Blessings of Walking in the Light
We will learn the spiritual meaning of light and darkness and how we can have fellowship with the Lord God, who is the Light.
Reading Passage: 1 John 1:5–7 (NASB)
“… God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all …”
No matter how dark the night is, darkness disappears instantly when the sun rises. In the same way, when we meet the Lord God, who is light brighter than the sun, even the most difficult problems can be solved easily. Therefore, meeting God and walking in the Light is the surest way to solve the problems of life at the root.
1. The Spiritual Meaning of Light and Darkness
The Bible says, “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5, NASB) What does “light” mean spiritually? Light represents the perfect Lord God, who has absolutely no darkness. It also means truth, goodness, and love. The Word of God in the Bible can be understood in four main commands: “Do,” “Do not,” “Keep,” and “Cast away.” These words are the truth and belong to the light. When we obey commands such as “Pray,” “Love,” “Forgive,” “Be humble,” “Keep the Sabbath,” and “Keep the Ten Commandments,” we walk in the Light. We also walk in the Light when we obey the commands that say, “Do not” and “Cast away.”
Then what is darkness? In general, darkness is the absence of light. Spiritually, it means everything that belongs to sin—unrighteousness, lawlessness, evil, and untruth. Doing what God said not to do and refusing to cast away what He told us to remove is darkness. Commands such as “Do not steal,” “Do not murder,” “Do not hate,” “Do not worship idols,” “Avoid every form of evil,” “Cast away jealousy,” “Cast away greed,” “Cast away pride,” and “Cast away fleshly thoughts” all show what darkness is. When we do not keep what God said to keep and do not do what He told us to do, we are living in darkness.
To which side do you belong—light or darkness? The Lord God is 100% perfect Light with no darkness at all. He wants us also to walk 100% in the Light. If there is even a little darkness in the heart, the enemy, the devil, who rules over darkness, uses it as a foothold to bring tests and trials.
2. How to Have Fellowship With the Lord God, Who Is Light
A child is precious to his parents, and when the child grows and understands the heart of the parents, they share deep love and joy. In the same way, the Lord God wants to have a close relationship with us—a relationship where love is shared back and forth. That is why the Bible says, “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another.” (1 John 1:7, NASB) There is a condition for having fellowship with God: we must walk in the Light, which means living in the truth. A person who follows darkness and lives in evil cannot have fellowship with God because he is following the enemy, the devil, whom God hates.
If your child joined hands with people who hate you, harm you, or want to destroy you, and then did evil with them, how painful would it be? In the same way, when we do not live by the Word of the Lord God, who is Light, and instead live in darkness and sin, it means we are following the enemy, the devil. This brings deep sorrow to God.
So can you confidently say that you have fellowship with God? Fellowship is never one-sided. You cannot say you have fellowship simply because you know about God. For example, you may know the president very well, but if the president does not know you, the two of you do not have a relationship. And even among human relationships, the depth is different. Some people only know each other’s faces. Some ask about each other’s well-being. Some are close enough to share secrets. Our relationship with God is the same. True fellowship with God means that God knows us, acknowledges us, and trusts us.
The Bible says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21, NASB) Even if someone prays loudly and calls “Lord! Lord!” every day, if he does not do the will of God, God must say, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” True fellowship must show clear signs. Those who walk with God receive answers to their prayers, give glory to God, and live under His protection. They do not remain in sickness or weakness, and the enemy cannot bring trials, disasters, or harm to them.
3. We Must Cast Off Darkness and Walk in the Light to Be Blessed
No matter how strong darkness is, it disappears when light shines on it. Darkness can never overcome light. In the same way, when we walk in the Light, the power of darkness cannot work in our lives. If we walk in the Light 50%, then only 50% of the power of light follows. If we walk in the Light 90%, then 90% of that power follows. The power of Light depends on how fully we walk in it. When ten lamps are turned on, the room is much brighter than with only one lamp. In the same way, the stronger the spiritual light in our lives, the stronger the power that drives away darkness. Therefore, the more we obey the commands of God—“Do,” “Keep,” “Do not,” and “Cast away”—the more we can overcome darkness.
Even if we used to live in darkness, once we start walking in the Light, the problems that came from darkness—such as sickness, poverty, and many hardships—begin to leave. The way of blessing opens, and answers from the Lord God, who is Light, begin to come. The power of Light follows us to the extent that we remain in the Light. But if we live in sin and dwell in darkness, the enemy, the devil, begins to work. When we live in sin, we are staying in darkness, so we cannot drive darkness away. Only when we cast off sin and follow the truth can we receive power to overcome the enemy. So if anyone is still living in darkness, he must repent quickly and turn back.
The Bible says, “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7, NASB) This means that when we obey the Word of God and walk in the Light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. Some people believe that simply saying “I believe!” will forgive their sins and guarantee salvation. But the Bible does not teach this. We must walk in the Light and live according to the Word of God. Only then can we have fellowship with Him and receive forgiveness. Those who remain in darkness cannot be one with the Lord, who is the true Light.
When we walk in the Light, we become one with the Lord, and the authority of the Lord becomes ours. By the name of Jesus Christ, we can drive away the power of darkness and receive answers to our prayers. The proof that we are one with the Lord is that we walk in the Light. When a person who walks in the Light prays, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command sickness to leave! Disaster, leave! Poverty, leave! Trials and troubles, leave!” it happens as he prays.
The Bible says, “We know that no one who has been born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.” (1 John 5:18, NASB) A person who has fellowship with God lives in the Light and does not commit sin. The Lord God protects such a person so that the evil one cannot touch him. Whether he comes in or goes out, he is blessed, and everything goes well for him (Deuteronomy 28:1–14; 3 John 2). As children of the Lord God, who is Light, cast away all darkness and walk in the bright Light so that you may enjoy the full authority and blessing given to the children of God.
Plus: What Is a “Devil”?
A devil is one of the evil spirits that fell together with Lucifer. They have dark forms with human-like faces and limbs. Under the orders of Satan, they control and command demons and lead people of untruth to commit all kinds of sins. Satan leads people to sin through thoughts, and devils then push those thoughts into actual sinful actions.
Memory Verse: 1 John 1:7 (NASB)
“If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Reference Verse: 1 John 5:18 (NASB)
“We know that no one who has been born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.”
The Bible also says, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1 John 1:6, NASB)
