My mind can hardly fathom what these people are doing. Yet, they know something. Their experience, craft knowledge, science and fearless pursuit has allowed them to do something beyond our imagination; fly like birds. Well almost. But close enough. They are definitely soaring.
What our minds cannot conceive of they have a level of trust and total assurance in. A level of trust that allows them to jump from the plane and soar. What is holding up this fearlessness?
TRUST
Trust in the science of flying and the parachute on their backs. One of my best friends is a test pilot. He took me flying. Yea. That is how I would describe it. He wanted to show me a whole bunch more stuff. He said something like, "Hey do you want to try this?.... My inner response, which I know he saw written on my face, was fear. Where he knew the science I had no knowledge. He understood all the capabilities of the plane. The tolerances it could bear up under. He had a hundred things going through his mind that he had done many times before as he prepared to take me on the journey. But I said something, or nothing and mumbled my inner confusion. He is a test pilot. He lives on the edge of flying, testing the limits. I fly in jet liners where the only thing most of us worry about is the landing. I fly by science also. But my perceived level of risk is low compared to my test pilot friend. I take my family on big jet airplanes. That is a high level of trust in the plane, in the science of flying. But I am not afraid in that environment.
His joy was limited by my lack of tolerance for his level of RISK. Which in his understanding was no risk at all. He knew the science. It could be trusted. Elemental laws of flight, the engineered capacity of the design and the calculated levels of risk are coupled with day after day of flying, testing and knowing that flying is basic science. TRUST is elemental science when it comes to the things of the Holy Spirit.
When people start flying in the realms of the Kingdom many of us feel the inner mumblings start. When the jet liner ride we are used to starts diverting from the common course we find the boarders of our spiritual science. Yes, spiritual science. The science that allows me to fly with my family on a jet liner. Our knowledge of the Holy Spirit and our capacity for flying grows with our trust in the science of flying.
We identify certain people as "Crazy" for flying the way they do. Their knowledge of the Spirit and freedom to fly as test pilots shows us our own level of trust and knowledge. They appear reckless. We appear reckless on the jet liner to people who have never seen a plane.
Example 1. See the guy in the picture above. We could perceive his smile as crazy, but he looks more happy to me. Like he is soaring in realms we just aren't aware of. He is in a wing suit above the clouds. Whoa. He is trusting the science of the suit, the atmosphere, the knowledge of flying, his experience. He is having another amazing experience. Now above the clouds in a wing suit. We would likely die if we just strapped on a suit and jumped from the plane today. Learning the ways of the Holy Spirit is learning to jump from different heights. Science, experience, skill, knowledge, and trust all combine to soar above the clouds.
The science of the Spirit is discovered in the Scripture and in the vast oceans of the heart of the Father.
I love this promise.
"I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth,
for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to your the things that are to come.
He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you." John 16:12-14
Flight school and the science of the Spirit keep expanding on the journey.
When the activity of the Holy Spirit moves past the jetliner ride we have always known, trusted and relied on......
1. Understand, we can't fly in confusion. That is a dangerous proposition. TRUST is the fundamental element of flying from the heart. Get into the Word combined with the Lord's presence and let the Spirit lead you to a new mindset. A butterfly transformation. And then do some test flying. The Spirit is always looking for hearts that are willing to soar. Understand where you are and the level of understanding you have of the Holy Spirit, his work and ways. Refrain from calling the wing suit people crazy except to affirm they are soaring for the sake of love. Also, understand that risk is fundamental to moving forward in relationships...well in life overall. We are in a relationship with the Trinity. If the Holy Spirit freaks you out then possibly your understanding of the Father and the Lord Jesus need some new science. Get the science down for the level of flying you are experiencing and called to. But that is not all you need.
2. Truth - the science of Jesus, who he is, what he is like, what he does, how he does it, is the Truth. The Spirit is Jesus. Jesus is the Spirit. Jesus knows everything there is to know about all things. He is creator. The word says the Spirit will glorify Jesus and bring us the Father's heart. Jesus said, "I am the truth". The truth is the Holy Spirit can be trusted as we trust the Lord Jesus. Recognize, our mode of flying may need some deeper science. Ephesians 1;17-19 "having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know the hope to which he has called you..."
3. Rest - Isa 30:15
"This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." Resting in trust and the peace of the Spirit is an inward reality. Our flesh is not very comfortable with flying in the Holy Spirit. Learning to rest is fundamental to learning to fly high. The heart is called to a place where fear is banished, trust is fundamental and love through the Spirit discerns the level of risk involved in the course of flight.
Discernment needs a little science added these days. We have translated rest as a complete doctrinal package that explains away all of our need for trust and relationship. It seems the goal is to eliminate every opportunity for trust with a rock solid clearly informed set of secondary truths derived from the Word. Jesus is the TRUTH. Rest in that, inform your flying with the Scriptures and the Spirit. Test your flight capabilities with the level of rest in your heart.
4. Understanding -
Mat 16:9
Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketful s you gathered?
The apostles did not understand. They flew with Jesus wherever he went and often found themselves wondering what was going on. They mumbled together on occasion. They mumbled at him. They were encountering the wealth and riches of the Father's heart on a daily basis in the presence of the King of the Kingdom. Their mindsets were not compatible with flying in the new atmosphere and science of the Kingdom coming. Sometimes God tests the heart through the possibility of offending the mind. The Scripture tells us what comes first. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart...." (Mark 12:30)
What kept them following, ie...flying, when they did not understand?
TRUST. Child like trust. Trust in the person. They saw Jesus with both the eyes of the heart and their natural eyes and in seeing him they knew that "everything was being made new". The apostles sought to bring forward the revelation of trust in the person Jesus. (I John 1:1-4). Trust from the heart in the Lord Jesus, his character and knowledge of his ways will free you to fly with the Spirit.
Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
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“See, I will make you into a
threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the
mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff.
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Understanding is linked to wisdom. Wisdom is...
the quality of understanding life from the riches and depths of knowing the Father, seeing in the Son and walking with the Spirit as he glorifies Jesus and says and does only what Jesus says and does.
5. Security - Yes security. The heart needs to know that it is secure in HIM. Confidence is the natural posture of those that follow and walk with Jesus through the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Phl 1:6
Phl 1:6
"...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Hbr 3:6
But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.
6. Triumph - Overcome Who is going to fly in the wing suit with the Spirit in the promises and trust in the person of the Lord Jesus? Yes. We are. Because we live in first love trust from the heart. We know the science required for the flight in season will be provided. We know that the heart needs to run free. The science will come through the Spirit's leading and training. Jesus knows how to disciple us.
Luk 10:19
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Jhn 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
In other words. Trust the way you are coming to see Jesus through the Scripture as informed by the Spirit. In the real time world listen to the Holy Spirit and learn the next level of flight on your journey. It should do some things....
- Draw you closer to Jesus and all those he loves
- Increase your understanding of the Lord in heart and mind
- Build up your relationship with Jesus through experiencing his love in flight
- Decimate your fear
- Call you to new righteousness by washing away your sin and freeing you from bondage
- Cleanse your conscience
- Open the eyes of your heart
- Enlighten you in wisdom and understanding
- Call you into a flight of faith, risk, love and freedom
- Cause you to fly where you did not think you could
Don't send the Lord away because you don't understand the science of flying.
Luk 8:37
Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
Slow down. Take stock. Rest in the presence of the Lord. Listen as his beloved. Restore things to wise order.
Everything about heaven leads us to LOVE. Love remains forever. God is love.
Rest in the assurance of love. Abide there. AND fly with the Spirit like the wing suit people.
With love in the Lord,
Fly. Do some soaring. It is amazing.
Jeff Reynolds
Does this article hit home in any way?
Send me your comments. Forward and share this with friends if it is helpful.
www.mycapstone.org
jreynolds@mycapstone.org
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