That’s the word I got in my heart when I prayed yesterday. So I asked the Holy Spirit, ‘elaborate, get ready for what?’ Then I searched the Bible for this phrase and got the following results:

1. Get ready for the great things God will do

“Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”” – Joshua 3:5

Are we ready to receive the answers to our prayers? Are we ready to receive His promises? Let’s not be caught up in whatever circumstances we are in at the moment but be ready for the great things He is doing; beyond what we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20), what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human mind has conceived (1 Corinthians 2:9). 

2. Get ready for what comes after the discipline

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” – Hebrews 12:11

The Holy Spirit is working in our lives, preparing and shaping us according to His will. The Father is disciplining us. Though the discipline is painful now, it will bear fruit when the time comes. Let’s not slack but be disciplined. Let’s build our endurance, train and stretch ourselves for the journey ahead. Are we ready to follow the training program? Are we ready for the journey? 

3. Get ready to be questioned

“Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,  keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” –1 Peter 3:13-16

Let’s put our reverence to Christ as our default mode. People see us, how we live, how we respond, how we react, how we post, how we do things. Do we always have hope, regardless of the situation? In this world full of chaos and uncertainties, hope is a rare and shining jewel. Looking at us, people will one day wonder why we are different. In and out of season, tired or not, busy or not, are we ready to be questioned on the reason for this hope we have? Let’s not be surprised or caught off guard. Instead, let us start preparing ourselves to give answers full of gentleness and respect, true but merciful, honest but kind, with a clear conscience, clear narrative, clear message: straight to Christ. Let’s not mix in a little bit of ourselves, let it point only to Christ.

4. Get ready for the harvest

“He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” –Mark 4:26-29

We don’t know how the seed grows, but after some time the grain is ripe. As soon as the grain is ripe, swing your sickle. Don’t wait, don’t delay, don’t miss the timing. Don’t let the harvest be eaten by the birds, fall to the ground, or be rotten on the tree. And look at the fields, they are ripe for harvest (John 4:35). Are we ready for the harvest? Are we ready to reap? Have we prepared the sickles? Have we prepared the barns? Do we have enough harvesters? Have we asked the Lord for harvesters? 

Jesus told us to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). Are we ready to disciple a multicultural, multiethnic, diverse group of people? Are we ready to tell them as Paul said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1)? 

5. Get ready for the Lord’s coming

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” –Matthew 24:42-44

Jesus is coming back soon… sooner than we think. Though it might look like He is delaying, it is purely because of His mercy, as He wants no one to perish, but all to be saved. 2 Peter 3:10-15 says:

^“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.”

Let’s be people who speed the coming of the day of the Lord. Let’s live holy and godly lives. Let’s make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with Him. Have we prepared ourselves as a bride waiting for her groom? Have we undergone the ‘beauty treatments’ we need? Have we followed the full regime of myrrh, perfumes, and cosmetics (Esther 2:12)? Or are we tired of the wait and thinking about giving up? Have we prepared the oil to keep our lamp burning (Matthew 25:1-13)? 

If any of the answers to the questions above is no, what can you do to prepare yourself? I challenge you to ask the Holy Spirit to show you some practical steps you can do, Write them down in your journal, and start doing them today. Do not slumber, procrastinate or get caught off guard. May you heed to the Holy Spirit’s warning as His words resonate in your heart: 

“Get ready!”