Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
"God is Light. He does not unconditionally give answers and blessings to His children, but when they stray from the right path, He guides them to Light even by disciplining and even punishing them. By coming to the Light, they can enjoy prosperity in everything." (John 11:9).
"God is Light. He does not unconditionally give answers and blessings to His children, but when they stray from the right path, He guides them to Light even by disciplining and even punishing them. By coming to the Light, they can enjoy prosperity in everything."
If parents truly love their children, they lead them to the right way even by scolding, punishing, or even spanking. It is similar with God who is Light. He does not unconditionally give answers and blessings to His children, but when they go the wrong way, He leads them to Light by disciplining them, not even sparing the lash.
If you live in Light, which is the Word of God, you will not stumble because you are like the people who walk during the day. But if you walk in darkness, you will stumble. Now let's delve into how to walk in Light and enjoy prosperity in everything without stumbling.
1. God Is Light, and in Him There is No Darkness at All.
Let's look into what Jesus meant by saying, "Are there twelve hours in the day?" The twelfth hour is noon, when it is the brightest time during the day and the sun hangs highest in the sky. It spiritually means perfect light with no darkness at all, and moreover refers to God who is eternal and perfect in whom there is no darkness at all.
Before electricity was widely used, it was so dark at night that people had to rely on the moonlight to move around. About the end of the month when the moon was barely seen, people used to stumble or fall into pits. But when the sun rose, they could see the whole town at a look. So, they walked during the day while there was light. Then, they did not need to worry about falling down or stumbling.
It spiritually implies that if anyone perfectly walks in the Word of God that is Light, they do not stumble just as they do not when they walk in the day.
2. To Prosper in Every Aspect by Walking in Light
1) Salvation
No matter how rich and powerful one may be on the earth, everyone faces death at some point (Psalm 90:10). In fact, there are not many people who enjoy such richness and power that are enough to satisfy them. Even if there are people who are satisfied, they cannot avoid facing death. So, it is all in vain (James 4:14).
The passages continuing from Luke 16:19 tell us about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The rich man habitually dressed in purple and fine linen. He lived joyously in splendor every day. However, since he did not believe God, he was thrown into the eternal fire of hell and suffered forever after he died.
On the other hand, Lazarus, who was poor for a while on the earth, received salvation after he died and came to possess eternal heaven and enjoyed everlasting life and blessings.
As implied in this example, that which is most important in our lives is salvation. But to reach salvation, we need to walk in Light.
You may have met some people who said they had been a member of their church's choir or served their church as a guidance teacher, but they stopped going to church because peace had been broken with church leaders or workers. But if we have true faith, we will not sway in any kind of situation. In their cases, they may have mistakenly thought they had faith but in reality, they did not walk in Light. That is why they stumbled when something that did not agree with their thoughts happened. They ended up leaving not the church, but God.
Some biblical figures gained perfect salvation by walking in Light. They overcame any trial and persecution with joy and thanks and sacrificed and devoted themselves to the kingdom of God. The devil prowls around like the roaring lion seeking someone to devour so that people cannot walk in Light, so we must be of sober spirit and be on the alert all the time (1 Peter 5:8).
Hebrews 10:22 says, "Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." Thus, if you've received the Holy Spirit and become God's children, you must cast away evil and cleanse yourselves from sin by the Word of God every day and achieve sincere hearts in full assurance. Then, you can walk in perfect Light and will not stumble. Furthermore, when we preserve our spirit and soul and body complete, we can meet the Lord in the fascinating clothing of Light (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
2) Diseases
When we come into Light, we can be set free from all diseases as well as receive salvation. There are several reasons for diseases: sin; overwork or violation of the physical order of the world; neurogenic or mental causes; and by the enemy devil and Satan.
In the end, all diseases are caused when people violate the Word of God. So, if you want to solve your problems regarding diseases, you need to find your sin based on the Word of God and destroy the wall of sin against God by thorough repentance. Only then will spiritual faith be given to you that makes you believe that you will be healed, and you can then be healed of your diseases (Isaiah 53:5).
In addition to such spiritual faith, you need to show deeds of faith that can touch the heart of God. Think about the confession of a woman of the Syrophoenician race recorded in Mark 7. Her confession was very touching. She asked Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter. Even when Jesus spoke as if she was a dog, her feelings were not hurt. She humbled herself more and said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Her humbleness touched Jesus' heart, and she immediately received her answer.
Moreover, when you live in Light perfectly, even good health is guaranteed. Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth, and he was faithful in all God's household (Numbers 12:3, 7). Since he walked in Light this way, even when he was 120 years old, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated.
It implies that when we act in the good will of God in everything, light will come upon us and we will not stumble thanks to the light and we will always enjoy leading blessed and healthy lives (Isaiah 58:7-8).
3) Businesses and Workplaces
Joseph prospered everywhere he went because God was with him although he was sold as a slave to a foreign nation (Genesis 39). When he worked as a slave in the house of Potiphar, who was an Egyptian officer and the captain of the bodyguard, his diligence was recognized and Potiphar made him an overseer over his house. Even though he was wrongfully accused later and was imprisoned, he did not stumble even in prison because he walked in Light.
The chief jailer committed to Joseph's charge all the prisoners who were in the jail. Moreover, he happened to interpret the pharaoh's dream that nobody had been able to interpret and thereby became the second ruler of Egypt. Although things were tough, since he followed the right path in Light, God was with him and he prospered.
The success or failure of believers do not depend on circumstances or situations, but it depends on how much they rely on God. When they acknowledge God in everything, they will be guided to the right path and achieve success without stumbling (Proverbs 3:6).
Suppose you are praying for an appropriate place for your business. When you find a good place as you see it, you may hastily conclude it is the answer of God and push ahead with your plan. But it cannot be said you are relying on God. It may be just that you like the place and it is what you imagined as your business. If then, Satan may bring accusations or bigger problems upon you. Thus, you need to be careful.
Even if you like the place, you must go back into prayer and pray until you are given assurance. And if it is not the will of God, you must not choose the place. Then, greater and more abundant blessings will be given to children who rely only on God.
As James 1:6 reads, "But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind," we must ask in faith without any doubting. Since Almighty God is our Father, we must believe God will give whatever we ask for and must wait for the answer patiently.
Additionally, you need to seek others' benefits. It is to seek your own benefits if you ask your close friend to stand as a surety for you or lend you some money. It is darkness that gives others a hard time, so God cannot work for you. Spiritual love is to put others' benefits ahead of yours. When you seek others' benefits, though you may suffer loss, God will work for you.
When our hearts are renewed and become hearts of goodness that God wants, then we will be able to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit clearly and receive the work of God. In other words, since you come to walk in the glaring light of high noon, you will receive blessings whether you come in or go out.
4) Peace in Family
It is reported that people get divorced when how they feel about things is different or their way of thinking becomes different. But spiritual love is to sacrifice oneself and seek others' benefits. It even gives one's life to loved ones. It never changes in any kind of circumstance. But since people have fleshly love that seeks their own benefits, hatred is born between them although they once loved each other.
But even in the cases of such couples, when light comes, darkness will be driven away, and they will become united in love and make peace.
There was a woman full of hatred due to her husband's affair. They argued all the time. But one day, she went to church and heard that she should love even her enemies, and feed them when they are hungry, and give a drink when they are thirsty, and she should serve others as she serves the Lord.
She started to shine the Light on her heart with the Word of God who is Light. She realized that she had been stained with darkness and Jesus died on the cross to forgive her of all sins. She also understood that she could be forgiven by Him only when she forgave others.
Based on the Word, she found her sins and tried to cast away untruthful attributes by prayer and fasting. Soon, she came to love her husband who had hurt her so. She even said sorry to him for not having understood his heart. Her husband eventually changed his heart and they came to make a peaceful family in the Lord.
The family was in a danger of stumbling, but when Light came, hatred turned into love, ill feelings melted away, and forgiveness was achieved. Then, darkness was driven away and the family became a happy family.
We need to understand that bright light will drive away darkness, change hatred into love, evil into goodness, and soften hardened hearts.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Romans 13:13-14 states, "Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." I pray in the name of the Lord that you will quickly lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light and thereby prosper in everything.
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