Pentecostal Lights

Pastor James

The sermon establishes a central promise for the month based on the blessing of Naphtali in Deuteronomy 33:23, which is then systematically reinterpreted through New Testament prophecy and theology.

The foundational promise is that believers will experience a “great light” in their lives, moving from any state of darkness to divine illumination, as foretold by Isaiah 9 and fulfilled in Matthew 4. This light represents God’s glory, knowledge, and favor.

The central metaphor for actualizing this promise is the rebuilding of the “fallen tabernacle of David” (Acts 15:16-17). The sermon uniquely argues that this divine restoration process occurs in a reverse order to the original creation. It begins not with a divine fiat, but with human responsibility, progressing through three stages embodied by the patriarchs:

Action (Abraham): The initiation of righteous deeds, rooted in wisdom.

Formation (Jacob): The ordering of one’s life according to the principles of God’s Word.

Creation (Isaac): The ultimate state of bringing forth new realities through faith-filled prayer.

The sermon concludes by re-contextualizing Naphtali’s geographical blessings—the southern land and the western sea—as profound spiritual treasures described in Matthew 13: the “treasure hidden in the field” (the power of Christ’s resurrection) and the “pearl of great price” (the Church as Christ’s bride). The primary call to action is for believers to engage actively in this three-stage process of rebuilding to fully inherit these spiritual promises.

I. Foundational Promise: The Blessing of Naphtali

The sermon is anchored in the promise given to the tribe of Naphtali.

Scriptural Basis: Deuteronomy 33:23 - “And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south.”

Key Concepts:

Satisfaction Through Divine Favor: A distinction is made between the general provision for all creation, where God “opens His hand” to satisfy every living thing (Psalm 145:16), and the specific satisfaction granted to the covenant people. For Naphtali, and by extension believers, satisfaction comes directly from God’s favor (தயவு - thayavu) and goodness (நன்மை - nanmai).

Geopolitical Inheritance: The blessing includes possessing the west , representing the sea, and the south , representing the land and fields. These were literal, economic blessings for the tribe.

II. Central Theme: From Darkness to a Great Light

The sermon transitions from Naphtali’s historical blessing to its prophetic fulfillment in Christ.

Historical Decline: Despite the initial promise, the land of Naphtali later fell into a state of spiritual darkness, as documented by the prophet Isaiah.

Prophetic Fulfillment: This darkness was dispelled by Jesus Christ. The sermon cites Isaiah 9:1-2 and its direct fulfillment in Matthew 4:15-16: “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.”

The December Promise: This “great light” is presented as the core promise for the month. It is an internal and external illumination that believers are to receive. This light is defined through 2 Corinthians 4:6 as a composite of God’s glory (power), knowledge (experiential wisdom), and light (divine favor), all revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.

III. Theological Framework: Rebuilding the Fallen Tabernacle

The sermon’s primary theological argument is that God’s restoration plan follows a specific, reversed order from the original creation.

The Divine Order of Creation:

Creation : God brings existence from nothing.

Formation : God orders, separates, and fills the creation.

Action : The created order functions according to its purpose.

The Fall: Adam’s failure is identified as a breakdown in the final stage—Action—which corrupted the entire divine order.

The Restoration Process (Reverse Order): To rebuild humanity, symbolized by the rebuilding of the fallen tabernacle of David (Acts 15:16-17), God reverses the process, starting from the ground up:

Action (Abraham): Rooted in Righteous Deeds (Wisdom).

Formation (Jacob): Rooted in God’s Word (Knowledge).

Creation (Isaac): Rooted in Prayer and Faith (Prudence).

IV. Detailed Analysis of the Restoration Stages

A. Action: The Primacy of Righteous Deeds (Abraham)

Rebuilding begins with the believer’s actions, which are an expression of divine wisdom (ஞானம் - gnanam).

Core Principle: The first step in restoration is engaging in righteous deeds (நற்கிரியைகள் - narkirikaigal).

Biblical Foundation:

Revelation 19:8: The fine linen of the Bride is “the righteous acts of the saints.”

Isaiah 32:17: “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.”

James 3:17: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

Practical Application: The sermon heavily emphasizes practical holiness, starting with physical cleanliness (சுத்தம் - sutham) as an outward sign of an inward purity. Anecdotes are shared about church elders who demonstrated extreme tidiness—a sister who never left a dirty dish in the sink and a pastor who always folded his clothes, citing the folded grave-clothes of the resurrected Christ as his model. These are presented as foundational “Actions.”

B. Formation: Structuring Life by God’s Word (Jacob)

Once a foundation of righteous action is laid, life must be structured and “formed” by divine knowledge (அறிவு - arivu).

Core Principle: This stage involves internalizing God’s Word to shape one’s character and worldview. Jacob, described as a “plain man, dwelling in tents” (Genesis 25:27), embodies this principle of a life structured by divine order.

Biblical Contrast: A key distinction is drawn between Esau and Jacob in Genesis 33:9-11:

Esau: Declared, “I have enough“ (எனக்கு போதுமானது உண்டு - enakku pōthumānathu uṇdu).

Jacob: Stated, “I have all“ or “everything I need” (வேண்டியதெல்லாம் எனக்கு உண்டு - vēṇṭiyathellām enakku uṇdu).

Application: The state of “having all” is not material but a spiritual reality achieved through formation by God’s Word. It is the mindset that declares, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

C. Creation: The Power of Prayer and Faith (Isaac)

The pinnacle of the restoration process is “Creation,” the ability to bring forth new realities through faith (புத்தி - puththi).

Core Principle: This is the realm of prayer that creates something from nothing, exemplified by Isaac.

Biblical Foundation:

Genesis 25:21: Isaac prayed for his wife, Rebekah, leading to her conception.

Habakkuk 2:4 / Romans 1:17: The ultimate principle is that “The just shall live by faith.”

Isaiah 63:16: A prophetic declaration where the people claim God as Father, stating, “Abraham does not know us, nor is Israel mindful of us.” This is interpreted as the final state of faith, where one’s relationship with God transcends even the covenant patriarchs, resting solely on the faith demonstrated by Isaac.

Application: A strong exhortation is given for believers to engage in fervent prayer. The example of Paul and Silas praying and singing in prison is used to illustrate how prayer can create deliverance and salvation in impossible circumstances.

V. The Ultimate Inheritance: Spiritual Treasures

The sermon concludes by connecting Naphtali’s physical inheritance to two key parables of Jesus, presenting them as the ultimate spiritual blessings for believers.

Scriptural Basis: Matthew 13:44-46

The message is that while Naphtali lost its physical blessing, Christ has transformed it into a far greater spiritual inheritance available to all who embrace the “great light.”

VI. Key Exhortations

Embrace the Legacy of Faith: Believers are urged to adopt the resilient faith of spiritual predecessors, specifically citing Pastor A.D. Pathrose’s maxim, often repeated by his disciples: “Don’t say you don’t know, don’t say you can’t... I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Pursue Peace Through Righteousness: The link between righteous action (Action), wisdom, and peace is stressed. Hypocrisy (hypocrisis, from the Greek for “actor”) and partiality must be eliminated to achieve the peace that flows from righteousness (Isaiah 32:17, James 3:17).

Commit to Prayer: The sermon culminates in a powerful call to prayer, framing it as the ultimate creative force that can overturn any circumstance, just as it broke the chains of Paul and Silas.