Be At Peace; Darkness is Divided!
1. This is our third installment of this series Havilah’s Prepared Places. We’ve considered the profound movements of the Spirit of God revealed as having been very present though the crisis and chaos that resulted from His having cast Lucifer down.
2. We learned God ousted Lucifer from his privileged assigned position of inhabiting His presence. Why? Because he’d foolishly begun to think more highly of himself than he ought.
a) But today consider Lucifer’s name meant; “light bringer; son of the morning; brilliant or morning star. It reflected the perfection, beauty, and power of his giftedness; his extraordinary wisdom and exalted influential leadership position as heaven’s worship leader. All this God had given Lucifer to reflect His light.
b) But Lucifer’s fall from grace and his strategic, coveted place of influence, access, and ability before angelic hosts; cost him everything. Jesus said He’d seen; He’d witnessed his enraged fall. He likened it as lightning striking earth! Luke 10:18
c) It was in this raging vengeful fall; and Lucifer influencing a third of the angelic host to still follow his now darkly perverse, evil thoughts; that God now called him Sa`tan. His name change reflects what God saw he’d be to His light; an adversary, thief, and accuser. So, God abrogated his authority, assignment, and anointing too.
3. In Sa`tan’s irreversible perverseness, implacable or unforgiving anger and rage with God and all called high, holy or His lights; caused him to totally digress from being the anointed cherub that covers.
a) He’s not just the father of lies, but the prince of this world’s darkness; and he rules as spiritual wickedness in high places.
b) And the Word expressly reveals him as also the evil that was, and that was seen; even “In the beginning”! John 14:30; 1 John 3:8
Thus, by the light of revelation we now “see Sa`tan” hiding upon the face of the deep. He cloaks in darkness he lurks creeping in; making it his domain. We revisit our foundational scripture to see what further revelatory life applicable concept the Holy Spirit intends to reveal for our spiritual understanding today.
Genesis 1:1-5 (Apostle-aphrased)
In the beginning “God Created” the Heavens and the Earth. And the Earth was found to be without form and void; seemingly an empty waste; for “darkness” lay upon the face of the very great deep. And the Spirit of God; moved upon His waters! And God said; “let there be light”! And it was! And God saw it in “forever becoming”; was so good! And then immediately; God divided light from the darkness.
And God called; light Day and darkness Night. And evening and morning were the first day!
1. What revelatory life applicable concept did we learn God saw in the light in the beginning and call good though it is still forever becoming?
a) The answer is of course; us! God saw every disciple and all future believers beyond that and those beyond us as light forever becoming; still yet to come.
b) God saw all hindrances we’d face, crisis, chaos; storms challenging faith we face. He saw evil present with us as if law; using works of darkness to wear us out; given until times He also saw and set as appointed for His removal.
c) God saw our good having to face raging trouble darkness brings; whenever His sons of God in earth think to obediently launch out to do good! And God moved to establish the way to escape; before problems seen began to exist.
d) God silently, unhurriedly; divinely moved upon; as sovereign authority; as Omniscient Creator; as I AM that I AM. He intentionally turned and moved upon the problem He saw; to contain the ability of darkness to trouble us.
e) Darkness covering the deep; made earth appear a hopeless victim of its rage; just as if God cared not, His earth was perishing. But our very God of peace and very present help; moving upon, divided that darkness! 1 Th 5:23; Ps 46:1
See this concept in biblical times: Mark 4:33-39 (Apostle-aphrased)
Jesus taught multitudes one day; using as many parables as He felt they could hear and try to comprehend with their limited ability to understand. He didn’t change His method of teaching these throngs, but privately to His disciples; those He chose to peculiarly be His own; He gave them full revelation. Then that same day; as evening turned to darkness; Jesus although worn out announced; “Let us now go on over to the other side of the lake. For He knew He had to go meet and set the demoniac Legion free; from the evil works of darkness that had overtaken and were presently tormenting him. So leaving throngs of people behind; the disciples took Jesus in the same boat He’d sat teaching in all the day long, and they set out obediently! Oh; and several other little boats set out too; determined to continue on following to hear Him.
Soon after they cast off; suddenly a furious high wind storm of hurricane proportions; rose and with violent vengeance caused waves to viciously beat into and fill their boat with water; faster than they all could bail. And all while they struggled with mass difficulty; so, feared for their lives; as contrariness of gross darkness raging in suddenly storms tempt us all to; Jesus; though as wet as they were in endlessly struggling; remained sound asleep! What? He slept soundly in the stern on a leather cushion they gave Him to make His tired ride over; peaceful. But their weighty, pointed, idle words assaulting Him as He slept; abruptly jerked Him awake; to the sounds of unbelief screaming its dark accusations at Him; “Master do You not even care; that we’re literally perishing while we’re with You?” Well hearing that Jesus arose; saying not a word to answer such foolish unfounded accusations. He turned instead to immediately rebuke the wind; saying unto the sea darkness used; to beat against them so hard with intimidating perversity that drains faith’s strength of spirit in us; “Peace Be still! Or; Be muzzled and Back it all the way down!” And the wind not only ceased immediately but sank down to rest as if exhausted by its own beating. Suddenly; His disciples immediately experienced great calm far exceeding warped expectations in facing darkness.
Mark 4:40-41 (Apostle-aphrased)
It was perfect peace! In the reviving light peace brings to weary, faint hearts; darkness seeing it, must flee; spiritual protocol demands it. God had divided it to in seeing light take its evil work and back completely down from it; to sit as muzzled attack dogs must; facing their owner!
Then Jesus turned knowing His disciple’s actions were observed by the little ships following them, yet they’d suffered no such assault. So Jesus asked His disciples; “Why do you still so easily feel timid and fearful? Why do you still lack the integrity of faith to firmly rely on and trust Me?
They were so messed up yet filled with such astounding awe that fearing exceedingly; they cried; “OMG; Who’s this that darkness of stormy beating winds and a raging sea; obeys Him”?
“Peace Be Still”
As “siopao- phimoo” Jesus said; “be hushed, silenced; be intentionally seated; involuntarily act as if willingly muzzled; so, made mute. The revelatory is Jesus commanded raging darkness; sit in place; to just be seen; as powerlessly divided from; and submitted to His greater effectual authority; as prevailing control over!
Let us Selah on this scripture: John 14:27-31 (Apostle-aphrased)
“My Peace I leave with you! My peace I give you; and not as the world gives; for what I give you the world cannot take away! Thus, “Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid”!
You all have heard Me say; “I must go away, but I will come again unto you! If you truly loved Me; you would rejoice because I said that; “I go unto the Father”; for I’ve told you all; “My Father is greater than I!” But hear Me; for I announce and tell you all that shall be; before what darkness thinks to do even begins coming to pass. I AM; and do so that when all unfolds; you may remember I did not allow it to come upon you unawares. “See Me” so you’re not moved by magnified raging darkness wants you to “see”! I tell you and fill you with My Peace; so, facing parts you must needs go through; you’ll “See Me” despite gross darkness raging.
“See Me”, to be able to stand still believing; trusting My being with you; even if you can’t “see” me moving in the natural; for I AM! “See Me” always moving upon all concerning you as the Spirit of God! But now get ready; for hereafter, I’ll not be talking much more with you!
For “I already see” the prince; the evil genius, the ruler of this world’s darkness coming to trouble Me. Yet know this; he has absolutely no claim on Me; nothing in common with Me; to grasp or manipulate. There’s absolutely no darkness; nothing in Me belonging to him. Sa`tan, therefore, has no element of authority to wield over Me. He cannot take My life; nor can any man! Yet I go willingly to lay it down myself. For I have the power to lay it down and to take it back up again. This commandment I already received of My Father. John 10:18
I see Satan coming, and I must do the Father’s commands so the world may know; be fully convinced and persuaded; that I love Him; and do only as He instructs Me. I go ready; fully agreeing with all He ordered! So, arise; let us go from here to face darkness “I see coming”!
“My Peace”
My Peace: the “siopao” Jesus uttered in facing the darkness of the raging sea; is totally different from the very powerful “My Peace” He gave to all His disciples thus all Believers; as “Emos-eirene”!
1. The revelatory is “Emos-eirene” was peace publicly proclaimed, announced to the world and to the evil present with them; as encroaching darkness that lurked watching; listening, thinking how to rage against and steal this peace!
2. It declared; “Hear Me prince of the darkness of this world; know, recognize; I’ve given unto all with Me now; and those still forever becoming My lights in the world; the right and liberty to forever be totally joined unto Me seeing!
3. Also, this “Emos-eirene” Jesus gives us comes replete with three power boundary keepers existing only in God; and His spiritual protocols keep all in effect always.
a) Knowing this should prevent us acting as His reactive disciples. Out of insecurity’s warped expectations, they felt Jesus ought be moved by anxiety seeing the raging of darkness making them feel He didn’t care they felt they were perishing. Not!
4. As the 1st set of boundaries; His peace stands as a strait gate keeping this wealthy place we inherit in Him as we receive and embrace His peace that makes our own wholeness in Him; inviolate; in persuading us nothing shall separate us from Him.
a) “Emos-eirene” guards our free access within Him, and all this strait gate requires is we remain submitted to God; having embraced His light of life; so strengthened by His grace to stand being strong to do exploits and claim the more than; He is!.
b) Remember; “Emos-eirene” represents exclusive spiritual privilege of rich prerogative the Lord gives those He saw; so, knew as His; in the beginning!
5. The 2nd set of spiritual boundaries spiritual protocol keeps; is Jesus being the light that shineth on despite darkness. As He exposed the enemy saying in His heart I shall exalt myself; His light remains vigilant; to remind all it is written!
a) Remember Sa`tan in being found full of evil works of darkness; was totally divided from; thus, forever denied any right or expectation of fellowship with His light!
6. The 3rd set of boundaries is God’s dynamis power working effectually to keep the way. It stops the enemy from perpetrating; instigating or intimidating us as if he can take anything from us by force. He simply works to weary hearts and minds until he thinks we’re faint enough to foolishly settle for less; so, let darkness in.
a) But thank God for spiritual protocol guaranteeing; if we’re submitted to God; we can resist this devil; and what? He must then flee from us! Where to? Back into darkness; muzzled, muted; as God divided him away from; unto. James 4:7
b) How long must He stay away when forced to flee? It’ll always for pre-appointed seasons God alone determines we need; to be restored and regain our sense of His “Emos-eirene”. Thank God He faithfully keeps boundaries of His perfect peace.
c) All He requires is we do our part; to not love anything more than we love Him; and tend, guard and keep our minds stayed on simply trusting in Him”! Selah!
Consider closing thoughts and Scripture: Isaiah 50:10 (Apostle-aphrased)
Who among you fear and deeply respect our God? Who desires to obey His voice as we hear it through His servants? Who among you feel you sadly still walk in spiritual darkness in areas of your life as if lacking His light or peace? Be at peace; darkness is divided! Keep your mind stayed; lean into and trust Abba; He is Lord!
1. Jesus invites us as His own to enter His own perfect peace; to come be one; minds stayed; resting in Him; thus, indivisible from His abundant prosperity. We’re saved; trust; rest deeply in Him knowing so; with confident quietness.
2. As His; we must know without a shadow of doubt that as we willingly walk in that sacrificial integrity; the reasonable service His likeness asks of us; then we are irrevocably and completely reconciled; light seen forever becoming! In His mercy, He gathers us in as a hen does chicks; reseats us into rest in Christ; to remain one with and in Him; such is our spiritual DNA; as light.
3. Be strengthened knowing God saw us “from the beginning” in saying “Let there be light”. He also saw evil raging in covering darkness. Yet remember, He divided that darkness from our light and His peace! It cannot have, own, overcome, kill, steal, understand or touch our light or peace; to destroy it!
4. It behooves us to engrave in our hearts the knowing; darkness regardless of its raging; though it may delay; cannot legally deny; circumvent or prevent those of us willing to press so, persevere in a just saying “yes” to being His!
5. Beloveds; “Be at peace; darkness is divided”; despite struggle in storms that rage. Simply trust Him; because God is; we are! We can let our light shine to glorify God! He’s got us, truly; of this be fully persuaded! Romans 8:35-39
6. Remember Jesus rebuked His disciples; but only after perfect calm came as He commanded Peace be still! He muzzled and muted darkness; restoring their sense of His perfect peace. Only then did He rebuke their lack of trust!
7. Our Lord desires to use all who’re His; as encouragement; living evidence of His will; lights of the world those little ships following need to see to live by. He has seen; who’ll follow Him by observing us to see, hear and know if we truly, intimately trust Him to be a very present help even in gross darkness!
Be not deceived; Jesus isn’t asleep in raging storms;
every closed eye isn’t asleep. Selah!