Victory over the Darkness

I can hardly believe it. Our class has ended.

It all started a year ago. I was driving to work one morning, listening to the local Christian radio station, and a song came on. For the life of me, I cannot remember the name of the song or the artist, but message was clear: "Don't expect others to do what God has called YOU to do." The lyrics stayed in my mind and thoughts, and I felt very much that the Lord was speaking to me. For several months, I had felt a that more intentional discipleship was needed in our church. What it would actually look like was yet to be determined, but I decided I needed to obey the prompting of the Lord.

So I began talking with the head pastor at our church and also with Jody about what that could look like. Big group vs. Small(er) group. Bible as curriculum vs. separate book curriculum with a heavy Scripture focus. Sunday morning vs. Mid-week evening. Shorter commitment/smaller workload vs. Longer commitment/greater workload. We went back and forth on ideas as to what would suit the Body here in Englewood best.

In the end, we settled on the book Victory over the Darkness, by Neil Anderson, and Jody and I decided that we would co-teach a small class on Sunday mornings. We started the end of September, limiting the class to under 10 people. We asked for commitment and a willingness to invest in the material during the week, to memorize Scripture that was important to the lesson and to keep confidential personal information that was discussed in the class.

Thirteen chapters later, I am so thrilled that I stepped out and obeyed the Lord. There's nothing like digging into Scripture in the context of a group and allowing people to process what the Word of God is saying to them. And perhaps the most thrilling part of it is observing the Word of God changing them as they submit themselves to His Lordship in their lives. And, as one of the teachers of the class, I marveled at how God began working in me, as well, as we went through the chapters. It reminded me again and again of what the writer of Hebrews wrote concerning the Word of God in Hebrews 4:12.

 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Definitely, if you are hungry to grow in your walk with God but you don't know where to start, I would encourage you to consider this book. It is easy to read, easy to understand, and so helpful in explaining the foundational truths of our faith. I personally recommend it for its heavy Scriptural emphasis. And even if you have been walking with the Lord for a long time, this book will renew your love for the Lord by taking you back to the basics.

We can never get too far from the Cross, right?

Well, if you have any questions about the class or the book, just let me know!