Wednesday, July 03, 2024 - DON’T FEAR THE POWERS OF DARKNESS

"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)

Wednesday, July 03, 2024 - Day 185 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: Job 31,32; Acts 13:1-23 )

DON’T FEAR THE POWERS OF DARKNESS

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus... 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus (Elymas). 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But ... the magician ... opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. (Acts 13:4-12 ESV)

Elymas was lost in a spiritual darkness of his own making prior to the Holy Spirit blinding him physically. He was a son of the devil, an enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, who would not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord, that is, not until God confronted him through the apostle Paul.

I wonder how many people from that time and place were afraid of Elymas, the sorcerer (King James Version)? Many today are also afraid of those whom they think have special power, special knowledge or special influence. The politically correct, the intellectual elite, vocal fringe groups, anti-Christian forces, and cross-less “Christians” are all lost in their own particular forms of spiritual darkness. We, however, need not fear these powers of darkness. John encourages us with these enlightening words:

In him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4 ESV)

   1. Jesus, lead Thou on till our rest is won;  

And although the way be cheerless,

We will follow calm and fearless.  

Guide us by Thy hand to our fatherland.

   2. If the way be drear, if the foe be near, 

Let not faithless fears o'ertake us;

Let not faith and hope forsake us; 

For through many a woe to our home we go.

   3. When we seek relief from a long-felt grief;  

When temptations come alluring,

Make us patient and enduring;  

Show us that bright shore where we weep no more.

   4. Jesus, lead Thou on till our rest is won.  

Heavenly Leader still direct us,

Still support, control, protect us, 

Till we safely stand in our fatherland.

(Jesus, Lead Thou On,  Lutheran Service Book #718)

Heavenly Father, thank You for the assurance that the Light of the world, my Lord Jesus, is far brighter than the darkness of this world. Please let His light shine through me so that others may also be led to saving faith in Jesus. And as ever, THY WILL BE DONE. Amen.

Pastor David Paape