Living in God’s Truth
God has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and welcomed us into His Kingdom of light! In every area of our lives we need to walk in His light, letting Him challenge and heal our hidden hurts and sins.
Living in Darkness
What does, “darkness,” make you think of?
(19) This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
(20) Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
Why do some people prefer to stay living in darkness?
2 Corinthians 4:3-6 (NIV)
(3) And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
(4) The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
(5) For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
(6) For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
Ephesians 4:17-19 (NIV)
(17) So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
(18) They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
(19) Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
What are the results of living in darkness?
What Is the Light?
(12) 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.”
How does Jesus refer to himself? What do you think this means?
(105) Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
How can God’s Word be a light for us?
Jesus, the light, will expose the hidden and dark parts of our lives so that He can bring healing, forgiveness and life!
1 Corinthians 4:5 (NIV)
(5) Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
Luke 12:2-3 (NIV)
(2) There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
(3) What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
Living in the Light
Colossians 1:13 (NIV)
(13) For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
(9) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
What has God done for us?
What can we learn from the following verses about living in God’s light?
(10) and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
(33) “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.
(3) What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
(8) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
(9) (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
(10) and find out what pleases the Lord.
(11) Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
(12) It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
(13) But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
(14) This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
(5) This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
(6) If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.
(7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
(8) If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
(9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
(10) If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Shining Our Light for Others
Isaiah prophesied that as God’s light shines on us, we will stand out in this dark world, and many people will want to come into this light
(1) “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
(2) See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
(3) Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
(14) “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
(15) Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
(16) In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Why should we let our lights shine?
(17) I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them
(18) to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
What does God want us to do?
Ask a Friend
Can you share a story about God shining His light in your life?
Application
What can you do to live continuously in God’s light?
What areas of your life do you need to bring into God’s light?
Prayer Model
Lord Jesus, I thank You for rescuing me from darkness. Please show me areas in my life that I need to bring into Your light. Thank you for changing me and for guiding me everyday.
Key Verse
“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.’”
