OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - WEDNESDAY 24/07/2013 - RESISTING DARKNESS BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

RESISTING DARKNESS

MEMORY VERSE

The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 1:5

READ

John 1:45

Joh 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

MESSAGE

 We are enjoined to arise and shine in Isaiah 60:1. To shine could mean Fulfil your purpose. It could also mean Resist darkness. John 1:5 says,

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

You are not saved to fold your arms and be idle, but to resist darkness. Paul fought the good fight of faith and a part of that fight was to resist evil. The more you increase the number of lights around a place, the less of darkness you will have there. This is the wisdom in planting churches. The more churches are planted, the more forces of darkness will be driven away. There was a time in my village that if a well dressed individual was going there with a car, on arrival at Ife (South-West Nigeria), the fellow would have to park the car, change to a less flamboyant dress and unpolished shoes before heading for the village. On getting home, after greeting them, they may ask how long the visit would be, and the individual would lie that he would stay for three days whereas he was already preparing to leave. When it is time to leave, if the way to the motor park is to the right, he will follow the left and after going some distance, the fellow would reconnect the road to the park.

Why all that pretence? It was because darkness was thick and prevalent in the area. If they discovered the fellow had achieved something in life, that visit might just be his last visit to the village. But today, things have changed because the light of God has shone over them. Now, I can even visit in a helicopter and be seen by people, yet no evil is envisaged. If you are a light of this world, you will shine by resisting evil. Every soul you win to the Kingdom further reduces the pressure of sin and death upon the community where you are. Do all it takes to enlarge the coast of the Kingdom because in doing this, you will not only be shining, but also multiplying good in the midst of a dark world.

ACTION POINT

Go out and win souls into God's Kingdom and thereafter thank Him for His light that is spreading into those lives and the community at large.