#2 SHINE THE LIGHTTeaching, Prophetic Words, 2024

A POST-ELECTION CALL

Word and Study from November 8, 2024 | Originally released by Truth-Justice-Mercy on December 12, 2024

Good evening,

Today’s release is Part 2 in a post-election series. The message from the Lord is fairly short and straightforward, but I’ve followed it up with some teaching. So, with that, I’ll dive right in. The darkness cannot comprehend, nor can it overcome the Light! Praise His Holy Name!

-Lana

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# 2 SHINE THE LIGHT

A POST-ELECTION CALL

Friday November 8, 2024

“Worship Me – not a man and not a system.

Declare your praise aloud.

Declare your intentions and your alignments to stand with Me.

Do not be afraid to speak the truth, to expose unrighteousness, and to make your stance known.

The darkness can no longer comprehend the light.

The darkness will NEVER overcome the light.

So, shine brightly in Me, for Me, and because of Me.

Do not let fear rule in your hearts any longer.

Know who you are.

Let your praise ring out.

THIS is how you fight.”

Let’s take a look at the Scripture in John 1 that the Father references here. I’ve listed two translations and have included the preceding verses for context:

1“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. 4In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

-John 1:1-5, KJV

1“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

- John 1:5, ESV

This passage, which is a parallel of sorts to Genesis 1, is one of my favorites, as it fully intertwines the God of the New Testament with the God of the Old Testament. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! In just a very short space, it cements Jesus as:

• The Word

• Part of the Triune God

• God Himself

• Eternal One

• Exclusive Creator

• Life

• Light

• Superior to and Victor over the darkness

You can see that the Bible versions above are both quite similar in their renderings. But today I want to focus on the differing highlighted words used in verse 5 – comprehended or overcome:

katalambanó (Strong’s Greek 2638)

“To seize, lay hold of, grasp, comprehend, understand, perceive, apprehend, or overtake, whether mentally or physically, literally or figuratively.” [i]

So, while it seems to make more sense to us to say that the darkness could not overcome the light, it turns out that both words are actually correct. You see, the darkness cannot even begin to comprehend or understand the light or how it works, let alone overpower it! It simply cannot grasp it – in any sense of the word. All darkness knows is that light is the one thing that will absolutely, without fail, unveil all of its well-kept secrets and overturn its fearmongering lies when allowed to shine brightly. As such, the darkness is terrified of light and will angrily lash out and do whatever it can to try and stop it (this should explain a lot about our current culture). We cannot let it.

When I was a child, although I was embarrassed to admit it, I was often quite afraid of my dark bedroom at night. I would come up with all kinds of excuses to get my parents to come… just so they would crack open the door for a moment and let a little of that hall light spill in. No doubt, I tried their patience many times. But even the sometimes-angry voice of Mom or Dad was more soothing to me than that gnawing lie that was being pushed upon me by the darkness.

I distinctly remember one night in particular, when I was absolutely certain that there was an alligator in the middle of my floor. Yes, I could see its outline! You do know that they’re quite common on warm summer evenings… in Iowa… inside the house (ha, ha, ha, ha!!)! Well anyway, when my dad came in and I finally got honest with him about why I’d really called him (my fear), he was gracious enough to flip on the overhead light. What had previously looked—to any reasonable six-year-old—like an alligator, was actually the long white cord of a box fan, double-draped across the carpet… in the shape of an alligator. Fear. Gone. Instantly. The lie of the darkness suddenly had no more power over me, because my father had illuminated the space! A sudden comprehension of truth on my part changed everything.

So, getting back to our passage, note how John first says in verse 4 that the life was the light of men before stating that the light shines in the darkness. Okay, so let’s back up and go over that. Who, exactly, is shining in the darkness? Well, ultimately, of course, it is Jesus, as He is synonymous with light and life. But… if His life is the light of men, and that light of men shines in the darkness, it is actually men whom He uses as conduits for shining. [ii] This is how it was all originally designed to work. He made us, as the crowning pinnacle of His creation, to bear His image, to be in full relationship with Him, to be His God-breathed luminaries who would shine His life-filled light into the darkness.

Now, we all understand that this beautiful flow was cut off by sin. But praise God that He made a way! We, who have been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, who have had His life breathed upon us by the Holy Spirit, who are laying hold of that for which we have been apprehended by Christ,[iii] who have perceived His great love toward us, and who have allowed His light to shine into the dark places of our hearts and overcome our fear and sin nature – His light now shines through us, into the people, entities, and powers of darkness surrounding us. And, the darkness cannot comprehend or overcome that light. Family members may mock you; world systems may try to shut you down; the enemy may attempt to use all of his weapons of warfare against you. But all these ultimately can neither understand the God-breathed life that keeps you ticking nor seize your everlasting flame.

So… do not hide your light under a basket. Even if, as a believer, you try to cover it up—whether by simply keeping your mouth shut in uncomfortable situations or by willfully burying it—it will eventually seep out to some degree… because that’s just what light does. But know this: passivity is not a holy option any more than actively hiding is. As for myself, I know that when I stand before the Father, I want to hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!”

He has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light! And, when we walk in that Light, we are walking in not only obedience, but also VICTORY – through the One who IS the Word, the Creator, the God of the Universe, the Life, and the Light! So even in the worst-case scenario, what can man actually do to us? And, whom shall we fear… but God alone?

When we consider that the Lord has been speaking to us consistently for several years that He is cleansing and pouring out His glory upon the earth, it should bring us even further encouragement to stand strong. This is not, as perhaps seemed to our forefathers, a distant promise. We will soon be tangibly seeing a massive shift toward salvation! We are going to hear the Name of the Lord magnified by many who were once lost in darkness. It is, in fact, already breaking out in certain sectors of the world and will only continue to spread. We will see dark places of bondage lit up and cleansed. We are beginning to see the fear of the lie losing its grip over people and over nations.

Let’s add in one more angle to consider and spur us on. It may very well be that those same ones who currently misunderstand and mistreat you will soon be serving Jesus right alongside you – when the light of God overcomes their hearts and penetrates their comprehension! Think about your family, neighbors, coworkers, executives, governmental leaders, media personalities. Think big… and then think bigger! Expect Him to do great things! If you are willing, He will use your own personal boldness and witness to effect change in some of these arenas.

So, do not be afraid of man and what he might think, do, or say. Shine the Light! Hold your head high, and let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

14“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

-Matthew 5:14-16, KJV

26“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32So everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven, 33but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

-Mathhew 10:26-33, ESV

To close, I will leave you with a link to the song that has been ringing out in my heart each time I’ve read through this. Enjoy!

Awake My Soul

Words and Music by Brooke Ligertwood

CCLI: 7134998

[i] compilation of definitions

[ii] CSB in verses 4-5 uses the phrase “THAT life is the light of men… THAT light shines in the darkness,” which helps a little with the sentence diagramming.

[iii] Philippians 3:12-13 | This passage makes use of the same Greek word (2638 katalambanó) multiple times

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

Matthew 10:28

I Peter 2:9

Psalm 56:11

Psalm 27:1