Are You Ready For This?

Matthew 17:1-2 (ESV) And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ² And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

Jesus was transfigured before them; that which was inwardly true of him became outwardly evident or manifest. The light came from within him and shone outwardly, dispelling anything of darkness around him, around them.

I want to share with you two incidents in my life that illustrate this powerful reality.

One day I walked into a very old building alone, a building that at one time had been used for worship. As I walked into this building there was a very real and intense sense of heaviness, of darkness, of evil, all around me. This place was not as it once been.

I stood my ground. I mean I remember purposely choosing to stand there with all of this rather intense stuff going on around me in the spirit. I distinctly remember turning my heart, my attention unto the Lord, seeking what he would have me to do. I was not going to run, but I also was not going to presumptuously act out against this stuff with some kind of puffed up so-called faith. I wanted to wait upon the Lord Jesus for his will in this situation.

So as I looked unto the Lord, with my eyes focused upon him, I noticed that my chest began to glow. Yes I said glow. I felt the warm presence of the Lord Jesus begin to manifest within me and as He did so, I felt his presence, power and glory round about me. The glow became so intense that I was totally enveloped within it. The light of His glory and grace filled the whole chapel. Then as suddenly as this began, it ended.

I stood there tired. I remember this very clearly. I was a bit drained as it were. However, I then noticed that the whole chapel felt now very different. There was no more heaviness, darkness, or evil presence manifesting itself. Rather there was the simple yet pure peace of the Lord Jesus Christ. He, through the manifestation of the light of His glory had cleansed this chapel. I stood there enveloped in his love, his peace with a very real rising excitement as to what had just taken place.

As I looked unto the Lord, His light manifested in such a way as to drive out the darkness. I said nothing. I did nothing overt, meaning I just stood there with my thoughts and heart turned towards and looking unto my Lord and Savior.

Now, let me share with you another incident that took place in another building, a very old church.

There was small group of us who had gathered for praise and worship. We were in the sanctuary of this very old church. We had been drawn here for the purpose of praise and worship unto our Lord and Savior. As the others began to praise and worship the Lord, I quietly, but intensely, began to pray in the Spirit. The reason that I needed to pray was that as soon as we began to seek the Lord, an intense weight of confusion began to settle upon us all. In response to this I began to sense that I was to assert the Lordship of Christ Jesus in this place. So, I began to quietly but forthrightly began to declare the Lordship of Christ Jesus in this place. I did this repeatedly until there was a release of his peace within my spirit.

Then I could hear horses galloping in and around the place where we were worshipping and seeking our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. I could only hear them at first and then my eyes were opened to see what was taking place. There were angels all around us taking of positions of protection around the facility in which we were in. In fact at one point several of them came riding right through the building to move to the other side of the facility. The sounds were loud and very clear as were the images.

As this took place I simply felt led to begin to moving to the center of the sanctuary. As I arrived there I again simply looked up unto my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus without saying a word. I looked up and remained focused upon the Lord Jesus, with no expectation but to worship my Lord and Savior, when suddenly I was again enveloped in his light, the light of His glory. His light began to fill the sanctuary. Then as I continued to stand there his light began to rise up seemingly through me as a beam. It went straight up through the roof and beyond. As quickly as it had all began it was over and then there was peace, rest and the wonderful presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the spirit of praise and worship. I remained simply and quietly in a state of awe, awe in the Lord and in what he had let me see, hear and be a part of.

Ephesians 5:8-14 (ESV) for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. ¹³ But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, ¹⁴ for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

We are light in the Lord. We are his light in the earth. We are not to hide that light which is our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus nor are we to be ashamed or afraid of his light. We are to let His light shine. Whenever his light shines forth, darkness is dispelled. I saw this happen in two very powerful ways. I have seen this in many different ways at many different times, but these two incidents were the first times I saw this truth manifested in these very concrete ways.

It is so very encouraging to know that when the Word of God says, that we are children of light, that we are to walk in the light as he is in the light, that we are literally to let his light shine, that these things are not simply empty figures of speech. In the Spirit these are very real and very powerful tools of the kingdom of God. The light of Christ Jesus dispels and overcomes the darkness all around us and all that it is, does and is attempting to do.

In the first incident I said nothing but I did by the grace of God chose to stand my ground against the tide of darkness, looking only unto the Lord Jesus Christ. As I did so, he did what he does, shining forth in and through me into the situation, thus accomplishing his purpose, the dispelling of darkness.

In the second situation, I declared quietly but fervently that which he had led me to declare. I then allowed the Lord to move me into that place that he would have me be, in the Spirit. Then as I waited upon him and with my heart, thoughts and focus being upon him alone, he again acted. He released his light to shine forth dispelling the darkness and restoring his peace and presence into the situation as he had purposed to do so. I, in no way made this happen nor could have made this take place. It was a sovereign work of grace and a demonstration the power of His Light and Glory.

Beloved, please know and understand, that we are indeed children of light, where we are in spirit and truth, his children. As we look unto him focusing upon he who is our Lord, God and King, he will release his light to shine in to through us, for his greater glory, honor and praise. You may not be able to see it as I did, though I would pray that he would also open up your eyes to see and hear. May you know that His light is indeed shining in and through you his child, as you longingly and in his faith look unto he who is our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus! Please, let his light shine within and through you!

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV) “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.