The Trouble with Darkness
Recently there was a blackout in the middle of the night. It was planned and we were all warned it was going to take place, but we didn’t prepare for it.
I awoke about 1:30 am and everything was black. It wasn’t just dark; it was pitch black. It took me a moment to realize what was going on. My eyes were wide open, but I was not seeing anything. It didn’t matter how much I blinked, the dark was impenetrable.
Since I was awake, I decided to get up. I thought I could navigate the room from memory… three steps forward, watch your left foot on the foot of the bed… one more step past the dog bed and turn right, five steps and left into the bathroom, but ‘wham!’ Instead, I ended up bumping clumsily into my husband's dresser… I went a step too far and I missed the doorway. The darkness had totally disoriented my sense of direction and shaken my confidence that I could navigate the room without any light.
Every day I walk around that same room. The furniture has been in the same places for years. Yet, when I couldn’t see anything, it was suddenly not as automatic. On the way back, I measured my steps but met a wall where there wasn’t one before. The darkness was so deep that my human eyes couldn’t discern anything. The darkness brought a kind of chaos to a room that was once well-ordered in the light. It seemed easier to just keep my eyes closed than to try to strain and see.
Finally, I realized that rather than try and look around me (that was fruitless), I relied on what I knew and remembered. It helped guide my steps. I didn’t get distracted by the darkness, but rather, recalled to mind what I knew was true.
As I lay in the dark, I realized how much spiritual symbolism was in those ill-fated moments during the blackout…
1. First, we were warned it was coming, but we didn’t heed the warning.
How many people hear the gospel, yet disregard its importance? They hear the warning about eternity without Christ, yet they don’t give it a second thought? If we look around, we see the signs of the times, nation rising against nation, wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines- it’s all there. Jesus' return is very near. It WILL matter whether you chose to follow Him or not.
John 3:13 “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”
We all have friends and loved ones who know “about” Jesus, but do not walk in relationship with Him. Do our sons and daughters have dull hearing and veiled eyes? When we talk about the dangers of spiritual darkness, do our sons and daughters just ‘bob their heads’ (yeah, yeah, yeah… I’ve heard it all before)? Maybe they pass off our warnings as overreactions. Perhaps they think they have time, or maybe they are indifferent to spiritual things altogether. This darkness is powerful.
John 12:46 “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
We need to pray that the Light of Christ breaks through the darkness and shines a spotlight on their sin, their desperate need for a Savior and on the Truth that will give them life! Let’s pray for deep grief over sin and a hunger and thirst for righteousness.
John 8:12 “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.””
2. Darkness disorients us to what is right and true. Spiritual darkness does the same.
Darkness takes what we know and distorts it. It twists and confuses things. It calls into question what we think we know and makes us unsure. We become a target for the Enemy. Disoriented victims are easy to hold captive.
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”
Darkness also lulls us into a false belief that we can navigate this world on our own, without the light of Christ. We clumsily bumble and stumble but pridefully think we’re doing just fine. We’re painfully ignorant or outright stubbornly resistant to admitting our need for Him. Darkness makes us believe a lie.
Proverbs 4:19 “But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.”
Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
We need to pray that the Holy Spirit will move in the hearts of those who don’t yet know Christ and open the eyes of those who are walking in darkness so they see their need for Jesus and long for the Shepherd to lead them. They are living in spiritual chaos, but Christ can bring order and direction.
Acts 26:18 “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.”
3. Deep darkness almost forces one to keep their eyes closed- and isn’t that what the enemy wants?!
2 Corinthians 4:4 “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.”
Now is the time to pray scripture over our loved ones. Verses that plead for clear spiritual vision and discernment needed for dealing with the darkness that surrounds all of us and for the protection from the Prince of Darkness that only Christ can give.
Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
Isaiah 42:16-17 “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. But those who trust in idols, who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame.”
4. Finally, we can only battle darkness and confusion with the Truth of God’s Word.
We must turn our eyes to the Truth of the Gospel, the infallibility of Scripture, the Sovereignty and Holiness of God.
2 Samuel 22:29 “You, LORD, are my lamp; the LORD turns my darkness into light.”
Psalm 143:8,10 “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Darkness is present. We can’t deny that. Satan prowls like a lion, looking for anyone to devour. But our God reigns and His Word is powerful and effective. It has the ability to deter and defeat the enemy. It brings life and light and penetrate the darkness . Jesus is that Word. Let’s pray continually for our sons and daughters, for our loved ones, for those who don’t know Christ that He would defeat the darkness and lead them to walk in the Light of Life.
Take time today and throughout the week to pray these Scriptures over your sons and daughters, over your friends and loved ones. Put their names into each one, speak them out loud, call on the name and the blood of Jesus to bind the enemy and defeat the darkness.
Jude 1:24-25 “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
Pray without ceasing.