Be Afraid of the Dark Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Be Afraid of the Dark------------------------------ Date: 10/10/2001 Keywords: "armor" "dark" "deeds" "light" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Romans 13:11-14* 11. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Questions 1. Are you afraid of the dark?   2. Are there healthy ways to fear things? Name some, if so.   Practical help Be afraid of the dark. That sure seems counter to the "face your fears" mentality. After all, if you don't face them they're certain to conquer you, right? Maybe not. Ironically enough, a little drilling down into the subject of darkness may shed some light. It's not really the darkness that's so bad, but what it enables by its characteristics. Darkness obscures. It makes things unclear. It hides things. It promotes a sense of isolation. While none of these things are inherently bad, when coupled with a temptation to sin they can make the difference between persevering or succumbing. Darkness can be physical (the lack of light) and spiritual (the lack of relationship with God) and unfortunately can combine to be devastating in the face of temptation. So what's a stumbler in the dark to do? As the apostle Paul suggests in verse 12 above, you can put on the armor of light. Light, like darkness, can be physical (obvious) and spiritual (a permanent and vibrant relationship with God; click here, to learn more) and thankfully can combine to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. What's obvious about the physical? Try being afraid of what the dark enables in your particular life — like being at the computer in the wee morning hours when everyone else is asleep and all the lights are out; like working late at the office after dark when everyone else is gone, seen by no one. What's revealing about the spiritual light? It will burn through those clouded perceptions of what honors God when dealing with your sexual appetite. A healthy fear of the enabling dark can gird you with a shield capable of deflecting any temptation. Go ahead, be afraid. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2001 by eXXit *Scriptures are from The Holy Bible: New International Version, © Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved.