“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I [Jesus] will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: For it was founded upon a rock” (Matt. 7:24-25).
If you’ve ever studied about eagles, you know that these magnificent birds build their nests high upon mountaintops in the cleft of a rock, thousands of feet above the valley floor. The eagle’s nest is unique because it is built with logs and branches—some of them weighing as much as the eagle itself!
After the eagle secures its nest with large branches, it uses smaller branches, twigs, and soft down feathers to pad the nest. An eagle’s nest is built to last and can withstand high winds of more than 100 m.p.h.
We need to take a lesson from the eagle and build our spiritual dwelling place high within the cleft of a rock! That Rock is the Lord Jesus Christ and His eternal Word. When our lives are built on the firm foundation of the Rock of Ages, we will be strong and secure in every test and trial of life.
In fact, if you are going to fulfill what God wants for your life, you must build on the foundation of His Word. Your life will not make sense until you build your life on Jesus Christ, the Rock.
Protected by His sheltering arms, Jesus will keep you safe from the storms of life. A relationship with Jesus is stronger than any eagle’s nest—it is a dwelling place for eternity! When you are dwelling safe and secure with Jesus, the winds and storms of this life will not be able to shake your strong foundation.
In the very midst of the storm, the eagle snuggles down into its nest, safe from harm, because that nest was built properly. When you base your life on God’s Word, you can snuggle down safe and secure in your spiritual dwelling place in Christ. And you can withstand any test or trial because your life is built upon the rock of the Word.
The devil can howl all he wants to, but the circumstances and storms of life cannot defeat you! Peace and strength come from dwelling in the shelter of God’s Word. You need not tremble and shake in life’s storms when your life is built securely on God’s Word.
You see, some Christians do not take time to build their lives properly founded on the Word. When the enemy hits them with a trial, they try to construct a secure dwelling place in the midst of the storm.
But laying a firm foundation in the midst of a storm is no fun! When the enemy comes against you, you don’t have time to get involved in a construction project!
So build your foundation strong and secure on the Word in the first place. Learn a valuable lesson from the eagle and build your foundation upon the sure rock—the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word!
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
Rev. Hagin began preparing for his call to ministry—a ministry that now spans 50 years—at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. He graduated from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Faith Theological Seminary in Tampa, Florida.
In his early years of ministry, Rev. Hagin was an associate pastor and traveling evangelist. Later, he went on to organize and develop RHEMA Bible Training Centers in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and in other countries around the world.
Kenneth W. Hagin’s array of responsibilities also includes International Director of RHEMA Ministerial Association International. He hosts the annual A Call to Arms® Men’s Conference, and with his wife, Lynette, cohosts RHEMA Praise, a weekly television program, and Rhema for Today, a weekday radio program broadcast throughout the United States. They also conduct Living Faith Crusades, spreading the message of faith and healing around the world.
Recognizing the lateness of the hour before the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Rev. Hagin has expanded his speaking schedule beyond his regular pastoral duties. To fulfill the urgent call of God to prepare the Church for a deeper experience of His Presence, Rev. Hagin delivers messages that reveal key spiritual truths about faith, healing, and other vital subjects. He ministers with a strong healing anointing, and his ministry leads the Body of Christ into a greater experience of the glory of God!
Kenneth W. Hagin and his wife live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the son of the late Kenneth E. Hagin.
