Waiting Upon The Lord
Wade E Taylor

“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

The “approbation,” or favor of the Lord rests upon those who have fully yielded their lives to Him, who desire to intimately know Him and are willing to spend time in His presence.  The result is that these will be able to recognize His presence and will have “understanding” concerning His ways.  If these qualities are to become a reality in our lives, we also must first learn to “wait upon the Lord.”

“Blessed is the man that hears Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors. For whoso finds Me finds life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord.”  Proverbs 8:34-35

When the Lord responds to our “waiting 'for' Him” and manifestly comes into our midst, we then begin to “wait 'on' Him.”

It is important that we approach the Lord with a deep reverence, in a spirit of worship, and acknowledge His presence as being with us.  And then, tell the Lord how much we appreciate His coming to be with us.  Now, we can begin to flow in a cooperative relationship with Him in whatever way that He may lead or direct.

“Wherever the spirit was to go, they went, there was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up opposite them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up opposite them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.”  Ezekiel 1:20-21

We have become a “wheel” (us - the spirit of the living creature) within a “wheel” (Jesus).

There is an urgent present need that we become capable of hearing a “present” word.  That is, as a “wheel within a wheel,” we will be in the right place, at the right time, with the right word.  The Lord is beginning to speak, as the voice of many waters, a powerful last day word that will rise up in the earth to bring visitation and judgment to all mankind.  Unless we become sensitive to hear His voice, we will miss the sound of His gentle “knock” upon the door of our spirit.

Jesus spent time in the presence of His Father.  This is the “secret” of His effectiveness in ministry.

“The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary:  He wakens morning by morning, He wakens my ear to hear as the learned.  The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.”  Isaiah 50:4-5

This is the very heart of the “preparation” of Jesus for His ministry.  Our being awakened, “morning by morning,” is also the means of preparation of our place in the end-time purposes of the Lord.

“The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”  Revelation 19:10b

“The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned” speaks of the “spirit of prophecy” - that which is beyond the gifts, and emanates from “relationship.”  The “spirit of prophecy” is the result of my having become so “at one” with the Lord that my life has become the expression of His life.

This testimony that the Lord desires to express is “imparted” within us through our times of communion with Him.  As He quickens us, His “testimony” becomes the “spirit of prophecy” within us.  Then, it can be expressed through us to whom He wills.  We will then have the right word, at the right time, to be given in the right place, or, to the right person.

“He wakens morning by morning.”  To be “awakened,” means that I am lifted above the limitation of my natural sense perception and understanding, into the realm of the supernatural.

When He wakens - my inner being is alerted, and becoming sensitive, I will hear what He has to say - “a present word.”  Today, His word may be as a “wind” strong enough to knock me off my feet, but tomorrow, it may be as a gentle breeze.  My hearing today will prepare for His still small voice tomorrow - I am cultivating my ability to hear and respond to His voice.

David had within him a sensitivity to the presence of the Lord.  In spite of his problems, David listened - he had a heart for the Lord.  The Lord had to speak to one of the prophets through a donkey, but to David He could say:

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go; I will guide you with my eye.”  Psalm 32:8

David had such a relationship with the Lord that he sensed the very presence of the Lord.  The Lord did not have to speak “words” to David for him to know the desire of His heart.  David knew the heart and the mind of the Lord, because he had cultivated a personal relationship with the Lord, during the years he was in the fields at night tending the sheep.

“For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him?  But we have the mind of Christ.”  I Corinthians 2:16

Our mind will be renewed, or progressively brought closer to His mind, as we “wait upon Him.”

Our taking time to “wait upon the Lord” enables the Lord to enlarge our spiritual capacity and to grant us the “tone” of authority, which comes only by hearing from Him.  Thus, our times of waiting upon the Lord becomes as “the wheel within the wheel” which enables us to hear and respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and to move with Him, in His will.

“And He goes up into a mountain, and calls to Him whom He would: and they came to Him.  And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.”  Mark 3:13-15

The primary purpose of His calling is to be with Him.  It is essential to our spiritual health that we spend quality time in His presence, “waiting upon Him.”  Only then, will we have the spiritual energy to face the challenges, testings, and problems of life.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”  Isaiah 40:31

“The times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”  Acts 3:19b

During these times of intimate fellowship, we are brought into a closer union with Him.  In the closeness of this communion, we will receive of His life and strength, and along with this, we will come into a deeper understanding of spiritual principles and an unfolding of His word, which will draw us, yet closer.

Our times of “waiting upon the Lord” are the key to a victorious, overcoming life.  Throughout the Psalms, whenever David found himself in difficult circumstances, he constantly reminded himself to “wait upon the Lord.”

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”  Psalm 27:14

It is here, in His presence, that we will begin to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom.  There will be a realignment of our lives.  Our priorities will change from the natural to the spiritual.  Our spiritual senses will be energized by His presence and restored to respond to His purposes.

We are to be changed from one level of glory, to a higher level of glory.  We may be birthed from a certain ministry and even flow in the same anointing, and echo the same teachings, but unless we “personally” have cultivated the presence of God by spending time “waiting upon the Lord,” we will simply be reflecting reflected light, a dimmed reflection of the pure glory of the Lord.

As we wait upon the Lord, we will experience a genuine encounter with the Lord.  Then, wherever we go, the result of His “manifest presence” that we have experienced, will cut through every bondage and every fear in those who are witnessing the result of our life in His.  This will bring others to a knowledge of Jesus Christ.

During these prolonged times spent in His presence, we are “sowing” to the Spirit - enlarging our capacity to flow with the Holy Spirit.  It is always costly to the natural man, and seems inefficient.  Many “early morning risings” may seemingly bear no fruit at all, but the continued lifting up of our desire for Him, along with our worship and the obedience of seeking after Him, rather than things, will in time, bring forth within us an accumulative effect that will surprisingly produce a profound spiritual result.

We will have “become” a prophetic vessel that is available to Him.

These times of “waiting upon the Lord,” in His presence, do not produce quick results, but rather, lasting ones.  Jesus commanded us to abide in Him, adding that it will cause us to bear “fruit that remains.”  But, the abiding life - a life that “waits” in God's presence, will produce fruit that will stand in eternity.

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

Indeed, the Lord is knocking on the door of our hearts and our lives.  He is seeking to enter in.  He is seeking a people that will respond to His knock and that will open the door and invite Him in, that they might “wait upon Him.”

“Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits.”  Song of Solomon 4:16b