Hello creative friend!
This is week sixteen of twenty in my Freedom Friday posts on Identity in Christ. These blog posts are based on my I Am Journal and I hope you are joining me on this journey whether you own the journal or not.
Our truth topic today is: I am the light of the world!
When considering being the light of the world, I would like to take a different approach to the ones I’m use to hearing about. When it comes to this topic, it seems that the typical focus is on good deeds and being a light in this dark world and rightly so BUT… I want to explore why godly people who really love the Lord sometimes hide their light. I want to find the root cause of why they (me) sometimes hide in darkness. In the I am journal I ask this question: “How much of your true self do you hide away in the deep dark corners of your heart?” I then encourage you to ask the Lord to shine His light on those areas so you can begin to heal and shine even brighter. God shines His light in darkness and makes a way when there is no other way.
I can tell you from experience that your light shines brighter and brighter the more you allow God to heal what is hiding in darkness. Sin comes out of dark places but once it’s exposed to the light, healing can begin. Light exposes darkness. This can be scary because the reason we hide is because we are scared and we try to protect ourself from being hurt. The good news is that the light of Jesus is full of love, mercy and grace. Jesus does not judge or condemn us (John 3:17), that is what the enemy does. To live in the light, you can no longer hide in darkness.
True good deeds come from the light of Jesus within. They come from a place that is full of love. When good deeds come from a place of false guilt, false responsibility, pride, religion, trying to earn approval and acceptance etc…..then you are left exhausted and empty. A life that is completely redeemed by Jesus Christ shines the brightest because those who see it want it. We all long to be free. We all long to be accepted and loved. That is what the world needs and that is what Jesus came to give, yet often what they get is judgment and condemnation.
Allow God to shine His light in EVERY SINGLE PART of your heart. He want to restore all of it and like a heart surgeon, He will be extremely gentle and precise. He sees the whole picture and can pin point exactly what needs healing.
As believers, we are to reflect the light of Jesus but like the moon, we have no light of our own. We must allow Him to fill us with His light because He will not force it upon us. We have a choice, we can continue to sit in darkness or we can be completely set free to shine brighter than we ever have. People are attracted to the light, love and hope of Jesus. They are repelled by condemnation, hatred, accusations and the like. The same goes for you. If you are constantly withholding grace and love from yourself you will fall deeper and deeper into a black hole. The condemning voice of the enemy is not something that makes light shine out of you. It is the incredible kindness of Jesus that leads us to repentance. (Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?) Beating yourself up is not going to drive out darkness, on the contrary, it will push you further into it. Ephesians 5:11 says “take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” I’ve always thought of this verse in context of not participating in ungodly things but as I read it today, I’m looking at it from the stand point of my own heart. It’s humbling to see how much “unfruitful works of darkness” are there when I stop to think about it. The Lord says “expose them”! All of a sudden, there is no thought of exposing or judging other people, it all starts with me. In every situation, we can choose to partner with darkness or we can choose to partner with God who is light. Choose carefully because the world in watching and it won’t go unnoticed. God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. Light is bright and it dispels darkness. We need God to light our path otherwise we can’t see where we are going. We need His light shining in us so other people can see where they are going. This can’t happen if we hide the light. This can’t happen if we hide in the darkness ourselves. No one is attracted to Jesus by seeing someone living in chains in a dark prison. No, they are attracted to Jesus when they see someone set free or filled with joy despite their circumstances.
Get close to Jesus who is the light. The more intimacy you have with Him, the more His light will rub off on you in a way that can’t be hidden. Let His presence, kindness, love, mercy and grace lead you to want Him in every corner of your heart, with nothing off limits to Him. Jesus wants to expose the darkness in you, not to shame you or humiliate you. He wants to expose those things because He knows that it’s the only way to healing. The enemy loves to work in secret where it’s dark. Expose him!! He’s the one that’s gonna get booted out while you’ll be left with forgiveness and love.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5
There is no darkness in you that God can’t drive out. Nothing is too big for Him but the enemy has a habit of making us think that we are broken beyond repair but that is a lie. Tweet That!
You have not committed an unforgivable sin nor has anything been done to you that cannot be healed when you bring it to the light. In fact, once healed, there’s a good chance that God will use those exact things to shine the most in you to draw others to Himself.
Jesus said “I am the light of the world” so you can follow Him and never walk in darkness, but have the light of life. (John 8:12) Let Him shine His light in those dark places, He’s not going to be harsh about it, shining it directly in your eyes and blinding you. He is love and you can trust Him.
Light has no fellowship with darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14) In thinking about our heart, there is a battle ragging on in there and the only way for the light to shine through is for us to agree to remove whatever we are using to hide from that light. Light wins over darkness every time but we must choose it. We must be in reality about what is lurking in our hearts. 1 John 1:6 says “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” Ouch!! Could that means that when we are in denial about the conditions of ours hearts we are walking in darkness and lying to ourself and others? I think so. Isaiah 5:20 says “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Let us not be deceived friend. Let’s like David give God permission to “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)
Let God drive out all the darkness in your heart. Darkness can be your sin or the sins of others that has affected your life. It can also be fear and shame which keeps us hiding like nothing else. Let Him shine so that you can shine to bring light to this dark world.
You are loved, be free!
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Martin Luther King Jr
“You are the light of the world–like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where 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 Matthew 5:14-16
Here are biblical declarations that you can read out loud every day. Declare truth over yourself daily and you will soon believe it! I have included a free printable for you to use, enjoy it!
1- Jesus is the Light of the World, because I follow Him I will never walk in darkness but have the light of life. (John 8:12)
2- Jesus is in me so wherever I go, His light expels darkness.
3- I am the light of the world like a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. (Matthew 5:14)
4- I am filled with the light of life (John 8:12).
5- I am no longer in darkness, I have been called into God’s marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
6- My light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon me. (Isaiah 60:1)
7- Because I have the light of Jesus in me, I have no fellowship with darkness. (2 Corinthians 6:14)
8- I choose to no longer hide in darkness and I invite Jesus to shine His light in every area of my heart.
9- I take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead I expose them. (Ephesians 5:11)
10- I bring the light of Jesus to dark places.
I hope that you are encouraged today, let your heart be full of His light!
