LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT LIGHT (GOD’S LIGHT)

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.“ Matthew 5:14-16 NLT

BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF LIGHT

GOD IS LIGHT!

Text: 1 John 1:5-9

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 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. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

WHEN YOU COME INTO CONTACT WITH GOD’S LIGHT EVERYTHING CHANGES AND YOUR PAST WOULD NOT MATTER ANYMORE – WHEN APOSTLE PAUL EXPERIENCED THE LIGHT OF GOD ON HIS WAY TO DAMASCUS – EVERYTHING CHANGED FROM THERE ON

ACTS 9:3-4 NLT

”As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”“

Discover the power of transformation! When God’s light met with Apostle Paul, the darkness inside him vanished, and his ministry was born on his road to Damascus. Witness how a killer of Christians became one of the Apostles who won souls for the kingdom of God. His life’s work is so significant that he went ahead to write 13 books of the Bible.

HOW DOES YOUR LIGHT SHINE

1) By accepting Jesus as your personal lord and savior- Romans‬ 10:9-10 NLT

”If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

2) Ask the Holy Spirit to come on you by manifesting it through the fruits of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit gives power over sin – Acts of the Apostles‬ 1:8 NLT

”But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”“ – The holy spirit comes baring gifts -Acts of the Apostles‬
”Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.“

HOLY SPIRIT GIVES GIFT BUT DO NOT CONFUSE GIFTS FOR FRUITS – 1 Corinthians‬ 12:4-11 NLT

”To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The
same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to
perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the
Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.“

FRUITS OF THE HOLYSPIRIT – IS THE LIGHT OF GOD IN YOU? Galatians‬ 5: 22-24 NLT

”But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control. There is no law against these things!“

Do you want to live a Christ-like life but find it challenging to do so? The Bible tells us that it is impossible to possess the fruit of the Holy Spirit without the help of the Holy Spirit. In John 14:26, it says, “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” That’s why it’s crucial to ask Him for help daily.

I know how challenging it can be to live a life that reflects Christ’s teachings. That’s why I constantly check myself and lean on the Holy Spirit to help me live a Christ-like life daily. When I rely on my strength, I always fail, but when I rely on God, I am victorious. Trusting God through it all has enabled me to live a holy and acceptable life. If you’re struggling to live a Christ-like life, don’t worry. Just ask the Holy Spirit for help daily, and you’ll be amazed at how much easier it becomes.

3) Have an ‘EFFECTIVE’ prayer life

Romans‬ 8:26-27 NLT

”And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.“

James‬ 5:16 NLT

”Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great
power and produces wonderful results.“

1 Thessalonians‬ 5: 16-24 NLT

”Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.“

Psalms‬ 112:4 NLT

”Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.“

Every child of God who prays has a frequency in heaven as soon as you open your mouth to pray your frequency lights up and angels are assigned to get to work on your behalf.  When Christians become consistent in prayers suddenly there comes fire in the smoke and they have sparks all around them. When this begins you catch the attention of the demonic world and they begin to use various tools and strategies to stop you from continuing a fervent prayer life.

Please take note of the following about intercessors – the devil hates those who break through in prayer. A pillar follows the fervent Christian around, but many Christians struggle to maintain it by continuously praying and praising. To keep the pillar strong, one must continuously commune with God. When families in our community pray together, their light grows stronger, and they can overcome the darkness in their community. When more lights come together, we can pull down the kingdom of darkness in our territory and experience an open heaven.

To learn more about living a Christ-like life, watch more below (start from 44:25 seconds). Get involved and take the first step towards a fulfilling life.