How do you react when you encounter the illuminating light of Jesus Christ?

There's really only two responses. Either you press into it, willingly receiving the light. Or you reject it, recoiling back into the darkness.

Why would someone choose to live in darkness rather than basking in the redeeming power and light of Jesus Christ? The answer is found in John 3: 18-21 where Jesus says:

vs. 18 - "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.

vs. 19 - "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.

vs. 20 - "For everyone practicing evil HATES THE LIGHT and DOES NOT COME TO THE LIGHT, LEST HIS DEEDS SHOULD BE EXPOSED.

vs. 21 - "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

(Emphasis Mine)

Light has one job and that's to consume darkness. Darkness only exists in the absence of light. If you notice in Genesis 1:1 God didn't have to create darkness. Darkness was already there because light had not been created. In vs. 3 God said "Let there be light" and light was created. Where there is no light, darkness automatically exists. Likewise, if you are not born again in Christ you're automatically in darkness. And if you're in darkness, according to vs. 18 above, you're condemned already.

In Acts 26:18 Jesus said that those who are in darkness are living under the power of Satan.  In that passage Jesus commissions the Apostle Paul to do the following:

'to open their eyes, in order to turn them from DARKNESS to LIGHT, and FROM THE POWER OF SATAN to GOD, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'

I'm sure you can remember your mom or dad coming into your bedroom early in the morning when you were running late for school and turning the light on. What was your immediate reaction to the light being turned on? I know what I did. I got agitated and immediately threw the covers over my head. It was uncomfortable! Because my body had adjusted to being in the dark, when the light was turned on I resisted it. I turned from it!

Many times this is the response of the believer and non believer alike once exposed to the light of Jesus Christ. How many of you know that a born again believer can still be living in darkness by the choices they make and what they open themselves up to. Paul refers to this as strongholds in 2 Cor. 10:4.

The light's primary job is to consume the darkness which in turn exposes that which has been hidden. This definitely isn't comfortable but you must allow the power of that light to consume the darkness in your life. Salvation for the non believer can only come through the powerful light of Jesus Christ. Deliverance for the born again believer that's become a slave to sin can only come through the purging light of Jesus Christ.

I've seen it with friends of mine. Many have withdrawn themselves from me and this ministry because of discomfort. Maybe some of the things I've brought up have challenged you in your walk with the Lord. Maybe God has used me to shed light on the areas of darkness in your life that nobody else knows about except for you and Him. Or, maybe you're not born again, you're not a follower of Jesus Christ, and God has made that clear to you through this ministry. I urge you, DO NOT HIDE UNDER THE COVERS! DO NOT EMBRACE THE DARKNESS! Embrace what might seem uncomfortable at first. Embrace the light of Jesus Christ, open your eyes, receive forgiveness and walk in FREEDOM from sin through the Holy Spirit!

Remember, darkness is the absence of light. Darkness has no power over light. The amount of darkness that's consumed is solely dependent on the power of the light source. THANK YOU JESUS THAT HE IS THE ULTIMATE LIGHT SOURCE AND HIS POWER NEVER RUNS OUT.

YOU ARE THE DECIDING FACTOR. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. CHOOSE THE LIGHT!