We have addressed several ways to successfully resist the temptations that ravage our souls. However it would be dangerous to rely on our own efforts, which could become our own stumbling blocks!
As we tracked our way through the Forest of Lothlorien, where parts of the movie “Lord of the Rings” was filmed, we were fascinated by the beautiful mosses that covered the trees, and the undulated dry leaves that crunched under our feet. But suddenly our attention was drawn to a soft “plop” and the faint cry of a tiny bird.
Due to the heavy winds, a baby bird had fallen from its nest way up in the trees. Our guide, who was very soft-hearted, decided she couldn’t leave it behind. “Alone on the ground, it’s for sure it would be easy prey to the rats, cats and possums that roam these forests,” she exclaimed. She quickly found a safe container for transporting the little one, but before she could get him all tucked away, a second “plop” could be heard. A second baby, fallen from the same nest!
We, too, are destined to fly. And we will experience this, when Jesus returns for us: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” (1 Thess 4:16-17 NIV)
Though we won’t fly until Jesus returns, we need to start exercising our wings of faith now, so that they will become fully developed. Without them, when trials arise, we, too, will become easy prey to the predator called the devil!
One of our problems is that more often than not, we are impatient. We claim the promises of God and expect them to be fulfilled on the spot. When this doesn’t happen, we are disappointed and we begin to doubt that God keeps His promises.
What we forget is that all of His promises are given in seed form. Take the parable of the sower, for example. Notice that it refers to the “message about the kingdom” as “seed”:
“When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matt 13:19-23 NIV)
Every promise God has given us is in seed form. Why?
Because the process is more important than the result!
How could we develop our wings of faith if all we needed to do to gratify our impatient desires was to order God around? What role would faith play in this picture?
The definition of faith is “being sure of what we hope for”! (“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Heb 11:1 NIV) In other words, we are sure of something that we have not yet received!
Faith is the means through which God’s Spirit will germinate that seed from God. The process will help us rely more on God than on ourselves, and it will help us develop a closer relationship with the Lover of our soul than ever before.
Beware, though. As seen in the parable of the sower, the evil one will try everything to hamper the growth of those seeds!
Truly the promise, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NIV) will come to fruition if we exercise our wings of faith!
God has not abandoned us! God is not ignoring us! The truth is that we have relied too much on our own efforts to fulfill the fruition of His seed. These can only be done by God and Him alone, in due time, as we learn to depend on Him and learn from Him!
One day you too will “soar on wings like eagles”, my friend. However be patient and enjoy the process to fruition. Discover how much God loves you, and resist the evil one , who is the only one, besides yourself, who can hamper the fulfillment of God’s promises.
“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isa 40:30-31 NIV)
Would you like to fly?
Don’t let the heavy winds of this world make you tumble to the ground, where you become easy prey. Stretch out your wings of faith and let God’s Spirit lift you up to Heaven. It’s the adventure of a lifetime!
Rob Chaffart
(To access the entire “Fearless Victory!” devotional series, please click here.)