The Lord is in the house. Amen. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus.

When we sang “O Come Emmanuel”, the lyrics of that word, of that song, said that He would come through and break all of the shades of darkness. And if you start talking to some of you and learn about your life story, some of you will tell us in this room, “I've had different shades of darkness throughout my life. It went from dark to darker to black to blacker to blackest.” But Jesus Christ came to break the black night. He came to break the darkness over us. It said that He would pierce through the clouds and that He would bring us a new day - and that new day has come this day. The hope of Jesus Christ is in this place and God is about to shine his light on us like never before.

And so as you can imagine, we are going to continue on with our topic of light. We know that Pastor was here last week. She was talking about light, and we have to continue on because this is where the Lord has His church. Light is amazing, and when we celebrate Christmas, we know light is all around us. People are putting up their lights outside, and we drive around, we want to look at all the beautiful Christmas lights because light penetrates the darkness. It comes through, and it breaks through even the darkest of night. God came to break through your dark night this day. The smallest spark of Jesus, just the smallest bit of light, is able to break through sin, darkness, disease, despair, depression - all of these things that are in our life that hold us down, God has come to break through for you and for me. Jesus said in His Word, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Amen? What a powerful promise that we have in the name of Jesus. That you no longer have to walk not being able to see the light of Jesus Christ. What He came to do when He was born on that night as a baby. He came to break darkness over you and to give you new hope.

Now, Pastor, last week she also spoke about the light and the life of Jesus. She said that, “if you imitate Him, if you follow Him, if you walk in His footsteps, that you also would be on your way to salvation.” And that is the truth because Jesus is the first fruit of God meaning He is the first man that was able to give His life as a living sacrifice to God and that it would be acceptable and received into heaven. That is your hope this day, that you also would follow in the footsteps of Jesus. That you would open your Bibles, that you would read about His life, and you also would begin to mimic that, following in His footsteps all the way unto heaven. That is the walk of the Christian. That is what we're coming back to this day, and that's what we're learning to do.

See, in the midst of the dark world that we live in, we know that God wants us to be overcomers just as He is an overcomer. We know that we live in a dark world where people oppose you on the daily. Obstacles are coming in your way. Things get in your path. But this day, will you be an overcomer like Jesus? No darkness, no darkness could overtake His light. Now, you know that there are many who have risen up against Jesus. Many who tried to lie about His character, who tried to accuse Him, who tried to jail Him, who tried to take His life. But I say to you today that they did not know that He was not of the same kingdom as they were, for they were of the kingdom of darkness, but He was of the kingdom of light. Their tactics were futile against Him. And as it should be for the things that go on in our lives, it should not bring us down. It should not take us to the point of hopelessness. Because ultimately, what's the worst thing that could happen - is that we close our eyes in this world and we open them up to the place where we're already on our way. As a matter that would make you the forerunner in this race! What could happen to you? What darkness could prevail? What thing could be brought into your path that you could not overcome? The Lord overtook death, hell, and the grave. And we also are called to be in that light.

You know, they didn't know, when they were coming against Him, that they were going to be futile in their actions. They didn't know that Jesus was not of the same kingdom. We say that “He is of the kingdom of light.” That means that He was a man of the spirit. It means that they had never seen a man like that before. You see, while they were digging ditches for Jesus to fall into, they themselves were falling into those holes. They didn't know what way they were going. Their minds were darkened with sin, just as it is in our communities today. For those who do not have their eyes open to the truth of the Word of God, they don't know where they're going. They are lost. But for us, our eyes are open just like Jesus. God illuminated the mind of Jesus Christ and it lit up His path.

Jesus was joyful. He was joyful in following the will of the Father because he knew where it was leading Him. This day, do you know where the light of God is leading you? Are you able to put your trust in God that He is bringing you to the place of victory? You see, even when that path led Him to the cross, what would you have done? “This is the wrong place. You made a mistake, God!” But even then, what was Jesus' attitude? Oh, for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. He ignored the shame that it brought. Thinking of you and thinking of me, thinking of the future that we will have in eternity together. He even went to the cross with joy in His heart. This day there is no darkness - no darkness, no obstacle, nothing that can come against us to bring us away from the power of God. His kingdom is glorious. His kingdom is unending. His kingdom is powerful. Today will you come into the kingdom that has no end.

“Our eyes must be illuminated to the truth that His kingdom and His light has come.”

Our eyes must be illuminated to the truth that His kingdom and His light has come. Awake, church! The light has come! We are no longer in darkness. But we are illuminated by God.

So first today, we're going to see that our light has come. Now, you may have heard of the inspirational quote that “a new day has dawned.” And I know that I've heard that in some sci-fi movie along the way - and I think maybe it was narrated by Morgan Freeman. It's the end of the world; they're all dying off, but then in the morning, when the sun comes up, we knew that there's a new hope for a new tomorrow! Right? So a new day has dawned. It's an era of hope that is coming upon us and positive change that's on the way.

President Woodrow Wilson quoted this when he was addressing the Senate after World War I. He was promising a new path of prosperity and hope for the world that was not going to be characterized any longer by darkness and evil. And so we know that this quote that's said is actually from the Bible. If you would open with me to Isaiah chapter 9, verse 2. It's on the board also. You can take a look.

It says, “The people walking in darkness, they have seen a great light. On those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.” This is a prophecy about Jesus, written 700 years before He was born, but it gives to the truth that Jesus would come to break through the darkness and that those living in darkness would have a dawning upon them. That the sun would rise up. We all have that image in our mind of what it looks like when the darkness is now turning to daylight, of the sun rays breaking through the darkness and penetrating. It gives the hope of a new tomorrow. Do you have the hope today? Have your eyes been illuminated that Jesus has come to give you a new day? Your lives may have been going down one trajectory your whole life, and you're just saying, “that this is my lot in life.” Nothing is going to change. But this day, did you know that it is the dawn of a new day that comes upon the church? He is giving us new life.

This verse is also referenced in Matthew in one of the Gospels, in chapter 3. And it's when Jesus is moving to Capernaum. And this is right after he was tempted in the wilderness. He receives the Holy Spirit after being baptized, and He's beginning His ministry. It says in the book that the people were living in darkness. And what does that mean? It was describing their mindset. They were hopeless. They were in despair. They were in depression. So much like the community that we have today, the people living in darkness; their eyes haven't been opened to the hope that is in Jesus Christ. Oh, but when Jesus moved to Capernaum, little did they know that their new day had just arisen. You see, there was a man with leprosy. There was a man with blindness. There was a man with deafness. There was a man with muteness. And they didn't know that they didn't have to live that way any longer. The man who couldn't stop sinning didn't know Jesus was about to come and break his chains off. A new day has come! Our hope is here!

Jesus came in the dark of night, in the darkest of night, for a purpose. It was so that in that dark place, when we see the hopelessness of mankind, there on that special night - His birth, Jesus Christ - a new day has dawned, a light has come, a star shone in the sky that would be an emblem for all to see. All who look up to Jesus would be saved. On that holy night, the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We sing that song, “Emmanuel. Emmanuel, God with us.” The hope of heaven has come down to you and to me. It was 2,000 years ago, but it has the same power then as it does today. Church, He is breaking the powers of darkness over us. Hallelujah.

He is the light who has come to open up your eyes. Are your eyes being open this day to the hope that is here for you? You see, His purpose was to make you subjects of the greatest kingdom. Where we used to be powerless, we witnessed in the church the spirit of God coming down. How could light from heaven come down into this dark earth? How could men and women who used to live for themselves now be able to live for God? How could we find joy in serving God, obeying His will and trusting in the path? Only God. You see, we're starting to see a trickle coming in. We're starting to see heaven invading the earth once again. The light of the Lord Jesus Christ is in the heart of many of you who are here and you are lighting up once again a dark place. Hallelujah.

We are a blessed people. We are a blessed people to be part of a church where we see the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. And I want to tell you today that it's only going to be increasing. Your life will be changed even being in the midst of this church. Because there are men and women who are no longer the same as they were yesterday, but today they are made new. For their new day has come. The old is gone, and we're living our new lives in Christ. We believe the impossible! We believe that He can transform us. We believe that He changes our mindset. We believe that we are no longer in captivity to the old ways. But our new day has come.

I ask you today, are you in this light? Or are you still waiting in darkness? Did you have notice that Christmas already came 2,000 years ago? Sometimes I feel like we're waiting up, looking for something to hit us. You know, there is no other sign that's going to be given. It's already been done. Hallelujah!

We have to remind ourselves, we know the state of mankind. We know that with the first man, Adam, that sin entered in. And although man was created in the image of God, intended to be perfect, intended to have communion with the Lord, we know that when sin entered, he no longer could live in the midst of the light of God. We remember in the garden that when God came, Adam had to hide. He was afraid of the exposure. He could not even resist. You know, he couldn't be in the presence of God's perfect light. And so we see the state of mankind, but we have to break the old. Jesus came to break the old. And He is the second man. He is the second Adam. He is the son of man that came to redeem us through His life, through His death, and through His resurrection unto heaven. All who would believe, all who would call upon His name, and receive Him, He gives the right to become children of God. Hallelujah. Children to be called of the kingdom of light. No longer of darkness. No longer being overcome. No longer being brought down. No longer being beaten down by the world, but having victory. Just as He came to do and establish in our lives. Has the kingdom of light come upon you? Is it overtaking you? Is your mind being illuminated this day? This is what You came to do. I know I can't do it on my own, but it is Your work. It is the work that You accomplish. It is the light that You put inside of the hearts of men and women. When you have that light inside of you, you are never the same again.

Jesus says in the Bible, right, this is His directions. These are not my words. These are the instructions that the Lord Jesus Christ has for you. He says in Mark 1:25, “The time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the good news.” Repent and believe in the good news. Change the way you think. Change the way you act. Change the way you've been doing things. For now is the time of your redemption. Hallelujah.

So for those of you today who have not experienced the salvation of Jesus Christ, I have to open that up to you this day. Would you allow the light of Jesus to shine upon your heart to say to you, “I have come to give you a new hope for tomorrow. That the old era would be gone and that a new era would rise upon you for new hope, new life, new love, new opportunities in Him.” That you would no longer live your life and try to make it in the kingdom of darkness, but you would come and see, that if you have a little faith, you have the currency for the kingdom of heaven. I invite you to open up your heart.

And for the rest of us today, we know that our hope is in the one who could not be overcome. And we cannot forget that. He could not be overcome. No darkness, no lie, no weapon formed against you will prosper. We must be in victory this day for our light has come and He has given us a new day. Hallelujah.

So not only do we notice that the kingdom has come, but we must also learn to walk in the kingdom of light. Christians are not supposed to walk in accordance with the kingdom of darkness, but we must walk in the light as He is in the light. This is very important. I love this about what the Bible teaches us. We're going to open up to Colossians 1:12-13.

“Unless that light of Jesus Christ is inside of your hearts, minds, and souls, we cannot enter into heaven.”

What I really need us to pick up today is there has to be a transitioning. That's the word that you're going to write in your notes, “transition”, because God is transitioning His people over from one kingdom to another. And so we pick up in verse 12 - “and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.” And take your pencils and underline “qualify”. You have been qualified to inherit the kingdom of light. The only thing that qualifies us to inherit this new kingdom is the born again experience. Unless that light of Jesus Christ is inside of your hearts, minds, and souls, we cannot enter into heaven. We cannot receive the kingdom of light. And so we take on that light in life so that we can be in God. That we may be in Him just as the Son and the Father are one. They are together. They abide in one another. They are in communion with each other. We also must be part of that bind that God gives to us. Praise the Lord for He has made us sharers and inheritors of this holy kingdom.

This kingdom is for the holy saints of God. This kingdom is the reward of Jesus Christ. How has He chosen you? How has He chosen me to be an inheritor this day? Of the holiness of God, of His reward, of the greatest kingdom. That we would reign and rule in power, in the supernatural life of glory. You might be saying today, “hey, I've been rejected in the world. I haven't even been able to fit in. I've been refused. I wasn't even accepted as a part of my family. I was the black sheep of my family.” But that's not where you're at in the kingdom of God this day. He's calling you out by name. He has chosen you. He has loved you.

How could we partake? How could we inherit the greatest kingdom? How is it that we, now, are inheritors of the greatest kingdom that has ever been? When you're now, this is not for death as some people may believe. They think that you're transferred over into the kingdom of light upon your death. But that is not true. It is for life. It is for now. It is for people to see your transference this day. Hallelujah!

The moment that you receive the Holy Spirit, wow, there is that stamp of the Holy Spirit that you belong to Him. It is for the works of holiness, works for sanctification in your life. And that just simply means you're going to start looking like Jesus. You're going to start being more like Him. When you receive the Lord Jesus, that light comes upon your heart for works of holiness, to prove that there has been a transference - that you are no longer part of that kingdom of darkness, but that you have been brought over to the kingdom of light.

These things must be evident for everybody to see. It cannot be a secret. If you are a Christian this day and you are a citizen of the kingdom of heaven, all who are around you must know about it. Your families, those in your sphere of influence, those people you go to school with, those people that you go to work with, do they know that you are in the kingdom of light? Do they know that you cannot be manipulated by money, that the things of this world are not what lure you, but it is the spirit of God, the power of God by which you seek? Do they know it this day? And that's when we have to start asking ourselves those questions about our walk. Are we still run by emotion? Do we still, you know, have unholy eruptions of anger in our life? Are we in slavery to acquiring more things where we just can't stop ourselves from taking those extra shifts at work? Are we making God the priority of our lives? And if you're struggling in one of those areas this day, you know that you need to be asking the Lord, “Father, I need more light. I need more of your Holy Spirit. I need a transference this day. I no longer can be lured by the things of this world, for I'm not called to this world. I know I have been called to be a child of God, a child of light, overcoming, not subject to the things that this world has, but being able to come into the presence of God to worship and adore Him.”

This day you must ask yourself, “have I been transferred over? Am I in the kingdom of light? Or am I still subject to the things of this world?” They are beneath the feet of the Christian. The things of this world, this world is ending. It will not last. It is under our feet. Even death, even death cannot sway us. For we belong to the kingdom of light and we are eternal and we partake in the eternal kingdom. When we ask ourselves that question, “have I been transferred over”, it really reminds me of a 90s phenomenon, “What Would Jesus Do?” Just raise your hand if you remember that. Okay, not the little kids. So we remember this slogan, and it was everywhere - everywhere in the Christian realm. It was on hats, keychains, book bags. I mean, I had it. It was everywhere. And the idea behind this slogan is that you would stop and you would wonder and ask yourself, “how would Jesus handle this situation? What would Jesus do?” And so the idea behind it is good. I really like it. But the problem is what Jesus would do and what you think is best are two very different things. So how would you know what Jesus wants you to know? Well, how would you know what Jesus wants you to do? In order to know, you really have to know the Word of God.

In a recent Gallup poll, it said that fewer than half of all adults knew the names of the four gospels. So we're in trouble. 82% of Americans said, “God helps those who help themselves,” is a Bible verse. Right? So we're checking and we're testing your memory here. But the reality is, is that Christians need to be in the Word of God. We need to know and have an illumination of what His will is. And in order to do that, we have to be regularly studying His Word. We have to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. In prayer regularly, as so many of you are. And in fellowship with walking believers. This is what our new life becomes. And if this isn't really how you would describe your life, I would say to you, these are the things that we're going to become about. We're going to be waking up in the morning excited to read our Bibles, excited to be part of the Bible study. When you walk in here in the morning on a Sunday, you have prayer teams all over. People are excited to be in prayer. People are excited to be in fellowship with one another. This is the hustling, bustling church of Jesus Christ. This is our culture. This is the kingdom of light. This church is about to explode. I believe that many are going to come from all walks of life and enter in through those doors. Are they going to find Christians who know what our culture is? Are we going to say to them, “This is what we do. We are in our Bibles. We are searching out the will of God, His perfect will for us, and teaching others, showing them how to be discipled in the kingdom of the Lord.” You see, it can't be a secret. You must demonstrate in your life, in all areas of your life, that you are part of this kingdom. And that's when it becomes real for us. It's not a coat that we wear and take off when we go home. It becomes who we are.

1 Peter 2:9 also speaks about our transference. Many of you are familiar with this scripture and it talks about how we are moved from one kingdom to another. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” Some versions of the Bible call them a peculiar people. Are we a peculiar people living in the United States? Are we different? Are we having different attitudes, having different opinions? Do we look different? Are we acting different? Yes, we are in the world, but we are not of it, and we are making our own culture. For we are citizens of the kingdom of light. Do not be ashamed of it! Do not be ashamed of it. Let it consume you. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind this day. Amen.

So He has transferred us from darkness and brought us into His wonderful light, visible for all to see. And we see today that our light has come, we must walk in the light just as He is in the light, and finally we must become a light. Let's open our bibles to Ephesians 5:13. It's short so if you want to just look at the board, that's fine. “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.”

I heard this verse recently in the fall time when we had prayer sessions. And when this verse struck me, I was very intrigued. And see if you also have the same response. It said, anything that is lit up can become a light. “Is that true?” I thought to myself, wow. It doesn't matter what it was. It doesn't matter what its former use was. If it can be wired up, it can become a light. Anything that can be lit up can become a light. Are you hearing me today? You see, because people all over the world, I'm sure, are very creative, and you can light up anything. I'm, you know, I've seen a fruit or a vegetable, and people will put a candle inside, right? Or you can take some sort of antique. You wire it up. It could be an old fan, an old telephone, even a garbage can I've seen lit up before. But the reality is God is talking about us, isn't He? He's saying that it doesn't matter how ordinary or how dull you have been in the world. God is about to light up that which belongs to Him.

When we had first moved into our new house, Kris and I had gone to HomeGoods, and we ended up purchasing a metal orb. It was just a round ball. And Kris said that he was going to make it a light for us. And I doubted him, of course, but he managed to wire this thing up, and it was a light in our house for many, many years. And the reality is, God is lighting up our hearts. He's making you shine for Him. And every single one of us, coming from all different walks of life, are able to bring glory back to Jesus.

“You are going to be lit up like a vessel shining bright for others to see their path for salvation.”

In the Bible, it talks about how God created a greater light and a lesser light, talking about the sun and the moon. Jesus is just like that with God and the Father. Jesus is the exact representation of the Father. He is the radiance of God's glory. And you also are now being lit up in the house of the Lord to reflect the glory of Jesus Christ. What a beautiful, noble purpose that we have. You are going to be lit up like a vessel shining bright for others to see their path for salvation. He is touching His church this day. He is illuminating our hearts and our minds.

So how is it that we become a light? And so everything must be exposed. Everything exposed by the light becomes visible, right? And this is a little bit of the hard stuff, because what is going to become visible at first? It's the things that don't match up with the Lord's Word. It's the things that are in contradiction of how God wants us to live our lives. But this day, you must develop a relationship with trust with Jesus Christ. That He can look into the recesses of your heart. And see the things that are not of Him and that you would give Him permission. To say, “Change me. Change me into the man or to the woman that You called me to be God. Look at the ugliness that I have here that does not follow the Word. That it does not look like You. Come and judge me. Make me true before You.” Not being afraid to save our ego. Not wanting to save anything of ourselves, but giving it to God and saying, “search in me and find anything that is not of You.” That is in the Psalm of David 139. He said to the Lord, “Search me, test me, see if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” Hallelujah.

David was not concerned about saving his ego. He was not trying to keep things for himself, but he opened himself to the Lord. Would you open up your heart? Would you see the things that are in there that are not of God? And would you allow him to renew you? Would you allow Him to transform you and to resurrect you into a new creation? A new creature for the Lord this day. We know that this is opposite of what the world teaches us to do. They teach you to keep quiet. “Don't open up. Don't tell anybody who you really are. Do not be exposed. Don't let them really see what your heart looks like.” But in the church, we must be exposed first to God, allowing Him to search into the depth of our heart and not being afraid that He is doing a work in you this day. Rejoice, for you are becoming an ornament to reflect the glory of God this day. We should be open and exposed to our families, those who are walking in the Word, to hold us in accountability with the Word of God. And to our teachers, those who have discipled us to bring us into the truth of the Lord.

Now if any of you have your Bibles open, when we're looking at Ephesians, if you look up a little bit more in verse 10, it says, “have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” And He gives examples: greed, lust, idolatry, immorality - you see these things do not want the light being shown on them, they don't want a flashlight. These things grow in darkness and you and I both know that. In the secrets that we keep from God, the places that we do not want to be seen, that is where sin grows, where hurts overtake us and keep us in the realm of darkness. But this day would you expose your heart? “Open up, you ancient doors, and let the king of glory in!”

Maybe you, like me, have been in a house that had very heavy drapes, and if somebody doesn't open their heavy drapes, what's the result in that house? It becomes dusty. It becomes dank. It becomes mildewy, because the things of sin will grow in a place where there is no light. Let the light of the Lord Jesus Christ be shined in the dark places this day. Our hearts need an awakening. The light has to penetrate through into the depth of our heart this day. And He will do the work. If you are willing, God will meet you where you are so that we can shine brighter. You might just have a tiny flicker this day. Just a little bit. But the Lord, this day, wants to grow you brighter and fan into flame His Holy Spirit. That you, now - anything that is in contrast with His Word, that you would be on it, that you would purpose yourself to become about being about light. And we claim these truths as our own, no longer making somebody else convince us of something, but we say, “yes, Lord, I know that I'm falling short of Your Word. I know where I'm in need of more of Your mercy and of Your grace this day. But if You come upon me, if Your Holy Spirit touches me this day, I will give my heart for it. I will run after the things of Your kingdom rather than the things of this world. I will put in the effort. I will run the race. I will vex my body” because the reality is we have worked for everything else in this world.

When you've been asked to work for a degree, we were able to study. When you were going out for the promotion, you knew to work just a little bit harder. When you wanted to get in shape, you even closed your mouth and you wouldn't eat the extra cake. You wouldn't eat the extra food. In this world, we've all been willing to put the work in. But this day, will you put the work in where it counts? That the Holy Spirit would come in and when you are willing to have a heart that is willing, the Holy Spirit takes you where you cannot take yourself. He will take you the extra mile. He will bring you over to the finish line. He will do it. Because your light was meant for all to see.

Luke 8:16 says, “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.” Can others see your light this day? Can they see you shining brightly? And if they follow your light, will it bring them to heaven? Will it bring them to the kingdom that has surpassed every other kingdom?

“Let us show mastery over sin, victory over battles, hope in the midst of affliction.”

Jesus wants us to open up our hearts this day that we may lead others into the way that is everlasting. Let us show mastery over sin, victory over battles, hope in the midst of affliction. When everything is going around, people, that's when they're watching you the most. I had the opportunity to read about a Roman lawyer from 160 AD. This was in the time of the early church. And he was able to write about the profound impact that Christians had on him. He said that it was the endurance and the steadfastness of those Christians who were going through a great amount of persecution that changed my life. Caused him to be convicted in his heart and he converted into Christianity.

Who is able to follow your light this day? Who can watch over you? Have you opened yourself up for others to follow you? The light makes everything visible. I believe that there's something going on in the church in this season - a wonderful, wonderful thing. And the Lord says that which is hidden, that which is secret, that that you do not know, and that that you've never known before is about to be made known.

God is opening up our eyes and the church is changing before your eyes and before mine. What we were called to be from the beginning of time, even before you were a flicker in your mother's womb, God knew your life. He knew how many hairs you'd have on your head. He knew what you would do in your life and He knew that you were going to become a light to the world. He knew all the people that you were going to tell your testimony to. How you were once in darkness and now came into the kingdom of light and the time is now. God is revealing to His church that we are being transformed, so I want to read this verse to you. 1 John 3:2 says, “it hasn't been revealed what we are going to be, but we know that when He is revealed, that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.”