By Pastor David Brown
Our world is full of darkness and increasingly grows darker. The term “darkness” is used throughout scripture to denote wickedness, evil and ignorance of God and His ways.
If you watch the news, spend any time on social media, watch television, talk to living breathing human beings, or don’t happen to live under a rock…you understand the world is filled with darkness. Darkness is getting darker but darkness is nothing new.
The world has been dark since Adam rebelled against God in the garden. When Adam, God’s steward of the earth, submitted himself to satan, a transition occurred. No longer was Adam in charge of the world under God’s canopy of influence. The world had a new overlord. Satan was now in charge. The Apostle Paul describes satan as “the god of this world”. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Many assume that God is controlling all things on this planet and that his hand is in every intricate detail of life. It isn’t true. Rather, satan is wreaking havoc universally and indiscriminately on the human race. Every evil, hurtful, destructive force or event that happens is orchestrated by the devil, in his hatred of God and man. Blame Adam, blame sin and blame satan…but never blame God for the darkness of the world! “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5b)
God is not in control! God is only in control when we put Him in control of our lives, our situations and our aspirations. God seeks mankind craving our affection and love, but He will not force us to have relationship with Him, nor to obey Him. He pursues us, courts us, invites us and has made provision to rescue us from the darkness through the life, death and resurrection of His Son Jesus. Yes, Jesus and only Jesus saves us from the darkness. We must put our trust in Him, follow Him and submit our lives to Him! Only then may we succeed in putting our lives in the control of God.
Matthew wrote that Jesus was God’s great light sent into the darkness!
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. From that
time Jesus began to preach…
Matthew 4:16-17a
Jesus boldly declared, “I am the light of the world”! (John 8:12) Only Jesus can save us from the darkness that fills this world! Jesus said something else on this subject though…something quite amazing. He said of His followers, “Ye are the light of the world”. (Matthew 5:14) This truth was prevalent in Apostolic teaching.
For God, who commanded the light to shine of darkness, hath
shined in our hearts,
2 Corinthians 4:6
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:
walk as children of light…
Ephesians 5:8
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not
of the night, nor of darkness…
1 Thessalonians 5:5
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,
that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out
of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a
people, but now are the people of God:
1 Peter 2:9-10a
So you see, it is no wonder we are grieved when we see the sin, the lies, the deception and the perversity of a warped, wicked and confused world. It is the light within us that is grieved. It is the Holy Spirit who lives in us who grieves for the darkness that pursues us and which regrettably consumes the souls of many people.
What are we to do? Do we sit idly by and simply watch the world fall to pieces? It’s not enough my friend to “curse the darkness” in our churches and prayer meetings. We must sound the alarm. We must lift our voices. We must stand up and stand out by speaking truth and emanating love. We must shine the light! Jesus instructs us.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven…
Matthew 5:18
Jesus said that we shine the light through our good works! It’s when we love the unlovely, comfort the mourning, teach the untaught, deliver the oppressed, heal the sick and feed the hungry that God’s light is released into the darkness! We must bless and not curse. We must give and not take. We must heal and not hurt. It is then, that the lost souls of men can be converted. It is then that they are saved!
Some seven hundred years before Christ was born, the prophet Isaiah spoke these words inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon
thee. For behold the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness
the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen
upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light,
Isaiah 60:1-3a
The World certainly is dark, grossly dark. However, light shines the brightest in darkness. And darkness never defeats light. Light always defeats darkness.
The world may be dark but God is almighty! God is strong! God is all powerful, and through faith in God all things are possible!
We can see the greatest days of revival in our lifetime! Yes, even in the midst of the darkness, we can win people to Jesus and to God our Father. Revival is not coming. It’s here the moment we let our light shine! For Jesus of Nazareth, the living Savior of the world lives in us. He’ll speak through us. He’ll love through us. He’ll heal through us! He will deliver through us. He will shine through us!
Christ in you, the hope of glory
Colossians 1:27b
Because Jesus lives in us, we can expect the miraculous light and glory of God to shine from our hearts…into the darkened hearts of lost mankind!
Let’s be about our Father’s business. Let’s let our light shine in the midst of darkness!