Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. And behold Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Matthew 17:1-3
Jesus took His three main disciples up on the mountain for a "Come to Jesus moment!" I believe because these three were beginning to progress in their walk with Him He would eliminate any doubts they might have about Him and His kingdom!
Instead of listening to what Jesus was saying to Moses and Elijah they wanted to build tabernacles to them. This is what happens when works try and take over our spiritual life instead of being still and hearing what Jesus is saying. This was a meeting that no one would ever forget and would solidify their walk with Jesus for all of their lives!
Throughout scripture there has only been a few of these kinds of supernatural occurrences that would rival this meeting! It was important for these men to experience a miraculous appearance and transformation that would change their lives forever!
While Peter was still speaking behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" Matthew 17:5
FAILURE TO DELIVER
And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. "So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him." Matthew 17:14-16
Jesus answered the man, upset because of their unbelief and lack of faith and He rebuked the demon, and it came out of the child, and he was cured!
Epilepsy has always been treated as a disease and so maybe it is but there is a demon behind it, maybe a spirit of infirmity, but no one gets healed unless the demon is cast out! This is why many don't get healed because their sickness is caused by a demon and must be cast out of them!
The disciples came to Jesus asking why they could not cast out the demon and Herebuked them for their unbelief and told them that if they had the faith of a mustard seed, they could move mountains, and nothing would be impossible for them.
"However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." Matthew 17:21
THE POWER TO AGREE
"Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in Heaven." Matthew 18:19
The power of agreement is necessary to reach our maximum strength in prayer and in ministry! If one can put 1000 of the enemy to flight and two, ten thousand, think what twelve can do in the Spirit! A man in one of our men's groups did the math and it came out to be 100 trillion!
This is why Jesus chose twelve disciples because that is the number of the government of God! Revelation 21:10-21 and Revelation 22:1,2 It was so important after the death of Judas for the disciples to choose someone to take his place that they chose Matthias.
When Jesus first began to send His disciples out, He sent them in pairs for strength and for agreement in ministry. The two were much more effective than one and gave them more confidence to accomplish their mission that Jesus had sent them on. Jesus said, "Where two or three have gathered together in His name He would be in their midst!"
Two are better than one, because they have good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion, but woe to him who is alone when he falls for, he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Your servant in Christ, Timothy Laughlin
Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ