Get Lit...In Christ

Rise and Shine! There is a popular saying that "Light shines brightest in the darkest places" and John 1:5 attests that light always overcomes darkness and that darkness can never overtake the light.

My goal in writing this post is to encourage you to make a choice to be light in a dark and often evil

world. We may be surrounded by things or people that grieve our soul but they don't have to overtake us and cause us to lose hope. In God, through a relationship with His son, Jesus Christ there is always hope for any situation and you have choices. You can choose to live in His light or be overcome by the darkness in our world. I encourage you to choose Light over Darkness and be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

The term "Get Lit" is a slang term related to becoming intoxicated off of some type of substance. As a Christian, it is possible to become intoxicated by the Holy Spirit of God which can alter one's speech and behavior with no negative consequences. Being intoxicated in the Holy Spirit will help you to be encouraged and spread that encouragement to others for the glory of God. Stay with me...I'm going somewhere...

And the Bible Says...

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with

the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:15-20

Alcoholic beverages are intoxicating substances sometimes referred to as "spirits" and most of us know that if you consume too much, another type of spirit will overtake your mind and body and cause you behave in a way that is out of character for you in a normally sober state. There are several similarities to being drunk with alcohol and being drunk in the spirit of God. Being drunk with either substance will impact how you walk...how you talk...your personality...and in either case, you may want to share

the substance with others...

Ephesians 5:18 tells us to not be drunk on wine which leads to reckless indiscretion and instead to be filled with the spirit. Because God loves us, He is warning us that because the days are evil, he wants us to be wise vs being foolish and redeem the time. It will benefit us to make the best use of our time by being filled with the spirit of God.

How can one be intoxicated in the Spirit of God?

• PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION to how you walk and choose to make wise decisions. True wisdom comes from God and is necessary for an awesome life. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are better than our ways. Reading the Bible is the best way to consume the wisdom of God and when we put that wisdom into practice, we will gain divine power to do all that God has purposed for us to do in this often dark and evil world. In God's wisdom, we

are transformed into new creations. Our thoughts are replaced with His thoughts and we begin to Talk and Walk in new ways that prior to having his wisdom, we could not do.

Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Proverbs 4:5-6

• SPEAK to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In doing so, you will provide

others with much needed encouragement in a world that is often filled with strife, conflict and bad news. Much of our news programs are full of bad news because it gets people's attention and ratings. In a world where you can watch news 24/7, what do you think it does to a person's soul to be filled up with mostly negative sights and sounds over a day, months, years? When I spend too much time on social media, I am often astounded by the hatred and constant verbal assaults that people, from behind a computer screen can hurl at one another. I don't know about you, but it's hard to find encouragement in exposure to such relationships on a regular basis. Loving one another is a commandment from God for His people but is also evidence of the Holy Spirit of God at work in our lives. What better way to show others love than by encouraging them

through our words of hope grounded in God's Word. If you need encouragement or are looking for words to uplift your brother and sister, you can look to the Psalms, Proverbs and other books of the Bible for some wonderful ideas. Speak the Word or Sing the Word.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, Romans 15:5

• SING and MAKE MUSIC in your hearts to the Lord. Many clients I have worked with say that listening to music helps them feel better when they go through storms of life. According to scientists, their research confirms what God says in His Word that music benefits one's emotional and physical well-being. Listening to music can make one feel a sense of happiness, lower stress, reduce pain, improve memory and brain health along with so many other health

benefits.

But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your loving-kindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength, I will sing praises to You; For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me loving-kindness. Psalm 59:16-17

• GIVE THANKS always to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Gratitude and expressing thankfulness is an excellent way to gain a positive outlook on life and increase a sense of peace in your soul and spirit. When feeling down, use the ABC's to think of something you are grateful for starting with the letter of each alphabet. I can guarantee before you are done, you will begin to feel a light coming into any dark situation.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Get Lit in Christ my dear brother or sister and let the light of God's loving, caring Holy Spirit live in you so that not only you will be encouraged, you will in turn shine the light of encouragement onto others. You will be a light in a dark world that needs all the light it can get. Until next time, I pray this

post encourages someone for the glory of God. Thank you for reading.

Love you!

Chantelle Johnson, 1 Radiant Woman...Rise and Shine!
Matthew 5:16