Wade E. Taylor: "Keys to Spiritual Hunger"
Mar 19, 2023
From the Desks of Steve Shultz and Julie A. Smith: We are living in a day where people are being stirred toward HUNGER for the Lord...both new and seasoned Believers. People are being healed, set free, and set on fire to pursue the things of God...as revival is breaking out across the nation. My (Steve's) former spiritual father, Wade Taylor, was always hungry for more of Him. We'd spend time daily praying together on the phone... He was always full of wisdom and passion for God. Wade is now with the Lover of his soul as he graduated to Heaven years ago...yet his messages live on, here on earth! We appreciate Wade's daughter, Nancy Taylor Tate, carrying on his legacy and ministry, as she's been posting timely messages from Wade that could've been written for today.
In Christ, Steve Shultz and Julie A. Smith, Co-Editors Thank you for making the always-free Elijah List Ministries possible. To partner with us, click here. Your donations truly help us keep these emails free for you. Donate at: Enjoy! And thanks for forwarding this to your friends! They can subscribe here.
![]() "Keys to Spiritual Hunger"
"Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened to ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish." (Matthew 25:1-2, Treasury of Scripture) When considering this passage of Scripture, we may attempt to identify those who are foolish, rather than looking at ourselves. The only way we can point a finger at someone is to point three fingers at ourselves. If we will apply this verse to ourselves, it can be said that each one of us is half wise and half foolish. Thus, we cast the deciding vote as to where we will be found in "that day" – either among those who are wise, or among the foolish. "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go you rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut." (Matthew 25:5-10, Treasury of Scripture) The Oil of the Lord
"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 (receive grace); they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:30-31, Treasury of Scripture, emphasis added) The "oil" (grace) enables us to respond quickly to His word of direction and purpose, or to His word of correction. When corrected, we can tell whether the chastisement is coming from the Lord to bring correction, or whether it is condemnation from the enemy. A word from the Lord may be sharp and cut, for the Word is as a two-edged sword, but it will present to us an understandable way through. As we submit to its intent, we will be drawn closer to the Lord. The Word of the Lord always encourages and leads to life. On the other hand, the enemy will condemn us and tell us that we have really missed it, and we'll never be spiritual. He will place tormenting thoughts within us, that we may as well give up. The word of the enemy always discourages and leads to death. The Five Wise Virgins vs. the Five Foolish Virgins There were ten virgins. The word "virgin" tells us that they have spiritual potential, but have not yet unconditionally submitted themselves to His purposes. Ten, the number of completion, tells us that the Lord will fully prepare us for the "marriage supper of the Lamb," if we will respond rightly to Him. The wise rejected the tendency toward spiritual indifference and discouragement. They began to seek the Lord and to spend quality time in His presence. They asked for and quickly responded to the dealings of the Lord, that they might be changed and become pleasing to Him. The foolish, however, remained satisfied with surface blessings and responded to the Lord according to their emotions, seeking only their present comfort and satisfaction. Each one of us has these tendencies within us – five (one-half) wise, and five (one-half) foolish. Thus, our vote will determine the way we will go. There is an application of this principle to our everyday life experience. The wise, having oil, were able to respond to the needs of others that arose along the daily path of life. The foolish, not having oil, were not prepared and had nothing to offer. Therefore, when the time came to enter, they were not ready because they had neglected the process of preparation.
"I Will Fill Their Treasures" Five actively sought to do something about their circumstances, and five were indifferent and passive. If, in all things, we daily seek to please the Lord, and daily we set apart time to have fellowship with Him, and daily we let Jesus know that we love Him and greatly appreciate His working in our lives, we will have the required oil that will enable us to enter ("I will fill their treasures"). "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, King James Version) We cannot overcome a problem by struggling against it, but rather by displacing it with the thoughts of the Lord. These are available to us, as we commune with Him. If we are having a problem with our thoughts, we should begin to meditate on His presence and repeat the "words" of the Lord, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. "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, Treasury of Scripture) The wise will be rewarded by the Lord because they willingly, in anticipation, do these things, but the foolish will not. Whatever you do, don't miss another ELIJAH LIST email! Subscribe at this link: elijahlist.com/subscribe. Wade Taylor Wade Taylor graduated to Heaven on February 29, 2012. He served others as a teacher and spiritual father for over 50 years. He was respected and loved by many for his quality of spirit and walk with his Lord. He was an anointed author, bringing forth deep truths of the Spirit with a clarity and simplicity that drew the reader up into a closer walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. For more of his writings please visit www.wadetaylor.org.
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