Becoming Light in an Age of Darkness*

 

     We have clear evidence all around us that we live in an age of lawlessness and darkness. Violence, crime, assassination, and the martyrdom of those of faith in parts of the world - how are we responding? Jesus said for us to occupy until He comes. "Occupy" is a military term. We occupy as His Light against the darkness and lawlessness until He comes.

     First, we are able to identify some of the sources of darkness and lawlessness that can affect a believer's life in these last days. Paul wrote of this to Timothy: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (2 Tim. 3:1-5). Having a form of godliness but having no power are those who have religion but no Holy Spirit, or power and authority in the Kingdom. Religions are precepts developed by man that strive to obtain its own righteousness rather than the righteousness found in God and given by God. (see Mt. 15:8-9). Therefore, an empty form of godliness is one of the perils to be found in this age of darkness and lawlessness.

     Paul wrote this about the perils of religion rather than faith: "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (touch not; taste not; handle not; which are all to perish with the using:) after the commandments and doctrines of men? (Col. 2:20-22). Paul described these things as seducing spirits and doctrines of devils that come in these last days. (see 1 Tim. 4:1-3). Hold on to the good doctrine, Paul said, and teach it to others. (v. 6, 11). Religion causes people to depart from faith. God wants a relationship with man, as He had in the Garden of Eden before man fell to sin and the lie.

     The LORD Himself condemned religious rituals carried out, not in the Spirit of God, but in emptiness of meaning. He told His prophet Micah what He sought in man. Micah asked: "...Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?...For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths." (Micah 6:6-9, excerpt). The LORD was speaking of His own people, who were also worshipping other gods and offering up even their own children as sacrifices to them. The LORD never required this abomination, but rather a way of righteousness that reflects His own character and Word. We give up our children today to abortion, and we no longer have mercy nor love justice.

     The prophet Jeremiah wrote of another danger to the heart and soul of man: "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD...Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." (Jer. 5-8, excerpt). Those who trust in man instead of the LORD will come up empty-handed, but those who trust in the LORD will always bear (spiritual) fruit no matter the conditions. We are called to be fruit bearers. Jeremiah went on the warn: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (v. 9-10). Lawlessness begins in the heart if we are trusting in men rather than the LORD. Our hearts will deceive us. The darkness that we see around us is our own deceitful hearts. The greatest indicator of our own deceitful hearts is found in what we speak. Christians sound more like the world than like Jesus Christ. A corrupt heart produces corrupt fruit. (see Lk. 6:43-45, see also Mt. 15:10-11).

     The apostle Peter warned of false prophets and false teachers whose purpose is not the truth, but to take financial advantage of God's people: "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." (2 Pet. 2:1-7, excerpt). Christianity, not "Churchianity", is being attacked today, with many churches, having accepted these false teachers, have fallen away from truth. The remnant of the Church must be sure that they are standing in sound doctrine. 

     Apostle Paul also wrote of our spiritual warfare against this darkness and lawlessness. He wrote that we do not war against the flesh or outward appearance, nor are our weapons of warfare carnal, but mighty through God. This warfare begins in our own minds and hearts: "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." By doing this within our own minds, we revenge all disobedience, "when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Cor. 10:1-7, excerpt). Do we judge things after the outward appearance or flesh, even the servants of God gifted to the Church to bring us into the full measure of Christ? Paul found himself judged, even among believers, by these outward things, by whether appearances are religiously "impressive" or not. Our warfare is not successfully achieved by looking outwardly, but by fighting it inwardly, against our own minds and deceitful hearts. The mind can become the Devil's playground if we let it.

     Paul wrote again that our warfare was spiritual in nature and not against flesh and blood: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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." (Eph. 6:10-12). A Christian's armor is power in the might of God, not in our own might. We have an enemy - the devil, and the spiritual rulers of darkness and wickedness. However, the Lord has supplied us with the armor of God that allows us to stand against their plans and attacks. His armor, given to us, fights the attacks of the spiritual enemy with the qualities of His character and identity: truth, righteousness, peace found through the Gospel, faith, salvation, the Word of God which is the sword used by His Spirit, and praying always in the Spirit for all of the saints, and praying also for the opportunity to make known the mystery of the Gospel, especially for those like Paul, who faced hindrance and hardship in order to deliver the Gospel to others. (v. 14-19).

     There is yet another challenge to the Church of believers added to those mentioned above. Paul reminded us that we are a continuing work in progress, saying, "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure." (Phil. 2:12-13). It is God who works in us to do His will and pleasure. There is an indication that we are not allowing this progress of salvation to go forth in us: "Do all things without murmuring and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labour in vain." (v. 14-16). We need to repent of the murmuring and debating that does not bring light into the world, but feeds the darkness. Jesus told the parable of the ten virgins who were to be prepared with abundant oil for their lamps as they awaited the return of the Bridegroom (Christ). (see Mt. 25:1-13). Jesus also told us not to hide our light (see Mt. 5:14-16), which is Christ in us, the hope of glory.

     The prophet Daniel wrote the prophetic Word of the LORD about those who believe in the LORD shining brightly in the time of greatest darkness: "...there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased...Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. (Dan. 12:1-13, excerpt).

     As we are now given understanding of Daniel's book, we know that we are in the times of the end. We need to make ourselves ready. We are to shine like the stars and lead many to righteousness. Honor the sabbaths and the Feasts of the LORD - they are divine appointments with God and commanded by Him, and they have a special prophetic connection to Jesus our Messiah/Christ.

*Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 9/21/25 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at the Kenneth Stevenson channel. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. Also the book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling is available on Amazon.