Let Your Light ShineSpeaker: Dr. Paul Dhinakaran Gist: Plead God to fill you with His Spirit. You will arise and shine as the light of Christ in this world. He will grant you His wisdom and riches immeasurably and exalt you. He will cause His light to flow to others through you. He will honour you. I recall a true-life-episode, I read in a magazine. A special gala celebration was organised for young students, in a college. While all others were enjoying themselves, dancing, singing and boozing, one young guy started weeping aloud. Shocked, the other young boys rushed to him and enquired as to why he shrieked out. He pointed to a photograph of a young lady in that room and said that as soon he saw the photograph he was pricked by feelings of his guilt and sin, which make him cry out in anguish. As he continued lamenting, his seniors explained why the photograph was there; the girl in the photograph had been a student of the college. She was a very bright first-ranking student who loved Jesus so intensely as to share His love with all; a powerful prayer-warrior, she dealt with all her fellow students with great prayerful love and humility; but woefully, she died suddenly. To honour her memory her photograph had been installed in that hall. Yes, though dead, even her photograph had the potency to pierce into the heart of a sinner and cause repentance.
God's light shone through that photograph and the girl had received God's light in her life and even her photograph was emitting God's light. So, God wants you to become His lamp. You may wonder if this could happen to you. But try to read and understand John 3:34, "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure." It means that Jesus who was sent by God, radiated light wherever He went in this world full of darkness. And He still does it.
Isaiah 9:2 says, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light". He who Himself was light gave light to all people enveloped in darkness. When God sends His light and Holy Spirit to you, you will be transformed into the same image, from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:17, 18). You will shine as the Spirit of the Lord.
After God filled me with His Holy Spirit in my 18th year, I started praying, "Holy Spirit, You are my friend, never leave me alone, accompany me wherever I go", every time I went out to college. When temptations faced me, I used to pray, "Lord, You are the Light in this world full of darkness; so give me the strength to overcome temptations." Immediately the presence of the Holy Spirit would fill me.
When I was 21 years old, I was invited to preach in a Good News Meeting. Before I went up to the dais, the organisers took me to a room to pray for three people. There were three possessed people, and I had been invited to exorcise the evil spirits. Being quite young, I felt shocked. Yet when I looked up to God, the Holy Spirit descended upon me powerfully. When I prayed tying down the demons in the name of Jesus, the Light of Christ was focused towards them through me. Miraculously all the three were liberated from the bonds of the demons. I realised then and there that God has placed me in this world as His Light and I praised God with all my heart.
"Then the Lord turned to him (Gideon) and said, 'Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" (Judges 6:14). As God's Spirit was with him, he overcame and triumphed over his enemies and was exalted.
Friend, beg of God to fill you with His Spirit. You will be transformed into powerful servant of God, strengthened by the Holy Spirit. You will drive away demons. You will arise and shine as the light of Christ in this murky and dusky world. He will grant you His wisdom and riches immeasurably and exalt you. He will cause His light to flow to others through you. He will honour you.
"You are the light of the world. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."
Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,
You are the Light in this world full of darkness. Give me the strength to overcome temptations. Let not the darkness of this world ever touch me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and take full control of my life. Holy Spirit, You are my friend, never leave me alone, and accompany me wherever I go.
Amen. |