Light That Overcomes

By: Rachel Storms

In our society, darkness has been portrayed as this overpowering evil that dominates

everything around it. It has been glorified in Hollywood movies, television series, video

games, and even the media. Its power seems limitless, however there is a greater

power that not even darkness can overcome.

In John 1:5 the Bible says, "And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness

did not comprehend it." The word translated "comprehend" is the Greek word

katalambano which means to seize, to pull down, to tackle, to conquer, or to hold under

one's power. So, based on this definition we could read the latter part of this verse

"the darkness did not hold the light under its power or domain." 

Here are some other translations of this same verse:

(MSG) The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out.

(AMP) And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never

overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to

it].

(NLT) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

It is exciting to know that no matter how obscure things appear, there is a Light that

cannot be hidden neither can it be absorbed by the darkness around it.

So, what exactly is darkness? One of the definitions is the absence or deficiency of

light. It can also be defined as obscurity or concealment. 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4 says,

"But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose

minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the

gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God should shine on them."

We see here how Satan has used darkness as a veil to conceal the gospel and blind

the minds of unbelievers. But wait! It says in the latter part of verse 4 that it is so that

the "light of the gospel" would not shine on them. Well, we know from John 1:5 that

darkness cannot hold the light under its power. What is the light referred to in John 1?

Verses 1-4 tell us that the light is the life of Him, the Word. So the life of the Word is the

light of the gospel. Satan may try to conceal it in an effort to hold people in a state of

blindness, but the light will always overcome.

Now, allow me to expound on this a little more by looking at 2 Corinthians 4:6. The

beginning of this verse reads, "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out

of darkness..." Although Satan has tried to conceal the light, God commanded it to

shine. At God's word, it breaks through the barriers. The rest of the verse says, "...who

(speaking of God) has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of

the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Clearly, it is our responsibility to share

the light with those around us. Romans 10:14 tells us, "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?”

It is time to engage in battle. We are in a fight of good versus evil, light versus darkness,

and we are on the winning side! So, let us declare the truth of the gospel, shedding light

on a darkened world. We are called to be beacons of light. Darkness cannot hide the

light, but light will penetrate the darkness.