Sermon Central
-
Turn On The Lights
Contributed by Brady Boyd on Apr 7, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: The greatest weapon we have in our fight against the enemy is to maintain an honest heart before God. Discover two keys to living honestly before God.
Turn on the Light
March 2003
· Our relationship with God is never static – it is always advancing, always changing, and hopefully getting richer, deeper and more intimate.
· How do we take the next step? How do we get to the level of relationship and ministry we desire? How do we see the New Testament miracles and power begin to operate in our lives?
· WE TURN ON THE LIGHT!!!
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.”
· Darkness has never been a part of God’s nature or character.
“And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their home – these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.”
· Satan has legal access, granted by God, to dwell in any area of darkness, even areas of darkness that may exist in a Christian’s life.
Colossians 1:13-14 (Two Kingdoms, BOTH ARE PLACES OF AUTHORITY)
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness, and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Ephesians 1:18 (NLT)
“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people.”
· Do not get accustomed to the darkness. (Ukraine story)
· The enemy has a feast on whatever we withhold from God.
There are only two ways to walk in the light (you must do both):
1. Just Say Yes to the Holy Spirit.
· We are supernaturally equipped to respond to the Holy Spirit. (“My sheep know my voice.”)
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
“I ask the Holy Spirit to shine His light into every dark area of my soul. I will not hide and I will not withdraw from your presence. Expose and remove the works of darkness in my life. I give the Holy Spirit permission to establish the kingdom of Jesus Christ in my thoughts, my emotions, and my physical body. I want to be an accurate reflection of Jesus Christ from this day forward.”
· The greatest weapon we can use against the enemy is to maintain an honest heart before God.
2. The Holy Spirit will always lead you to the written Word of God.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
· Prophecy and preaching do not replace the Word, they reveal the Word.
“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
· The Holy Spirit wrote the Word. The Word and Spirit is an unchangeable formula. Life and light come into our lives when they combine on a daily basis.
· The Pharisees memorized entire books of the Bible, but resisted the Holy Spirit.
“…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are life.”
Conclusion:
“Arise, shine, for your light has come; and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
“The light shines through the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.”
