a harvest, spiritual harvest. We want to be guided spiritually. Now continue to lead us not into temptation to deliver us from the evil one.  

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen and Amen. Brothers and sisters, ask for wisdom, ask for wisdom constantly. Always ask the Lord for wisdom, because it is a principle thing.  

It will help us to navigate challenging times, it will help us to navigate the things that are coming these difficult times it will help us to navigate that and may you continuously dig wells that are so deep that you never run out of oil. 

That you always have enough in the tank and in your reserve it's not whether we should be doing this is always going to be how deep do we want to dig. So while you have strength and energy dig deep wells so you never run out of oil. 

We'll see you tomorrow Friday which is a praying day. Please submit your prayer request so that we can join you in prayer and may the Lord bless you. And we'll see you tomorrow, 7 a.m. Central, 8 a.m. Eastern Standard.