FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you – James 4.7

 

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me – Acts 26.18

 

Imagine that it’s night time. You’re standing outside, wanting to go home. The sky is pitch black. It’s quiet. In the darkness it’s easy to feel alone, vulnerable and scared. What would you do when you’re out in the scary darkness? Probably many of us would pray. Maybe some would run to reach home as fast as possible. Others would walk slowly, alert to any potential dangers lurking in the area.

We often feel that there’s not much we can do to survive the darkness. We just hope that nothing bad will happen. But in fact, there is one thing that drives darkness away: light. Darkness cannot stand the light. When there’s light, darkness disappears.

This is the same in spiritual sense: darkness (Satan and demons) cannot be present where there is light (God).

Jesus is the Light of the world. Turn to Him.

 

Satan is God’s enemy

The Bible tells that God created everything[1]. He also created angels in heaven[2]. Everything God created was good[3]. However, one day one of the angels rebelled against God[4]. That sinful angel was sent to away, together with those who followed him[5]. That sinful angel is called Satan or devil. And the other angels that followed Satan are called demons.

God and Satan are the complete opposite of each other.

God is truth[6]. Satan is the father of lies[7].

God is almighty[8]. Satan is limited[9].

God is love[10]. Satan hates God and people.

God is holy and righteous[11]. Satan is sinful[12].

God is omnipresent[13]. Satan is restricted[14].

God is faithful[15]. Satan is traitorous[16].

God brings order and peace[17]. Satan brings confusion and chaos[18].

God is compassionate[19]. Satan is vicious[20].

God gives life[21]. Satan destroys[22].

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Jesus is the Light of the world. Turn to Him.

 

Satan, demons and people

When Satan and the demons were chased from heaven, they wanted to take revenge on God by destroying God’s creation.

In disguise Satan tempted Adam and Eve, the first people on earth, to disobey God. Adam and Eve obeyed Satan. They sinned against God: they too rebelled against God’s authority[23]. Since then, everyone is under Satan’s power by nature[24]. This means that everyone has a natural desire to do what’s pleasing to themselves instead of to God.

Satan and demons try to influence us in two ways:

1. They tempt us to sin and we obey[25]. For example, if someone drops money from their pocket, we might be tempted not to say anything, but simply pick it up and use it. Or if someone offers us money for extra-marital sex, Satan can tell us that it’s not a sin but just a way to provide for our families.

2. We initiate sin, demons agree and encourage us[26]. For example, if we want to know the cause of our misfortune, we can visit an African doctor. Satan will make sure we’re being helped so that we think that divination is not a sin. Or if we feel lonely in our marriage, we may desire to find another husband or wife. Satan can bring people on our path that give us the attention we long for so that eventually we’ll commit adultery.

Satan does not know what we think, but he can observe us, encourage us, and whisper into our minds[27].

Jesus is the Light of the world. Turn to Him.

 

Jesus is the Light

God is light[28]. And Jesus, God’s Son, said that He is the Light:

I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life – John 8.12

When Jesus died on the cross, He defeated Satan forever[29]. Jesus is the only answer to darkness. We must ask ourselves whether we truly know, profess and obey Jesus as Saviour and King.

If we have not repented from our sins, we still live in darkness[30]. We are under Satan’s control and defenceless against demons. The only way to escape darkness is through repentance and faith in Jesus.

If we repented and believe in Jesus for salvation of our sins, we are followers of Jesus, the Light[31]. We are set free from darkness[32]. We don’t need to be afraid of evil powers. We are under God’s protection[33]. We must stay away from sin (which is darkness)[34].

Jesus is the Light of the world. Turn to Him.

 

How do we flee from Satan?

Although Satan is defeated, he still tries to drag us away from God. We must resist him by taking up the armour of God[35]:

• Know and hold on to the truth[36]. Read and know the Bible. Understand what it means to be saved by Jesus.

• Be ready to obey God[37]. Don’t twist the Bible.  Some say that good witch-doctors have God-given knowledge. That’s a lie. God hates those practices[38]. Choose what’s right[39].

• Have faith in God. We can be tempted to think that God alone is not enough to help and protect us. This is a lie. We must have faith in God to protect ourselves against giving in to temptations.

• Depend on God’s truth. We must put our hope in God. Never lose hope in any situation. God is in control[40]. He can allow bad things to happen for a purpose[41]. Don’t doubt His goodness.

• Pray at all times[42]. God gives wisdom and strength to resist the devil. We must fully depend on Him.

 

Practical implications

• Do not give attention to Satan and demons[43]. Satan and demons love it when we think and talk about them. They don’t mind if we organize deliverance programs as long as people don’t repent and believe in Jesus for salvation. Don’t honour them by spending time or money on anything involved with them.

• People who are possessed, need to know Jesus[44]. People must understand the Gospel of Jesus, the Light, and fully surrender themselves to Him. They must be taught the Bible and be prayed for[45]. We do not need special intercessors to do so[46]. We are not commanded to cast out demons. God will deal with demons through the teaching from the Bible and prayer. Remember that the Bible calls many who cast out demons, workers of  lawlessness[47].

• Do not give Satan and demons room in your thinking[48]. When bad things happen, we often think that there’s an evil spirit behind it. This thinking shows that evil spirits have room in our minds. Instead, our minds must be filled with God[49].

• Know God very well through the Bible. When we know God through the Bible, we can expose Satan’s lies. The Bible says that:

  • The spirit of the dead to not appear to the living[50]. There’s no need to do a ritual to protect ourselves or our babies from the dead interacting with us.

  • Our forefathers left us with futile and corrupt knowledge[51]. Always test if whatever our forefathers told us, is in accordance with the Bible. Only the Bible is true.

  • There are no different spirits for all kinds of sins[52]. People who sin, do not need to be delivered from a specific demon. Instead the Bible tells them to repent and believe in Jesus[53].

•    Do not fear if you’re in Jesus. ‘The Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil’ (2 Thessalonians 3.3).

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Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices – 2 Corinthians 2.11

 

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[1] Genesis 1 and 2, [2] Colossians 1.16, [3] Genesis 1.31, [4] Jude 1.6, [5] Revelation 12.7-9, [6] Psalm 31.5, [7] John 8.44, [8] Luke 1.37, [9] 1 John 4.4, [10] 1 John 4.16, [11] Isaiah 6.3, Psalm 11.7, [12] 1 John 3.5, [13] Jeremiah 23.24, [14] Job 1.7, Job 2.6, [15] Lamentations 3.23, [16] Genesis 3.1-4, [17] John 14.27, 1 Corinthians 14.33, [18] Revelation 12.9, [19] Exodus 34.6, [20] John 10.10, [21] John 10.10, [22] 1 Peter 5.8, [23] Genesis 3, [24] Romans 5.19, Romans 5.12, Ephesians 2.2-3, [25] 1 Peter 5.8, Romans 6.16, Luke 22.31, [26] James 1.14, 2 Corinthians 11.14, [27] 2 Corinthians 11.3, Job 1.7, John 13.2, [28] 1 John 1.5, [29] Colossians 2.15, 1 John 3.8, [30] Ephesians 4.18, John 3.19-20, Ephesians 2.2-3, [31] John 8.12, [32] Colossians 1.13-14, Ephesians 5.8, [33] 2 Thessalonians 3.3, [34] 1 John 1.5-6, [35] Ephesians 6.10-16, [36] 2 Timothy 1.13, Philippians 2.16, [37] James 1.22, John 14.15, [38] Deuteronomy 18.10-12, Galatians 5.19-21, Revelation 21.8, [39] Psalm 62.5-6, 2 Corinthians 12.9, [40] Ephesians 1.11, Matthew 10.29-30, Proverbs 3.5-6, Proverbs 16.9, [41] Romans 8.28, [42] Colossians 4.2, 1 Thessalonians 5.17, 1 John 4.4, [43] James 4.7, [44] Luke 4.18-19, 1 John 4.4, [45] Psalm 119.105, [46] 1 Timothy 2.5, [47] Matthew 7.21-23, [48] Ephesians 4.27, [49] Philippians 4.8, Colossians 3.2, [50] Ecclesiastes 9.5-6, Job 7.9-10, [51] 1 Peter 1.18-19, [52] James 1.14, Mark 7.21-23, Galatians 5.19-21, [53] 1 John 1.9, Acts 3.19