The Kingdom of Light Vs. The Kingdom of Darkness
(Part Two)

(Before continuing to read this blog, please go back and read Part One from last week.)

Once we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and we know for a fact that we have eternal life, we must be careful not to become complacent in our spiritual walk. Because we have left the realm of darkness and Satan‘s army to be engrafted into the army and kingdom of God, Satan is all the more set to destroy us in any way he can. John 10:10 (NLT) says, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Don’t take this lightly or dismiss it. Each day there will be things that can cause you to think or act as if you were never washed by the blood of Christ.

I am sure many of you reading of this blog have a very close intimate relationship with Jesus, purpose to always be obedient to Him in every way, are practicing living a holy life, and truly do love God and others. All of this can be true of you and yet do you understand that this godliness being developed in your life makes you more of a target? You have become more dangerous to the kingdom of darkness. Therefore, if the enemy is not able to penetrate your mind and heart the way that he desires to, he will go after your loved ones or do anything to try to make your knees buckle and your heart faint.

No one is exempt in this warfare. You may feel it’s not fair that the more godly you become the harder the battle. Understand this, each time you refuse to give into the old kingdom of darkness that you once belonged to and you cling to Jesus Christ, you are better equipped to defeat the enemy than you were previously. Each battle brings more strength if you are relying upon the one who defeated Satan once and for all. This is a consistent thing that we have to be aware of in our lives and those we care about. Now I have to warn you, you can only change yourself. Prayer is a powerful weapon that we have been given, and you can intercede on behalf of others.

Oh, there’s so much on my heart that I would like to share and examples I would like to give to help you understand what I am saying more clearly. Yet again I will trust the Holy Spirit to teach what He wants to for His kingdom purposes. Let’s pick up from last week to how we can be overcomers and not be stuck or trapped in any of the world’s darkness.

I had shared in last week’s blog, which I hope you have read before this one, how William and I spent the month of May in Italy. There were wild yellow flowers (these are not dandelions) that grew in the area in which we were staying (picture above). They were the cutest things. I noticed how they would open or close in response to whether the sun was shining or not. If the sun was not shining that day, they would be closed. However, if the sun was shining bright, their little petals would be wide open displaying their brilliant yellow color which was such a delight to me. I believe this is true of us as well. When the kingdom of light is shining upon and through our lives, others get to see the brilliance of Jesus through us. His presence will definitely bring delight to others. Then again, if His kingdom of light is absent in our mindset or behavior on any day, the presence of Jesus may very well seem to be closed and not revealed in His brilliance.

Let’s focus on some things that we need to be aware of so we are abiding in the kingdom of light and displaying the brilliance of our Lord and Savior Jesus to others who come in contact with us.

Walking as Children of Light

Ephesians 5:8 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Notice Scripture does not merely say we are “in” the light. It says we “are” light in the Lord.

Believers are called to reflect Jesus everywhere they go. This means:

Loving others
Speaking truth with grace
Forgiving quickly
Rejecting compromise

Living with integrity

Choosing purity

Encouraging others

Remaining faithful

We live in dark times. In the dark, light becomes more visible. When the light of Jesus shines in your life, it will be even more evident today. Many people today are desperately searching for hope, peace, and truth. They may never enter a church initially, but they may encounter Jesus through the light believers carry.

Walking in the light also requires separation from darkness. This does not mean isolation from people. Jesus ministered to broken humanity continually. However, believers must guard their hearts and avoid partnerships or influences that pull them away from God. Conviction is not condemnation. It is God lovingly leading His children toward greater freedom and holiness.

Overcoming Darkness Through the Power of God

Many believers feel discouraged because they are fighting private battles:

Fear
Addiction
Anxiety
Depression
Shame
Anger
Bitterness
Spiritual exhaustion

But darkness cannot remain where God’s light is maintained.

Healing and freedom begin when believers:

Bring struggles honestly before God
Repent where necessary
Receive God’s forgiveness
Replace lies with truth
Stay rooted in Scripture
Remain connected to godly community

Our Reactions Matter

You cannot stop emotions from happening. They are part of our flesh which will be with us until our flesh is transformed in eternity by the Lord Jesus Christ. In eternity we will operate fully in His Spirit. But while we’re here on earth, we have to continuously make a decision to operate in the Spirit, especially when the flesh or our emotions erupt. This is a lifelong struggle we cannot ignore.

Emotions of anger, hurt, etc. will take place. The emotions are not sin in of themselves. It is what we DO with the emotions that lead into sin. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and sin not.” It said we are going to be angry; but once anger erupts, do not sin. You will not be able to stop the emotions! Start to recognize when they come, they are a sign of what is happening in your heart and in your mind. Also understand, your response is going to determine whether you are operating in the kingdom of light or in the kingdom of darkness. If you respond correctly in the Spirit, you maintain light. If you react with your flesh, you will be operating in the kingdom of darkness. This most likely will open a door for Satan to affect you further in your mind and heart. It may be wise to not DO anything in response to your emotions for a few days until you are fully surrendered to God’s Spirit.

This is what you’re going to have to learn and be alert to. To recognize whether you are responding or reacting in the Spirit or your flesh. Be alert to and know what triggers your emotions. Daily ask God, through the power of His Holy Spirit, to help you overcome your flesh so you can operate in the Spirit. Galatians 5:17, states: “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” This Scripture identifies the often agonizing internal conflict between human nature (our selfish, earthly desires) and spiritual calling (our desire to align with God’s will). Paul writes extensively about this in Romans 7 as well, detailing the frustration of a renewed mind being weighed down by our imperfect human nature. Meditate further on these Scriptures about the flesh and Spirit to gain insight (Romans 6:19-23, James 4:1, Matt 7:13-14, and 1 Peter 2:11).

Just like temptation itself is not sin; for sin takes place when you give into the temptation. The same is true that the emotion itself is not sin. It is what you DO with the emotion that leads to sin. Get this understanding so you can be victorious in your daily living.

What Satan will do is to attack you and try to bring guilt, shame, and condemnation to you for even having the emotion. But don’t let him do that. Because the emotion is not the sin. The emotion is a warning sign or a signal of what is taking place in your mind and heart. It is your response to the emotion that can lead to sin. What flows next out of your mind and heart will produce behavior that will or will not glorify God. Don’t let Satan put you under guilt and shame over an emotion. He is a liar and the truth is not in him. You know the truth about emotions, so let the truth set you free. Colossians 1:21–23 states, “Now [God] has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”

We cannot get rid of the flesh or darkness. The key is to desire and intentionally purpose to live according to the Spirit and abide in the light with Jesus. Learn what is the root of your emotions so you can be set free. Ask God to give you a renewed mind and a clean heart. These are things He says can be done and this is what we should seek after in His strength. Our minds need to be cleansed from negative thinking and fear. Our hearts need to be cleansed from unforgiveness, hurt, or anything else that is causing it to be unclean.

The Importance of Staying Spiritually Equipped

Read Ephesians 6:10-18 which describes the armor of God given to us to fight spiritual battles that take place in our lives. God never intended believers to live spiritually unprepared. Too many Christians attempt to fight spiritual battles while neglecting prayer, Scripture, and intimacy with God.

We get strengthened spiritually through:

Worship
Prayer
Fasting
Bible study
Obedience
Fellowship
Listening to the Holy Spirit

The stronger believers become spiritually, the more clearly they recognize darkness and resist its influence.

Victory is often a process of continual surrender and renewal. You do not have to fight alone. At Transformed Worldwide Ministries, women are encouraged and biblically equipped to walk in spiritual freedom and renewed purpose through courses, podcasts, blogs, and bible study. Also, get involved in your local church.

Light Always Overcomes Darkness

One of the most comforting truths in Scripture is recorded in John 1:5 which states, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Darkness may appear strong for a season, but it can never overcome the power of God. Throughout history, God has continually brought light into impossible situations.

No matter how dark circumstances appear:

God still reigns
Truth still stands
Hope still exists
Jesus is still victorious

Believers must remain anchored in faith instead of fear. The enemy wants Christians intimidated, silent, distracted, and discouraged. But God calls His people to stand boldly in truth, love, and faith. As the world grows darker, the Church/believers must grow brighter.

A Call to Choose the Light

Every day, people make choices that move them closer to light or deeper into darkness. Jesus lovingly invites all people into relationship with Him. Salvation is not about religion. It is about surrendering our lives to the One Who conquered darkness forever. If you have never fully committed your life to Jesus Christ, today can be your day of transformation. Click here for more information. And if you are already a believer but feel spiritually weary, remember this:

God has not abandoned you.
His light still shines.
His grace is still sufficient.
His power is still available.
Continue seeking Him wholeheartedly.
Spend time in His Word.
Pray consistently.
Surround yourself with godly encouragement.
Allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind daily.

I hope that the blogs written these last two weeks are making you more aware of being on guard as far as your thoughts and reactions to life situations. How even we who are close to Jesus can at any time open a door for darkness to be displayed in our life. We don’t want that!

We have been delivered from the realm of darkness. We are not to continue in it any longer. The world is drenched in fear, anxiety, worrying, seeking after riches, fame, finding excuses for holding onto unforgiveness, bitterness, or tension with others. It does not mean that we as children of light are to imitate this darkness that surrounds us each day. Our conversations, conduct, and character can and must reflect our Savior Jesus Christ when others look at us and interact with us. It should be the same as if they are interacting with Jesus.

Now I’m not impractical. We will never be perfect on this side, but we need to stop making excuses for the sin that we allow to so easily beset us (Hebrews 12:1). I pray these blogs were a wake-up call for some and a call to continue for others, so that we may run this race with patience until we see the Author and Finisher of our faith. You were not created to live defeated by darkness. You were called to openly shine like those little yellow flowers I mentioned earlier. My heart and my prayers are with you always.

Come back next week to receive encouragement from my husband, William, as he writes a blog to encourage your heart.