“But when anything is exposed and reproved by the light, it is made visible and clear; and where everything is visible and clear there is light.” Amp Eph 5:13
“Bless the Lord, all His works in all places of His dominion; bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul!” Amp Ps 103:22
Where the Lord’s dominion is, there is light and there is the reign of light. But where things have not been exposed to me and reproved by the light, that area persists and is ruled by darkness.
This is especially true in the hearts and minds of believers. Yes, darkness can have a welcome place in you… because you allow it.
This is the measure of maturity of me as a believer. How much of me is walking in light? Am I in the light as He is in the light?
Interesting thing: pertaining to light and its rule in me…the more I filter God’s light through my reasoning and intellect…the less light I have. The more I respond to His light with submission and obedience… the more light I have.
Here’s an example. Say the Lord shows you by the light of His Word and conviction of the Holy Spirit that some attitude of yours or behavior is wrong. You then take that revelation knowledge and examine it, process it according to your own thinking and standards, and then take action to obey. As you have parsed and diluted the force of this word based on your thinking and reasoning, you have chosen to modify the thrust of the word of God – and thus you have much less light than you could have.
You have elevated, through pride, your own thinking and power of reasoning, and made it more prominent than obedience to God.
So how would this have looked if say Abraham had reacted this way in reference to the command of God: “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, and offer him as a burnt offering…” (Gen 22:2)
Abraham went the very next day to do as God said. If he had “reasoned” with himself, he might have delayed and delayed, figuring and reasoning, projecting and waiting until he thought he knew what God was really doing. But thankfully he didn’t.
The point is: He trusted God more than his own understanding of things. He believed God!
It is vital for us to come to maturity with the light of God leading us as well as exposing and reproving us – especially as it concerns our thoughts about the word, God’s expectations of us, and even our perceptions about ourselves. It is not good for a believer to exercise self-perception, or self-analysis.
Psalm 36:9 explains: “For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.” Thus it is God’s light that is sufficient to lead us into all understanding and truth. Not own own light.
When Paul advocates for us to examine and test and evaluate as he does in 2Cor 13:5 – it is done on the basis of us first seeking such light from God. Otherwise we would be like the physician trying to heal himself—not a good thing as he lacks full perspective and full understanding.
The days of us walking at a glacial pace into the maturity and holiness God desires and has provisioned for are at an end…. He now tells us, “… Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine ( make day dawn) upon you and give you light.” Amp Eph 5:14
Awake! Choose to suspend further self-analysis, investigation, rational examination, and consuming self-sifting to try and arrive at a comfortable assessment concerning your spiritual maturity… your “Okayness” with God… or that you are acceptable to Him.
Instead, asking for His light… let Him confirm that you are loving in deed and truth. Let His Truth reassure, quiet, and pacify your heart in His presence. (1Jn 3:18-20) Nothing is hidden from Him, but many things are still hidden from you!
And receive from Him all that is needful, because you are watchfully obeying His orders, observing His suggestions, following His plan for you, and practicing what is pleasing to Him…(1Jn 3:22-24)
Shalom
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