Illuminate

Happy New Year!

Each year I pray for a word or theme that I can focus on. The Lord has been faithful, offering words that direct my prayer time, and in return, confirm things I had been praying about.

Last year was shift, and that was dead on. I watched loved ones shift, some by zip code with literal moves that came out of no where. Some changed jobs.

I prayerfully thought we’d see a shift globally, and throughout the year I noted headlines where leaders were voted out, passed away, abdicated, or resigned. This wasn’t just political, but in business as well.

The word for 2024 came to me in prayer in October, I believe. I think it fits perfectly with shift. In fact, with shift came shake, and shaking is still happening. If anything, it’s accelerating. How do I know?

Illuminate.

The definition as I prayed is two-fold. One, the Lord will expose people and choices that are sinful, completed in “back door” settings where they think they are getting away with it. They. are. not. This will be again global in the political and business arenas. I believe it will be nationally, regionally, and locally. There will be people we have put on a pedestal whom God will expose.

Is the illumination a humiliation tactic? Bright lights hurt my eyes. I certainly don’t want a spotlight on me. It’s hot and uncomfortable. For that, I want my life to reflect integrity and choices that measure up when you’re with me and when you’re not. For those with scandal, fraud, and literal crimes covered up, that spotlight is needed.

God longs for us all to repent.

We are in a season where we have two choices: repent or rebel. There’s no in-between, no sitting on the fence. When it comes to illuminate and the first aspect of it, Chuck Colson comes to mind. He was part of Watergate and faced prison time. He gave his life to Christ, repented, and his legacy wasn’t Watergate, it was the prison ministry he spent the rest of his life putting a spotlight on. He took his scandal and repented. He was glad for the exposure and illumination.

Illuminate also means light, and common sense tells you light overcomes darkness. Whether you crack the door a little in a dark room or swing it wide open, light takes over. Light dominates. God wants us to remember that.

Times ARE dark. They are bleak. But Christ overcame the world and His light overcomes. If we are His followers, His power and authority gave us the same promise. We have light. We illuminate because of Jesus. Whatever darkness we’re looking at, we are, in Christ, that crack of light. Instead of slamming the door in fear, swing those circumstances wide open in faith. You’ve got this. How do I know?

Jesus has you.

Already I’m seeing illuminate play out. Google the word “Diddy” and you’ll see alleged crimes and famous names. A partial Epstein list was released this week. Same deal. Trust me, these illuminations are just getting started.

I believe the church will see illumination. At first, the definition will be about exposure. The Body of Christ is too entwined with the world and horrifically tainted. That needs changing. I believe we’ll see leaders and scandals uncovered. I pray everyone repents.

Then, my sense is there will be a shift. I’m starting to see it. The Body of Christ will become Kingdom minded and return to a Biblical foundation where Jesus is Lord and His Word stands. We can’t serve the broken people that are starving for truth, and they are coming. The more God illuminates the sin, the more devastated people will be. We need to be healthy and right with Him ourselves.

Deep, I know. But 2024 isn’t a time to play around and hope for the best. It’s time to prayerfully get our hands and knees dirty. Stand up for Biblical truth. Believe and pray for restoration. And let the light of Jesus shine brilliantly in and around us in 2024.

This first appeared January 5, 2024 at Christians Read

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