Don't Curse the Darkness

In Genesis 1:2 it says that the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. In verse 3 it says, Then God said, “Let there be light!” – and there was light.

In the darkness we have an opportunity to shine!

When God looked out and saw darkness, He said, “Light Be!”

There are various kinds of darkness which we can encounter in our lives – natural darkness and spiritual darkness – physical, emotional, or psychological darkness. Regardless of the kind of darkness, the anecdote is light.

The famous quotation by Eleanor Roosevelt, “Don’t curse the darkness, light a candle” stands as a reminder to us of what our position should be when we encounter darkness. It expresses the Biblical message of Jesus “You are the light of the world.” Therefore, God’s message to us is, “in times of darkness, speak light into existence.”

God has many candles in the earth today, because we read in Proverbs 20:27, “the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord.” He says to us, “don’t be afraid of the darkness – instead, speak light.”

How can we do that?

Be the solution – bring clarity.

Be imitators of God as it says in Ephesians 5:1.

Brothers and sisters, Let us command light, let us command revelation, command knowledge, give inspiration, provide answers!

In addition, be very mindful not to curse the darkness on a personal level.

Learn from the darkness: ask yourself, “is there anything lacking in my life?”

Invite God into the darkness with you. He’ll either pull you out, or He’ll stay right there with you.

Invite God into your situation. Do not stand there and wonder where He is. Invite Him.

He is the same God of the Old Testament. He works in different ways with different situations and people. He brought Jonah out of the whale, but He went into the fiery furnace with the Hebrew boys.

Invite Him into your situation. Invite Him. He does not come in without an invitation. Invite Him.

Invite Him into your darkness. Don’t curse the darkness!

Woman of Victory

March has been designated as Women’s History Month, so I wanted to take a brief moment to look back at a woman from whom we can learn.

This woman is featured in the Bible as a woman who, because of her unselfishness and her trust in God, was able to save herself, her family and her nation from disaster.

Taking a look at some of the attributes that made her successful will enable the 21st century woman to be all that she can be – fearless, wise, knowledgeable and commanding respect. This speaks of knowing your identity.

A Christian woman must know her true identity. There is absolutely no room for inferiority, self-doubt or timidity.

In the Book of Esther, Chapter 7, Esther chose to make demands on her position as the wife of the king to overcome the threats made against her and her people. Despite the fact that possible death loomed ahead of her, Esther did not allow timidity to prevent her from taking a stand. She knew who she was! She was Queen! She was married to the king! Are you married to the King? If you are, then you hold the position as the Bride of Christ, seated with Him in heavenly places. This is your position.

As a result of her bold action to petition the king, the chapter tells us that Esther found favor in his sight. Christian women, having become one with Christ, know that you have found favor with Him and He will grant you any request you desire. Remember His words, “It is my Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). King Ahasuerus promised Esther up to half of his kingdom; our King is more generous. One of my favorite Bible verses says this: “He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).

Women of God, your true identity lies in the knowledge that you have become a son of God. Even as Mary carried the infant Son of God inside of her, we Christian women carry the Resurrected Son of God within us! The angel told Mary that the Holy Ghost would come upon her and overshadow her. This is the same Holy Ghost dwelling in us, who causes us to develop the character of the son of God. That’s our identity! God still chooses women to bear His Son!

The second insight I glean from the story of Esther is the importance of knowing your rights and authority.

No other woman in the kingdom could have done what Esther did. In her position as Queen she knew that she had the ear of the king. She knew that she had the right and the authority over the servants to command that a feast be prepared. Ladies, we too have been given rights, and we too must know what those rights are.

The Rights of a Christian Woman

We have the right to trample on scorpions - Luke 10:19 (NIV) I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

The right to declare victory over all situations: sickness, disease, poverty, wrong doing.

The right to intercede for our nation, our families, or government - Esther did this.

Wisdom

It is interesting to observe how Esther handled the situation she was facing. She had to deal with a snake (named Haman) who stealthily hid his plan from the king. However, just like an eagle can see its prey afar off, Christian eagles must have discernment to be able to detect when someone means them harm. It is important to listen to the Holy Spirit within and to follow His promptings when dealing with others. “Try the spirit” scriptures says.

Esther’s Method of Combat

Instead of reacting on Haman’s level, Esther took her battle to the king. The snake was unearthed by the Eagle, was seized, and taken to a higher ground for total destruction. Our weapons today are not carnal, they are mighty! We do not fight on the enemy’s turf, we fight our battles from the Heavenlies.

To recap:

1. Christian women -- Christian eagles we do not fight the enemy in our own flesh, we must fight in our closets – in prayer. Esther prayed first.

2. We must use the authority Christ has given us to pull down principalities and powers and then take our stand in confidence knowing that the battle has already been won in the spirit world. Be not afraid.

3. After we have prayed, we need to be sensitive to what the Lord would have us do. Use wisdom. Follow the Holy Spirit’s direction.

Sometimes He might want us just to keep quiet; sometimes we might need to speak out; sometimes He would ask us to perform a certain action; and sometimes we have to do nothing.

To wrap it up…

Esther’s identity gave her access to the king and caused her to find favor with the king. Her position enabled her to use her rights to command attention and respect from friends and associates, and to exercise authority over enemies.

If Esther had chosen a different path and had accosted Haman, she might have ended up losing the battle. Instead, she used the wisdom that came after prayer and won the victory.

Women of God, I hope this message has encouraged you. Remember that eagles have snakes for dinner. Remember that, and go forward in Jesus’ name!

If this has blessed you, share it with others on your social pages.

God Bless.

For Black History Month

For Black History Month, I think it fitting to mention at least one of the people in the Bible of Black descent who made a significant contribution to someone’s life. One such person is Ebed-melech in Jeremiah 38:7.

When evil men placed Jeremiah in the dungeon and left him to die there, Ebed-melech went to the king and interceded on behalf of Jeremiah (38:8-9).

First, we see that Ebed-melech was employed in a position of prominence. He was a court official who was assigned to the royal palace; therefore, he had access to the king.

As members of the Black community, we must not shrink back from being in influential positions. Furthermore, we must recognize that God has placed us there, and be bold enough not to compromise our stance but to distinguish between right and wrong and to speak up for the right.

Next, we as 21st century intercessors have the responsibility to intercede for the Body of Christ and its ministers. We must be in tune with what is going on around us and acknowledge that we can bring situations in our community to the King of kings for resolution. However, when we intercede, God may give us further instructions, and we must then be willing to carry out those instructions. We must intercede (stand in the gap) for those who cannot do it for themselves – even as Jeremiah could not plead his own case.

Let us be obedient to the voice of God. Lives in our Black community depend on our obedience.

I pray that God grants us the boldness

to ‘stand before kings.’