13. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will, and to do, of His good pleasure.
14. Do all things without complaining, and disputing:
15. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
Is God’s Light Hidden or is the World Blind
In a dark world, you would think it would be easy for God’s light to shine through His children. But we know this is not the case, and in fact, much effort is put into snuffing God’s light out of the world. There are also those who use God’s name to manipulate others or to give validity to their points. But the true light bearers often go unheard and unseen. So is the world more wicked and evil today than it ever has been? Is believers being the minority something new to our age? And is it really difficult to find God’s will for our lives, or do the very things He warns against — selfish ambition, covetousness, anger, and discontentment — blind us from seeing His will clearly?
Jesus knew how essential it was for us to receive the Holy Spirit. Before going to the Cross He told His disciples that “it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you” (John 16:7). Our understanding of what was taking place may become clearer if we read John 13-17 as a changing of the guard — a transition from Jesus’ earthly ministry, where He laid the path for salvation and being born again, to God working directly with and in His children, preparing them for a life of service and for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Fallen Man, a Fallen World, and a Fallen Spirit That Mimics God’s Light
We know that since the fall of man, the god of this fallen world is Satan, which makes the spirit of the world his spirit. It is dangerous for believers to assume his influence is limited to unbelievers. On the contrary, the evil one has little reason to waste his efforts on those already separated from God — his focus is on those who follow Christ. This is why 1 Peter 5:8 gives such a stark warning to believers, “Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
It is revealing that Peter chose a lion to describe the devil. Jesus is from the tribe of Judah, and the lion represents the tribe of Judah. 2 Corinthians 11:14 may tell us why Peter chose this example: “And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” It may be that finding God’s will for us becomes difficult when we confuse the enemy’s imitation of light for the true light of God. When the work of the fallen spirit convinces us that it is the work of the Holy Spirit, we can journey down wrong words and face severe tests of faith.
Yet we are to remember when faced with the counterfeit light, Philippians 2:13 teaches us, “For it is God which worketh in you, both to will, and to do, of His good pleasure.” This is the accomplishing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 1 Corinthians 2:12 declares, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
The Spirit That Calls, Comforts, and Calms
Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the “Comforter” and says He will lead us to all truth (John 14:16, 16:13). He says this with good reason. Philippians 2:14 instructs us to “Do all things without complaining and disputing.” Complaining blinds us from seeing any good in circumstances we may not prefer, and it blinds us from seeing how God may turn those circumstances in our favor. In every situation, the Comforter will keep us in understanding — if we remain calm enough to hear His whispers or sense what the natural world calls intuition. The wisdom that leads you to make decisions you wouldn’t otherwise make — decisions that save, protect, and lead you to favor — is not your own. It is the wisdom given by the Spirit of God within you.
To experience this guidance you must first belong to Christ. Jesus made this unmistakably clear in John 14:17: “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.“
When we engage in unnecessary disputes, confusion thickens and truth gets buried deeper. This is why 2 Timothy 2:23 instructs us to “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.” When we take part in these things, we become harmful to others through verbal abuse, we open ourselves to judgment by flirting with hypocrisy, and we risk giving those with shallow faith — and nonbelievers as well — a reason to doubt that grace and salvation are truly at work in our lives. When those doubts arise, it is because the fruit of the Spirit is not manifesting in the life of the believer.
Paul addresses this with one of the shortest, yet one of the most important verses in the Bible. In 1 Thessalonians 5:19 he warns, “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.” When a believer takes part in foolish disputes and controversies, they often find themselves in quarrels and heated arguments. Such situations stifle the Holy Spirit. A believer may find themselves tempted to sink to the level of insulting contention they are being met with. The Holy Spirit will stifle the tongue of the believer rather than risk damage to their witness or doubt being cast upon their salvation. Protecting the believer and keeping the image of Christ intact are primary desires of the Holy Spirit — desires that allow God’s light to shine brightly through darkness.
The Image of Christ Reflected in the Believer
Being a Christian doesn’t rest only on what we believe individually, but on demonstrating those beliefs in how we react when challenged, provoked, or baited into disputes or debates. If we believe that Jesus is The Way, then we are to carry ourselves in the way He did. Jesus wasn’t blameless because He never became angry — Scripture shows us He became angry. He was angered by the mistreatment of His Father’s house, by the Pharisees for their hypocrisy of the Law, and He even rebuked Peter publicly. But unlike carnal anger, Jesus was blameless because His anger was righteous indignation — anger directed at injustice toward God and toward God’s children. This type of anger is not only purposeful, it is pure and protective.
Because we are children of God, the evil one is always trying to test our faith, and he does this by provocation. He tests us to see whether our reaction to his provocations will be righteous or fleshly? Consider the words of Revelation 12:10, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Although Satan can no longer accuse God’s children before Him, he does tempt His children in the world, just as he tempted Eve with desire, Cain with anger, and Jesus in the desert when He was famished and exhausted.
God’s Light Shining Even as the Enemy Tries to Disprove Our Faith
Even though Satan accused us in the past — and no longer has the authority to accuse us before God — he still seeks to prove our faith is false. He couldn’t care less about us personally; what he cares about is making his darkness appear more powerful than God’s light. This is why, as God’s children and servants, we are called to bring glory to His name by allowing His light to shine through us. Living according to God’s will not only carries eternal reward in Heaven, but blessing in our natural lives as well. Jesus declares in John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
God is not against abundance and prosperity; He desires to fulfill His promises to all His children. But we must do our part — not through works, a doctrine often argued, but through obedience to His will. This obedience is not a commanded subjection to God — free will is real — nor is it a performance to appear spiritual to others. Rather it is how we shine as lights of righteousness in this crooked and perverse world, drawing as many as possible to His light. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Scriptures That Remind You of God’s Light in Within
2 Corinthians 3:18
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
Colossians 3:10
“And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
John 8:12
“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Ephesians 5:8
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
Matthew 5:16
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
A Prayer for God’s Glory, Light, and Grace
Father God in Heaven, I pray for Your strength and Your wisdom to be formed within me. I pray that I walk in the center of Your will so that my time is not spent in vain, but produces fruit that brings glory to Your name. Give me discernment to know the voice of Your Holy Spirit from the temptations of evil imitations. May Your light shine in and through me to guide me and attract others to You. I thank You for Your grace and patience through my struggles and stumbles. In the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
Trinitarian Benediction
May God’s grace be bountifully bestowed upon you.
May the likeness of Christ Jesus be reflected in your words and deeds.
And may the Holy Spirit be your guiding light through this dark and fallen world.