Tried and Transfigured

by Leonard Ravenhill

Leonard Ravenhill, respected evangelist and author whose first book, Why Revival Tarries , has been in print for over twenty years, here turns his attention to Christ's temptation in the wilderness and His transfiguration on the mountain. The author clearly presents not only the historic significance of these two events, but the challenging implications to every Christ's victory over temptation and the devil is the pattern for a Christian's daily victory. Christ's physical transfiguration is a picture of a believer's spiritual transfiguration. An inspiring devotional study for every Christian

Genres: Christian, Christian Living, Classics

160 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1982

About the author

Very little biographical information is available for Leonard Ravenhill. He rarely spoke of himself which is likely a reflection of his belief in exalting Christ and not self. Most of what we know about Ravenhill is from sources that knew him and the details he provided in sermons. He was an evangelist born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England in 1907 and was used by God in revivals in Great Brittan before moving to American in 1950. Leonard Ravenhill was known for his focus on revival and his writing on the subject including the popular title, Why Revival Tarries.
Ravenhill preached in churches of many denominations, but was not ordained by any. His preaching is marked by calling sinners to repentance, insisting Christians live lives marked by holiness, and encouraging deeper prayer lives. Ravenhill claims to have been saved at age 14, but says he was baptized by the Holy Spirit at age 18 indicating belief in a Pentecostal system. However, Ravenhill also said he never spoke in tongues and said that baptism of the Holy Spirit is the same thing Wesley called sanctification and also said the only evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is holy living. He rejected Christian Perfection, but preached a Wesleyan-Holiness higher Christian life theology. Ravenhill speaks of John Wesley frequently and wrote a biographical sketch of him. Wesley’s influence on Ravenhill is apparent.
Leonard Ravenhill was a mentor to Keith Green of Last Days Ministries based in Texas. Later in his life, Leonard moved to Texas close to Last Day Ministries where he led a weekly prayer meeting and taught classes before dying in November of 1994.

Reviews

[Bree]

"𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝑮𝒐𝒅-𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒖𝒔." 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑴𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 "𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒍."

I’ve been trying to branch out of my normal reading habits this year to encompass new habits of reading more of that which draws me ever nearer to my Lord and Savior. My dad recommended this book to me after I had finished A.W. Tozer, and so I decided to give it a shot. While I didn’t find it quite as deep and growth-filled as Tozer’s writings, it’s certainly a good book for any Christian to read.

I really appreciated part one of the book, which was about the devil tempting Jesus. I always find it to be such an encouraging thought that Jesus was tempted in all ways such as we are. He was just as human as us, and yet He was without sin. How beautiful is the testimony and example which He sets for us!

Part two—the Transfiguration—was a bit more of a struggle for me, for some reason or another. I felt like Ravenhill was surmising a lot of things rather than giving us cold hard facts. While that’s not inherently wrong by any means, I like to have actual truth set before me rather than man’s opinions. That was my one major drawback with this book, but otherwise, it was a good read in my opinion!

Takeaways:

• 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚗𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚢 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.

• 𝚆𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚕'𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚜. 𝚆𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚜, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚒𝚏 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕, 𝚠𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚕'𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕.

• 𝙼𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚑𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚑 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚖 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚍. 𝙷𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢.

• “𝙽𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚢𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎.”

• 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚝𝚏𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚝-𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕 𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛.

• 𝙻𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚗'𝚜 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚙𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚋𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚢 𝙶𝚘𝚍'𝚜 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝. 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚞𝚝𝚜 𝚊 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚟𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢.

• 𝚂𝚘𝚞𝚕-𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚖 𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚢 𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚢𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚋𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝙶𝚘𝚍.

[Abraham]

Los libros de Leonard Ravenhill son dificiles de leer, porque te desafían en las áreas y temas que muy pocos predicadores lo hacen.

Este libro es un poco distinto al resto del autor. Siendo una autoridad en el tema de Avivamiento, este se enfoca en la transformación personal, usando la experiencia de la tentación del Señor Jesús en el desierto y la transfiguración en el monte. Creo que es un tema de "avivamiento personal", necesitamos ser tentados y probados, para ser transformados y transfigurados.

Definitivamente debo leerlo de nuevo, te animo que lo leas también

[George Hunger]

Tried & Transfigured by Leonard Ravenhill is unlike his other writings, as it is a devotional format.The content is based on the temptations and trials which Jesus met in the desert at the beginning of His ministry as well as an exploration of his transfiguration on the mount. This book was surprisingly good, filled with excellent insights and challenging content sure to stimulate thought in any Christian. It is a nice addition to my Ravenhill collection and is highly recommended for anyone serious about their spiritual walk.

[Lance Towers]

Someone has said, "No one in the twentieth century prayed more for church-wide revival in America than Leonard Ravenhill." I esteem him as much as any other man in modern history as a father of the faith. This is probably my least favorite of his books, but it still has some poignant nuggets to assist its reader in living a life of holiness.

[Marc]

As far as I have been able to discover, this book (which I purchased at a thrift store for probably 50 cents) is currently out of print. It is without a doubt one of the jewels in my library and is "off-limits" to borrowers.

[Pilgrim]

Like other Ravenhill books. Liked it.
This book gives us the hope that we can also be
transfigured like Jesus by doing the will of God
and by prayer.

[Raghu Babu]

ss

[RANGER]

Inspiring dissertations on Christ's Trial in the Wilderness and Transfiguration on the Mountaintop -- a clear-worded challenge to a Higher Standard of Christian Living

Born in Yorkshire, England, in 1907, Leonard Ravenhill was one of England's premier open-air evangelists and Bible Teachers leading many to Christ during the dark days of World War II. In 1950, he moved to the US, eventually settling in Lindale, Texas, where he wrote many bestselling books and became a mentor to the likes of Keith Green, Dave Wilkerson, and other Christian notables.

Tried and Transfigured was originally published in 1963 by Bethany Fellowship. The edition I read was published in 2009 by Christian Life Books. Unlike his other books which are generally anthologies of articles meant to inspire and challenge believers to pursue revival in the midst of a lukewarm church age, Tried and Transfigured is more of an anthology of two dissertations on two events in the life of Jesus Christ: The Trial in the Desert (and the temptations offered Him by the Devil), and the Transfiguration on the Mountaintop (now generally reckoned to have been on Mount Hermon but traditionally assigned to Mount Tabor). In both, Ravenhill explores the meaning of the stories for the believer and offers the reader a challenge to approach their Christian walk in light of the truths presented in this book.

This is a great book, by any measure. Clear, concise and challenging, about what I expect from Ravenhill--except that by focusing on these two events in the Life of Christ, I believe Ravenhill may have outdone himself. Compared to his previous books (at least the ones I have read) Tried and Transfigured seemed more relevant to the average believer, illuminating truths in a way that made them seem more significant to my own walk with Christ.

Highly recommended for believers who seek a better understanding of the meaning of these two events in the Life of Christ.

[Ken Williams]

To the many thousands who have read Leonard Ravenhill's previous books, this ne will need no introduction. In fact, they will probably pick it up and buy it without a second though. This is because Mr. Ravenhill writes with an authority and anointing of the Spirit that finds a ready response in the heart of the earnest Christian.

In this study of the temptation and transfiguration of Christ you will be inspired, challenged (sometimes uncomfortably so), and instructed. You will find new understanding of temptation from God's standpoint, from Satan's standpoint, and from your standpoint. You will thrill at the possibilities of grace when considering the transformed life He provided for us. You will be moved to prayer, to praise, and sometimes to tears.

You will be blessed! Read it.

[Asigbey Vincent]

Tis book is Good