Spiritual Eagles and Devilish Serpents
Text: Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 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.”
Text: Luke 10:19 (NIV)
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
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Throughout the Bible, animals and insects are used as prophetic symbols to illustrate spiritual realities. The Hebrews were masters of metaphor, symbol, and allusion. We penetrate deeper realities of the Word by moving beyond a surface-level reading of the text, into an understanding empowered by a Hebraic worldview and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:6).
Eagles are majestic creatures, kings of the sky who hold a place near the top of the food chain. They roost in the high places, far from the ground, and possess incredibly keen eyesight. Eagles soar by effortlessly relying on the currents of the wind. They bare their chests when they fly, hiding nothing from those who look on from below. This vulnerability is essential for their ability to ride the wind. Their precision, ferocity, and power make them respected among animals and humans alike.
Serpents slither on the ground, unable to see anything other than what is directly in front of them. Bound to the earth, their perspective remains limited. They gather and process information primarily through their senses. They rely on clever cunning and deception to trap and allure prey.
Spiritual eagles are individuals who soar on the wind of the Holy Spirit. Their total submission to the Lord in mind, body, and spirit enables them to reach great spiritual heights. They are people of vision - experiencing life not from earth’s perspective, but from heaven’s. Spiritual eagles discern what God is doing in the past, present, and future. They do not rely on their own understanding, their own senses, or their own wisdom in the journey through life. Their entire sustenance is Jesus Christ alone. Their spiritual power is a natural overflow of a life lived in obedience and surrender.
The accuser and adversary, satan, is likened to a serpent throughout the entire Bible. Understanding this metaphoric portrayal is key for spiritual victory in this life. We have given given everything we need for total victory in Christ. Jesus has made it very clear that the enemy no longer holds any objective power over mankind (Matthew 28:18; Colossians 2:10). The serpent only holds as much power as we choose to hand him. Understanding the source of the enemy’s power disarms him. A life empowered by the Spirit and awareness of our identity in Christ disempowers the devil.
Serpents are also a prophetic symbol for ideas, understandings, and ways of life that contradict the living Word of God, which empowers us to live life to the fullest, in every area (John 10:10). Serpents are lies that rob us of the fullness of our identity in Christ. We overcome these serpents by renewing our mind with the Holy Spirit. The empowerment of the Spirit allows us to “take off,” drawn up into to a higher way of thinking and being. We become spiritual birds of the air, soaring through life, raptured by the Breath of God.
An unbelieving person, who lives a life solely reliant on his or her own understanding, remains susceptible to the power of the enemy. The proud and self-reliant remain hard in heart and darkened in their understanding (Ephesians 4:18). Without the illumination and guidance of the Holy Spirit, they rely on pure cravings to determine the course of their lives. Their darkened thinking patterns, dictated by the idols of their hearts, determine their words, actions, and existence. They are spiritual serpents, under the power of their father, the devil (Matthew 12:34; John 8:44). They have forfeited the way of life, rejecting the empowerment of the Living God and the riches of His glorious inheritance.
God has given us our senses so that we may experience life to the fullest (Psalm 16:11). His intention is for us to experience life as He does, in every possible way. Through Jesus, He has gifted us with the ability to experience the world as He does. This comes through partnership with the Holy Spirit. We are not called to abandon or mistrust our senses and feelings, but to continually submit them to the Lord so He can renew our minds (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:5). A mind made new through the Spirit brings us into the richest possible experience of life on earth (Galatians 5:22-26). The Holy Spirit supercharges all of our senses.
In Luke 10, Jesus tells His disciples, “I have given you the power to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” Jesus’ disciples not only had power over evil spirits, but had become immune to the attacks of the enemy. How? Through the power and reliance on His indwelling presence. It is impossible to fail when we submit every thought and idea we have to Jesus. Perpetual spiritual victory is a gift flowing from the mind of Christ, which we have been given through the Holy Spirit.
Serpents cannot be where eagles are. Eagles are immune to the attacks and tricks of serpents. Spiritual eagles operate in much the same way. Their reliance on the Holy Spirit, the empowering presence of God, has made them immune to lies. Their unity with the risen Jesus has disarmed any possible foothold for the enemy (John 14:30). If we align our thoughts to this reality, we will experience true freedom of the mind.
Humanity is no longer locked in a battle between good and evil. The Cross was the total victory over sin, death, and evil (Colossians 2:15). It is now a matter of humanity waking up to the reality of what Jesus accomplished on the Cross. Believers must step into their call to soar like spiritual eagles on the winds of the Spirit. Keep hoping in the Jesus, the Great Eagle, allowing His indwelling presence to renew your mind. He is preparing you to soar.
