Let Your Light Shine Before Others, That They May See Your Good Deeds And Glorify Your Father In Heaven
The Process Of Change
MATHEW 5:14-16
“”You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV
https://www.bible.com/114/mat.5.14-16.nkjv
You cannot hide a city on a hilltop, for its light can be seen for miles. Nor does one put a light under a basket, you put it high where it will illuminate the whole area.
As God’s very own people, He wants us to be noticed, living right, doing good, shining for Christ as His representatives.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”
II Corinthians 5:20 NKJV
Paul said, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world (PHILIPPIANS 2:14-15).”
We Spirit filled believers must be seen by the world as different, not as judges condemning, or moaning and complaining, or corrupt or greedy or heartless, full of gossip, but as Christ-like people; peaceful, joyful, and wise, loyal and true, and being seen to care for others, not just with our words, but by our actions.
We put God’s light under a basket by being quiet when we should speak out, by going along with the crowd to fit in, by ignoring the needs of others when we are in a position to help, and by not sharing the Good News when opportunity is at hand.
God’s light never stops shining, it can be seen for miles and the darkness cannot comprehend it (JOHN 1:5), nor can it hide neither our good deeds or evil.
God’s light exposes all truth.
Therefore, their are always consequences for our actions and justice will come to all for both their good and evil deeds.
But the truth is, we humans can do nothing good in our own strength.
Our flesh lives to satisfy its lust, and being part of the flesh, “”The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”
Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV
My beloved, we cannot produce good fruits in our own strength.
When we commit our lives to God, He sends His holy Spirit to help us, He is with us, and when ready, He lives in us.JOHN 14:15-18).
It is then when one is saved.
For Gods holy Spirit joins with our spirit (1 CORINTHIANS 6:17) and we are saved.
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Romans 8:12-17 NKJV
Our flesh however, chooses to be king over our souls (our mind, will , and emotions) and spirit, leading us to satisfy its desires, making our souls servants to the flesh and the influences of the world.
But in Christ, we must as make our spirit king, our souls servant to the king, and our flesh must become slave to the king, as to the King of kings in us, putting the lust of the flesh to death, making way for the light of Christ, the King of kings to shine from us.
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Galatians 5:16-26 NKJV
When right with God, His Spirit shall manifest through our flesh to produce good fruits as Christ shines from us.
But when falling into sin, He departs from the flesh and remains quiet within the spirit working to convict change.
It feels like He has left, and life becomes uncomfortable as God convicts change. It is like being in the wilderness.
This separation makes way for the devil to enter in through the flesh and take possession over certain areas of our lives and influence us even more do the things that are wrong and fail to do what we ought and life becomes more and more miserable.
We become tormented and broken until we choose to repent and submit.
It’s all a part of the process of change.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
What does the world see in you? Do you shine for Christ, or do you simply fit in as one of the crowd in this crooked and perverse world? Do they see Christ in you?
Do you struggle to do what is right and inadvertently do what is wrong? Do you find it difficult to do what you ought?
Paul had this very struggle.
He said, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?”
Romans 7:15-24 NLT
Does that scripture relate to you?
There is hope, Paul said, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”
Romans 7:24-25 NKJV
My beloved, if you are struggling with sin, repeatedly doing what you know is wrong, or struggling to do what you ought, maybe it’s time to clean house through deliverance and be set free to live right with God; free to do good and shine for Christ.
James said, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
James 4:7-10 NKJV
To resist the devil is to verbally rebuke him, and call him out, then he shall flee from you.
Deliverance is key to a changed life, and its fruits are good works, peace, joy and contentment in Christ that can shall be seen by all.
That is the light of Christ in you.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
