The Need for Revival 2 - The Darkness in the World

The NEED For Revival

· The LATENESS of the hour

· The DARKNESS of the world

· The WEAKNESS of the Church

2 – The DARKNESS of the world

Summary: The Church is God’s Light to the World

· Church is the light

· Church has lost its light

· Church needs the light back = revival

Key Scripture:

John 3:16–20 NLT

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

Darkness = the sphere dominated by evil, sinfulness, and ignorance of God and His ways

· Unable to find the right way, ignorance, blindness, stupidity

· Darkness symbolizes times of trial

Hagin -

Although we have been made new creatures — created by God in Christ Jesus; and although we are transferred out from under Satan’s authority, we still live in a world ruled by Satan.

Darkness Blinds Minds

2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT

4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

The Bible calls Satan “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2). Christ also called him “the prince of this world” (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11).

the very air about us is filled with hostile forces attempting to

- destroy our fellowship with God the Father

- deprive us of our usefulness in the Master’s service.

How? By darkening the church’s light!

Hypocrisy – saw your FB likes – movies, bands songs, vulgar re-posts

dark world

Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Dark Days of Noah = Days of Jesus Return

Genesis 6:5 (NLT)

5 The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.

Examples of darkness –

· Trending movies of the year stats – filthy movies – darkness of the eye – makes the whole-body dark – reveals the heart

· Pandemic – darkness of fear

· Rise of the “none’s” – 30%

· Cancel culture – through the censorship of religious expression

· Censorship of NY times best-selling authors

· Closing churches

· Oppression

· Persecution – Abroad

· Global control by cyber warfare – doomsday weapons

· The Taliban is reportedly executing dozens of Afghan allies, despite supposed amnesty. CHRISTIANS ARE NEXT. – ACLJ

· Persecution – Domestic

· Church closures through government mandates – if there is ever an “essential service” - the church is it!

· Abortion – especially tax subsidized

· Nontraditional marriage

· Anything other than male and female genders

· conversion therapy bans

· Human trafficking

· Denial of religious liberty

· Limiting religious expression to Free speech zones on college campuses

· Labeling the Bible as hate speech

· Twisting the Word of God to fit a personal agenda or viewpoint

· Vilifying bona fide preachers of the Gospel

· banning the sale of Christian books and merchandise

· demonetizing YouTube channels of proven ministries

· media silence in the face of widespread persecution, especially religious

· Suppression of alternative viewpoints

· Such is the world that today’s church finds herself in

Under the banner of "diversity training", organizations like the American Family Association were on a hit list of "hate groups" that US military service members were ordered not to follow or engage. They risked a court-martial and dishonorable discharge.

https://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA22A14&f=WU22A05&utm_medium=email&utm_source=washingtonupdate&utm_campaign=wa22a14

Isaiah 8:20 (NLT) — 20Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.

1 – COME to the Light = Repent

Admit God is the Light

John 1:4–5 NLT

4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

John 8:1 NLT

1 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives,

John 12:46 NLT

46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.

· Put on the light

· eject darkness - day is at hand

Romans 13:12 NLT

12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.

Light Exposes darkness – church teaching, living

Correct Darkness in the CHURCH

Light Exposes Dark TEACHING in the Church

· Heresy –

· Hyper grace – Everyone saved – all sin forgiven

· Cheap grace – confession without repentance - Say the words, but no heart belief

· change of mind without a change of lifestyle,

Light Exposes Dark LIVING in the Church

· Drinking

· Drugs

· Porn – filthy media

· divorce

Matthew 6:23 NLT

23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

1 John 2:9 NLT

9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness.

1 John 1:5–6 NLT

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.

Dark hearts - turn from truth

Dark minds - ignore truth

· Men’s foolish hearts darkened by refusing the truth

· Try to cancel the truth or light

Dark minds - ignore truth – written to believers?

Romans 1:21 NLT

21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.

Abandoned by the Light

Romans 1:24 NLT

24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.

· Could this be happening in the church?

· Weapons of mass deception?

Ephesians 4:17–19 NLT

17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

· Stop spending money at R rated movies that mock God, using His name in vain and watching nudity, sex scenes and gratuitous violence.

· Video games included

· Pokemon

· Some refused to repent and come the light – so they become bundled with others of like mind.

Enemy never stops - neither should we!

2 – WALK in the Light = Remain

2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT

6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Avoids hypocrisy

live in the light:

Ephesians 5:8–9 NLT

8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Protect the Light

Stay away from darkness

2 Corinthians 6:14 NLT

14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?

expose darkness

Ephesians 5:11 NLT

11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.

3 – SHINE (SHOW) forth the Light = Reflect

Even though the World started in darkness – God’s first command was “Let there be light”!

1 Peter 2:9 NLT

9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Light is always stronger than darkness

Greater is He (Light) that is in you

Preach the Light

· The Word is light!

· Peach the light In season and out

· = pray for exposure

Shed light on the subject!

Overpower darkness - can’t overcome

John 1:5 NLT

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Turn to the light

Paul commissioned

Acts 26:17–18 NLT

17 And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles 18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’

God’s people rescue others from darkness

Isaiah 42:7 NLT

7 You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.

Isaiah 60:1–5 NLT

1 “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. 2 Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. 3 All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance. 4 “Look and see, for everyone is coming home! Your sons are coming from distant lands; your little daughters will be carried home. 5 Your eyes will shine, and your heart will thrill with joy, for merchants from around the world will come to you. They will bring you the wealth of many lands.