Bible Study - Preparing for Victory in JESUS - May 17, 2026

 

Bible Study – Preparing for Victory In JESUS – May 17, 2026   

JESUS selected three disciples, Peter, James, and John, to go with HIM to the top of a mountain for a critical meeting. Why?

Peter, John, and James are explicitly singled out on only three occasions: the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37), the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28), and Gethsemane (Mark 14:33). Scripture portrays them as the nucleus of apostolic leadership:

• Peter – first among equals, spokesman for the Twelve, preacher at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-40).

• John – “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23), later the theological voice of the Fourth Gospel and Revelation.

• James – the first martyred apostle (Acts 12:2), demonstrating ultimate fidelity.

Their selection underscores both intimacy with Christ and responsibility to bear authoritative witness.

Legal Sufficiency: “Two or Three Witnesses”

Deuteronomy 19:15 requires “two or three witnesses” to establish any matter. Jesus multiplies the minimum to three, satisfying Mosaic jurisprudence and providing indisputable testimony of His unveiled majesty (cf. 2 Peter 1:16-18). Their later writings and sermons repeatedly invoke the Transfiguration as direct evidence of Jesus’ deity, ensuring the Church’s proclamation rests on empirically grounded, eyewitness verification rather than myth.

Pedagogical Strategy and Progressive Revelation

Jesus teaches experientially. By taking only three, He:

1. Models discipling in concentric circles—crowds, the Twelve, the Three.

2. Prepares future pillars for unique trials

Galatians 2:9 - Christian Standard Bible

⁹ When James, Cephas,^[a] and John—those recognized as pillars—acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

3. Balances revelation with responsibility; to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48).

JESUS’ chosen disciples were to witness the review, evaluation, and approval of JESUS from Moses, representing the Law. Elijah, representing the prophets, and GOD. Their review and approval were vital for JESUS to continue HIS journey to give HIS sinless life upon the cross to pay, in full, for all sin. HE had to be sinless and fulfill both the requirements of the Law and Prophecy to be the perfect acceptable sacrifice for all sin.

We read in Mark 9:1-8:

9 Then he (JESUS) said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power.”

The Transfiguration

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transfigured in front of them, ³ and his clothes became dazzling—extremely white as no launderer on earth could whiten them.

There are several explanations why JESUS was transfigured.

To me it was GOD’S test of JESUS before those already in Heaven came into the presence of JESUS. Light, tests and proves that which is legitimate. JESUS had to be tested and pass GOD’S pure light test before GOD, Moses and Elijah could come into the physical presence of JESUS.

 ⁴ Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here. Let’s set up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— ⁶ because he did not know what to say, since they were terrified.

Peter was ready to establish a shelter for JESUS, Moses, and Elijah upon earth. However, JESUS still had to complete HIS purpose upon earth. JESUS had to be the perfect acceptable sacrifice to GOD for all sin by the shedding of HIS sinless blood to pay the penalty for our sin, in full.

JESUS still had to fulfill and complete GOD’S redemptive plan for all who will place their faith in JESUS, in order to abolish the consequence for sin, which is death and eternal separation from GOD.

JESUS had to be the perfect acceptable sacrifice to GOD to atone for all sin and fulfill the Law and Prophecy.

⁷ A cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him!”

Guess what? JESUS passed the tests. HE met the approval of GOD, Moses, representing the Law and Elijah, representing the Prophets.

JESUS was the perfect acceptable sacrifice for all sin through faith in JESUS as confirmed by HIS PASSION. Once JESUS met their approval -----

⁸ Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

When they, JESUS and HIS chosen disciples, came down from the mountain, they encountered a teachable moment as described in Mark 9:14-25:

The Power of Faith over a Demon, Demons, or the Occult.

¹⁴ When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes disputing with them. ¹⁵ When the whole crowd saw him, they were amazed and ran to greet him. ¹⁶ He asked them, “What are you arguing with them about?”

¹⁷ Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”

¹⁹ He replied to them, “You unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰ So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father.

“From childhood,” he said. ²² “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

²³ Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’?^[a] Everything is possible for the one who believes.”

²⁴ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you: Come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶ Then it came out, shrieking and throwing him into terrible convulsions. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.

²⁸ After he had gone into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹ And he told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer.”^[b]

As we get closer to the second coming of JESUS, the world will encounter more demonic activity.

Demonic activity is not to be feared but, as Christians, you must not dabble with it. You should know what to do if you encounter it – claim, out loud, “I BELONG TO JESUS because I have been redeemed and covered by the shed blood of JESUS.” So, "I command you to leave in the name of JESUS.” Also, ask JESUS to cover you with HIS canopy of love and protection.

You should know that it is the shed blood of JESUS that enables you to command an evil spirit to leave.

There is an incident in the Bible that gives us some insight when those who do not know what they are doing, when dealing with the spirit world, can be harmful as written in:

Acts 19:11-20 - Miracles at Ephesus through the hands of The Apostle Paul when some “Jewish exorcists attempted to call the name of Jesus to cast our evil spirits” ---

¹¹ God was doing extraordinary and unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs or face-towels or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out [of them]. ¹³ Then some of the traveling Jewish exorcists also attempted to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I implore you and solemnly command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!” ¹⁴ Seven sons of one [named] Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ But the evil spirit retorted, “I know and recognize and acknowledge Jesus, and I know about Paul, but as for you, who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued ^[c]all of them and overpowered them, so that they ran out of that house [in terror, stripped] naked and wounded. ¹⁷ This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified and exalted. ¹⁸ Many of those who had become believers were coming, confessing, and disclosing their [former sinful] practices. ¹⁹ And many of those who had practiced magical arts collected their books and [throwing book after book on the pile] began burning them in front of everyone. They calculated their value and found it to be ^[d]50,000 pieces of silver. ²⁰ So the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ] was growing greatly and prevailing.

The occult and evil spirit world is not something to dabble in, unless you know what you are doing. This includes fortune tellers, psychics, etc...

As we come closer to the second coming of JESUS, the people of earth will see and witness evil increasing. We, who know the truth, must pray for each other.

Blessings!!!