Biblical Deliverance: The Jesus ModelSample

Hills and Valleys

In Mark 9:1-13, we see that Jesus takes His close inner circle Peter, James, and John alone on a high mountain to transfigure into glory in front of them. This very moment was what Jesus alluded to in Mark 9:1 when He stated, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” Peter, James, and John were the “some”.

But why was this event important to the young boy's deliverance later on in the story? Let's dive in a little deeper.

Are you familiar with the popular contemporary Christian song, “Hills and Valleys”? My friends, Jesus was teaching Peter, James, John, and potential followers (which are you and me) that the Christian life is essentially about navigating through hills and valleys, mountain tops and low plains. This part of the story also represents Jesus' 1st coming and later His 2nd coming. Yes, Jesus could have stayed in Heaven (in glory) allowing us to all die in our sins but he came down to meet us right where we were and dismantle and demolish the devil's plan to kill, steal and destroy our lives for eternity.

If you have been a believer for a while now, you understand that the Christian life is definitely a by-product of both highs and lows in ministry. We have to learn how to come down off our own high mountains to meet the needs of the people in our respective spheres of influence.

As followers of Jesus, we must be aware of His mission statement which is found in 1 John 3:8 which says, “But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.”

Quite frankly, if this is Jesus’ mission, it should be ours as well. We should have compassion for those who are bound and in need of freedom. So my only question for you today is, are you willing to come down off your mountain to help set the captives free, just as Jesus did?

Prayer

Father, help me see the people You have called me to walk through deliverance whether in my family or in my community. Give me spiritual eyes to have compassion like Your Son did on Earth. Help me not be too prideful on a spiritual high or even too busy to help others when I see them being tormented by unclean spirits. Humble me Lord. It’s in Jesus’ name, Amen.