“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.”
God is the creator and knows it all. Darkness is nothing new to God and he knows how to deal with it. From the beginning darkness covered the face of the earth and God declared light and there was light. God is light and when he dwells within us there is no darkness, for his glory covers us. When man sinned against God, that sinful state was repellant to God’s glory; which was a covering, and the two could not dwell in the same place. This glory of God left man and man became naked and abided in the dark (SIN) hiding from God who is light. Genesis 3: 10 “He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Man from that time remained naked, in that sinful state and although according to Genesis 3:21 “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” This was nothing compared to his glory. Every human being born on this earth therefore must go through the process of rebirth (BORNAGAIN) to obtain that glorious spiritual covering back. That is only through Christ because according to Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Jesus is the representation and conduit of God’s glory; Hebrews 1:3 “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”. When we surrender to him, we receive that covering again and a renewed fellowship with him. There are two typical types of darkness: physical and spiritual darkness.
Physical Darkness: I grew up poor and my grandparents had no electricity except for two lanterns for the whole house. Each time I had to go somewhere when it was dark, there was always the possibility of going out in the dark and at the mercy of God. This is a typical representation of physical darkness, which everyone can relate to. Most often humans don’t function well in the dark and are scared.
Spiritual darkness on the other hand is also real but unfortunately most people cannot relate to it and are really blind to its existence. Mankind has been plagued with spiritual darkness from the time man sinned against God as stated at the beginning of this write-up. This is why the bible says in Ephesians 5:8 “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”. At the time we did not know God we walked in darkness. This is true for everyone who has not had the opportunity to give their life to Christ, who represents the light of God. Everyone who has come to Christ has been delivered from the darkness of sin according to Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” Therefore, we have the ability to walk as children of light, not darkness anymore. The domain of God is light and in him, there is no darkness according 1 John 1:5-7 “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin”. Thus, when God shows up, darkness has no place nor competition with Him because even if darkness attempts to show forth and boast, that cannot prevail because God is always light irrespective of the time or condition, so even when it is dark, it appears light to God according to Psalm 139:12 “even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You”. God is light and dwells in light according to 1 Timothy 6:16” He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.” Additionally, light dwells in Him according to Daniel 2:22 “He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him:” What this means is that when we have been removed from darkness, transformed by him and placed into his light so we can dwell in his presence and with him, darkness has no place nor power over us because the light takes over. The bible says, we walk as children of light as noted in 1 Thessalonians 5:5 “For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness”.
Jesus came as the light to the world according to John 8:12 “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” He acknowledges that the world we live in is dark but there is a way out and that is through him; simply put “FOLLOW HIM”. So those who have surrendered to Jesus Christ represents a spiritual demonstration of Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” Therefore, they are expected to go forth and continue to propagate the light which is Christ the word of God as well as the revelation of the knowledge of God’s glory according to 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”
It should be noted that coming to this light is an option given to everyone. Some have chosen to remain in the dark because they love doing things in the dark, because what they are doing is evil according to John 3:19-21 “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” This is a very clear statement. Such people most often, becomes easy targets and conduit for the devil’s agenda, the master of the dark world. The word of God has the power to open the eyes of those who are spiritually blind by sin as well as deliver them from the dark influence of Satan. Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
When we come to Christ, we come blind, lacking the knowledge and guidance needed to navigate our spiritual blessing, the world, and its resources. Through the resurrection power of Christ as stated in Isaiah 42:16 “And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” The word of God is fulfilled in our lives. Jesus came as a light from God to open our eyes according to Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me”. That is why it is a spiritual transformation when we get born again. We are spiritually born blind as stated in Isaiah 42-16 above. When we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, he comes in and opens our eyes by the power of the anointing which God has given to him in Mathew 28:18 “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” as well as Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed”. Everything has been given to Christ according to Matthew 11:27 “All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” Therefore, our ability to live and shine forth depends on our understanding of the revelation of him, our faith, truth, belief in him, our acceptance of him, and surrendering to him, how much of him we have and allow him to work in us through the power of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis.
As believers we are agents of light and we have a mission, some of which are highlighted below:
A vessel/instrument that distributes and shines the light everywhere you go. God’s word is truth according to 2 Samuel 7:28 “And now, O Lord GOD, You are God! Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant”. Walk in Truth, stand with God’s word that is Truth, practice truth, and live in truth. The truth people know and are able to abide in goes a long way to heal and deliver them from any kind of darkness. John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Truth of God’s word is the only weapon that has power to challenge darkness and open the eyes of people who walk in darkness. According to Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times”. God’s word is so pure, so when received by faith, the word has the power to purify man from any thing that has a name.
We must know that with God there is no shadiness. We must be bare before God at all times for him to fellowship with us and use us for his glory. Hebrew 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” If nothing is hidden from God, it means as believers we must stop pretending to be who we are not; come before him and be open irrespective of whatever or anything because we can never hide from him. 2 Chronicles 16:9a “For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him”. God has eyes that shine through the earth and see everyone and everything. In the course of him looking, he releases strength to those who are devoted to him. Jeremiah 23:24 "Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the LORD.” As believers, we should know that because he is light and he created everything, there is no dark place where we can hide comfortably. It will just be a matter of time before we are exposed. Listen to the question; The answer is simple: NO, THERE IS NO SECRET PLACE WHERE ANYONE CAN HIDE. Ephesians 5:8-14 ”For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” We have to make a deliberate effort to walk every day and time in the light and avoid any element of darkness because it is very easy to get entangled by darkness.
Our ability to walk in the light gives us the strength of true and righteous fellowship with one another, thereby also inviting the cleansing power of the Blood of Christ among us. 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” The Apostles of old did not win the people for Christ at one shot, they started with a small fellowship of believers. Acts 1:14 “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers”. Walking in the light unlocks the door for the demonstration of the power of God in our prayers which brings a physical manifestation in the deliverance of souls who are held in bondage by the devil.
When we chose to walk in the light of Christ, God intents uses us as a light to nations, beyond our families and friends. Isaiah 49:6 “He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” God desires to make us the light of the world so that we can shine forth the Christ within us and draw those who have fallen away back to God. He makes us a light through our own willingness and obedience to follow him and allow him to transform us. John 8:12 “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus is the light and when we accept him in our lives, he comes in and shines away any form of darkness within us and we become light and are able to shine in the world. He needs us as vessels, as stated above, to contain the light, so that He can then move into the nations and shine forth so that darkness can give way.
There is no time to waste, we must do God’s work now. John 9:4-5 “While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world”. While Jesus was on earth he was the light. As Ambassadors of Christ, we are called to shine our light, just as Christ did. Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Allow the Spirit of God to have his way. Isaiah 11:2-5 “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD”. When the Holy Spirit comes on us, he reveals the mind of God, gives us the wisdom and knowledge of the ways of God to do his will.
Fight the good fight of faith. 1 Timothy 6: 12-16 “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.” We must whole heartedly walk in righteousness, serve in truth and holiness, give in love, as well as contend in intercessory prayers for the true gospel of righteousness in the church, communities and the nations.
Finally, I pray we all take time to study these truths, apply them in ourselves, as well as share with others. We will also expand into these truths in our weekly prayer line. Join us as we explore the word of God.
Blessings
Ennette Heaggans