By: Gen. Jim – 4/15/25
Today’s message for God’s people, is as the title says, God desires a “desperately desirous” people (see the prophetic Word at the end).
Did you know that between the nouns & verbs for “desire”/ “desires” there are 5 nouns (Greek) & 10 verbs (Gk.). We will study these & see where each of us stand in relation to our relationship with the LORD/Lord.
Nouns
1). Epithumia / ἐπιθυμία = “a desire, a craving, longing, (mostly of evil desires, frequently translated “lust”), is used in the following, (of good desires:
Luke 22:15, in the NKJV, has Jesus speaking: “… with fervent DESIRE I have DESIRED to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” The KJV leaves out “fervent”.;
Phil. 1:23: “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a DESIRE to depart & be with Christ…” (NKJV);
1 Thes. 2:17: “But we… endeavored more eagarly to see your face with great DESIRE.” (NKJV).
With regard to evil desires, in Col. 3:5 the Revised Version (R.V.) has “desire”, for the Authorized Version (A.V.), we have “evil concupiscence”, which Paul says to mortify (i.e. put to death!), putting forth a vice list of evils along with “evil concupiscence”. Paul says, “ye are dead, & your life is hid with Christ in God,” vs.3. This means Paul urges his readers to “put to death all sins residing in your bodily members.” Having Christ (new life) the believer should “die daily” to evil desires. In 1 Thes. 4:5 Paul writes: “not in passion of lust…”, NKJV; the KJV has, “lust of concupiscence”.
[note: one can read various translations & get various words in English; but I will stick to the Gk. word epithumia (N.). There is the preceding word pathos is translated “passion”, R.V., for A.V., “lust”. (see also “affection”); also in Col. 3:5 pathos & epithumia are associated, R.V., “passion”, for A.V., “inordinate affection”. Epithumia is combined with pathēma, in Gal. 5:24 (“desires” & “passions”); for the A.V., “affections & lusts”, the R.V. has “passions, & the lusts thereof.”
Epithumia is the more comprehensive term, including all manner of “lusts” & “desires”; pathēma denotes suffering; in the text in Gal. the sufferings are those produced by yielding to the flesh (see Gal. 5:17,19-21; vs.24 says, “And those who are Christ’s (His possession) have crucified (i.e., put to death!) the flesh with its passions & desires”; Pathos points more to the evil state from which “lusts” spring, (see Rom. 1:27 = “lust for one another”). (see concupisence, lust, passion etc.).
2). Eudokia / εὐδοκία, lit., “good pleasure (eu, well, dokeō, to seem), implies a gracious purpose, a good object being in view, with the idea of a resolve, showing the willingness with which the resolve is made. It is often translated “good pleasure”, (Eph. 1:5,9; Phil. 2:13; in Phil. 1:15, “good will”; in Rom. 10:1, “desire” (or “heart’s desire”, NKJV); in 2 Thes. 1:11 we find “good pleasure” (NKJV et al.).
Eudokia is used of God in Mt. 11:26 (“seemed good” = KJV/NKJV; the R.V. has “weel pleasing”); Lk. 2:14, R.V., “men in whom He is well pleased”, (lit., ‘men of good pleasure’ – the construction is objective); Lk. 10:21 = “seemed good” (NKJV); Eph. 1:5,9 = “good pleasure” (NKJV); Phil. 2:13 = “good pleasure” (NKJV) = “Eudokia”;
3). Epipothēsis / ἐπιπόθησις, an earnest desire, a longing for (epi, upon, intensive, potheō, to desire), is found in 2 Cor. 7:7,11, the KJV/A.V., has “earnest desire” & in the Revised Version / R.V., “vehement desire”. If we believers could cultivate an impassioned, fiery desire to love the Lord, His Word, & the lost souls perishing all about us, think of what could be done in earth. No more LUKE WARM, PUKEWARMNESS to contend with!
4). Epipothia / ἐπιποθία, with the same meaning as #3, is found in Rom. 15:23, in the R.V. as “longing”; in the A.V. it is “great desire”. Phil. 4:1 (KJV) has “longed for”, epipothētos; epipotheō means “to long for”;
5). Thelēma / θέλημα denotes a will that which is will (akin to Theolō, #6, our next study in the verbs). It is rendered “desires”, in Eph. 2:3, NKJV/KJV (see pleasure, will).
Verbs
1. Axioō / ἀξιόω, to deem worthy, is translated “desire” in Acts 28:22 (NKJV/RSV or R.V.), where a suitable rendering would be ‘we think it meet (or good) to hear of thee’;
2). Epithumeō / ἐπιθυμέω, to desire earnestly (some as Epithumia (#1, Noun). This Gk. word stresses the inward impulse rather than the object desired. It is translated “to desire” in Lk. 16:21 (or as the NKJV reads, “desiring to be”); 17:22 = “will desire”; 22:15 – “fervent desire”; 1 Tim. 3:1 = desires”; Heb. 6:11 = “we desire”; 1 Pet. 1:12 = “desire”; Rev. 9:6 = “desire to” – all these are from the NKJV. (see covet);
3). Erōtaō / ἐρωτάω, in Lk. 7:36 this Gk. word is trans. “desired” (KJV); in 14:32, in the R.V. = “asketh” or “asks”; the A.V. has “desireth”; John 12:21 has “desired” (see also Acts 16:39 = “desired”; 18:20 = “desired”; 23:20 = “desire”;
4). Homeiromai (or Himeiromai) / ὁμείρομαι, to have a strong affection for, a yearning after, is found in 1 Thes. 2:8 = “so affectionately longing for” (NKJV); the KJV = “being affectionately desirous of”;
5). Oregō/ὀρέγω, to reach or stretch out, is used only in the middle voice (Gk. scholars say), signifying the mental effort of stretching oneself out for a thing, a longing after it, with stress upon the object desired; it is trans. “desire” in Heb. 11:16 (NKJV); in 1 Tim. 6:10, some versions have “reached after”, “coveted after”. In Heb. 11:16, a suitable rendering would be “reach after”; “lust for” (orexis) 1 Rom. 1:27 NKJV), is the neg. meaning (speaking of men desiring for, lusting for one another in homosexuality);
6). Thelō / θέλω, to will, to wish, implying volition & purpose, frequently a determination, is most usually rendered “to will”. It is translated “to desire” in the Revised Version in the following: Mt. 9:13; 12:7; Mk. 6:19; Lk. 10:29, 14:28; 23:20; Acts 24:27; 25:9; Gal. 4:17; 1 Tim. 5:11; Heb. 12:17; 13:18 (see related words forward, intend, love, pleased, voluntary, will etc.).
7). Boulomai / βούλομαι, to wish, to will deliberately, expresses more strongly than thelō (#6), the deliberate exercise of the will; it is trans. “to desire” in the R.V.: Acts 22:30; 23:38; 27:43; 28:18; 1 Tim. 2:8; 5:14; 6:9 & Jude 5;
8). Zēloō / ζηλοω, to have a zeal for (see my long article on zeal/jealous), to be zealous towards, whether in a evil or good sense: 1 Cor. 14:1 says, “Pursue love, & desire spiritual gifts…” (NKJV); the R.V reads, “earnestly desire”; in the evil sense see James 4:2 where the words “you covet” is used (R.V.); in the A.V. the word “covet” is used also; [note: for Jealousy see Righeousness Revolution cite]
9). Aiteō / αἰτέω, “asking something” (NKJV); the KJV has, “desiring a certain thing”; Luke 23:25 has “requested” (NKJV) & the KJV has “desired”; the R.V. has, “asked for”;
10). Speudō / σπεύδω is translated “earnestly look for” (2 Pet. 3:12), Amp. Bible. The Heb./Gk. Key Study Bible has, “as you look forward to the day of God & speed its coming…”, it has a footnote saysing (in ref. to vs.12), “or as you wait eargerly for the day…” (Isa. 16:5, NKJV, has “hastening righteousness”), (see Haste).
F.Y.I.
1). Esperōtaō: epi, intensive, “to ask, interrogate, inquire of, consult, or to demand of a person (see Mt. 16:1 = “asked”, NKJV et al.;
2). Zēteō: “to seek; in Mt. 12:46,47 = “seeking to speak”, NKJV; in Lk. 9:9 = “sought to see Him”, NKJV. (see “endeavour”, “go”, “inquire”, “require”, “seek”;
3). Epizēteō, “to seek earnestly (see #2, with epi/Epithumeō, intensive), in Acts 13:7 = “sought to hear”, NKJV; in Phil. 4:17 = “I seek”, R.V. = “seek for”;
4). Epipotheō, “to long after, to lust”; in 2 Cor. 5:2 = “longing”, R.V., in the NKJV = “earnestly desiring”; in 1 Thes. 3:6 & 2 Tim. 1:4 (R.V.) = “longing”; in the NKJV = “greatly desiring” (1 Thes. 3:6); the same in 2 Tim. 1:4. In 1 Pet. 2:2 in the R.V. = “long for”; the NKJV has “desire”;
5). Exaiteomai, in tensive of #9 (Aiteō), occurs in Lk. 22:31: “… Satan has asked for you…” NKJV;
6). Parakaleō (see beseech, exhort, intreat);
7) Himeiromai, “a yearning for, be affectionately desireous”. (see also kenodoxos, “vainly glorifying/vain-glory).
Hebrew
Proverbs 23:3 is the only text where the word “desirous” is found: “Do not DESIRE his (the ruler’s) delicacies, for they are deceptive food.” (NKJV) The KJV uses “desirous”.
Full Bible Study
Hebrew: Desire, desirable, desired, & Greek: desiredst, desires, desirest, desireth, desiring, & desirous can be looked up. There are many definitions. But the reason why I did a Bible study on “desirous” (Gk. words) is because of the prophetic Word the Spirit spoke to (dated 4/15/25), where He used the word “desirous”, “desperately desirous”.
Desperate/Desperately
Between the two, only 3 Scriptures are found:
1). Job 6:26 = “Do you intend to rebuke My Words, & the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?” (NKJV).
The R.S.V. has “a, despairing man”; The Heb. word for “desperate” (Job 6:26) is “yâ’ash”, a prim. root; “to despair, one that is desperate, be no hope, to desist, i.e. (fig.) to despond”;
2). Isa. 17:11 = “… in the day of grief & desperate sorrow.”
The Heb. word here is ‘ânash, a prim. root; “to be frail, feeble, or (fig.) melancholy – desperate (-ly wicked), incurable, sick, woeful.”;
The Heb. word for “desperately” (Jer. 17:9) is the same as Isa. 17:11: “The heart is deceitful above all things, & desperately wicked…” In short, “incurably sick” (as the NKJV margin reads) (see Eccl. 9:3). These two Heb. words are neg., not positive. The Greek better describes what the Spirit spoke to us. I think 1 Thes. 2:8 better describes the mood of the Holy Spirit:
“So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you…” (KJV).
To be “affectionately desirous” of someone or be “affectionately longing” for someone (1 Thes. 2:8) is the same Greek word used for “A” & “D” – himeiromai/ἱμείρομαι = “a yearning, to long for”, derived from a root indicating remembrance (verb).
The following Word of the Spirit spoken to us has “desperately desirous” (the word “desperately”, as already noted, is found only in Jer. 17:9.
To be desperate is to be frantic because of despair or anxious because of need. How much do we NEED the LORD/Lord? How much do we LONG for them? How many believers are in despair as I write this article? I’ve been there… many times, perplexed, anxious, hopeless in feelings, feeling rejected. These spell hopelessness, death, desolation!
It is Time!
It is time dear believers to be desperate for God, to be affectionately desirous of Him. Desperately, affectionately, desirous are words used that are expressive of the strongest affection & attachment. Do we put people, places & things above loving the LORD/ Lord/Holy Spirit? Do we want an F on our spiritual report card as found in Rev. 2:4: “Nevertheless I have this against you (the Ekklesia at Ephesus), that you have LEFT your first love.” This indictment is followed up with, “REPENT & do the first works” (vs.5).
These believers had lost their first love for the Lord Jesus. They did not retain that strong & ardent affection for God & sacred things which they had when they first brought to the knowledge of the truth, when they felt the burden of sin roll off of themn by repenting. They were, as vs.5 states, “fallen”. How many married couples fall away, divorce, because they have lost their first love? It is a sad thing to see Christian men & women lose their love for each other & worse, lose their love for the One who loved/loves them. Love of the world has caused countless Christians to lose their love for the Savior. It takes WORK & WILL POWER to retain that first love. And, if you are married, you have to keep your marriage together as well as your spiritual marriage. The world has a way to WRECK one’s relationship with husband & wife, with the Lord.
So, this article is about regaining & maintaining one’s love relation with the Lord & with one another. How many in my 54 years of service in the Lord have I seen act like dogs, returning to their VOMIT (meaning the damnation of the world). The “solution to the sin pollution is Bloody Revolution”; the Blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin – if we Repent!
WOS – DESPERATELY DESIROUS OF ME
I speak unto you this day and I say ask and you will receive. This day why not ask of Me that you would become desperately desirous of Me as the One you love and want to become totally consumed of. Reality is, My people are meant to become so desperately desirous of Me that I am constantly near to them. Just as JESUS said that He and I are One, so do I desire the same relationship with My people.
I do not want My people to be estranged from Me and walking afar off going in the way of the world and following the vanities of the same. When those who are claiming to be Mine are more attentive to the world than they are to My Spirit, they are estranged from Me by such. However when My people will yield themselves to what I want, it is for them to be made one with Me, My Son, and My Spirit. Those who will so yield themselves will find the leading of My Spirit is into deeper and deeper relationship with Me to where they are made conformable to the image and likeness of My Son, who is totally one with Me.
There is not meant to be any distinction between My people and Me, rather those who will love Me are meant to do so desperately desirous of more and more of Me. Why should I be satisfied with a people who merely give Me lip service while their hearts are far from Me? Are not My people given the New Life when they recognize and accept the forgiveness covering of Jesus over their lives? In the New Life, they are meant to give their old lives up and no longer be identified as who they were, they are meant to become what I want them to be. They literally abandon the old identity to take on the New Identity in My Kingdom as citizens of the same.
Therefore do not look to be conformed to this world whereby you are governed by the same, rather look to be governed by Me as your Ruler, your Master, your Creator, the One you are meant to please and obey. When you will turn your rights to your own life over then are you truly a disciple of My Son. Those who want to hold the rights to their own lives will never develop to the point that they become My Sons and Daughters useful to Me because they have abandoned their rights to their lives.
The reality is most of those who are calling themselves Christians are liars because they are not seeking to do away with the “self” life but are pampering and feeding the same continually with whatsoever it is that pleases them. Then they are attempting to claim that such is My Will, for them to have their “best lives now” and in such they are grossly deceived. However they are deceived because they want to be. I do not call them to the deceptions they prefer to be led by, they choose such because it is easy and does not require them to take up My desire.
Actually such ones are an insult to Me, My Son, and My Spirit because they have purposed themselves in the way of carnality and by the same they are walking in criminality respecting My Kingdom. I want those who are using My Son’s Name to be doing so in integrity rather than in infidelity. Those who are not true to Me I consider as “not worthy” because they refuse to be desperately desirous of Me, My Son, My Spirit and My Kingdom. This is because they still have eyes for the world and the vanity, absurdity, profanity, and insanity of the world whereby they can play the part of fools then run back to “church” when they are sinking.
However in such behaviors they are as the sow who returns to her wallow and the dog to his vomit, delving back into the filthiness, the vileness, the corruption of carnality which will end in destruction and damnation. They are foolish children who are choosing the pathway that leads to no where except devastation and separation from Me and all who are Mine.
Stop and consider I want My people to be desperately desirous of My Way and not their own because they are meant to become My jewels and a treasure to Me because they want to be fully useful to Me for My Will. Those who come to such an agreement with Me and keep the same are indeed precious in My Sight because they are thirsty and hungry. This is because they have not filled themselves on the “spiritual junk food” so many are bloated and constipated by. Rather they desire the True Bread which I feed to those who are hungry for more of Me. Likewise they have not filled their bellies with drinks which make them drunk or intoxicated on syrupy sweetness all to lift them up and crash them down. Rather they are thirsty for the Pure Clean Waters of Life to satisfy their thirst which is pressing them.
Such ones as these will say “yes” to My Spirit commands even when their own carnality and others who know them will declare they should never do such things as My Spirit is commanding them to do. When they choose to do as My Spirit directs rather than what people say, then they are taken deeper and deeper into their relationship with Me as they conform. I find much refreshing enjoyment when people truly are desperately desirous of the food, the water, the treasure I have for them. It pleases Me to have a consecrated, separated, dedicated people for they have their vision on Me and not the world or other lovers, other gods. Give Me thanks to be able to Love Me as the One you are meant to put before all others.