For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:13-14 NLT
I hate the dark. When I was a kid dark meant that my imagination saw all kinds of unwanted visitors crouching in the corners of my room. The TV shows that I shouldn’t have been watching replayed in my mind and started my heart racing. Could what I saw on the screen happen to me? It was hard to rest my brain and go to sleep.
I settled on a system that settled my soul in those moments. When I made my first communion as a second grader my grandmother had given me some rosary beads. I didn’t really know what to do with them, but these rosary beads hung off the corner of my headboard and — the best part — they glowed in the dark! When I felt scared those glowing beads added light and comfort and, sometimes, I would just hold onto the cross that dangled at the end of the chain. The glowing beads didn’t give enough light to see by, but they gave me something to look at in the dark instead of letting my imagination create crouching creepy crawlies. Holding onto the cross made me feel like I wasn’t alone.
I still don’t like the dark, but there is a deeper darkness that you and I struggle to manage every day. Each one of us experiences more than physical darkness. Darkness seems to be crouching in a corner every day, just ready to pounce with every phone call, text message or email. Add world news into the mix and it might seem like darkness is ready to overtake every bit of light in the world.
Where is your darkness right now? Things may be going well. You may not feel depressed or upset. But still, you sense darkness lurking somewhere in the depths of your soul. An unresolved relationship. An unfulfilled dream. A memory of mistreatment. Darkness shows up in a myriad of forms. It’s part of living in a broken world.
How do you deal with your darkness? What do you look to when darkness takes over? What do you hold onto for comfort?
Darkness does reign in the current world system, but the truth to hold onto in this dark is that it has lost its power if you have surrendered your life to Christ. Why? Because you have been rescued, redeemed, and reassigned, transferred into His Kingdom. His Kingdom of freedom and light and forgiveness.
Rescued. Lying in bed letting my mind race toward imagined dangers, I needed rescue from myself. Left to my own imagination and my own power, the darkness crowded out light every time. In my own power, I don’t have enough light to dispel the darkness. But the beautiful truth is that in Jesus, there is light and when His light shines in our darkness, the darkness cannot overcome it. (John 1:5) His light defeats darkness every time.
Redeemed. My mind without Christ creates chaos. How about yours? In those fright-filled nights I had no power to reframe my cluttered brain. I was chained to my imagined captors. But Jesus paid the price for my redemption. He bought me with His blood, out of chaos and into clarity. By His Spirit, I have been given the power to reclaim my brain. When fear wants to flood my thinking the truth of His Word rises like the sun and dispels the darkness of fear. Because light wins over darkness, every time, I have freedom. His light lives in me. His cross glows in my darkness and frees me from my worrisome wonderings. I have the power to walk away from the chains of chaos and dance in the freedom of His presence.
Reassigned. Where I was as a frightened child is not where I am now. And where I am now is not where I am going to be. The same is true for you, my friend.
On a journey, we often must make connections in order to reach our desired destination. If you don’t make the connection, you don’t get where you want to go. So, you get off one plane or train or bus and transfer to a different vehicle. When you transfer, you are still in the middle of your journey, but the vehicle is different, perhaps a completely different type of vehicle. The important thing is that your final destination has changed because you have transferred.
When you transfer into the Kingdom of Christ you don’t take the darkness with you. Christ has removed us from darkness and relocated us into His Kingdom. He has reassigned us from the dominion of the prince of darkness and planted us under the authority of the King of Kings. What used to have control, no longer constrains us because He has command. Darkness no longer belongs in you. It disappears into His glorious light.
How do you manage moments of darkness, Dear Friend? Acknowledge the shadow, but don’t acquiesce to its power because what Jesus has done is greater. Now you are a part of the Kingdom of Light. The old has gone, the new has come. Are you thinking of yourself and your situation according to your old patterns? Jesus made you new. You can do this. You can reclaim your brain. You can think differently. You have a new identity.
I’ll share a secret with you. I still prefer a nightlight. When darkness is so thick it seems to cover me over like a heavy wool blanket, a nightlight makes me feel like I can breathe. It kills the crouching creatures in the corners. But if no light is available, I still have the glorious light of Jesus with me. I am not who I used to be. I don’t think the same as I used to think. Jesus has transformed me. He has made me His. I can look to Him and hold onto His cross. He gives me comfort in every darkness. He carries me through. How about you?
Key Thought: Darkness has no dominion over you when Jesus is your king.
A Scripture to Consider: For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:13-14 NLT
A YES Challenge: Where is darkness crouching in hiding, preparing to pounce on you? Declare out loud that the dominion of darkness has no power over you because you have been reassigned to the Kingdom of Light.
Prayer: Jesus, sometimes I lose track of what You have done for me. You have rescued me, forgiven me and purchased my freedom. The darkness does not have power over me anymore because You have removed me from that kingdom and make me a part of Your own, glorious, light-filled Kingdom. Help me to remember that though darkness may be crouching in a corner in my life, it has no power to pounce. You have defeated the darkness. I acknowledge its presence but refuse to give it power in me. I will walk in Your light because I belong to Your Kingdom. Amen.