How Bad Do You Want It?

Bill Elliff

Wisdom is a product of insatiable desire.

Wisdom is a product of insatiable desire. Solomon, who at least at one point was the wisest man on the face of the earth, gives instruction to his son and all of us about how to gain wisdom. A foolish man could care less about this type of instruction because he thinks he is wise on his own. He does not know that wisdom is something that must be gained. And it is gained only when it is sought with aggressive tenacity.

In his fourth chapter of Proverbs, Solomon uses 37 imperative commands in 27 verses to try to drill this in the head of his son and all of us. Pull these commands out and you will be overwhelmed by his urgency. The wisdom, even of this call, is found in the repetition and intensity of his commands.

HEAR the instruction

GIVE ATTENTION

DO NOT ABANDON

HOLD FAST my words

ACQUIRE wisdom

ACQUIRE understanding

DO NOT FORGET

DO NOT TURN AWAY from my words

DO NOT FORSAKE her

LOVE her

ACQUIRE wisdom

PRIZE her

EMBRACE HER

HEAR and ACCEPT my sayings

TAKE HOLD of instruction and DO NOT LET GO

GUARD her

DO NOT ENTER the path of the wicked; DO NOT PROCEED, AVOID, DO NOT PASS BY, TURN away, PASS on

GIVE ATTENTION to my words

INCLINE your ear

DO NOT LET THEM DEPART from your sight

KEEP them in the midst of your heart

WATCH over your heart

PUT AWAY a deceitful mouth; PUT devious speech far away

LOOK DIRECTLY ahead

FIX YOUR GAZE straight ahead

WATCH the path of your feet

DO NOT TURN to the right or left

TURN your foot from evil

Did you just skim through that list, or read it carefully? It indicates something. It would seem that wisdom (which is synonymous in the Proverbs with Christ Himself who IS wisdom) is gained through intense desire. Only those who are so aware of their own foolishness and inadequacies that they pursue Christ and His words with passion will gain that which is life indeed.

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Bill Elliff

Bill Elliff is the founder and National Engage Pastor of The Summit Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. His passion is to see both genuine revival and methodological renewal in the church—both new wine and new wineskins. He is a frequent conference speaker, writer, and consultant to churches drawing from his 50+ years of pastoring and revival ministry. Bill is also the Pastor/Church Director for OneCry! A Nationwide Call for Spiritual Awakening and the author of fifteen books and booklets and numerous articles. He lives to faithfully and effectively communicate the whole counsel of God to as many people as possible through preaching, writing, church development, and personal equipping that they may become intimate, reproducing disciples of Jesus Christ.