Posted: 09/24/2011 at 7:00am | IP Logged

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7

The greatest gift and blessing that we possess is our spiritual sensitivity and hunger.

Unless we maintain a time of active daily communion and fellowship with our Lord, this "hunger," along with the anointing that enables us to unlock and understand the deeper levels of revelation within the Word of God, will gradually fade until we are left spiritually barren.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength... Isaiah 40:30-31

To maintain our spirituality, it is essential that we set apart a specific time and place in which to "wait upon the Lord." As we do this, we will be "re-charged" spiritually. Just as a battery that has been discharged through use must be re-charged, so also, we must hold ourselves before the Lord, to allow His life and power to flow back into our being.

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8

The word "after" tells us that this "power" is given after we spend time in the presence of our Lord. These times of specific "waiting upon the Lord" will impart to us a "divine strength" that replaces our human weakness. This will result in an increase of our love for the Lord Himself, and produce within us the anointing that will quicken our understanding, enabling us to respond to the presence and promptings of the Lord.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20

The emphasis is on our ability to hear, and our willingness to respond. This "hearing" is through the inner ear of our Spirit.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 13:9

As we wait on the Lord in His presence, this ability to hear spiritually can be developed and improved.

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will shew them His covenant. Psalm 25:14

This word "fear" speaks of a reverential awe or respect that stimulates us to respond to His presence and voice and "wait upon Him" with focused, undivided attention.

It is important for us to recognize that we function on two different levels of life.

It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:44

Either one or the other of these will predominate – the "natural" or the "spiritual." As our spiritual life increases, our carnal desires will decrease. The "strength" of each of these is determined by the choices we make, the preferences we give, and which of these we nurture with our thoughts and actions.

The level of our spirituality is greatly affected by the amount of time we spend in "waiting upon the Lord." The time in which we come apart and look upward toward the Lord should never be passive, but rather, an active waiting in "anticipation," as one who watches for someone to enter a room. It should include a time of quiet worship and the expression of our love to the Lord.

I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me...That I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. Proverbs 8:17, 21

As we express our love for the Lord, it will bring a response from Him ("I love them that love Me"), lifting us into a higher level of communion and fellowship with Him. As we look toward Jesus in an attitude of receiving, the "substance" of His being will flow into us, to change us into His image and likeness.

As we continue to daily "wait on the Lord," to receive the impartation of spiritual life and strength that is essential to our spiritual well being, there must be a parallel "crucifixion" of our natural, soulish life. This is accomplished as we commit to the Cross all things which are contrary to our spiritual development – that seek to hinder or replace our times of waiting before the Lord.

The Lord will, through this process of crucifixion, remove the agitations and all that rebels against our becoming "still" before Him. We must pass through this time of "processing" before we will be able to fully experience the release of spiritual life that the Lord desires to make available to us.

Our ability to "wait upon the Lord" will increase as we "wait upon the Lord." As desirable and well intentioned as they may be, relationships with other Christians will never nurture or satisfy our spiritual hunger.

There must be the lifting of our being into a "vertical" relationship with the Lord – an intimate, personal coming to the Lord Himself, as coming to a person who desires to be known. As we "wait in His presence," He will make Himself known to us. Then, we will be better able to fellowship one with another.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:6

It is very important that we set apart special times when we are absolutely alone with the Lord. "...I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20).

In "waiting upon the Lord" we are both "quickened" and "lifted" into the realms of the Spirit. While we wait, the Lord works, re-orienting our desires and creating within us a sensitivity and openness to the "realm of the Spirit." This process of maturing us spiritually may be hindered as, while we work, the Lord waits. It is much easier to work for the Lord than to come apart and become quiet so we can wait on Him.

As our spiritual senses are sharpened, we will become more responsive to the desire of the Lord for communion and fellowship with us, and toward His desire for the redemption of mankind through us.

That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. Philippians 3:10

This increased spiritual sensitivity, which we receive through our extended times of "waiting upon the Lord," will also cause us to become more sensitized to the natural realm. We must learn how to bear this sensitivity without any reaction or retaliation because of what we see or feel.

Who is blind, but My servant? or deaf, as My messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. Isaiah 42:19-20

Because of the keen spiritual sensitivity that Jesus possessed, He knew the hearts of men, but He refused to react according to circumstances. He maintained His position in the heavenlies and was motivated according to what His Father was saying and doing, not man.

[However] that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 1 Corinthians 15:46

"First...that which is natural; and afterward..." We are to move in the faith that we have, no matter how limited it may be, and then we will be lifted upward into the "realm of the Spirit," where we will begin to move into that which is spiritual.

As we continue to "wait on the Lord in expectancy," in time we will pass from the natural realm into the "realm of the Spirit," where we will begin to move in that which is spiritual. At times, we may "feel" very little of Him, or of His presence. Even if we seemingly feel nothing as we "wait," we will later notice that it has, in a good way, affected all that we do or say.

The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as the learned. Isaiah 50:4

It is essential that we set apart time within the schedule of our busy lives to "wait upon the Lord."

If we will do this daily, we will never be disappointed.

Wade E. Taylor
Wade Taylor Ministries
wade@wadetaylor.org 
www.wadetaylor.org/

Posted: 12/04/2011 at 8:30am | IP Logged

And it came to pass, that as the people pressed upon Him to hear the Word of God, He stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by the lake... Luke 5:1-2

Notice that the people were "pressing upon Jesus to hear the Word of God." Whenever we take a step toward the Lord, He will respond and begin to draw us closer to Himself.

There will always be "two ships" (two possibilities) in our spiritual life experience. These are placed in our path by the Lord to cause us to make a choice. Jesus will never enter the ship that relates to our self-life (our being in control of all that we say and do). When we make the right choice, Jesus will enter the ship that relates to His will and purpose for us, and become active in our spiritual life experience.

And He entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And He sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Luke 5:3

The "land" speaks of our self-life, in which we are in control and can do as we please. The "water" represents the realm of the Spirit, where the Lord is in control. For us to be "thrust out a little from the land" speaks of giving up the right to do as we please, so Jesus can bring us into a submissive, cooperative relationship with Him.

Here we will be "made ready" to function in the deeper realms of the Spirit (He sat down and taught the people). As we continue to make the right choices, the "water" will gradually become deeper and deeper until our feet can no longer reach the bottom.

...At the noise of [Your] waterspouts: all [Your] waves and [Your] billows are gone over me. Psalm 42:7

This tells us that the Lord is in control (all Your waves and billows are gone over me). Only now could Jesus say the following:

Now when He had left speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught." Luke 5:4

The heart consecration that we make by choosing to be obedient will prompt (release) Jesus to step into our "boat" (our life experience).

Our "willing obedience" is the determining factor in our becoming an overcomer. Being an "overcomer" is not the result of or the reward for something that we do. Rather, it relates to the intent and issues of our heart, which determines our actions.

"Blessed are the Poor in Spirit"

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5:3

Our being "poor in spirit" means that we have come to the end of our "self-life." We have placed ourselves and all that relates to us under the headship of Jesus. We are now subject to the government of God, and as long as we walk in submission and obedience, it can be said that we are an "overcomer."

We can only be obedient when it is possible for us to be disobedient. Therefore, the Lord will place circumstances in our path which will force us to make a choice. Thus, there were "two ships." This also relates to the two trees in the Garden of Eden – the "tree of life," and the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil."

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden [you may] freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil [you shall] not eat of it: for in the day that [you eat] thereof [you shall] surely die." Genesis 2:16-17

The Lord placed man in a probationary environment so he could be tested. Just as Jesus stepped into one of two ships, two trees were placed in the midst of Adam's daily activities as the means by which this testing would be accomplished. These two trees are diversely different in their intent and purpose. Adam was told to freely partake of the one; but he was forbidden to eat of the other.

The "tree of life" relates to a lifestyle in which Adam lived in a dependent union with the Lord. He could only abide in this realm by partaking of the "tree of life" daily (communion). This confirmed and maintained his full dependence upon his Creator.  A description of the "tree of life" is found in Isaiah, chapter 53, which reveals that Jesus is the tree of life (a root out of a dry ground).

A Wondrous Glory Which Cannot Be Described, Only Experienced

For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He [has] no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. Isaiah 53:2

Jesus is seen by fallen mankind as offering nothing that would (to them) make Him desirable. The beauty of Jesus is therefore within, and is recognized only by spiritual perception through "regeneration" and Holy Spirit "enabling."

The "tree of knowledge" relates to our "earthly" life that results from Adam's transgression in which he chose to become independent from God. The fruit of this tree appears to us as being very pleasant to our eyes, and desirable as food.

By divine intent, the way of the flesh is appealing to every aspect of the fallen human makeup, whereas spirituality is seemingly uninviting. It would seem that spirituality should have been made attractive, and sin ugly. Therefore, we might ask, "Lord, why did you make our self-life attractive, rather than our spirituality?"
 
There is an answer. This high calling of spirituality can be gained only by making the right choices. And, the Lord has not made this easy.

For many are called, but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14

Or, "Few will pay the price in order to be chosen."

By divine design, there is a price to our being chosen by the Lord. Therefore the Lord placed the beauty within, which can be seen only by spiritual perception, and given only to those who truly desire Him (those who pressed upon Jesus to hear the Word).

Outwardly, the tabernacle in the wilderness was covered with ugly badger skins, but within it had a beautiful royal blue covering and the Lord's Shekinah presence. It contained a wondrous glory which cannot be described, only experienced.

Press On For the Prize

But from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of the Heavens is taken by violence, and the violent seize on it. Matthew 11:12 Darby

By divine arrangement, it takes a determined effort to press through to behold the beauty of the Lord. Few will push past the hindrances to gain this prize. Paul said:

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

This prize is not Heaven, which is included in our redemption.  Rather, the prize is being seated with Jesus in His throne, experiencing an active, cooperative relationship with Him (as a son), while we maintain our times of fellowship and communion with Him (as His Bride).

His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; [you] have been faithful over a few things, I will make [you] ruler over many things: enter [you] into the joy of [your] lord." Matthew 25:23

May each of us continue to press toward this prize, and rise above all that seeks to hinder our spiritual progress, or turn us away from becoming an overcomer (one who is seated with Jesus in His throne as His Bride).

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne. Revelation 3:21

At this present time, we have the opportunity to make the right choices, which will determine which "ship" we will be found in. May we be among those who will be "launched out into the deep" in that day.

And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron... Revelation 2:26-27

Wade E. Taylor
Wade Taylor Ministries
wade@wadetaylor.org