Dearly beloved in Christ,
I greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When the Lord God created the universe, the heaven and the earth, the earth was without form and darkness was there. The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. He said, “Let there be light” and there was light. He saw that it was good. He divided light and darkness. He called light day and darkness night. Thus He created according to His own decisions and He found them good. Then He created the stars, sun and moon in heaven and the living creatures on the earth, in the waters and birds in the air. Everything was good in His sight. Then He created herbs that yield seeds and fruit-yielding trees. After creating all these things, He created man in His own image to rule over them. The Lord God who lives eternally and is immortal created man, created man in His own image. He created man out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Thus, man came into being. He called him Adam. God realized that it was not good for man to be alone and therefore He wanted to create a helper comparable to him. So He caused deep sleep to fall on Adam and took one of his ribs and made a woman out of it. Adam called her Eve.
Thus, the Lord who is immortal created Adam and Eve and brought them to the Garden of Eden to till and maintain it. They were also told to eat the fruit of all trees except the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and bad, that was in the middle of the garden lest they die. “Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:4-5). Satan in the form of a serpent thus spoke contrary to the Word of the Lord and sowed the seeds of the weed in the heart of Eve. She too looked at the fruit of the forbidden tree and saw and imagined that the fruit was good for food for “it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise.” She took of its fruit and ate and also gave it to Adam. Thus, they rebelled against the word of God and sinned. Consequently, her transgression resulted in the curse from the Lord that she should undergo extreme pain in child-birth. The serpent also came under curse that it would move only on its belly and eat the dust of the earth. The ground was cursed for the sake of Adam that it would bring forth thorns and thistles and in toil he would eat of it. As he was dust of the ground, he would return to it. The deathly sentence came upon him.
Thus, man lost his immortal image of God and began to live a mortal life. Death made its way in the life of man. There hovered the darkness of death over him. God had love for mankind and He wanted to restore to him eternal life and sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to this earth as Saviour and Redeemer. Those who believed on the Redeemer Jesus Christ would have the privilege of eternal life through Him. Hence, it has been declared: “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,upon them a light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2). For those of us living in this shadow of death on this earth to have light, God who created the Sun and the Moon sent a greater light than these in Jesus Christ to this earth. The good news of the birth of Jesus Christ some 2000 thousand years ago is the tidings of great joy and love to all people. This good news was declared to the shepherds who were guarding their sheep at night: “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Jesus Christ who gave the great responsibility of tending His sheep to all of us came as the Good Shepherd.
He came to restore and set right everything as God of love. Adam and Eve by sinning at the Garden of Eden by sinning lost the glory of God which was light. They lost this robe of light and were naked. To clothe them with the robe of salvation the Lord God sent His Son Jesus Christ. Whoever accepts and believes on Him would undergo a miraculous transformation in his being through Jesus Christ.
Today the nation is engulfed in the shadow of death. Those who are walking in it have the privilege of witnessing this great light of Jesus Christ. Gracious Jesus Christ came to invite those who are living in darkness to this wonderful light. Further, He transforms and makes them declare about this light. The Bible says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). He has a purpose in each of us. He transforms and makes us worthy for that purpose. Matthew 5:14 says: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” He blesses those who accept Him and follow Him with the light of life.
I. Reasons for Darkness in Life
1. Through the Devil
“For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness, like those who have long been dead.” (Psalm 143:3).
Our enemy Satan fills those whom He attacks with fear, tribulations and sins. Those who are in this state lose their soul as it dies. “. . . The soul who sins shall die” (Ez. 18:4). Thus, those dead in sin live in sin and are in the darkness of sin.
Once, one Brother invited me to pray for a family known to him. I went to his village which was some 40 kms away from Trichy. He took me to a house. They took me to a room where there were two people, a father and a daughter sick in bed. That room was filled with darkness. When I went there, I saw that the daughter had bitten her father’s hand and blood was oozing out. The girl had not taken bath or applied oil for her head for a number of days and her hair was in locks. On the day of her marriage, she was afflicted by a devil and she tore and threw the garland and her life was engulfed in darkness. By prayer, her life changed. The true light of Jesus Christ that makes any man shine came upon her and she had deliverance and became a child of light.
Dear Brother/ Sister, His light can transform your life and bring light into your life. Believe in this great light Jesus Christ; you will be blessed.
2. Evil Eyes
“...when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.” (Luke 11:34).
Today the chances of sinning through the eyes have multiplied. Jesus Christ says: “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt. 5:28). Thus, through lustful eyes one sins and comes under darkness. Because David did not go to the battlefield but was loitering on the terrace of his house and looked at a woman taking bath, he was enticed to sin. He called for her and indulged in sin. Then he killed her husband who was in the battlefield through his wicked designs. Because he did that there came the curse of wars on his descendants. Even though he was a man after God’s own heart, the child born of lustful eyes had to die.
The Lord hates haughty look as well. We should never boast of our possessions as our own. They are given by the Lord. They may be your health, strength, wealth, business or job. They are from God and therefore we have no right to claim that they are ours. The king of Babylon was loitering in his palace and claimed, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” (Dan. 4:30). “That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.”
Saul was upset and angry when he heard his subjects singing, “Saul has struck his thousands and David his ten thousand” (1 Sam. 18:7). Then a distressing spirit from God came upon him. His life was filled with darkness. If your eye is bad, the whole body becomes bad and is filled with evil.
3. Neglecting the Word of God
“Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons—
Because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High” (Psalm 107:10-11).
Today many do not accept the word of the Lord. They do not give any room for searching the scriptures or meditate upon it. They have no desire for it and as a result face defeat and failures in their lives. The word which is filled with spirit and life is the fountain of blessings. If you go astray from it, it directs the way. The Lord sends His word and heals us. It warns us against our thoughts of doing any wicked act. When you lose confidence and are aghast not knowing what to do, the Word comforts and encourages you. It directs us clearly that this is the way you should take. When afflicted with terrible diseases, the Lord leads by reminding us of the verses from the Bible. Psalm 91:10 says: “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.” Psalm 121:7 assures us, “The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.” Such verses encourage us with confidence in the Lord. Through such verses He guides us.
If you do not give room for these verses to strengthen and direct you, but continue to doubt them, evil things will happen. Having lost his possessions, his children, his health and the love of his wife, Job says in the midst of his trials, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25).
4. Not Glorifying the Lord
“because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21).
In the event of forgetting the merciful guidance and love of the Lord God from the time of the very conception, their foolish hearts were darkened. The purpose of our life on this earth is only to praise Him: “This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise” (Isaiah 43:21). Instead of praising God, if you live like the people of this world spending time in praising men, your life will be engulfed in darkness. The forces of darkness enter the life of anyone who is after worldly things. You should live as a child of light praising the Lord only. People encounter difficulties and sufferings when they take pleasure in praising anything or any person other than God. We should think of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done in our lives, but not spend our time and talents and energies in vain worldly things which would surely lead to darkness.
5. Lack of Brotherly Love
“He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.” (1 John 2:9).
Jesus Christ taught us to love our neighbours as ourselves. If we do not do that, but live self-centred, we are in darkness. We stumble in darkness. We grope in darkness. We know that Jesus Christ before His death on the cross prayed to the Father in Heaven to forgive those who inflicted injuries on Him out of love for their souls. If we do not have this love of Jesus Christ in us, the darkness is sure to overwhelm us.
II What to do for the Light to Dawn
1. Commit to be Led by the Lord
“I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. Thease things I will do for them, and not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16).
The Lord Jesus Christ leads us through His Holy Spirit daily. He thus leads us in all matters, both big and small. If He leads you, there will be no shortcomings and your bones will be strengthened. Life will be like a fountain of water that never dries up. You would enjoy a good life with nothing to worry about. This is a blessed life. For the Lord to lead us, we should allow Him to do so. It might be a dreadful area, a period of struggles. When He leads us, all defeats will be turned to success. Darkness disappears and light dawns. Peter was labouring all through the night and yet got no fish. His life was filled with sorrows and defeat. But Jesus Christ got into his boat and started preaching to his followers. After that, He asked him to cast his net in deep waters. He obeyed. Now he had success in catching a lot of fish. Darkness disappeared and light shone. He leads us with the purpose that we should become children of light.
2. Praise the Lord
“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed” (Acts 16:25,26).
Paul and Silas were singing praises to the Lord at midnight in darkness at prison. They had earlier been beaten and their legs and hands were in shackles. It was a difficult situation of sufferings. Yet they praised the Lord. There are many people today who give up hope at times of trials and begin to question why they had such problems when they sought the Lord and sang praises to Him. But Paul and Silas were not upset by circumstances; they had real faith in the Lord and praised Him even in a hopeless situation. All of a sudden there was an earthquake and all their bonds were broken and they were set free as the door opened by itself. By the power of praise, they were set free from the prison. They were comforted and their wounds were bound by the grace of the Lord. Through the power of praise, the Lord helped to remove the darkness.
3. Live Righteously
“Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.” (Psalm 112:4).
Today we should do anything and everything uprightly. The Lord is gracious and loving to those who are upright. When we listen to Him and walk righteously in His sight, He has promised us that none of the things that happened to the Egyptians would happen to us. David was righteous in all his ways and therefore he was sure that even he was walking in the valley of shadow of death, the Lord would protect him. He enjoyed this exalted state of protection in the Lord. All those who were righteous were protected and blessed by the Lord. You must have a righteous heart. Your habitation will prosper. When you place Him before you, He will go before us and make straight all crooked paths. As righteousness transforms us, there would arise light in darkness.
4. Transforming Light of the Lord
“As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ”Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:3-4).
Paul had no knowledge of Jesus Christ and was leading a conventional life. He had got the permission and authority to persecute the followers of Jesus Christ and those who accepted Him as Lord. He came to Damascus only to persecute the church there. As he was proceeding to the place, the light of the Lord came upon him. He fell down. He heard a voice: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Immediately he responded, “Who are You, Lord?” Then He revealed Himself saying: “I am Jesus, who you are persecuting.” Then he committed himself to the Lord Jesus Christ and to His guidance. He proclaimed the name of the Lord to many in many places among the gentiles. As a result, many churches were established.
Today as we submit to be led by the Lord, and set right our paths to walk in His ways of righteousness, His light will lead us from darkness. As the great light dawns on us, having committed our lives to Him, the darkness in life will disappear and a glorious light will shine on us. We will be in the hands of the Lord and we will lead others in this light.
May the Lord bless us so!
In the service of Christ Jesus,
Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.
