Fresh Hope is available today. Receive it as we look to God who brings wind beneath our wings! The illustration we will look at for this idea is the eagle.
It is amazing to think that these birds have the ability to fly at a rate of over 100 mph. Eagles have the ability to see like no other bird. They can be flying at 10k feet and look through a thick Forrest in search for food seeing a rabbit or squirrel blink its eyes.
The eagle is designed in such a way it can fly high above altitudes that other birds could never experience, seeing things from a perspective they will never understand.
When storms come most animals hide under a rock. Not the eagle! It begins to soar upward where it last remembers seeing the sun until it rises above the storm. It is the only animal that can look directly into the sun.
The eagle can fly right into the powerful winds of the jet stream and those powerful winds become strength to the eagle’s flight as wind beneath the eagle’s wings.
The characteristics of the king should characterize our lives.
Deuteronomy 32:9-11 For the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. 10 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, 11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions.
You are designed by God to rise above any storm and see things from a different point of view. If you can see the invisible you can do the impossible.
Isaiah 40:31 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. NIV
The question is will you do what it takes to rise above the storm? It’s so easy to look like a leader when leadership is not needed. It is so easy to look courageous when courage is not required. It’s easy to have a faith when faith is not necessary to make it through the day.
Have you ever prayed asking God to do something great in your life? Then you pray asking God if he might have misunderstood your prayer because it seems all hell has broken loose?
We all want God to make us giant killers as long as we don’t have to face any giants. That’s not the way it works. Next week I’m going to show you a picture of a man’s jacket who lives in Pakistan. He’s winning Muslims to Christ at such an alarming rate that people are trying to kill him. In one instance he was shot at 24 times without being hit. He later found 4 bullet holes through the front and back of his jacket. I have a picture of his jacket I’ll show next week. Incredible story but can you imagine the life he lives?
So many people in Bible we celebrate and admire - were slaves. They were living under these oppressed systems whether it’s the Romans, Egyptians, Babylonians or Persians.
We live in the most free society the world has ever known yet so many of us act like we’re oppressed and overwhelmed all the time.
You may not realize it but when a difficult situation comes, God has actually been preparing you for your entire life to face that moment with wind beneath your wings.
Are you letting God develop a stronger sense of faith & strength or are you living in the pursuit of convenience? When winds begin to blow, we can soar higher and higher with wind beneath our wings.
We can learn to walk in God’s strength and anointing as a way of life if we practice his presence on a daily basis. Living by the spirit is learning to live from a deeper place of life. True life that comes from ancient wells that are within our reach as sons and daughters of God!
Verses we prayed at the beginning:
2 Corinthians 2:14 ...through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere. ESV
Psalm 112:6-8 (We) will not be overthrown by evil circumstances. God’s constant care of (us) will make a deep impression on all who see it. 7 (We will) not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For (we have) settled in our minds that Jehovah will take care of (us). 8 That is why (we are) not afraid but can calmly face (adversity). TLB
Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. ESV
2 Chronicles 7:14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. NKJV
1 Kings 8:58-60 May the Lord our God be with us..(and)..incline our hearts to Him...that all the peoples of the earth may know the Lord. NKJV
We bring GP2RL action point:
Purpose this week to press into God’s presence in prayer and reading your Bible.
DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERS
Click here for a downloadable PDF file of this guide
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: We have entered into unprecedented days for the church. God is not taken off guard so we must be intentional about moving from being on our heels to being on our toes. Our mission hasn’t changed. Love is our agenda and making disciples is our focus. God is speaking to His sons and daughters and it is important that we all take the time to hear his voice.
We’ve been starting our groups with the first and primary question that we want to continue even more specifically during this season:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
The characteristics of the king should characterize our lives. The Bible curiously uses the eagle to describe God and us.
Deut 32:9-11 For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. 10 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, 11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions.
Isaiah 40:31 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. NIV
When storms come most animals hide under a rock. Not the eagle! It begins to soar upward where it last remembers seeing the sun until it rises above the storm.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
2. What are common challenges that can keep us from rising above when storms do come?
The question is will you do what it takes to rise above the storm? It’s so easy to look like a leader when leadership is not needed. It is so easy to look courageous when courage is not required. It’s easy to have a faith when faith is not necessary to make it through the day. We all want God to make us giant killers as long as we don’t have to face any giants.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
3. What is the difference between growing and developing faith and strength as opposed to living in the
pursuit of convenience?
We can learn to walk in God’s strength and anointing as a way of life if we practice his presence on a daily basis. Living by the spirit is learning to live from a deeper place of life. True life that comes from ancient wells that are within our reach as sons and daughters of God!
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose this week to press into God’s presence in prayer and reading your Bible.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. Conclude by asking each person to share how they plan to seek God this week and what an atmosphere
of worship in their home looks like.