To have been present with God at the beginning of creation, as He spoke light into existence, would have been unfathomable at best. My limited mind can only scratch the surface of picturing His magnificent glory shining into the darkness. I am humbled by such a thought, and in awe of Almighty God, who pushed back darkness by the power of His word… Let there be light.
The Bible reminds us that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. It is His perfect light that has always defeated darkness and still does today. Here are 10 biblical ways light defeats darkness now, and will ultimately vanquish it one day.
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1. Light Makes a Division
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. (Genesis 1:3-4)
As the world promotes the so-called “gray” areas of life, I’m convinced that with the Lord, there are no gray areas at all. There is darkness and there is light. His presence automatically divides the light from the darkness. And as Christians, God’s Spirit lives in us. Therefore, we have a built-in Guide who separates us from the darkness. Light defeats darkness in our lives by making a clear division.
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2. Light Proclaims We Are His
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)
Most of us don’t consider ourselves as royalty, but that’s exactly what we are in Christ! We are heirs with Jesus, included in God’s family by grace through faith. Our former condition of walking in darkness has been abolished as we enter into His marvelous light. The light of Jesus proclaims that we are His!
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3. Light Unites Believers
This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)
Unity within the body of Christ has always suffered due to the darkness that constantly finds its way in. When we walk in light we have fellowship. Walking in darkness promotes disunity.
The beautiful thing about God’s light is that it serves as a gauge for determining the source of division. Even when there are legitimate disputes and conflicts within the body, we can rightly discern whether they are being settled in the light of God’s truth or the darkness of the flesh.
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4. Light Exudes from Our Hearts
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
You probably know someone who shines the light of Jesus wherever they go. They are so full of God’s love and righteousness, they cannot help but exude His light. I don’t know about you, but I want to be one of those people!
It takes moment-by-moment decisions to allow the Holy Spirit to overcome all thoughts, feelings, and actions tainted by darkness. It takes regular communion with the Lord, in our secret, quiet places. Let’s be people who exude God’s light from the depths of our hearts and draw others to Him!
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5. Light Leads Us Away from the Power of Satan
“…that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:18)
Our sinful nature is automatically attracted to darkness and Satan is ever at work to make the darkness seem as light to us. But those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are given everything they need for life and godliness (Everything!). Our fleshly tendency towards darkness will always be met with the righteousness of God’s glory and truth.
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6. Light Paves the Way
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)
Dark paths meet us at every turn, luring us into thinking they are paths of light. That is why we need the entirety of God’s Word to be our guide. No longer can we discern which road to take, based on what the culture says is “good.” We must know God’s truths intimately and let His light pave the way.
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7. Light Opens Eyes
Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1 John 2:9-11)
The brilliance of the Savior’s light removes the scales of blindness from the eyes of every believer. Dissension and discord are exposed, leading us to love others with His perfect love. This does not mean God wants us to mask sin by labeling it with a description of love. This is a dangerous and worldly thing to do. Instead, God’s light opens our eyes and enables us to love others in purity and holiness.
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8. Light Creates Boundary
He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness. (Job 25:10)
Sadly, many view God’s boundaries as imposed rules set by an authoritative dictator. Yet, His standard is established for our good and grounded in love. God’s boundaries create a clear chasm between darkness and light.
Instead of pushing against the Lord’s parameters, let’s embrace them as His ultimate best for us and obey them as followers of Christ. In this, we are allowing His light to defeat the darkness of rebellion in our lives.
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9. Light Exposes Works of Darkness
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. (Ephesians 5:11)
In order to truly defeat something, it first needs to be exposed. Otherwise, it will remain concealed, only to return again. No matter how good the works of darkness appear to be, they will never produce fruit. They will, in fact, lead to death.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12)
10. Light Will Ultimately Replace All Darkness
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light… (Revelation 21:23-24)
No matter how severe our battle against darkness, one day, the Lamb of God will ultimately replace it with His perfect light. The glory of God will illuminate heaven forever and ever and the saints will walk in it.
Take heart and be encouraged by this truth, knowing your present troubles are only for a season. There will ultimately be a day when there will be no more crying or pain, and darkness will be defeated for good.
Jennifer Waddle is best known for encouraging Christian women in faith and life. She is the author of several books, including Prayer Worrier: Turning Every Worry into Powerful Prayer, and is a contributor for WomensMinistryTools.com, Crosswalk.com and abide.is. She resides with her family near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains—her favorite place on earth. You can find free resources at EncouragementMama.com or find her books here. Jennifer is also available, via email, at jennifer@encouragementmama.com. She reads every single email that lands in her inbox, and would be honored to pray for your requests.
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Originally published Wednesday, 27 February 2019.
