A shadow is made when something blocks out a light source, like clouds, or trees or people can cast a shadow by blocking the sun. These are natural shadows, but in this blog we will be talking about spiritual shadows.

 

(In this blog, when I say, when people are walking where something from God is being blocked from them, I am referring to this blinding of their minds, because the phrase, being blocked from them is not in the Bible, it’s just my way of making a point clear.)

 

This world is a ‘shadowy valley’. The god of this world is working to block God’s light from shining on people. 

 

The god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Corinthians 4:4

 

The god of this world is a destroyer. 

When people habitually ‘walk’ where he is blocking God’s light, it will lead to some type of destruction and eventually lead to spiritual death. 

When people see God’s truth, it leads to restoration and eternal life.

 

Jesus Christ came to shed light. He is light!

 

[“The people who were sitting (living) in [spiritual] darkness have seen a great Light,

And for those who were sitting (living) in the land and shadow of [spiritual and moral] death,

Upon them a Light has dawned.” Matthew 4:16 AMP 

 

Now, we will look at some of the things, by no means all of the things,  that can block God’s great light from shining unto people, and how God’s great light can help people stay out of the ‘shadows of deception’. 

 

GREED

 

When people are led by greed, they are ‘walking’ where true blessings from God are being blocked from them.

 

But men who want lots of money are tempted. They are trapped into doing all kinds of foolish things and things which hurt them. These things drag them into sin and will destroy them. The love of money is the beginning of all kinds of sin. Some people have turned from the faith because of their love for money. They have made much pain for themselves because of this. 1Timothy 9-1010 NLV

 

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]. Matthew 6:24 AMP

 

Greed’s destruction.

 

He who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

To show partiality is not good,

Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,

And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

Proverbs 28:21-22 

 

When people walk in the light of God’s truth, they see true blessings that come from above.

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, Ephesians 1:3-8

 

A God-like life gives us much when we are happy for what we have. We came into this world with nothing. For sure, when we die, we will take nothing with us. If we have food and clothing, let us be happy. 

1Timothy 6:6-8 NLV

 

A faithful man will abound with blessings,. . .Proverbs 28:20

 

EVIL DEEDS

 

When people do evil deeds, they are ‘walking’ where the knowledge of God’s goodness is being blocked from them.

 

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. John 3:19-20 

 

The destruction of evil deeds.

 

Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. Jude 14-15

 

When people walk in the light of God’s truth, they will want to work what is good.

 

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 

But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: 

eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 

but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 

but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 2:4-10

. 

LUST

 

When people are walking in the flesh, they are ‘walking’ where the knowledge of walking in the Spirit is being blocked from them.

 

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

 

The destruction of Lust.

 

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. James 1:14-15

 

To be carnally minded is death. . .Romans 8:6

 

When people walk in the light of God’s truth, they can walk in the Spirit.

 

Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. . .But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16-18, 22-26

 

. . .to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6

 

UNBELIEF

 

When people do not believe God, they are ‘walking’ where the knowledge of salvation is being blocked from them.

 

If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Corinthians 4:4

 

The destruction that comes from unbelief.

 

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Hebrews 3:12

 

When people walk in the light of God’s truth, they can have faith to be saved.

 

Faith comes by hearing about God. We hear about God by hearing God’s word.

 

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

 

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved John 3:16-17

 

DECEPTION

 

When people do not get involved with their local church, they are ‘walking’ where divine edification and teaching is being blocked from them.

 

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14 

 

. . .righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked  (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds). . .2 Peter 2:7-8

The destruction of deception.

 

that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, Ephesians 4:14

 

When people walk in the light of God’s truth they can stay close to God and to the family of God.

 

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; . . .speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 

Ephesians 4:11-13, 15-16

 

SPIRITUAL ADVERSARIES

 

When people are weak in spirit, they are ‘walking’ where the knowledge of God’s great power is being blocked from them

 

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

 

The destruction of spiritual weakness.

 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8

 

When people walk in the light of God’s truth they can be spiritually strong.

 

God is powerful. Fight with the power of His might.

 

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—Ephesians 6:10-18 

 

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not

. . . .Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. 1 John 5:18, 21

 

Resist him [the devil], steadfast in the faith. 1 Peter 5:9

 

HATE

 

When people walk in hate, they are ‘walking’ where the knowledge of God’s great love is being blocked from them.

 

He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. . .He who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 John 2:9,11

 

The destruction of hate.

 

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15

 

When people walk in the light of God’s truth, they finally see new life and true love.

 

He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 1 John 2:10

 

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. John 15:9-10  

 

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because

 

“All flesh is as grass,

And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers,

And its flower falls away,

But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. 

1 Peter 1:22-25

 

WALK IN THE LIGHT OF GOD’S LOVE AND LIFE.

 

Walk in the shadow of the Almighty

Be sheltered by the God who is above all gods. Psalm 91:1TLB

 

Follow God by following Jesus.

 

“I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.”.~JESUS 

John 8:12 TLB

 

PRAYER

 

Father in heaven, we need Your help in this shadowy valley;

May we run to You and be safe; abide under Your shadow (Psalm 91:1)

May we keep our eyes on You, the Giver of all good things.

May we have love for You rather than love of money.

May we forsake evil deeds and lusts and follow that which is holy and good.

May we run to Your Word again and again to learn just how very great You are.

May we always stay in fellowship with You and with the family.

May we fight the good fight by Your great power. 

And may we forever walk in Your great love. 

In Jesus’ Name, Amen

 

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

 

But as it is written:

 

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

 

These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:7-14