October 09th, 2016

Walk in the Light - Not in Darkness

​​It is autumn and October again and we get the opportunity to see the leaves changing and the cooler air start to settle in.  The air conditioner is starting to be replaced with a switch to the heater or a log on the fire as the night air gets a little too cool in the house.  There are so many activities that happen at this time of the year, but one activity resurges as well - the interest in ghosts and things that are dark.

​I am going to take you on a Biblical journey about what God says about it in His Word.

​Once again, you even as a believer, may have dabbled with darkness and this time of the year you seem to get pulled into that direction as well.  You find yourself engrossed in horror movies, the paranormal, séances, EVP and video recordings just trying to capture a spirit or entity.  What we have to understand about all of these things is that the Bible - The Word of God condemns these practices.  So if you call yourself a born-again, saved Christian and you do these things, you really need to keep reading. 

​Satan wants you involved with these things

​Why does Satan enjoy so much for us to get involved with such things?  It really comes down to two things.

​1.  To get us to believe that God's Word is wrong.

​2.  To get us to fear which makes us ineffective.

​The Bible speaks on both of these.

​God condemned everything about the occult, witchcraft and all practices with darkness.

​Let's look at (Deuteronomy 18:9-11)

​"When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.  There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consultant with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer."

​It is interesting to note that a necromancer is one who "inquires of the dead."  The very essence of trying to get EVP's and asking the spirits of the departed to speak is necromancy. 

​Now it is here that I am going to burst a lot of bubbles that people have set up.  There are no departed spirits from the dead roaming the earth - there are no ghosts in that sense!

​Now, that is not to say that these supernatural occurrences don't happen.  It is saying that it isn't the result of departed dead spirits.  This is actually a worse thing, since it is instead the works of Satan and demons.

​Understand that God is very clear about the location of departed spirits.

Let's look at (Hebrews 9:27)

​"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."

​Understand that is what God says in His Word and Satan wants you to believe that there is something different.  The time to make our decision to follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and be saved is now, during the life we have.  There are no other choices and no other time after death to make it right.  Satan though, wants us to believe that there is a different plan, something different and so we don't have to believe in God's Word.  He has done this since the creation with his question to Eve to cause her to doubt in God's Word when he asked in (Genesis 3:1b) "Yea, hath God said..."  Understand, that Satan doesn't want you to be saved and be with Christ in heaven...he wants you lost, because he hates God's creation and doesn't want you to have a relationship with Christ.

​Now some may say, but the apparition looked like a friend, or family member and the medium that spoke to them got information that only they would know.  Realize a truth, demons (like Satan) run to and fro on the earth and they watch people, so they know things about you - very detailed information and they can share it with each other.  They can also mimic others, in fact even Satan can appear to people as an angel.

​"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14

​Christ wants us to avoid such things

"Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:22

​Most people and sadly some Christians will not obey this verse if their life depended on it - and in reality our spiritual lives do depend on it.

​Notice, God doesn't mince any words right there.  He is very clear.  He says to avoid all "appearance" of evil.  The word "appearance" in the Greek is "eidos" which means fashion, shape, sight, or the form of.  It means, evil or anything that is in the appearance, the form, or even looks like evil. 

​Look at another verse that describes what happens if we don't heed this direction from God.

​"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body  shall be full of darkness.  If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness." Matthew 6:22-23

​Understand that Christ did come up against Satan and demons, but He never went looking for them, but instead, in the course of ministry He came up on them and when He did, He just took care of it.  He didn't dwell on the darkness, but kept proclaiming and showing the light.  This is what believers are supposed to be doing today.

​Walk in Christ - Walk in His Light - and Witness His Power!

​I am going to share some verses with you that will free you from all fear of darkness, because these declare who we are in Christ.

​"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4

​We don't have to fear anything from the darkness of the enemy, because Christ is in those of us who place our faith in Him. 
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"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Romans 8:37

​Not only will we conquer in Christ, but we are more than conquerors - that means up and above!
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​"And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Amen." Romans 16:20

​Do you see that?!  Not only will Christ bruise Satan, but He will do it under our feet.  The reason, like stated earlier, Satan hates us, especially those that are believers, so Christ bruises him under our feet to show the victory that He has in us!
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"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
2 Timothy 1:7

​Satan tries to have us fear which makes us shrink back from living for Christ and for being a witness for Him with our words and deeds.  Instead when fear creeps up, be like Jesus Christ and quote Scripture, "It is written...For God hath not....."  quote the whole verse.  He has filled you with His power, with His love, and with a sound-mind.  The sound mind is where it all starts...keep your mind on Christ and His Word and not the works of darkness.  Don't open a window for Satan and demons to promote fear to you.
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"Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  James 4:7

​A lot of Christians quote the second part of the verse, but unless we do the first part, there is no power for the second part.  We submit to God by first receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and placing our trust in Him for forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.  We also submit by praying, studying God's Word, worshipping Him and allowing Him to use us.  In short it is giving our complete lives to Him.  If we do this - Satan will not just walk away....he will flee!

​So what is the take way? In Christ we need to walk in His Light!  This will allow us to declare the light to the lost which will bring them to Christ. 

​So as a believer, if you are bored with your walk with the Lord, I encourage you to go to prayer, get into the Word and start sharing Christ...share His light...and I guarantee it will be anything but boring. 

​Walk in the Light!

​Pastor Aaron L Gravett

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