Light Bearer

Light Bearer reminds us we are called to burn brightly, to be a light on a hill, to allow the Light of Christ to shine clearly on our faces and through our lives.

• Matthew 5:14-16 (AMP) You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.
• Isaiah 60:3-5 (VOICE) Nations north and south, peoples east and west, will be drawn to your light, will find purpose and direction by your light. In the radiance of your rising, you will enlighten the leaders of nations. Don’t be shy; don’t be doubtful; lift up your eyes and look around. They have gathered all around you, eager to come and be close to you. And your children will come back to this land: your sons from the farthest places of wandering, and your daughters gently carried home. And when you see it, your face will glow; your heart will race and be filled with joy…
• Isaiah 9:2 (NKJV) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.

A prophetic download from Meghan Williams of Dyed4you Ministries is connected to this. It’s called “Burn Brightly.”

Historically, a candle in the window was used as a symbol that served as a beacon for loved ones to find their way back home. In the same way, we are called to be a “light on a hill” (Matthew 5) – a sign and a symbol, a beacon, a luminary to call the lost home.

It is up to us to tend our flame – to stir our passion for the Lord so that nothing can quench it (Song of Solomon 8). It is our responsibility to diligently tend our oil (Matthew 25) by saturating ourselves in the presence of God and overflowing in Holy Spirit.

And though all this is our responsibility, it is not burdensome. For when one is moved by passion, to spend time with one’s beloved is a gift. To reflect the beauty of that intimate relationship in one’s countenance can’t be helped. It’s no more a chore than breathing is to the living.

So may your face be radiant, your heart overflow with love, and may your passion burn ever brighter. May you burn brightly like the living torch that you are. May your life be your testimony. You are a luminary, beloved. So burn brightly and let your light spread wide.

Exodus 34:29 (NLT) When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the LORD.

Matthew 5:14-16 (VOICE) And you, beloved, are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. Similarly it would be silly to light a lamp and then hide it under a bowl. When someone lights a lamp, she puts it on a table or a desk or a chair, and the light illumines the entire house. You are like that illuminating light. Let your light shine everywhere you go, that you may illumine creation, so men and women everywhere may see your good actions, may see creation at its fullest, may see your devotion to Me , and may turn and praise your Father in heaven because of it .

Song of Songs 8:6-7 (TPT) Fasten me upon your heart as a seal of fire forevermore. This living, consuming flame will seal you as my prisoner of love. My passion is stronger than the chains of death and the grave, all consuming as the very flashes of fire from the burning heart of God. Place this fierce, unrelenting fire over your entire being. Rivers of pain and persecution will never extinguish this flame. Endless floods will be unable to quench this raging fire that burns within you. Everything will be consumed. It will stop at nothing as you yield everything to this furious fire until it won’t even seem to you like a sacrifice anymore.

A prophetic download called “Light the Way” from Elisa Eaton of Waiting in the Wings is connected to this.

{dream} Several years ago, I had two dreams back to back that connected to the glory of God and light. I don’t remember all of the details of the first dream. However, I remember the subject was about how God would pour out His glory upon His people and how it would be visible in the natural. It seemed as though one had to be at the right place at the right time, and I deeply yearned to be there. 

In the second dream, I was traveling with a group of people, and we were on our way home. Our journey was derailed by a massive storm that caused a power outage. It was night, and the outage was so widespread that it was pitch black outside. I didn’t think anyone in the group had enough power in their iPhones to use them as flashlights and get us home. 

Later in the dream, I came across my reflection in a window. I was shocked to discover that the pillar of fire was hovering over my head! When I looked up at the sky, I didn’t see the pillar of fire, yet its light was evident. It filled the alley where we stood. We all rejoiced because the presence of God provided enough light for us to continue our journey.

This dream has come to mind many times over the last several years as I’ve continued to walk with God. There are more details to the dream and much revelation to glean from it. However, a point that I’ve struggled with the most throughout my faith journey and the one I meditate on often is our capacity as humans to carry the dwelling presence of God.

I remember how shocking it was in the dream to find that the pillar of fire was hovering over my head! And in real life, it wasn’t any easier to swallow what God was communicating to me. I knew that, according to 1 Corinthians 6:19, I was the temple of the Holy Spirit. However, some part of my being found it hard to see myself as the literal equivalent of the tabernacle, or in Hebrew mishkan (“dwelling”), which dwelt in the wilderness with the children of Israel. I very much identified with my flesh at that stage in my walk; the reality of Christ within me felt utterly unattainable. For the longest time, I couldn’t accept that the flawless King of the Universe resided in me.

In my post called “Making a Place for God,” I share why making space for God within our lives and our very beings is vital. As God increases within us and our ego decreases, the darkness of sin is dispersed and His glory and light permeate our entire being. We make room for the manifestation of His dwelling presence. God’s light manifests in something as small yet precious as a deep love and tender care for our neighbors. It also manifests more radiantly as signs, wonders, and miracles through the Spirit.

If there was any advice I could give to my younger self and others in the faith, it’s to grasp hold and consistently meditate on being a dwelling place of God. It is in the heart of what Christ meant when He prayed, “Father, may they all be one as You are in Me and I am in You; may they be in Us, for by this unity the world will believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21). 

We were created to carry the presence of God within us. The only work we need to do is to get out of our own way and stop identifying with the thoughts and patterns of our ego or flesh. Grasping our oneness with God makes way for His light to dawn within us and shine through us. And as His flawless nature radiates from us, it lights the way for other children of God to find their way home to the Source of all life. 

Isaiah 60:1-5 (VOICE) Arise, shine, for your light has broken through! The Eternal One’s brilliance has dawned upon you. See truly; look carefully—darkness blankets the earth; people all over are cloaked in darkness. But God will rise and shine on you; the Eternal’s bright glory will shine on you, a light for all to see. Nations north and south, peoples east and west, will be drawn to your light, will find purpose and direction by your light. In the radiance of your rising, you will enlighten the leaders of nations. Don’t be shy; don’t be doubtful; lift up your eyes and look around. They have gathered all around you, eager to come and be close to you. And your children will come back to this land: your sons from the farthest places of wandering, and your daughters gently carried home. And when you see it, your face will glow; your heart will race and be filled with joy…

A portion of the word from our “Illuminating Light” Dyed4you Art piece is connected to this.

Merriam-Webster defines “luminary” as “a person of prominence or brilliant achievement; and a body that gives light.” And Merriam-Webster defines to “emanate” as “ to come out from a source”. Some of the synonyms listed are “throw out, radiate, emit, release, and cast.” 

As God’s children, we are called to be emanators of light. We are reflectors of His brilliance. We are made in His image so we are to radiate and reflect His glory. As we do, we cast a warm glow on those in darkness and beckon them to His healing light as well as lighting the way for those lost in the darkness by making the path clear to Him. 

This is our call. Our mandate. We must choose to live in a way that intentionally emanates the most light – God’s light. We are His luminaries. This light begins in us. By God shining brightly in our hearts and changing us from the inside out. Francis of Assisi shares this in a prayer he prayed, “Great and glorious God, and Thou Lord Jesus, I pray you shed abroad your light in the darkness of my mind. Be found of me, Lord, so that in all things I may act only in accordance with Thy holy will.” (Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/francis_of_assisi_753006.) So be intentional to allow His light in you to remove any residue of darkness so that the light you pour forth to the world might be vibrant, pure and true. 

A Word called “You are Light” from Elisa Eaton of Waiting in the Wings is connected to this.

Beloved, you are a luminary. I made you to be My light in the earth, a vessel arrayed in all My glory. Just as I set the stars in the sky to shine as guiding lights to the earth, so I have called you. 

As you stand bathed in My glory, whom shall you fear, beloved? The darkness has no power, for I have equipped you to expel it. Even now, the roar of My authority is awakening within you. Resist the urge to fear this new level of anointing or how walking in it will transform your life. Yes, to arise as My luminary means that others will look to you. This weight of My glory and My call on your life can seem daunting. Yet I raise you up to be an influence for good. I set this portion of My Kingdom upon your shoulders that others may look to you and see Me reflected in every aspect of your life.

Remember that the weight of the entire world does not rest upon your shoulders. I do not call you to be the source of the Light—for I Am the true Source—I call you simply to reflect Me. Therefore, arise and shine boldly, beloved. Let My radiance break through your inner man. Stand up and step forward as a bold representative of My Kingdom, a vessel of My love made manifest.

Genesis 1:14-15 (AMPC) And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs and tokens [of God’s provident care], and [to mark] seasons, days, and years, And let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light upon the earth. And it was so.

Isaiah 60:1-3 (VOICE) Arise, shine, for your light has broken through! The Eternal One’s brilliance has dawned upon you. See truly; look carefully—darkness blankets the earth; people all over are cloaked in darkness. But God will rise and shine on you; the Eternal’s bright glory will shine on you, a light for all to see. Nations north and south, peoples east and west, will be drawn to your light, will find purpose and direction by your light. In the radiance of your rising, you will enlighten the leaders of nations.

A Prophetic Nugget from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams is connected to this. It’s called “Let My Love Nourish You.”

Galatians 5:22 (AMP) But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is…goodness…

Beloved, let fruit pour forth from a rich relationship with Me. I AM always here, I AM always ready, and I always love you. Reach out to Me. Let Me be your nourishment. As the saying goes, you are what you eat, so dine on My word as the choicest of meats and drink deeply of My saturating love.

Then let goodness pour forth from your life – the fingerprints of Me made manifest. Bear fruit, beloved. Operate in integrity – simply because I see, and you desire to walk in a manner pleasing to Me. Do it with joy knowing the pleasure you bring. Let your light shine brightly. Set an example to others. Walk in the fullness of all I’ve made you for.

The “LIGHT” card from D4Yart Deck 3 is connected to this. The card is based on the “Shining Light” Dyed4you Art piece, and it reads, “Light is always within you – activating, healing, bringing revelation. Press in to the Light, and cultivate its presence within you, so that it expands outward. Allow it to fill you so completely that it expands past you to bless those around you. For you are one with the Light and you are light.”

A Meditation of the Word called “Dwelling in the Light of Heavenly Realities” from Elisa Eaton of Waiting in the Wings is connected to this.

The more we walk with God and immerse ourselves in His love, the more our nature is transformed “from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Our thoughts, emotions, and internal drives conform to the nature of God, which is the image of Christ. The image of Christ is the perfected blueprint of humankind which was in the mind of God before the world was created. The more that the image of Christ is restored within us, the more light of God’s love can saturate every area of our lives.

One area where God has saturated my being is creativity. As an artist and writer, He always speaks eternal truths to me through the creative process. I’ve discovered the joy of creating in the flow of the Holy Spirit, learning to open my being and invite God into my work. As a result, I’ve come to recognize the origin of true inspiration—the mind of God. Like Moses, Bezalel, and the artisans who built the tabernacle, I’ve learned the importance of being a vessel or instrument of the Spirit. When we can receive the blueprints of heaven, we become like a gateway through which divine ideas can come to earth.

Yet the honor of being a creative vessel doesn’t belong to artists alone; I believe it is the calling of all humankind. Colossians 3 calls all children of God to set their sights on the realities of heaven. Sometimes a heavenly reality is as close as our mirror. When we look at our reflection, do we choose to see through the lens of the labels and stories the world has spoken over us? Or do we look to heaven above and adopt God’s blueprint for our identity? And how do we see our neighbors? Do we choose to view them through their fleshly actions? Or do we treat them according to their identity in Christ as revealed by the Spirit? 

There is a heavenly reality for more than just our inner being. God has blueprints for our careers, hobbies, and goals. He has a vision for our nation and our world. From art to businesses to inventions—the list goes on—it was an idea in God’s mind long before the foundation of the world. 

We may live in a fallen world, but those in Christ have died to the flesh and have been raised with Him to newness of life. God has called us out of a life of darkness and sin and into the marvelous light of His perfect love (1 Peter 2:9). Walking in the light of His love shifts our focus from the earthly. It allows us to manifest the plans and purposes of God as long as we are open to receiving, meditating, and acting on them. 

And as we consistently operate in a heavenly perspective, the world around us will transform. As Isaiah 60:3 says, “Nations north and south, peoples east and west, will be drawn to your light, will find purpose and direction by your light. In the radiance of your rising, you will enlighten the leaders of nations” (VOICE). Those who walk in darkness will be drawn to us; they’ll “see the light” and catch a glimpse of God’s vision of them and our world. As a result, they, too, will crave to dwell in the light of heavenly realities. 

Colossians 3:1-4 (NLT) Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Isaiah 9:2 (NKJV) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.

A series of crystalline affirmations from Meghan Williams are connected to this. They read in first person so it can become your declaration. The first one is called “Made to Shine.”

Affirmation: I was made to shine. So though I may have seasons I need to hide and regain my strength, I always re-emerge with joy. I am intentional to cultivate laughter both for myself and others. And I love myself, and appreciate my innate ability to love well, share light, and spread joy. 

The second one is called “Crafting One’s Thoughts.”

Affirmation: I determine the energy of my thoughts. I get to choose what stories I tell myself, and how I process the information around me. So I choose wisely and with discernment. I am a vessel of light and truth, and I refuse to take on any energy that seeks to mar that space with negativity or falsehoods. I retain my peace regardless of circumstance because I know things happen “for” me, not “to” me. So I trust my path knowing it brings continuing growth and blessing. 

The third and final one is called “Vessel of Light.”

Affirmation: I am a voice for the Divine. I yield myself to the Light, and offer myself as a vessel of Light – of Love. May my words reflect the heart of Love, and bring life to whoever they touch. 

{Artist note} When I began birthing this art piece, I happened to be birthing a new fiery silk called Flaming Torch (Luminary). Immediately, I knew it was connected to this piece. I could see the torch standing tall and proud – unashamed and unhidden – and its light dispelled the darkness and confusion surrounding it. Creating a separation of the light from the dark, with the light hedged in by the promises of God. This living flame of love is more powerful than it knows. Its powering isn’t achieved by striving (though it doesn’t mean much action isn’t taken), but rather than by simply BEING, it changes the world around it. And you, beloved, are this living flame.

The name of the silk in this image is Flaming Torch (Luminary). The colors in it are white representing pure heart, golden yellow representing radiant light, orange representing joy, ruby representing deep passion, amethyst representing promise, and black representing eye of God and the mystery of the deep place. 

Father, may we burn brightly and never dim, may we tend our flame and replenish our oil often as we rest in Your anointed presence, and may our lives be shining examples of how Your Love changes lives.