Blessed Mary

Blessed Mary

          “Blessed art thou among women” is God’s statement about Mary the mother of Jesus.  Because of all the false teachings being taught about Mary, many pulpits have become silent about her.  The word “blessed” is not intended to bring worship to Mary.  The word “blessed” simply reveals the high favor of God upon her life in that she was chosen to be the mother of the Messiah, not the Mother of God.  God has no beginning or ending.  Mary simply contributed the humanity to the theanthropic union existing in the Person of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is both perfect God and perfect man.  Although Mary should not be worshiped, she must have been a remarkable young lady.

“²⁶ And in the sixth month {Hebrew calendar month Elul: sometime in August/September; if this was the time of conception, Jesus would have been born nine months later in April/May closer to time of Passover} the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, ²⁷ To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. ²⁹ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. ³⁰ And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. ³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. ³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: ³³ And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. ³⁴ Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? ³⁵ And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. ³⁶ And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. ³⁷ For with God nothing shall be impossible. ³⁸ And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her” (Luke 1:26-38).

           Obviously, Mary’s family was a godly family (but without Halos, which is pagan in origin).  Her older cousin Elisabeth was also chosen of God to give birth to the first prophet in over four hundred years (Luke 1:36, John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of Christ).  Why did the Lord choose Mary?  Was she some type of super-saint who lived a life of sinless perfection?  No, she was just a fine young lady who loved the Lord with great commitment and dedication.  We know this is true from the text we have just read (Luke 1:38).  Mary is a tremendous example of what God can do with any young lady completely dedicated to DOING the will of God.

           According to Luke 1:26, Mary lived in the village of Nazareth and was espoused to a carpenter by the name of Joseph.  Nazareth was an unremarkable city in the history of Israel.  The Scriptures (and much of history) were silent about Nazareth.  Even after Jesus began His ministry, the city of Nazareth was hardened in their hearts to who Jesus is.  Most of its citizens rejected Jesus as their Messiah.

“¹⁶ And he {Jesus} came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. ¹⁷ And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, ¹⁸ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, ¹⁹ To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. . . ²⁸ And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath {they understood that Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah to which Isaiah spoke}, ²⁹ And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. ³⁰ But he passing through the midst of them went his way” {we are not told how this was accomplished, but to consider that Jesus passed through a mob of men who were intent upon killing Him untouched as not miraculous is foolishness} (Luke 4:16-19 and 28-30).

           The fact that Mary was not yet fully married, tells us she was probably a very young girl between thirteen and fifteen years old.  Although she was a teenager, by today’s standards, her daily routine would have involved all the things of an adult woman in that her culture viewed her as an adult at that age.  She would have spent her days surviving by carrying water, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of household chores and small children.  She would have worked from sun-up to sun-down. 

           Like any other young lady about to be married, she probably thought about her pending marriage and her future with her new husband.  She thought about living in her own home and having her own children.  In the middle of all Mary’s plans, an angel of God appears (Luke 1:26-28). 

           Mary’s life was going to have a major interruption in her plans for the future.  This is always what happens to a life when God calls a person to His service.  Her plans were going to have to be set aside.  Her life was going to change drastically.  That is often the case when God calls someone to be used for special ministries (like pastors, missionaries, evangelists, or believer-priests).  Although she had plans for her life, God had other plans (since God does not force His will on anyone, He would give her the choice, Luke 1:38).

           Mary would become the one woman (out of the thousands of thousands of women before her) who would be the one to bear and birth the Messiah (Luke 1:30-33).  Did this make Mary the Mother of God?  No, God is eternal and without beginning or end.  Mary was one of God’s created beings.  She cannot be the mother of her own Creator.

           Mary is called the mother of Jesus in the Bible.  Never is she called the Mother of God.  She would be the means through which the eternal Son of God would step out of the glory of eternity and into time and humanity of a fallen Creation.  The genetic humanity of Jesus came through Mary (the sin nature is passed seminally through man, Romans 5:12; Jesus had no earthly father).  Jesus has a beginning in history at His conception.  Before that He eternally existed as the Son of God.  Jesus became His Name in His union with mankind through birth.

“¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² The same was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3).

“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” (John 17:5).

“¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: ¹⁶ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: ¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:15-17).

           There are some people who teach that Mary (like Jesus) was immaculately conceived and that she (also like Jesus) was born without a sin nature.  If Mary was immaculately conceived that would mean she would be God’s daughter, with no earthly father.  Scripture tells us this was not so.  This is due to a misunderstanding of two verses of Scripture; Matthew 1:16 and Luke 3:23.

“And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16).

“And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,” (Luke 3:23).

           In Matthew 1:16, the father of Joseph is listed as “Jacob.”  In Luke 3:23, Joseph’s father is listed as “Heli.”  Did Joseph have two fathers?  No, the genealogy of the Gospel of Luke is Mary’s.  As was the custom, Joseph is stated as the head of the household.  Joseph became the son (in-law) of Heli by marrying Mary.  Heli was Mary’s father.  Thereby, Heli retains his genetic heritage through the descendants of Joseph and his daughter Mary.  This is important because Mary’s lineage goes back to king David.

           If Mary was immaculately conceived and sinless, she would not have needed a Savior.  Yet she acknowledges that God was her Savior.

“And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:47).

           Was Mary a perpetual virgin as some people teach?  No, the Bible does not teach that.  In fact, it teaches that she was not.

“²⁴ Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: ²⁵ And knew her not till {assumes a later time when he did} she had brought forth her firstborn son {assumes a second-born}: and he called his name JESUS” (Matthew 1:24-25).

           Jesus had half-brothers and half-sisters, because He shared the same mother with them.

“² Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. ³ His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. ⁴ For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. ⁵ For neither did his brethren believe in him” (John 7:2-5).

           The Greek word used for “brethren” is adelphos (ad-el-fos’).  The meaning is from the same womb.  Although this word can be used for brethren nationally or brothers and sisters in Christ, the statement of John 7:5 clearly states these “brethren” were unbelievers at this point in time.  Matthew 12:46-50 also gives addition clarification to the meaning. 

“⁴⁶ While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. ⁴⁷ Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. ⁴⁸ But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? ⁴⁹ And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! ⁵⁰ For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:46-50).

           Jesus had four half-brothers and at least two half-sisters.

“¹ And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. ² And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? ³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him” (Mark 6:1-3).

           Is Mary another Mediator between man and God as some people teach?  No, Jesus is the only Mediator between God and man.  Yet Roman Catholicism, contrary to the clear testimony of Scripture, teaches the Mediatrix and Coredemptrix of Mary

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5).

           Nowhere in Scripture is anyone told to pray to Mary.  In fact, we are not even told to pray to Jesus.  We are told to pray to the Father through the Son (our Mediator and High Priest, Who provides access to the ‘throne of grace’ by His once for all forever sacrifice of Himself).

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9).

“For through him {Jesus, our Mediator and High Priest} we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18).

           Just because of all these false beliefs about Mary exist, that does not mean she ought to be an embarrassment to Bible believing churches.  She is a remarkable example of dedication and discipleship.  The mother of Jesus gave up the life she had planned for herself to be a servant of God with almost everyone questioning her integrity all of her life.  

           After hearing this announcement by the angel Gabriel and understanding the ramifications of this pregnancy, Mary still consented to God’s will for her life.  That means she consented to the will of God knowing that she would face the possibility of losing her espoused husband and the life she had planned.  That means she consented knowing that she might face public humility, shame, ridicule, and possibly death by stoning for being pregnant before she got married.

           Yet in the face of all this she says, “be it unto me according to thy word.”  God would give the world Jesus, through the virgin Mary, to one day die on the Cross to pay the death penalty for the sins of mankind.  That is God’s supreme example of giving to mankind.

           Mary is the example of the sacrificial presentation of our bodies as a ‘living sacrifice.”  Mary gave herself to the Lord’s will so all that did happen could happen.  That is a supreme example of mankind’s giving to God.  That is the kind of giving that should be the testimony of every Christian’s life.  Have you given your life to Jesus in that way?  

           Can you honestly say with Mary, “be it unto me according to thy word.”  That is a decision and one God wants every Christian to make.  Have you consented to God’s will being done in your life?  Give your life to the Lord this season.

           Just tell the Lord, “whatever You want me to do, I will do it.”  If You want me to be a preacher, I will try to be the best one I can be.  If You want me to serve You in some foreign land as a missionary, I will.  If You want me to serve You in my local church, I will serve You with all my body, mind, and will.  I will try to be the best Sunday school teacher, soul winner, King’s Kids leader, deacon, and/or piano player that I can be.  Lord, I will no more give you second best.  Here is my life Lord.  I give it to you to use twenty-four hours a day.” 

           When you present your life to the Lord as a “living sacrifice,” there are no areas of that life that do not belong to Him.  Your life, and every moment of it, is a living sacrifice dedicated to doing the will of God.  This is how servants think.  The Christian that repents (turns from) sin, must turn to become an obedient servant or only half of repentance of accomplished.  That is what Paul pleads with every Christian to do. 

“¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

           Romans 12:1-2 is not for a special elitist group of spiritual super-saints.  This is God’s expectation of ALL believers.  Is your life a living sacrifice to serve the Living God?  That kind of life is defined as “service” (Romans 12:1).  That is defined as separation from the world and unto God (Romans 12:2).  Presenting yourself a living sacrifice to God may cost you your plans for the future, but it will bring you into God’s plan for the future. 

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Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
 He has served the Lord for over 50 years.

ATTITUDES FOR REVIVAL

Why We are Failing the Great Commission

Chapter Twenty-eight

ATTITUDES FOR REVIVAL

Scenario: two children of the same age are caught doing something completely wrong.  One of these children was raised in a Christian household where he was taught the Word of God and was a believer clearly understanding the boundaries between right and wrong.  The other child grew up in a moral vacuum absent of any moral ethic having never taught the child what was right and what was wrong.  From which of those two children would you expect righteousness and whose failure was the most heinous?  This scenario is to what Peter speaks in I Peter 4:17; “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”  God expects MORE from His children than He does from the lost and ignorant children of the world.  THIS IS NORMAL!

Revival is the supernatural working (blessing) of God upon and through the life of a consecrated and sanctified believer-priest who seeks to do the will of God as revealed by the Word of God with the passion and love of Christ intent upon solely glorifying God. 

           The portion of Scripture called the Sermon on The Mount is probably the single portion of Scripture that best establishes the New Testament theology of revival and the criteria necessary for any real revival to ever take place.  Revival is quenched by BAD ATTITUDES and activated through repentance.

Many local churches have experienced revival at various times in their history to varying degrees.  Oftentimes revival on smaller scales is not even recognized as revival, but the reality is that any act of God’s blessing on a life is to some degree revival.  Revival is God’s life (the Shekinah; glory) shining out of the darkness of sin and corruption through a believer’s life.  Every sunrise reminds us of the way things ought to be!  The longer that light shines, the more evident is the revival.  If this statement is true, then Christ’s statement in Matthew 5:16 is a command for revival in the lives of all believers. 

           Our theology of revival (what we believe God’s Word teaches about the matter) will determine how we seek revival and how we interpret the events surrounding revival.  We could spend much time discussing inaccurate theology regarding revival and therefore the misinterpretation of those times when revival was evident on large scales or we can simply try to establish a Biblical theology regarding revival and re-interpret those times of revival according to that theology.  I choose to do the latter.  I do not argue with the historical fact of those times of revival.  However, I do disagree with the establishment of a theology of revival based upon the interpretation of the events of revival.  The opposite should be true.  We should establish a theology of revival and then interpret the events of revival from that theology.

The Lord uses the word “blessed” nine times in Matthew 5:1-12.  Therefore, we must conclude its meaning to be very significant to the purpose of His teaching.  It is from the Greek word makarios (mak-ar'-ee-os).  The simplest dictionary definition would be happy or joyful, but that does not give the whole meaning behind the word.  The real emphasis is not on the joy as much as it is on the source of that joy.  The joy is the result of the supernatural working of God in one’s life because a person has become what God wants him to become.  Being blessed is the result of being right with God.  Being right with God results in doing what God says to do and God supernaturally working through that doing.  

Theologically, blessedness is a state of existence within the realm of God’s “working all things together for good” (Romans 8:28).  The nine uses of “blessed” in Matthew 5:1-12 define the conditions necessary for a believer to enter into God’s realm of blessedness and are the details of what God means by the qualifier of “all things work together for good to them that love God” in Romans 8:28.  The nine uses of “blessed” define what loving God means.  The first step towards revival is when believers get their hearts right with God.  Getting our hearts right with God is what the nine “blessed” of Matthew 5:1-16 are about.  Revival ALWAYS begins with repentance in the mind and heart and then moves to the feet. 

“¹ And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him {inner circle truth for ‘born again’ believers only}: ² And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, ³ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. ¹³ {now begins the outcomes of being ‘salt’ and ‘light’ because a ‘born again’ believer maintains these attitudes of repentance} Ye are {present indicative; a fact of your present state of existence in the realm of blessedness} the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour {the distinctions necessary to blessedness} , wherewith shall it {‘the earth’} be salted? it {the ‘salt’} is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. ¹⁴ Ye are {present indicative; a fact of your present state of existence in the realm of blessedness} the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light {the distinctions necessary to blessedness} so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:1-16).

           The first essential to a theology of revival is to differentiate between the blessings upon the children of Israel in the Old Testament (Mosaic Covenant) and what happens in the New Testament (the New Covenant; a dispensational hermeneutic).  On the Day of Pentecost, a new dispensation began with a New Covenant governance.  The Day of Pentecost came fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  On that day, God’s Spirit came into the world in a unique way.  This is a critical truth to a New Testament theology of revival and blessedness.  All the covenants that God makes are made with believers.  They are always sanctificational in nature and define conditions necessary for believers to be blessed of God and live in “fellowship” with God. 

           Salvation brings the sinner into the potential for blessedness from God but does not automatically give those blessing to the believer.  This is a major difference between the gift of eternal life in salvation and that eternal life issuing from the saved believer’s body through the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit.  Practical sanctification is essential to blessedness from God.  Each of the nine uses of “blessed” in Matthew 5:1-11 define attitudes (be-attitudes that lead to actions) necessary to practical sanctification.  

           In the Old Testament, the Shekinah glory of God descended upon the Tabernacle to give a visible evidence of God’s presence to the children of Israel.  However, before the Shekinah glory of God descended on the Tabernacle, every other item of service of the tabernacle had to be put in order (Exodus 40:1-38).  All those various elements that made up the whole of the Tabernacle complex were essential elements for the children of Israel to live in fellowship with their Redeemer and to have His blessing upon them.  Although each aspect of the Tabernacle was only typical of a spiritual reality, each was an essential element for maintaining fellowship with God.  This is the substance of the Sermon on the Mount!

           Living in fellowship with God, the “blessing” aspect of the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant beatitudes, is the essential and common truth to both New Testament revival and Old Testament revival.  The difference between how that fellowship is achieved and maintained in these two different periods of history (dispensations) is fundamentally different.  It is evident that maintaining fellowship with God in the Old Testament was very complex.  On the Day of Pentecost all of that changed.  A new dispensation of grace began.  The Shekinah glory of God descended upon the Tabernacle of God just as in the Old Testament, but that Tabernacle was now the body of a believer individually and corporately (the “body of Christ”).

           We sometimes hear this new doctrine of the Spirit without really taking into consideration the overwhelming and broad ramifications of the responsibilities it relates to the believer.  Let me try to illustrate it for you. 

“¹ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ² And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. ³ And God said, Let there be . . . : and there was. . .” (Genesis 1:1-3).

           When the Word of God says He “created,” it means He brought something into existence that did not exist before and He made it out of nothing.  It is said that a group of scientists one day came before God and told Him that they were so advanced in their knowledge that they did not need Him any longer.  So, God told them to show Him their progress.  They proposed a contest to God.  They and God would each create a man.  The best one would win the contest.  God agreed and the scientist reached down and grabbed a handful of dirt to create his man to which God immediately said, “Oh no, you need to get your own dirt.” 

           When God created the heaven and the earth, it required power beyond human comprehension, let alone ability.  In the creation, God simply released some of What He is to generate His thoughts into a physical reality.  Something was not created from nothing.  Something was created from the will of the power of God.  

           When God’s glory descended upon the Old Testament Tabernacle, that visible reality was evidence to God’s redeemed that the power of God was present with them.  That power of God was and is the Person of the Holy Spirit.  That power of God made evident in the Shekinah glory was the same power of God that spoke the heaven and earth into existence.  

On the Day of Pentecost, it was that same Shekinah glory that descended upon all believers indwelling them and immersing them into the spiritual living temple of “lively stones” to which the Bible refers as the “body” of Christ making each of believer part of the New Creation “in Christ.”  SELAH

           Stop right there for a moment and think about that truth.  The dispensation of grace (enabling power) centers on the reality of the indwelling presence of the infinite power of God in the body of every believer.  The power of God is the Person of the Holy Spirit that spoke the heavens and earth into existence now resides in the body of every person who has been “born again” of the Spirit of God (regenerated).  That means, if you have been saved, you are part of the New Creation “in Christ” and the Shekinah glory of God lives in you.

           The simplicity of New Testament revival is that when your life is lived in fellowship with God, beginning with the nine be-attitudes, the Shekinah glory will begin to shine through you.  Deciding to generate the nine be-attitudes is where the command to “let your light so shine before men” BEGINS.  That is what Christ means in Matthew 5:16 when He says, “Let your light so shine before men. . .”  We shine when our lives are right with God (Matthew 5:3-12) and the indwelling presence of the Shekinah glory of God in the Person of the Holy Spirit reveals Himself in the “fruit of the Spirit” through our lives (Galatians 5:22-23).

           It seems apparent that early Christians understood the singular importance of living in habitual fellowship with God.  The importance of living in habitual fellowship with God is communicated in John chapter fifteen by the word “abide” and it is directly connected to the blessing of God upon the production of “fruit” through the believer’s life.  All historical revival is marked by a return to holiness, prayer dependency on God, and a right relationship with God.  This always resulted in many people coming to trust in Christ.  Anytime people start getting saved, revival is happening at some level in a person’s life.

           Anytime people get saved it is the result of revival in a believer’s life.  A person getting saved is the “fruit” of revival and should not be confused with the act of revival.  Revival is when a person brings his mind, his heart, and his very soul into harmony with God and His Word (the nine be-attitudes).  The focus of revival must be on a right relationship with God beginning with a complete change of attitudes about God and sin.  The right relationship with God is the focus of the change of attitudes (repentance), not the “fruit.” 

Three realities must exist in a believer’s life before revival can happen.

1. The believer must know the truth.  God’s truth reveals what sin is.  God truth reveals how God wants us to live.  We cannot do what is right until we know what is right.  God’s purpose in teaching us truth is to restore the image of Him distorted by the fall so that we might once again have proper worship of Him (doxologically) and a relationship with Him in holiness (deontologically).

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).

“¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (II Timothy 3:16-17).

2. The believer must translate known truth into doing (obedience from the heart, James 1:22-25).  No matter how much truth you know, unless you put flesh on that truth by doing it, nothing is accomplished through that truth.  No one will ever get saved by you knowing the Gospel.  People get saved by hearing and heeding the teaching and preaching of the Gospel.

“²² But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. ²³ For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: ²⁴ For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. ²⁵ But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed” (James 1:22-25).

3. The believer must be right with God through the confession and repentance of sin and yielded to a cooperative partnership with the indwelling Holy Spirit (I John 1:3-9).  “Fellowship” is the Bible word for this cooperative partnership with the indwelling Holy Spirit.  When a group of believers come together in this cooperative “fellowship” a synergy is created and their combined “light . . . cannot be hid.”

“³ That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. ⁵ This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If {every ‘if’ relates to a necessary condition of reality} we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin^{. 8} If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:3-9).

           Understanding this trilogy for revival helps us understand why revival is a rare commodity in many churches.  It is rare in many churches because this trilogy rarely exists consistently in the lives of believers.  Knowing truth will not produce “fruit” until the believer lives known truth and he cannot live that truth until he is right with God and allowing the indwelling Holy Spirit to live through his body (Romans 6:11-13).

“¹¹ Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Romans 6:11-13).

           This trilogy of spiritual essentials is the subject matter of John 15:1-13.  It is also the subject matter of the Sermon on the Mount.

“¹ I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. ² Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. ³ Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. ⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. ⁸ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:1-8).

           The struggle to make this spiritual trilogy for revival a consistent reality of our life is the struggle for the Christian life.  In most part, it is a struggle within us and our corrupted thinking and attitudes due to our fallen natures.  That is why Christ leads off His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter five with the be-attitudes.  It is a difficult struggle.  It is a struggle to possess and process the “heart” of God through our lives.

           This struggle is what defines the “warfare” of the Christian life.  This struggle is what produces true spiritual growth in our lives.  Some individuals grow to live such consistent lives that they produce many disciples for Jesus Christ.  The Apostle Paul was one such individual.  We can see his understanding of this struggle by reading Romans chapters six, seven, and eight as well Ephesians 5:1-18 and 6:10-18.  This struggle for the be-attitudes was a priority to Paul.

           Most Christians do not gain the discipline of a consistent life lived in this trilogy.  We have occasional bursts of light like a flashbulb going off and some “fruit” is produced.  However, if we want to be spiritual lighthouses producing “much fruit,” we need to learn to habitually “hunger and thirst after righteousness.”  

           Seeking the face of God and living in fellowship with Him must become the central motivating force in our lives.  When the Bible speaks of the believer being “filled” with the Holy Spirit, God is not talking about “filling” the believer to the maximum capacity of that believer’s body.  When the believer is “filled” with the Holy Spirit, the believer is “filled” with the infinite power of the Creator God.  When the believer is “filled” with the Holy Spirit, the infinite creative power of God begins to overflow in his life in all three areas of the trilogy of revival.  Truth is understood and lived.  Fellowship with God is evident in everything that believer does and says.  “Fruit” is produced.  Souls come to Christ when that believer tells others of Christ.  The “fruit” of the Spirit is evident.  Regeneration of the lost and transformation of the saved take place.

           When the Holy Spirit of God controls every aspect of our lives, the Shekinah glory of God within us will burst forth as “light” into the darkness of this world.  The believer’s life will be a bright light shining in the darkness guiding men to find Christ and His wonderful gift of salvation bringing glory to God the Father.  Letting our light shine means getting our selfish desires, attitudes and practices of life out of God’s way.  Carnality and/or doctrinal compromise, to any degree, stops the overflow of His transforming power that God’s wants to flow into and through our lives.  

           Why did God create billions of stars and thousands of galaxies of stars and planets?  God created these majestic lights in the heavens simply for humanity to look up and see them and wonder at the majesty of the Being that put them there.  You are intended to be a up-close light of His majesty.  The Spirit of Christ is the “true Light” that “lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9).  

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

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 Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. 
He has served the Lord for over 50 years.