Much of the body of an eagle consists of its feathers. It’s a bird that is very rich with beautiful feathers.
The scripture made an analogy of the Pharaoh of Egypt to an eagle with lots of feathers, as it was being approached by a vine (the tribe of Judah) for help. It says:
“But there was another great eagle with large wings and many feathers; And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, and stretched its branches toward him, From the garden terrace where it had been planted, that he might water it.”
Ezekiel 17:7 NKJV
Before this description by the Prophet Ezekiel, we can also see him making the same type of analogy in describing, the ascension of the Babylonians (Nebuchadnezzar) to power, as an eagle with large wings and long pinions:
“Say, thus says the Lord God: A great eagle [Nebuchadnezzar] with great wings and long pinions, rich in feathers of various colors, came to Lebanon [symbolic of Jerusalem] and took the top of the cedar [tree].”
Ezekiel 17:3 AMPC
The long pinion of this great eagle is a reference to the extent of the influence and power of the Babylonian Empire. The feathers with its richness suggested how powerful militarily and economically the Babylonians were.
As the eagle asserts a lot of influence among the birds and other animals in the wilderness, the Babylonians had been dispatched by the Lord God to assert her influence and power over the nations. Babylon was an instrument of God’s judgment on the wickedness of the nations.
There are different types of feathers on an eagle. The feathers are useful to the eagle for covering, just as much as we use clothing to cover ourselves. An eagle needs its feathers for warmth, for protection from the harsh weather. It uses them during flights in the air; and feathers are important to the eagle in controlling its body temperature.
It’s important for us to focus mainly on the flight feathers, which are located on the wings of an eagle. A flight feather is different from the tail feather, even though they may look alike to someone who is not familiar with them.
The reason why the focus is on the flight feather is because, it’s the feathers that are in use by the eagle for soaring in the air. The Prophet Isaiah had said:
“But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV
A Christian who is waiting on the Lord for the renewal of his or her strength, is being compared with an eagle, that is mounting up with wings by the Prophet Isaiah. The flight feathers make up most of the components on the wings of an eagle.
Oftentimes, when these feathers start falling down in the air as a result of harsh weathers; it creates a drag on the eagle, as it struggles to soar above the wind or the storm.
An eagle enjoys riding on winds. It is a bird that is never fearful of storms. When it sees a storm approaching, an eagle never hides or flee away from it. It will soar higher above the storm, so that the wind or the storm can carry it along.
That’s why it’s important for it to have healthy flight feathers on its wings. The flight feathers are very resourceful to an eagle, so as to be able to cut through the air without any drag on its body. The flight feathers are used for maneuvering in the air during its hunting for preys.
An eagle needs nothing to drag it
The shape of the feathers and ultimately the wings, affects the ability of an eagle to soar in the air. It affects its ability to be able to mount above the storm or any tornado.
The wings and the pinions are symbols of the authority, power and strength which an eagle asserts in the air. It doesn’t need anything to be causing a drag on it in flight. Otherwise, it will be made vulnerable to being injured if attacked by anything.
In the same manner we as Christians do not need anything in our lives, that can cause us to be sloppy or dragging in the use of the authority that we have in the name of Jesus. Any weight on your wings of the spirit has to be eliminated, so that you can become more effective in fulfilling the call of the Lord over your life.
You can’t be effective in your calling; until those unnecessary spiritual, mindset and bodily weights are completely out of your life. Diseased, infected or weak feathers are unnecessary weights to an eagle. And in the same manner unnecessary spiritual, mindset and bodily weights are hindrances to the calling of God over your life. They must get out of your life, if you want to be very effective in doing what God has called you to do.
The Lord God sees you as an eagle on the earth. And just as there is no limit to an eagle while soaring in the air, there should be no limit to you also in the use of the authority that you possess in the name of Jesus.
And because the shape of each feathers helps an eagle with the spread and the extent of its wings; that’s why the removal of the old ineffective feathers is important to it.
An eagle does not deliberately remove its feathers. It’s very hurtful for it to be doing that to itself. But there are certain feathers that may be outliving their usefulness on its body. They may be diseased, infected or just not being able to serve any useful purpose to the great bird. Then, such feathers are often allowed to fall away.
Be anointed for exploits like the eagle
There is the uropygial gland or oil which supplies nourishment to the feathers of an eagle. It flows from the tail end of an eagle, across the back to every part of its body. The gland is a special kind of oil that an eagle uses for nourishing its body. The uropygial oil or gland helps the feathers to stay healthy and colorful.
It’s just as a Spirit filled believer in Christ Jesus needs a regular infilling of the Holy Spirit, to protect the anointing over his or her life. If you are allowing the filthiness of this world, to affect the flow of the anointing over your life; you will be limited in your spiritual exploits against the enemy.
That’s why all that we do as the people of God has to be, as a result of the flow of the anointing from His presence. As the Psalmist said:
“ .. You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil; My cup overflows.”
Psalms 23:5b AMP
There is an overflow of the anointing of the Holy Spirit in our lives from the presence of the Lord, that causes His goodness to follow us everywhere we go as Christians. In the same manner an eagle relies on the refreshing from the uropygial gland, for its feathers to remain healthy and strong in the air.
The oil or gland that flows through the back of an eagle is a steady flow. An eagle doesn’t have to do anything for the oil to flow, in nourishing the feathers and the wings, so as to be able to do what it does.
It’s a spontaneous flow of oil that empowers the eagle to stay focused on its exploits. The oil affects every part of the eagle’s body, by giving it nourishment and warmth. It’s like the moisturizer for the eagle’s body.
The Psalmist said again about the anointing oil that flows through our lives, that:
“It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.”
Psalms 133:2 NKJV
The anointing oil always follows a steady cause of flow in our lives, as the oil in the back of an eagle flows naturally also. That’s why the eagle is able to mount up with renewed strength in the air. The flow of oil that nourishes the feathers on its wings, has to keep on flowing for it to continue doing what it does.
That’s why we must always recognize in all that we are doing as Christians, just as the Lord told Zerubbabel; that it’s “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit [of Whom the oil is a symbol], says the Lord of hosts.”
Zechariah 4:6b AMPC
Spiritual exploits for an “eagle Christian” are solely dependent on the flow of the anointing, from God’s presence into his or her life.
To do it in another way is to create a disaster in the life of a believer in Christ. Our God does all that He does in orderliness. Our reliance must always be on His ability from the inside of us. Our empowerment comes from His presence.
But oftentimes there is a limit to what the gland or oil can do for the protection of the feathers on the eagle. This is especially so during its preening season.
The preening season is the season when the feathers on the wings and other parts of the body of the eagle are aligned with one another. An eagle at this time will remove all the debris from its body. All the insects and lies that can cause diseases from its body has to be removed.
This moment is different from when it has to mount up to the mountain for the renewal of its strength. The preening season is a regular cleansing season for all birds, including the eagle.
During this season an eagle will often stretch its feathers, so as to shake off the unwanted excesses from its body. It removes every hindrance on the feathers and wings, which are making life uncomfortable for it.
It’s however when the uropygial gland fails to produce enough of the nourishment for the skin, that the feathers will begin to fall apart. It’s at this moment that an eagle knows that it’s time for the renewal of its strength.
It’s time for it to replenish the failing gland by engaging in lesser activities on the mountain top, while waiting and resting for the uropygial gland to become available again. This also is the moment for the renewal of its strength.
This is interesting, because an eagle knows that it’s going to take time for it to be able to get this done. That’s why it goes into seclusion, so as to protect itself from other predators in the wilderness.
Stay protected and anointed under His wings
Wings are symbolic of the covering for the glory of the Lord in our lives as the people of God. It’s symbolic also of our protection from the Lord.
As the Psalmist said again about the Lord God:
“He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”
Psalms 91:4 NKJV
A Christian is supposed to take refuge under the wings of the Lord God in the time of trouble. There is vulnerability to being attacked by the enemy, if he or she is to move away from under God’s protection.
Underneath the wings of the Most High God is the secret place, where the enemy can’t touch us:
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalms 91:1 NKJV
Our secret place of protection is under His wings. Moses depicted how the Lord God led Israel through the wilderness into the promised land, as an eagle leads its eaglets in the wilderness with its wings:
“He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, Carrying them on its wings,”
Deuteronomy 32:10-11 NKJV
In another place he told them:
“‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.”
Exodus 19:4 AMP
God’s protection is guaranteed for us as long as we are allowing Him to carry us. He guides us and protects us as an eagle does to its young ones.
David said in another place:
“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.”
Psalms 57:1 NKJV
David was basically alluding here to the presence of the Holy Spirit in his life to lead and guide him through the troubles of his life. His protection comes from the shadow of the wings of the Most High God.
New wings give better covering and protection for the eagle. It comes with renewed strength. That’s why new feathers must grow out from the places where the old ones had fallen from the body of an eagle.
In the same manner a Christian who is waiting before the Lord, needs to be prepared for greater responsibilities as well. Being skillful in the work of God’s Kingdom requires that, we get into harmony with the Spirit of the Lord.
We can’t be in harmony with Him if we are not practicing His presence, by praising and worship Him daily. The anointing that flows from His presence into our lives comes as we are worshiping Him, as a way of life.
Certain things may have to go away completely out of your life, especially the dead works and relationships that are not bearing any fruit to the glory of God, if we are to be bearing godly fruit to the glory of the Lord.
These are the things that may be preventing you from soaring higher in the Lord. Just because someone is a good Christian does not necessarily mean that, the person is in the purpose and perfect will of God for your life.
You need some new spiritual feathers that will enable you to soar higher, and not the old ones that are sapping the spiritual energy out of you.
Some Christians are not worth hanging around with at all, especially if they are not in tune with the call of the Lord over your life. If they are not in tune, they will eventually become a liability that are just there to hinder your productivity and growth in your calling.
You have to keep yourself in the love of God towards them, so that they don’t become a hindrance to your faith walk. Love them and pray for them always in the spirit.
As you keep yourself in the love of God towards them, without allowing them to spiritually drag you down from walking with the Lord; then you can easily:
“Enlarge the place of your tent and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.”
Isaiah 54:2-3 NKJV
Be ready to receive instructions and directions from the Lord. He will show you everything that you need to know, and how to get rid of those dead old feathers from your spiritual wings, so that you can be able to enlarge beyond your present reach. You will expand with new wings to the right and to the left in your spiritual flight.
Everywhere you stretch out into with your new spiritual wings, you will possess new territories for the Kingdom of God. Be prepared to soar higher in His presence and for greater exploits.
