Radical, Balanced, or Both?
by Guy C. Carey
Nothing about Jesus was balanced, and everything was radical! This might appear to be a brash statement at first, but let's look together at this idea.
The challenge to be radical is not new to the church. I have heard this challenge as long as I have been a believer and follower of the Messiah, Jesus. I was born from above in 1971 as a young teen in a world gone mad. My generation was known for its "radicalness." As Jesus captured this generation with His love, He drew them into His Church. The Church at large, however, had lost its passion for Him. The cry went forth, "Where are the authentic Christians? Where is the power of God?" Planted in our hearts then was the seed to be truly radical followers of Christ. That seed is producing a harvest today as new generation is arising, believing God for the extreme, the sudden, and the impossible.
Jesus the Model Son
To be radical is to depart markedly from the usual, the norm, or to be extreme. Being radical carries the force of actively advocating fundamental or revolutionary change. Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the prototype of a new, in kind, humanity (Col. 1:15, Eph. 2:15). Jesus was a radical man, and He taught His disciples to be equally so. (He is the model of a true believer.) Jesus is God's final word to mankind and the exact representation of His nature (Heb. 1:1-3). All the fullness of God dwelt in Him (Col. 2:9). There is only Christ and He is everything (Col. 3:11b). There was nothing normative about Jesus' philosophy, teaching, worldview, or methods. His nature was diametrically opposed to the spirit of this world, and His methods were, to say the least, unusual. He was extremely in love with His Father, and He demonstrated that love clearly, openly, and completely.
With Jesus as our model, we must accept that we are called to be radical, to be those who advocate fundamental changes which bring about a revolution through love. We are challenged to leave the comforts of normalcy and become extreme disciples who are passionately in love with the Father and committed to His purposes.
Even as I communicate these thoughts, there is a voice flowing out of a deep sense of self-preservation (fear) saying, "Whoa! Don't be too extreme! What happens if you are perceived as out of balance?" Often as a young man I heard these words from Proverbs 11:1, "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord." Usually the one speaking them was attempting to counteract some perceived extreme. However, in this passage, the false balance refers to unjust weights and measures. It has no reference to remaining in the normal, middle of the road, religiously acceptable range.
A balance is a scale using known countering weights to determine the weight of an unknown. This is done by seeking a state of equilibrium between the opposing forces so that movement ceases between the two opposing weights. To achieve balance is to apply sufficient force to one side to bring the other side to an equal and stationary position. In this sense, I offer to you that Jesus was not balanced. He sought to overthrow darkness at every turn. He had and still has no intention of seeking a state of equilibrium where all movement ceases. That is death! Jesus is life, and wants us to have His life exceedingly abundantly above all we could ask or think. He calls us to shake off all limiting factors and serve Him in unbridled passion (Heb. 12:1-2).
However, before spinning off into an emotional frenzy, be aware that Jesus labored methodically to fulfill His Father's will. He acted always with the big picture in mind. The Bible tells us that He endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Heb. 12:2). Ponder the death of His friend Lazarus (John 11). It would have been radical in my mind to run right over and raise him from the dead. Not Jesus, His "radicalness" was of a different nature. He delayed for several days because of the bigger picture. Jesus was circumspect, concerning Himself with pleasing the Father, not Himself or others. In this sense, the broader meaning of balance is revealed. Balance is that state which is "a harmonious blend of proportions or parts." All the attributes of the nature of God are in harmony with one another. Jesus was balanced in his nature. Yet His entire being was totally and radically abandoned to God. The Holy Spirit is encouraging us to be circumspect in His wisdom, as we advocate fundamental change which will result in a revolution by His power and grace.
That revolution has already begun worldwide through the Church's response to His call to radically follow His Spirit. Communities around the world are presently experiencing the transforming power of God. Currently, there are cities in the earth where 9 out of 10 people are true believers. There are places where God's manifest glory is releasing extraordinary miracles of healing regularly. Farming communities exist where the land produces a harvest of supernatural proportions in response to the faith of God's people. Fundamental changes advocated by radical leaders are fueling this revolution – changes like pastors gathering for prayer instead of debate or bragging, and intercessors linking from church to church and city to city, praying with one voice to the Father for the harvest. Believers by the thousands are gathering across denominational and ethnic lines to prayer walk their communities and hold all night prayer and worship vigils.
Why not here, why not now, why not us? From Maine to Florida, our great God has promised to set the East Coast ablaze with the power of His Spirit which will impact the entire nation: He is positioning His troops for a victorious siege on one of the world's darkest and most prominent cities, Washington, D.C. Such a repositioning brought my family and I from sunny South Florida, to join the team at Immanuel's Church in Silver Spring, MD to pursue revival in the region of the nation's capital. This body of believers is joining together with whosoever will to seek God's face for His manifest presence to be released in this region.
East Coast Ablaze with Revival Fire!
Our Father is gathering pastors, intercessors, and worshippers together to stand before Him and cry out to Him for a radical intervention of an extremely unusual nature, which will thrust this entire Maryland, D.C., and Virginia region into an incredible sense of glory. We are believing for unrestrained expressions of holy worship to be released around the clock to our wonderful God. His Spirit calls us to believe that on every street in every community lighthouses of prayer will arise. In these homes, the saints will gather without regard to the things that formerly divided, and seek in prayer the salvation of their neighbors.
Let us be inspired to depart from the usual, the norm. Let us be extreme in our pursuit of God. Don't seek a state of equilibrium where good and bad cancel each other out and all motion stops. Seek to be filled with the wisdom of God which militates against the powers of darkness and completely tips the scales for the Kingdom of God. Believe with us for a radical takeover of the glory of God in these United States of America. Be extremely radical! Bless you in Jesus' dear name!
