Your candle within this context is your destiny. It is what God has predestined you to become in your lifetime. It is God’s ordained purpose for your life. It is also God’s ordained vision for you. God created every mankind in a unique way to fulfil a specific purpose in his or her lifetime. That purpose is what will take you to frontline in life. In Genesis 12:1, God called Abraham out of his country and kinsmen to a nation He will show him and He promised to make him a great nation. In Genesis 37:5-9, God revealed to Joseph what he will become in the future through dreams. In Judges 6:14, God called Gideon to be a deliverer of Israel from Midianites. In Judges 11: 6 Jephthah was predestined to be a deliverer of Israel from the people of Ammon. Samson was a Nazirite of God from the womb, and also a deliverer of Israel out of the hand of the Philistines Judges 13:5. All these references in the Scripture show that God has predestined everyone He created irrespective of his or her background, race and colour for a particular purpose on earth.
However, God will only light the candle in you, it your sole responsibility to ensure that the light is not quenched. It takes caution, focus, diligent, discipline, patience and perseverance to keep the light on. Many forces are contending with your light in life; they want to terrorise the light until it is quenched.
God showed Joseph beautiful dreams of what he will become in future, but He did not show him hurdles he will cross, battles he will fight, and challenges he will face to actualise his dreams in his lifetime. God also gives us free will to make our choices and these choices can either preserve the light or quench it. These choices can either make or mar your light.
Hurdles/battles/challenges to face in life:
- Household enemies: The first challenge Joseph faced was hatred from his blood brothers. Genesis 37: 8, 11. His brothers said to him “shall you indeed reign over us or shall you have dominion over us.” His dreams made them hated with perfect hatred.
- Yourself: You can also be a threat to your light. That is why we need to exercise self-discipline, not indulging in lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Samson lost his light on the lap of Delilah because of fornication Judges 16:18-20. Rueben’s destiny was marred because of adultery Genesis 49:3-4. Joseph’s light was preserved because he fled from the appearance of evil Genesis 39:7-13.
- Fear or anxiety: Fear is the least agent of destruction, but its acts bring down the mighty ones down. Fear takes away strength, and clothes the victims with apparel of anxiety. That is why Bible says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” II Timothy 1:7. What you fear is also afraid of you, if only you can show a little boldness.
How to guard your light?
- You must be in Christ Jesus. He is the author and the finisher of our lives. In Him our lives can be preserved to the end.
- Study and meditate on God’s words. Through the study of God’s word, the light in His word will give you courage, strength and grace to fulfill your purpose on earth Joshua 1:8, Habakkuk 2:1-3.
- Be diligent: Proverb 22:29 “Do you see a man who excels in his works? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before ordinary men” Joseph’s diligence paved way for him to the palace.
- Be in good mood always. Joseph was always in good mood despite present ugly events around him.
- Be prayerful. Prayer is one of the keys to sustain your light in life; it makes you operate in spiritual realm. It makes you to be in charge. As you pray always your light will be preserved to the end in Jesus’ name. In Him, you will fulfill your purpose on earth in Jesus’ name.