A Great Light Has Dawned

“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, Light has dawned.” 

(Matthew 4:16)

Jesus had just spent forty days and nights fasting in the desert wilderness. Satan, having come to Him three times to try and tempt Him, had failed to do so. Then Jesus' angels came to Him and served Him.

Thus, Jesus began His Galilean ministry.

The first thing it says of Jesus after this is:

“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)

I love the Word of God. It makes all things so simple.  

Jesus didn't go out and hire a business manager and professional musicians, scout out suitable venues or amphitheaters, and arrange for various food vendors. He didn't have evangelistic programs printed up and signature cards for new believers. 

No, He went out, filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and He preached; saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (or, has come near).

How rare it is that anyone still does this today.

We think we need to practice "friendship evangelism"—which basically means, get to know someone first, build a good relationship with them, then spring the gospel on them. You'll have less chance of offending someone with the gospel if you've taken several weeks, or even months to build a good friendship with them first. Or, so people seem to think.

But Jesus and His disciples didn't do this.

They simply preached the Gospel as they went along. They weren't trying to be politically correct.

Preaching repentance is something you hear less and less of these days. Many people will say, "We're just supposed to love people."

One guy I know said to me, "All I'm commanded to do is love my fellow man."

However, that is not all Christ commands His followers to do.

The Word could have stated, "And from that time Jesus went out and just began to love His fellow man."

But the Bible never states that or teaches it.

Another friend of ours once said to me; "It's the Holy Spirit's job to convict people. We're just supposed to love them."

That is also not quite accurate. 

The apostle Paul wrote to one of his disciples:

“Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” (Titus 1:9)

The Holy Spirit lives in us. He speaks through us as we speak the Word to people. We are a temple of the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to preach, and speak the Truth in love, This is how God gets His message out to people who need to hear it. Once His message has been received by a person, then the Holy Spirit will convict their heart about it, as they openly receive it.

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:21)

So what does it mean to repent?

It literally means to turn from your sin, and turn and go the other direction, towards God. And to change your mind, and think differently afterward.

"Change my mind about what?" you may ask.

To change your mind that you don't need God or need saving. To change your mind that you are okay without Him. To change your mind if you think you're not a sinner, and that you haven't broken God's laws.

Paul the apostle wrote:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

As well as:

“There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10)

Jesus Himself said:

“No one is good but One, that is, God.” (Mark 10:18)

We all need Jesus and we all need saving. And only Jesus can save.

And He loves the whole world with a love beyond our full comprehension.

Jesus said:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John 3:16-21)

We need to share the entire truth of what Jesus said with people. Not just that God loves them. But also why He went to the cross to save them—from their sin.

Speak to the hearts and spirits of people. God can only change individuals and nations from the inside out.

All people need Jesus.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

Spiritual Mine Fields

"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Take away the frightening warning sign, and the beach pictured above looks completely harmless, peaceful, and serene.

But when someone planted explosive mines along this beach, they did not post any signs warning people of their presence. That’s the purpose of hiding land mines—to catch your enemy off guard and destroy him.

Such are the pitfalls in the spiritual world—the unseen realm.

Many Christians will concede that there must be a Devil, because the Bible says so. But most, it seems, fail to acknowledge his existence and destructive presence in their personal lives. And in so doing, many have already lost the spiritual battle, because they failed to acknowledge there is a battle to begin with.

The Apostle warns us:

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

Satan is not just an adversary. He is your adversary. It’s personal with him. He is out to destroy you and yours. Jesus said of Satan:

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” (John 10:)

However, many people today seem to have forgotten these warnings in Scripture. Since they can’t see the Devil they act like he doesn’t even exist. “Out of sight, out of mind.”

Watch out.

Satan has placed carefully hidden spiritual land mines in the areas of your life where he knows he can hurt you the most. And he knows that he will eventually get to you because most people aren’t looking for them. We carelessly stroll along the beach of life, oblivious to the schemes of the wicked one, and the warnings given of him in God’s Word.

Is it any wonder that so many of us are getting our spiritual butts kicked?

The Apostle Paul gives us this stern admonition:

“So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Eph 5:17)

Some of Satan’s most effective land mines, carefully disguised to destroy God’s people are: lust, greed, envy, pride, division, idolatry and unforgiveness. In the Garden of Eden, Satan had three primary arrows stashed in his devilish quiver, ready to unleash against God’s people: "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Doubt and unbelief are also very effective weapons Satan is using against God’s people. “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1)

What is the “will of the Lord” that Paul admonishes us to understand?

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Eph 5:1-2)

Jesus loved us by sacrificing Himself, and by warning people of Hell, and He told us to repent and turn from our sin. He did not condemn people, but He also never told people that their sin was okay. Jesus came to save us from our sin. Love always tells people the Truth of God’s Word.

After telling us what to do, Paul warns us what not to do:

“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partakers with them.” (Eph 5:3-7)

I believe one of Satan’s most effective weapons used against many Christians today, is to deceive them through empty words—watered-down teaching, diluting and diminishing God’s Word, rationalizing some sin as okay because it is so acceptable in today’s twisted culture. “Well, (that sin) is a gray area, and I don’t want to judge.”

This is the same lie that Satan used in the Garden: “Did God really say?” He convinced God’s people to doubt His Word. And this is happening today more and more. Paul warned us that a time is coming, and now is, when people will no longer endure sound doctrine, but will, because of their desires, find themselves teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. (2 Tim 4:3)

“Everything exposed by the light becomes visible.” (Eph 5:13)

We’re told in the New Testament to expose false doctrine. Light exposes darkness. It’s not “love” to let people go on believing a lie because we don’t want to risk offending them. God’s wrath comes on the disobedient, not on the obedient.

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” (James 3:13-16)

You see this in so many divorce battles today. Bitter envy and selfishness are accompanied by disorder and every kind of evil behavior and hypocrisy. Someone who is hell-bent on destroying their spouse is usually living the most sinful lifestyle imaginable, and through their greed and disobedience, will bring God’s wrath on their life.

But the person whose life and actions reflect goodness and humility, have demonstrated that they are truly wise and understanding. They know what the will of the Lord is.

“The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:17-18)

Peace will be upon everything you do, if you walk in the wisdom of God, which is always pure, peaceable and gentle, willing to yield, and devoid of hypocrisy.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Cor 10:3-5)

Part of waging spiritual war, is to first ask God for His wisdom of what spiritual strongholds are present in your personal life, family, and even in the culture of your city and country. And to acknowledge that these strongholds must be pulled down and demolished.

Then, only through using our spiritual weapons which are mighty in God—namely; prayer, love, fellowship and God’s Word—can we begin to pull down and demolish spiritual strongholds that can never effectively be fought against using fleshly or worldly methods.

I recently watched a very moving television special about the many soldiers suffering from serious Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The interviewer asked a large group of men, by a show of hands, if given the chance, how many would want to go right back to the fight? All the men but one immediately shot up their hands. The interviewer asked, “Why?” One soldier said, “Because of the camaraderie; because you were with your band of brothers day and night.” The soldier then said, “But once you lose that, you can never get it back.”

For Christians, we have to get that kind of brotherhood back. We can’t afford not to. Too many guys are going Lone Ranger out there. Suffering from spiritual PTSD, they have pulled back, isolating themselves from fellowship.

Spiritually, we’re in the foxhole of life together. We need each other, to hold each other up. To pray for one another, for our families, and for God’s wisdom. To watch each other’s backs.

As my good friend used to say often:

“This is life or death.”



—God is Love and Love Never Fails.