WAKE UP, SLEEPY HEAD!

 

Many Christians are sleeping deeply, spiritually. We have become so comfortable that we even have the guts to snore, drool, dream up fantasies and toss about on the cozy bed we have made for ourselves.

Ever heard of a soldier in the middle of an intense shoot-out against the enemy, suddenly stopping, taking a mat out of his war bag, spreading it and curling up to sleep right in the middle of the war? Crazy and totally unbelievable, right? I can bet you my entire fortune, except that soldier has an invisible shield or force-field that surrounds him or a fellow soldier is kind enough to quickly wake him, he would end up dead or grotesquely injured before a minute passes by.

I want to assume you have heard the story of the race between the hare and the tortoise to prove who is fastest. That's where we got the cliché 'Slow and steady wins the race'. The fast, rather proud and overconfident hare lost the race not because he was hexed by the tortoise's magic into being very slow, nor because he was injured, nor because he got lost during the race. He lost because he laid down to take a nap and by the time he woke up he was too late.

The lesson is simple. Don’t you dare sleep in a battle or in a race. If you are sleeping currently, I think this post should be like a loud blast of a trumpet in your ears --WAKE UP NOW!

As a soldier in the Lord's army fighting valiantly in the end time battle, it's not enough to just wear the armor and practice fighting. You must learn discipline to keep yourself awake when the weariness sets in. There'll surely be a point when you get to the drowsy grounds, when all you want to do is just rest a little.

The bible makes it clear in the book of proverbs.

"Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep; so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man." Proverbs 6:10-11

The body of Christ needs to wake up and take position. Enough of laying down and being at ease in Zion. Enough of dilly-dallying in the mire of sluggishness. Enough of remaining in our state of passive sleep, unconsciousness and comatose. There is so much mess within and without. How dare we sleep when the altar of the Lord is scattered and the Church's walls are demolished with ease by the adversary due to the breaches we have refused to repair? How dare we sleep when there are souls in bondage crying for deliverance? How dare we sleep when the nations are in disarray and there's none to fix it by making up the hedge? How can we?

DANGERS OF SLEEPING SPIRITUALLY

1.YOUR GUARDS ARE DOWN AND THE ENEMY CAN EASILY INTRUDE.

This is why thieves operate more frequently at night. It is at this time that everyone is asleep, that thieves can come to steal without any resistance. The devil has been described as the one that comes to steal, kill and destroy. The devil may be a coward but he is also smart. He knows that if he can't penetrate when you are alert (because as a child of God, you can trample him underfoot, resist him and he will flee with his tail between his legs like a frightened dog) , he can strike when you are slumbering.

"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." Matthew 13:25.

God never sleeps nor slumbers, but we men do. The man is God but the men that slept are his servants. If only the servants have been vigilant, peradventure the tares, weeds, thistles and thorns (of discord, disunity, wolves in sheep clothing, doctrines of devils, bitterness… which we see springing up in the church trying to choke the true wheat)  peradventure the catastrophe that followed would have been avoided.

2.ALL SPIRITUAL SENSES ARE WEAKENED IF NOT INACTIVATED.

This reminds me of a prank my brothers played on me some time ago. They wanted to get back at me for allegedly making fun of their freshly shaved heads so they patiently waited till I slept off. They painted my face with black marker and put a few paper and straw in my hair. I didn't even notice until I looked in the mirror by the time I woke up when I noticed their mischievous gigglings. I looked so hideous that I almost screamed. When they burst out laughing at my face, I knew they were the culprits. They too knew. They wouldn’t even dare that while I was awake. What amazed me was that I didn't feel it while they were at it, giving me that make-over that I'm sure I wouldn't want anyone to see -- I'd be so embarrassed.

It reminds one of the sad story of Samson. Delilah, the harlot that he fell so easily for, made him to sleep on her laps. It was then that she was able to call for a man to shave off his seven locks and began to torment him until his strength left him. And he didn't even realize all that had happened until he was captured by his enemies (Judges 16:19-21).

When you sleep, you're senses are also asleep. Your breathing becomes slow and steady, except you are having a nightmare where hungry lions are chasing you down a mountain. Rarely would you hear any sound, feel any stimuli (now you know why those mosquitoes and bugs have a great feast while you're asleep) or see what is physically happening.

Spiritually too it applies. If you slumber off, you won't be in touch with the spirit of God anymore and hence you won't be able to see, feel or hear what's going on both in the camp of light and the lair of darkness. And that is a dangerous thing. It's almost like being dead, only that there's hope for you to wake up.

3.ONE WOULD BE CAUGHT UNAWARES.

"While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." Matthew 25:5

I am always amazed whenever I read the parable of the ten virgins and I see that all the virgins, both wise and foolish, slept off just because their husband-to-be was a tad bit late. They were tired of waiting so they all fell asleep. But the interesting part is that they didn’t know that while they slept their lamps went out. In fact they must have been shocked when the cry sounded at midnight announcing the arrival of the bridegroom. In simple terms, they were caught unawares. So also was Samson caught unawares when the philistines came upon him.

4.WASTAGE OF TIME.

"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:16

Time is a precious commodity. Once it is lost, it can never be regained. Once it is wasted, it cannot be bought back. Spiritually, we are in the end of the ages; perilous time are upon us. The day of the Lord, the day of vengeance of our God is so close by. This is why the damned fallen angels are working nonstop to bring as many as they can down with them; they know that their time is up. We as warriors of Light must also redeem the time. Spiritual slumber only robs us of the time we ought to be using to reclaim territories for our King. Spiritual slumber will only make us late in God's agenda for the earth. Spiritual slumber is the thief of the little time we have left. It is wisdom to know the times and seasons of the Lord. Let us work the works of him that sent us while it is yet day for the night comes when no man shall work.

 

HOW TO WAKE UP AND STAY SPIRITUALLY AWAKE

"Wherefore he saith, Awaken thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give the light." Ephesians 5:14.

1.PRAY ALWAYS

"Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." Ephesians 6:18.

"…that men ought always to pray and not to faint." Luke 18:1.

You have to engage yourself in the ministry of constant prayer. You have to put on the mantle of all-prayer and enter into the secret place, the throne room of the father, the Holies of Holies to travail in prayer. That's why the Spirit of supplication and intercession has been delivered to you to help your infirmities. Prayers of the saints should ascend to God's throne room like incense. When I was younger, the praying without ceasing commandment seemed unattainable to me. I used to imagine what it would be like for Christians to be walking on the road with eyes closed, heads bowed and lips moving. If it doesn't result in chaos, then surely the heathen would see us as crazy, inebriated zealots. I also used to wonder about the times when we would have to sleep; surely, God won't be that wicked  to deprive us of a good night's rest. How then are we supposed to be a constant praying mode?

But, what prayer means is a heart connection to God. It should be a natural reflex for every Christian to always speak to God in every situation, in every place, at every time. It should not be a mechanical duty we perform out of compulsion. Here is why the help of the Holy spirit is vital. He is the one to teach you this aspect perfectly well.

2.WATCH

With an unveiled face, with unscaled eyes, with eyes treated with spiritual eye-salve, with eyes not beclouded by the ephemerals of this world, with eyes not blinded by the cataract of fleshy pride, you must behold.

You are a watch man. Your spiritual eyes being widely opened, you must look properly because the enemy has set traps and snare on the way. You must acquire the eye sight of an eagle to know when danger is approaching. Your eyes must also be sensitive to the Holy Spirit to be able to discern and see things yet to come.

Be sober, be  vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8.

3.REFUEL BY THE SPIRIT AND THE WORD

In my personal Christian journey, I have seen that the way to be awakened is to hearken to the voice of the Spirit and to allow the word of God to sink deep in one's heart. At that time the word doesn't come like a still small voice; it comes like the voice that thundereth upon many waters. It doesn't come like a lullaby or sweet caressing; it comes like the blast of the trumpet and like the strike of a whip.

4.REMEMBER AND RETURN AND HOLD FAST

"Remember therefore how thou has received and heard, and hold fast, and repent." Revelations 3:3a.

This is what the church needs presently. We don't know that we have fallen. We don't even remember what has been entrusted into our care. We have abandoned the fountains of living waters and hewed out for ourselves broken cisterns that can hold no water.

We need to go back as one body to the Lord in true repentance. Let us turn from our own ways and follow Jesus again. Then we will be restored. Then the revivals that the saints of old enjoyed will not be history but our present reality.

PRAYER

O Father, we realize we have slept for too long. We heed the cry of the Spirit and awaken from our sleep to trim our dim lamps. We are asking you for mercy. Restore our lost glory. Restore the years that the locust and the canker-worm has eaten. Help us to stay awake and vigilant, preparing and waiting until the day when our bridegroom shall return. In the holy name of Jesus. Amen.