Dear Ones:
Mighty and very real are the wings of the eagle. They have been given for flight, but not only for low-level cruising, but for the heights…for soaring. And here the Christian is called to live…in the heights…by the power of God, believing that He who gave the eagle his wings for the heights, also gives wings to the heart to rise…to reign.
It was when the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul, that the promise was fulfilled: “…and shalt be turned into another man.” (1 Sam. 10:6) When David was called to become the king of Israel, Samuel anointed him with oil, and “…the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.” (1 Sam. 17:13) He would become the slayer of Goliath, and the eventual King of Israel. Jesus told His disciples to “…wait for the promise of the Father.” (Acts. 1:5) It would be on the day of Pentecost that the same Holy Spirit would not only come on one or two people, but upon ALL the disciples (men and women…) in the upper room. That day they would all be changed. Why? Because when the Holy Spirit moves, when He works mightily in the heart, there is change…there is altitude gained. There is the rising up and going forth in the Lord’s victory. But then comes the question, “How is this to be?” “Is it possible in our lives?” Or, as Nicodemus put it: “How can these things be?” (Jn. 3:9) Jesus’ answer brings Nicodemus face to face with his unbelief: “Art thou a master (teacher) of Israel, and knowest not these things?” (v.10) Here is a very learned man, face to face with Christ. He believes that Jesus is a “teacher come from God.” (v.2) But, like the Samaritan woman, he does not believe as yet that Jesus IS the Messiah, the Son of the living God. His vision, like hers, is too low, too small. The smallness of their vision has limited them to “little faith,” when the Lord would have them to rise, soar, and reign. To the Samaritan woman, the Lord Jesus would declare, “I am He (the Messiah).” To Nicodemus, He would say, “…If I told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” (v.12) Here is the Almighty, the Alpha and Omega, in the flesh, and Nicodemus cannot believe in the working of the Holy Spirit to give spiritual birth because he cannot believe that the Christ in front of him is the Messiah, the only one able, yet willing, to give the Holy Spirit. The smallness of the vision does indeed limit the miracle…the moving of the Spirit.
What does it take to have “eagle wings,” to be able to believe God for the wonderful thing? In the context of the prophetic declaration of the return from exile, and the impossibility of it all, Isaiah writes: “He (God) giveth power to the faint; and to them that have NO might, He increaseth strength.” (Is. 40:29) Is God willing to give strength to the faint, the weary, the helpless? Yes. Unequivocally, yes. What is the key to have this strength to believe the impossible? “But they that wait (utterly depend upon, and hope in…) upon the Lord, shall renew their strength; THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES…” (v.29,31) The Apostle Paul prays the same thing for the church at Ephesus: “… the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…that He would GRANT you…to be strengthened with MIGHT BY HIS SPIRIT…in the inner man.” (Eph. 3:14,16) Why does he pray this? Because if we the believers at Ephesus are to believe God for the “impossible,” God’s highest and best, then HE must strengthen them to do so. Will He? Yes, unequivocally yes. But He will not do so, until their vision is trained upon Him, and Him alone.
Dear Lord, strengthen our “wings” of faith, that we should believe Thee wholly. Cause not only strength to pour into our wings, but lift us up by the current of Thy Wind. Strengthen our faith to rise, to soar, the realities of the Eternal, that which Thou doest desire to do, and declare, for Thy glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Love, Dad