Greetings to you, dear friends! I am glad for this opportunity to once again share with you the pearls of wisdom from God’s Word. Yesterday we saw that our calling as Christ’s ambassadors is to shine light in the places where darkness reigns. Darkness is absence of the knowledge and revelation of God:
«My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge» (Hosea, 4:6).
The devil is the prince of darkness, so he operates in darkness where there is no light. That is why God places us on earth, so that we would be light to this world. But we will only be able to reflect this light if we allow God’s Word (which is the source of light, knowledge and revelation) to control our lives. We can use various opportunities to teach God’s Word to the people and fill the earth with His knowledge. That is how we help and enlighten those whose minds have been blinded by the devil: «But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them» (2 Corinthians, 4:3-4).
These verses tell us that people perish because the light of the Gospel of the glorious Christ has not shined on their hearts. We establish God’s kingdom by rising up and shining with the light of God – by spreading God’s revelation and the understanding of His ways. We establish God’s Kingdom when we start teaching and declaring these revelations and revealing this knowledge to the people around us. The Bible says that as God’s ambassadors we have received the ministry from God and it is the ministry of reconciliation: «Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God» (2 Corinthians, 4:1-2).
Our ministry is to be the salt and light to our society. God has granted us this ministry, but not because we are better than others. God gave us this ministry because of His mercy. Now as the recipients of God’s mercy we do not have any right to condemn those that do not know God and live under the power of the prince of darkness. God is sending us – His children — into the world to spread the light and reconciliation. While doing this ministry, we should not lose heart; we should not allow anything to stop us. We must be courageous and go forward enduring sorrows as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Also, as we see here, we must renounce «the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God». We must reject the sinful way of life and do everything necessary in order to help people know God. That is what ‘shining’ is all about: we do good despite of all opposition. Apostle Paul further says: «But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but no forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you» (2 Corinthians, 4:7-12).
Apostle Paul says that as Christ’s ambassadors we will have to pay the price. And we are able to do it because Jesus Christ strengthens us within. He walked the way before us, so His example demonstrates that we are able to do it as well. Dear friends, do not forget that you are the ambassadors of Christ, you are the salt of the earth and the light to the world; God has sent us into the world to reconcile people with Him. I wish you God’s abundant blessings! Till tomorrow! Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
