“ARISE, SHINE, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”  (Isaiah 60:1-3 NIV)

What do we do in times of darkness? Darkness that is not just covering the earth, but deep darkness covering the people.

What is darkness? The dictionary describes it as absence of light, wickedness or evil, unhappiness, distress or gloom, secrecy or mystery, ignorance, lack of spiritual or intellectual enlightenment.

When physical darkness surrounds us, it is just but norm for us to stop moving because we cannot see a thing in fear of what we may bump into. If we need to move, we use our hands or feet to feel what is in front of us to make sure we do not hurt ourselves when we take a step. But the very first thing we go looking for is LIGHT! Right?  We reach out for our mobile phones which is most likely within our reach as compared to a candle and a match or an emergency light. When the LIGHT is on, our hearts rejoices and are at rest.

In the same way, when darkness in our circumstances demand beyond what our physical senses can do, our hearts get troubled. When fear creeps in, it brings confusion, frustration, anger and panic. Then, we go searching for answers in our most human way. When we find ourselves at the end of the rope, only then we look up and call upon the name of the Lord and be SAVED (rescued, preserved, healed, prospered, restored, delivered, or whatever one needs, HE IS).

Praise God that He is rich in mercy and abounding in love.  He is not intimidated by our seeking of Him as our last resort although He utmostly desires for us to seek Him first. His love is too great that He awesomely delights in our calling unto Him even at the eleventh hour of our challenges.  Just like the parable of the lost son that when he came to realize how he wronged and sinned against his father, he decided to head back home and was passionately welcomed by the father.

“So the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home. So the father raced out to meet him. He swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love.”  (Luke 15:20 TPT)

When we call out to Him in our darkest hour, He gives us THE very ANTIDOTE to darkness and His Name is Jesus Christ.  The true LIGHT of the world is a Person.   He is the GREAT I AM, that whatever we need, He is.

“In Him was life, and the life was the LIGHT of men. And the LIGHT shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:4-5 NKJV)

I love how The Passion Translations says it.

“Life came into being because of Him, for His life is LIGHT for all humanity. And this Living Expression is the LIGHT that bursts through gloom— the LIGHT that darkness could not diminish!”  (John 1:4-5 TPT)

JESUS CHRIST is the LIGHT that has come!

“Then Jesus said, “I am LIGHT to the world and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.” (John 8:12 TPT)

“He has rescued us completely from the tyrannical rule of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom realm of his beloved Son.”  (Colossians 1:13 TPT)

If one desires to SEE with eyes of understanding, one needs to acknowledge, believe and receive the TRUTH of the One Who is the LIGHT Himself.  This may be foolishness to the world of unbelievers, but it is the POWER to us who believe.

 Jesus answered and said to Nicodemus, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is BORN AGAIN, he CANNOT SEE the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

Do not be intimidated by the word “BORN AGAIN” as many do.  I, for one, was on the same boat until the Lord opened my eyes to see what it means.

In The Passion Translation, it says, “Jesus answered, “Nicodemus, listen to this eternal truth: Before a person can perceive God’s kingdom realm, they must first experience a rebirth.”  (John 3:3 TPT)

The sin of disobedience that Adam did put us all into spiritual death and God’s LOVE-FILLED eternal redemptive solution was revealed with the last Adam, Jesus Christ, Who came, washed all our sins away by the power of His Blood shed at the cross.  God gave us the GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS in Christ, putting us back in right standing with Him.  He sent and deposited His Spirit in us awakening us into our new nature of being born of the spirit (born again), making us now temples of the Holy Spirit WHO is the Spirit of Revelation Himself.  It is He Who OPENS our eyes to SEE the unseen Kingdom of God, the kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

With the covid19, the world is in darkness, thus chaos and panic is everywhere.  Darkness activates fear that paralyzes people.  Darkness limits what we see thus selfishness is inevitable.  It corners our eyes to think only of ourselves that results to hoarding, leaving others with nothing.  The voice of this virus covid19 has been magnified all around the whole world and has taken captive the hearts of men with fear, ultimately the fear of death.

But Jesus, Who is LIFE and the LIGHT of the world said,

“I have told you these things, so that IN ME you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]”  (John 16:33 AMPC)

The world of darkness, cannot comprehend the LIGHT of this truth.  Unbelief keeps man one-step short of trusting the ability and reliability of God, Who He says He is and that He can and will do what He says He can and will do.

Yes, we go by what science experts would say, be well informed and do the precautionary measures to help contain this virus, but we, too, have a voice that is way beyond our own intellect can comprehend.  It is a voice that is magnified in the spirit realm that affects the root cause of this virus.  You and I are His mouthpiece in the earth endued with power and authority by the Holy Spirit.  When we give VOICE to the Word of God, the whole earth (including covid19) trembles in submission.

Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh.  When we speak the Word of God, we are speaking His Lordship.  We are speaking His Name that is above every name declaring the name covid19 to BOW DOWN to the Name of Jesus.  We are speaking the truth of His power and authority that overcame the world, thus, no weapon-formed against us shall prosper.

It is NEVER all about us.  It is us CO-LABORING with the assignment that God called us to do.  He speaks His revealed Word into our hearts by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and as we receive and believe the spoken Word, with full conviction we speak and give voice to the Word that has the overcoming power against anything that comes against it.  It is NOT by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of God! We rule and reign just as He created us to be, to subdue and take dominion over the earth with His indwelling presence within us.

We need to take our rightful place, as sons and daughters of the Most High God Who is our Shield and our exceedingly great reward and BE NOT AFRAID. He called us to “ARISE and SHINE, for our LIGHT has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon us!” He called us to bring HOPE, the confident expectation of good, as the anchor to our souls.  He is CHRIST in US, the HOPE of glory.

When we come to know Who dwells inside of us, Jesus Christ Who is THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD Himself, it brings us  great comfort and perfect peace.  Once we are comforted and peaceful, we radiate the same way to those around us.  Bottom line is, we cannot give what we do not have.  When the Light of His presence fills and floods us, only then He can overflow through us.  Only then we become beacons of His Light to those around us.

Indeed, His gifts and callings are irrevocable and it is never intended to end it with ourselves, but we become conduits of His Kingdom’s Light. We are blessed to be a blessing. We are full of hope to give hope.  We are encouraged in the Lord to bring courage.

He called us to be the SALT AND LIGHT of the world that is not to be overcome with darkness and silenced by the roars of the enemy.  When Jesus lit us up with Himself, He postures where people can see Him, the LIGHT IN US, for “who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place?  Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light.” (Matthew 5:15)

Sons and daughters of the MOST HIGH GOD, let us ARISE and SHINE!  Light exudes its glorious radiance best when it’s darkest!

We are ANOINTED to magnify, amplify the ROAR of the LION of JUDAH, when Jesus said,  “IT IS FINISHED!”

“through DEATH He might destroy him that HAD the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”  (Hebrews 2:14-15 KJV)

Every time we partake of communion His Word says,  ^“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)  and that we are to PUT HIM IN REMEMBRANCE.

Christ’s death powerfully speaks of the destruction and paralysis of the one who HAD (past tense) the power of death, the devil.  When we SEE the LIGHT of this revelation that the power source of this covid19 had been destroyed beyond repair 2000 years ago, we rejoice, give thanks and worship the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, for what is left for you and me is LIFE and WHOLENESS in HIM.  The enemy may be a defeated foe but he still roams around roaring to inflict fear.  That is his job.  He rejoices when people are fearful and his voice is only effective when you listen and take heed to his lies, lies and more lies.

You see, when you cut a flower from the plant, it does not die immediately.  It takes time for it to wither and eventually die.  It is somehow the same with the enemy.  Though he is defeated, he still roams around looking whom he may devour.  Without the revelation of the TRUTH of what Jesus’ death at the cross means when He cried, “IT IS FINISHED!”, we succumb to the enemy’s lies.  But by His love, mercy and grace, He opened our eyes to SEE this TRUTH in the LIGHT OF HIS WORD that the enemy is destroyed and paralyzed and it is the knowledge this TRUTH that makes us FREE!

Hebrews 2:15 KJV says that “Christ’s death delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”  Jesus’ death at the cross was the perfect and powerful demonstration of the love of God for His people.  He never withheld anything nor anyone from us, not even the His only BELOVED and Begotten Son.  It is His Beloved in exchange for His beloveds, that’s you and me.  The Darling of heaven came for the darlings of the Lord, that’s you and me.  Fear of death is only conquered when we know how extravagantly loved we are.  There is NO FEAR IN LOVE.  His perfect love casts out all our fears away.  We, then have all the reasons to COUNT IT ALL JOY when we fall into variants of challenges.

FEAR NOT, beloveds!  It’s time to ARISE, SHINE, SHOUT and SING PRAISES and DECLARE to this covid19, “IT IS FINISHED!”