“The People Which Sat In Darkness”
Matthew 4
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
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If you grew up in a Christian family, you’re blessed. I did not. And because of that I have, I think, a different connection with, and insight into, the realm of Darkness.
I lived and grew up pretty much in an environment of darkness. It wasn’t overt satanic darkness as much as it was a pervasive, seething, underlying reality that wove its web into life itself.
My family members and relatives were not Satan worshipers, but they were not Bible believing church going people either. As a matter of fact, my mom and dad never set foot in a church (except for weddings) all the while I lived at home or after. The Bible had zero place in our home. Jesus Christ was a curse word not One who was worshiped.
And so …
I knew something significant had taken place when …
At age 19 in the back of my grandfather’s van, I cried out from my heart “God I believe” and accepted Christ as my Saviour. At that precise moment something transpired that I had no idea was going to happen. No one told me about it nor had I read about it.
Here’s the only way I know how to describe it —
As a kid, when I’d go down into my grandfather’s basement I would pull on the hanging string from the light bulb on the ceiling. When I did, immediately the darkness disappeared into light.
And that is what I was reminded of in the van as I was getting ready to roll my wrecked motorcycle out of it … and got saved in the process. The darkness within me was immediately turned to light. It was that real and that drastic. It really was. I didn’t know how to cognitively wrap my head around what happened until …
Sometime later in my Bible reading I came across a passage that explained it.
Colossians 1
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. — —
When I read verse 13 I knew immediately that’s what happened to me. I had been DELIVERED from the power of darkness and TRANSLATED into the kingdom of Christ, i.e., Light. That’s how I knew I no longer “sat in darkness.”
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Because I lived such a large segment of my life in very real and tangible darkness, I can say with confidence that a darkness is descending upon the world with increasing intensity. It’s not the regular satanic impulses and influences that are a part of human existence and experience. No.
This is different. It’s of a different nature. It’s on a different level.
This pervasive influence is of a kind like that which manifested itself at the Lord Jesus’ first coming and, I believe, will reassert itself as His Second Coming draws nigh.
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In my reading of the Scriptures since my salvation, I have always been struck by the level of demonic activity that was swirling in-and-around Jerusalem when Christ came.
For example:
*The first thing that happens to Christ is that He’s led into a 40 day encounter with the Prince of Darkness himself. I believe it was during that time Christ, in His humanity, got a very tangible and personal window view into the fallen nature and existence of man.
Hebrews 4:15 - For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
*Also note:
Matthew 4
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. ——
At this early juncture in Christ’s ministry (and all during it) He dealt with those caught in the realm of satanic influence and demonic possession — from the religious leaders to the guy living in the tombs.
It seems darkness exudes and exerts a supernaturally natural attractiveness upon fallen man:
John 3
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
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And so …
As we watch events unfolding which indicate the end is approaching, Satan will increase his efforts to capture all he can with his net of eternal damnation. And so much the more as he realizes his time is short.
Revelation 12
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
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I’m saying all that to say this:
Brothers and sisters, an intensive and spiritually dark haboob (click on the word) is approaching.
But let me stress, it’s not only just now approaching. This sweeping, massive cloud of darkness has been building and building since Christ came. Paul tries to warn us about it. He describes it as a battle, a warfare. And … we are involved in it whether we like it, want to acknowledge it, or endeavor to ignore it by burying our heads in the fulfilling of self.
Ephesians 6
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
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Allow me to make a few broad-stroke generalizations:
The world all around us sits in darkness while we sit on our hands. We’re not engaged. We’re not in the battle … really, are we? We’re sort of throwing rocks and shooting arrows from the walls of our self-made castle walls but … not down in the dirt and mud out on the battle field. We’re still playing “War Games” while, unbeknown to us, a real war swirls all around us.
Meaning …
We’re not consistently resisting or fighting against the ongoing build-up of dirt and debris within our own lives,
Much less …
Muddying ourselves fighting the demonic forces that keep unsaved folks trapped in the sin stained trenches of Satan’s blood strewn battle field.
Eternity is at stake. And maybe your own??
Perhaps one of the first things we need to do is to:
”Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” II Corinthians 13:5
Have you been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of Christ? Do you REALLY know you know? We have to start here, with intensity.
If you are sure of your standing in Yeshua by faith in His shed blood, then go out into this world of darkness with your spiritual lanterns burning brightly — without fear, shame or apology. If we aren’t, can’t, won’t, don’t NOW in this relatively peaceful time, I assure you we won’t as Satan’s end-time haboob starts building in end-time intensity and fury. And guess what …
It’s building right now all around us.
And …
Our window of opportunity to rescue “The People Which Sit In Darkness” is narrowing.
Do you hear the Call To Arms?
I trow so hope so.