Ephesians 5:8-10 (Amp) says, "For once you were darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light, lead the lives of those native-born to the Light. For the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light, or the Spirit consists in every form of kindly Goodness, uprightness of heart and truthiness of life; and try to learn in your experience what is pleasing to the Lord, let your lives be constant proof of what is most acceptable to Him."
1John 1:7 (Amp) says, "But if we really are living and walking in the Light, as He Himself is in the Light, we have true unbroken fellowship with one another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt, keeps us cleansed from sin in all it's forms and manifestations."
Paul tells us in the first scripture that, "we were once darkness, but now we are Light in the Lord." Paul didn't say that we were in darkness, but that we were darkness, and that we are now Light in the Lord. We've never walked in this Light before and we still don't understand how to walk as Light. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 23:4 (Amp), "Yes, though I walk through the deep, sunless valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me. Your rod to protect me and Your staff to guide, they comfort me."
This world is the "valley of the shadow of death." Jesus said that He "came that we might have Life," but most haven't fully understood His Words. We now live in the Light which illuminates our paths, as we walk through the valley. Satan is the god of this world and too many succumb to premature death, because his entire mission is to "steal, kill, and destroy." Only Light can show us how to walk through this life, instead of being swallowed up in the darkness.
The only way we can live in the valley of the shadow of death, is by the guiding Light and the Holy Spirit. We will of course live on with the Lord after we leave this valley, but we still have a place and purpose here, so we must learn how to navigate in this hostile world. We need to know how to walk in the Light. Psalm 119:130 (Amp) says, "The entrance and unfolding of Your Words gives Light, their unfolding gives understanding, discernment and comprehension to the simple."
We must know and understand God's Word, in order to "walk in the Light as He is in the Light." Jesus said, "I only do what I hear My Father say." The Word of God was His Light and showed Jesus the way. Many today have disregarded much of God's Word and have fallen back into walking in the darkness. This doesn't mean that the darkness is in them, but that they are in the darkness. There is no darkness in their spirit man/woman, but is in the old man/woman who hasn't renewed his/her mind. They've allowed themselves to walk in the natural, rather than the Super-natural things of God. Proverbs 16:25 (Amp) says, "There is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death." If we don't have the Light of God's Word guiding us, then we might not be able to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, in the natural.
Many things in the natural life don't provide Light to show us where to walk. We've been taught many things about God's Word that come from a carnal viewpoint, so they don't bring Light. Man's ideas of what they think God's Word says, can leave us in the darkness. Psalm 119:30 tells us that, "The entrance and unfolding of God's Word gives Light." The True Light will actually illuminate our pathway, only when the Word enters into us. Some ridicule readers of God's Word, but I would rather be ridiculed for being a man of God's Word, rather than being a blind man.
Jesus said that, "They have ears, but they don't hear and have eyes, but don't see." These are those who still walk in the darkness of a carnal mind and not in the Light. Religion and reality aren't the same thing. Religion isn't truly Light, bit is still a shadow. The prince of darkness, satan, comes only to steal, kill and destroy and he depends on darkness to hide his work and strategies from us. Light will stop satan in his tracks. If you're unaware of his strategies, then you're still in darkness and without Light to see by. The Psalmist prays in Psalm 119:133 (Amp), "Establish my steps and direct them by means of Your Word; let not any iniquity have dominion over me."
Some would say, "I don't think I need to do all of that, in order to get to Heaven." They're right of course, but they might get there sooner than they thought, by not allowing the Word to keep them walking in the Light. It shouldn't be a chore to read God's Word. God says that we are to "Delight ourselves in His Word." If it's a chore, then it's religion and if it's joy, then it's truly Light to our paths. This isn't something everyone is doing, but is individual worship and precious fellowship with the Father, as He directs our paths. Some believers will read God's Word and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, while others won't. The choice is ours. Both might be saved, but both aren't walking in the Light of that salvation. It's healing to some, but those walking in the darkness believe "God is testing me." Which are you? James 1:17 (Amp) says, "Every Good Gift and every perfect Gift comes down from the Father of all that gives Light."
No comments:
Post a Comment