One of the many works of the Holy Spirit is uncovering or exposing that which is hidden in the dark. He loves to highlight that which is in the darkness, so it is seen clearly in light of His glory. Why would this be an essential part of His ministry?
Because for true authentic freedom to take place, we must go to the root and release the secrets that hold us in bondage. The Scriptures state in Ephesians 5:13 (NIV) that “everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” When the light of Christ shines on the lies we believe, the secrets we keep or the pain we carry, the healing process can truly begin.
Wm Paul Young, author of The Shack, masterfully expounds on this truth by saying, “The exposed is the unhealed, and the work of the Holy Spirit is to expose darkness in our lives. God wants to destroy anything that hinders us from being fully human and fully alive.”
God isn’t mean when He asks us to confess our sins to one another, nor is He cruel when He highlights areas of our lives that need His redeeming touch. In fact, it’s His divine mercy that causes it all to bubble to the surface to be removed from our hearts, and we can walk in the truth of our identity in Christ and know the true nature of our triune God.
In the new book, The Pastor: A Crisis, co-authored by Paul Young and Brad Jersak, the writers of this brief novella share raw, vulnerable and even difficult to digest truths from their own lives as well as many they know. They don’t hold back in the slightest as they explore dangerous questions like “Is anyone irredeemable?” or “Can the light of the gospel handle our deepest sin and darkest circumstances?”
No matter what you have gone through or what you are currently facing, this book will speak directly to your soul. 2020 was a year of much exposure in the church, in politics and in the lives of so many around the world. God has a reason for this, and He wants to redeem us, heal us and launch us into greater revelation of who we are and who He is.
Tune into the latest episode of Awaken Podcast as Michael Lombardo speaks with both Young and Jersak about this book. {eoa}
Connect with Michael Lombardo at lifepouredoutintl.org and on Facebook. Order his book, Immersed in His Glory here.
