Light of the World

The more I pray about 2023, the more I see three words: Liberty, Justice and Law. It is going to be an amazing year as
the light of Jesus exposes the darkness and lights the world for His glory. The government is on His shoulder!
Three Basic Pillars of our Faith:
1. Love and seek God with all of our heart. This is how we connect and hear from God through the Holy Spirit.
2. Love one another. Jesus said the world will know we are His disciples by our love for one another. We are family.
3. Advance/build the Kingdom of God. This is the rule and reign of Jesus Christ in our heart and manifesting in the world
around us.
Again and again, Jesus and His disciples looked to the Old Testament for guidance and confirmation
Matt 4:12-17 Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry (Mark 1:14,15; Luke 4:14,15)
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came
and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:
16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned." 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand."
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in
darkness, but have the light of life."
Light: Strong’s #5457 phos (foce); to shine or make manifest, especially by rays; luminousness.
Just like the Sun is life to the earth, so the Son shines His life into us! Light is life! Light is truth. Light is power.
Manifest: Strong’s #1718 emphanidzo (em-fan-id-zoe); a combination of en “in” and phaino, “to cause to shine,” thus to
appear, come into view, reveal, exhibit, make visible, present oneself to the sight of another, be conspicuous. Also, to
declare, make known.
If we love Jesus, His law is written in our heart and we will love to seek His righteousness being obedient to His law.
John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved
by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
John 1:1-9 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the
beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him
was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John's Witness: The True Light
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light,
that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the
true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
Eph 5:8-14 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the
Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those
things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for
whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give
you light."Show more

Walking in the light: being sincere, open, honest, good and having nothing to hide.
Matt 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp
and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
John 3:18-21 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he
has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come
into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil
hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to
the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
Put on the Armor of Light!
Rom 13:12-14 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on
the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in
strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Isa 58:8-9 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your
righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will
answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'
1 Thess 5:5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may
proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Isa 60:1-3 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness
shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.
Acts 26:17-18 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open
their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'
2 Cor 4:3-6 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has
blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on
them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. 6 For
it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We must first deal with the darkness in our own hearts

Darkness is to conceal or keep hidden, especially the truth. Sin kept in darkness maintains its power or bondage over us.
We allow darkness to stay in our hearts when we refuse to deal with sin; being offended (unforgiveness), anger, lust,
deceit, pride, and the like. Shining the light on sin will remove that darkness from our heart. Admitting and confessing a
sin, brings that fault out of the darkness and into the light. Light is life and darkness/sin leads to sickness and death.
James 5:16-17 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The
effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
We can take authority over the darkness through confession and prayer.
1 John 1:7-9 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Jesus is the Light of the World. Is His light shining in your world?