Focus: The Light Of Faith

Text: Ecl.11:7

"Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun."

If you have ever known the force of darkness, then you would appreciate the sweetness of light. Light is sweet; it feels so good to have light.

Darkness can never withstand the force of light. John says that "the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not" (Jh.1:5). Darkness cannot hold down or overpower light. The moment light appears, darkness makes way for it. Malachi says that "the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings." Christ is that Sun of righteousness referred to by Malachi. When He beams His light on you, even the most stubborn cancer shall melt and dry up, and you would have no need for Chemo or radiation.

The Christian Faith shines as light. It glows. The light of our faith shines ever brighter each passing day. No one ever walks in darkness who possesses the light of Christ in him. 

By our faith our lives are illuminated and influenced. Our faith illuminates our world of darkness.

Here is an acronym for faith that magnifies the light of our faith:

*Floodlights of revelation

Faith is born out of the floodlight of divine revelation. Paul encountered it and his life was radically altered. He testifies, "Suddenly there shone from heaven a GREAT LIGHT round about me… And when I could not see for the glory of that light…" (Act.22:6,11). The light was great and glorious. It was the floodlight of divine revelation, and Paul could not escape it. He was immediately converted and invaded.

*Armor of light

Paul writes, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the ARMOUR OF LIGHT" (Rom.13:12). The armor of our faith is full of light. It glows. It shines, and we win supernatural battles with it.

*Inward light of the Spirit

The Spirit of God in us lightens our whole being. Our hearts and minds are illuminated by the inward light of the Spirit. He comes into us with fire and light. The light of the Spirit's glory fills our temples, and we follow the light of the Spirit in us. We are a people who are inwardly lighted and guided. The life of Christ in us becomes the light of men.

From the inside the light of the Spirit shines outside of us. We are carriers of the Spirit's light. We glow. We shine. We illuminate our world. Like John the Baptist, we are a burning and shining lamp (Jh.5:35). We lighten and brighten the world around us. Christ says to Paul, "I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth" (Act.13:47). We are the world's saving lights.

*Torchlight of truth

The Christian Faith serves as our torchlight. In the original Hebrew faith and truth share the same root. Our faith is rooted in the truth of divine revelation. God's revealed truths serve as our torchlight in this world of moral, ethical and spiritual darkness. Our faith provides us with a true compass that shows us the way. The torchlight of truth guides our walk of faith.

Paul says, "In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Phil.2:15). As the people of faith, we do not grope in darkness; we have the torchlight of faith and truth.

*Headlight of hope

Headlights help us see ahead into the distance. By it we see beyond where we are now to the horizon before us.

Our faith has provided us with the headlight of hope. We are the people of the future living in today's world. We see into the future. Our faith links us to a glorious future - a future planned and programmed by God. The end of our faith is glorious. John writes, "Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal… And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof" (Rev.21:11,23). What a glorious city! In Gen.1:3, it was the divine light. It was not made; it was God's own light. 

John tells us that God is light. The sun, moon and stars came on the 4th day. We read that God made two great lights, which are the sun and the moon, and that God made the stars also. The light of the 1st day was not made, but the lights of the 4th day were made.

Now here in Rev.21, the sun and moon are no more. The only light in the heavenly city is the light shining from the Lamb of God - the uncreated light of Gen.1:3. We know what the future holds for the people of faith.

Peter writes, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (2Pet.1:19). Hallelujah! This is our headlamp; we see far with it.

Let your faith shine as light in the world. Turn on your light of faith and let it shine forth. Your light of faith shall prevail. Just let it shine!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter