Light in the Darkness
Jesus said:
John 3:19-20
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
NKJ.
On the night Jesus was betrayed, He said:
Luke 22:53
53 When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."
NKJV
For true believers, at that hour, Jesus triumphed over the power of darkness.
Col 1:13-14
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
NKJV
I would like to look at another kind of darkness. A place where God revealed Himself.
Gen 15:12-13
12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then He said to Abram...
NKJV
God was speaking to Abraham about His covenant with Abraham, the father of faith. There was great darkness.
When God was giving the commandments of the old covenant to Moses, there was darkness.
Ex 20:21-22
21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
22 And the Lord said unto Moses...
KJV
God was in the thick darkness.
Matt 27:45-55
45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, "This man is calling for Elijah." 48 Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49 But the rest of them said, " Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him." 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
NASU
See the New Covenant being birthed at the death of Jesus, in the midst of the darkness. Truly this was the Son of God.
God reveals himself in a darkness that is different from the darkness of sin. It is different from the darkness of deception and rebellion. It is a place that He will bring His chosen instruments into, in order to reveal Himself to them. He reveals His covenant to them. He ratifies it. He always glorifies His son, Jesus, in this place. Jesus is the light of the world. Look here for a moment, and consider the privilege of preaching Jesus Christ's gospel to this lost and dying world. The gospel of the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 4:12-17
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
15 "THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,
BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES —
16 "THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,
AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH,
UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED."
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
NASU
Some have been in a place like the darkness of the dungeons of Joseph, Peter, Paul, and Silas. Some have been in a place of darkness like the cave of Elijah. God is making known to you the power of his covenant. You will come out with a fresh revelation of Jesus and His power. A new commissioning is coming. You will be sent to people bound in the darkness of sin and Satan's power. God will send you with the message of deliverance from sin, hell, sickness, and demonic bondage.
Isa 60:1-3
60 " Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
2 "For behold, darkness will cover the earth
And deep darkness the peoples;
But the Lord will rise upon you
And His glory will appear upon you.
3 " Nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
NASU
Lord Jesus, make us flames of fire. Cause us to burn with the revelation that you are the Light of the world.
John 3:19-20
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
NKJ.
On the night Jesus was betrayed, He said:
Luke 22:53
53 When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."
NKJV
For true believers, at that hour, Jesus triumphed over the power of darkness.
Col 1:13-14
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
NKJV
I would like to look at another kind of darkness. A place where God revealed Himself.
Gen 15:12-13
12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then He said to Abram...
NKJV
God was speaking to Abraham about His covenant with Abraham, the father of faith. There was great darkness.
When God was giving the commandments of the old covenant to Moses, there was darkness.
Ex 20:21-22
21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
22 And the Lord said unto Moses...
KJV
God was in the thick darkness.
Matt 27:45-55
45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, "This man is calling for Elijah." 48 Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49 But the rest of them said, " Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him." 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
NASU
See the New Covenant being birthed at the death of Jesus, in the midst of the darkness. Truly this was the Son of God.
God reveals himself in a darkness that is different from the darkness of sin. It is different from the darkness of deception and rebellion. It is a place that He will bring His chosen instruments into, in order to reveal Himself to them. He reveals His covenant to them. He ratifies it. He always glorifies His son, Jesus, in this place. Jesus is the light of the world. Look here for a moment, and consider the privilege of preaching Jesus Christ's gospel to this lost and dying world. The gospel of the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 4:12-17
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
15 "THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,
BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES —
16 "THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,
AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH,
UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED."
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
NASU
Some have been in a place like the darkness of the dungeons of Joseph, Peter, Paul, and Silas. Some have been in a place of darkness like the cave of Elijah. God is making known to you the power of his covenant. You will come out with a fresh revelation of Jesus and His power. A new commissioning is coming. You will be sent to people bound in the darkness of sin and Satan's power. God will send you with the message of deliverance from sin, hell, sickness, and demonic bondage.
Isa 60:1-3
60 " Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
2 "For behold, darkness will cover the earth
And deep darkness the peoples;
But the Lord will rise upon you
And His glory will appear upon you.
3 " Nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
NASU
Lord Jesus, make us flames of fire. Cause us to burn with the revelation that you are the Light of the world.
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