Order Into Chaos, Light Into Darkness
We are told that when God began creating in Genesis, the earth was formless (tohuw),(1) empty (bohuw),(2) and darkness covered the earth (Genesis 1:2). As well as formless, and empty, these two words have a broad range of meanings, including “desolation, desert, barren, confusion, and even chaos.”(3)
How did God transform the chaos, confusion, barrenness, etc? With His words: “Then God said…” (verse 3). The word “said” is amar(4) in Hebrew, and can mean more than just “saying” or “announcing”; it can also mean “to say in one’s heart; to think; to imagine.” Zodhiates used the phrase “internal speech”(5) as one of its meanings. God began by seeing or imagining what He wanted – internal speech, then created this with His words – external speech. As simple as it sounds, the first step in dealing with spiritual darkness and chaos is to determine or discern what God is thinking. What is His will in this situation? What does He intend to do? Laws of sowing and reaping, the free will of man, God’s wisdom regarding timing, these can all play a part in determining His actions.
The answers to these questions always begin with Scripture – biblical principles – but also must include being led by Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14), His revelation. Once God’s thoughts or will is known, His strategy can be received and implemented. This may be fasting, agreement in prayer, prolonged intercession, Spirit-led declarations, etc., or even prophetic acts such as, “go wash your eyes in the pool of Siloam” (John 9:7).
The sons of Issachar demonstrated this. They “understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). The word “understood” is biyn,(6) which includes both wisdom – understanding gained from learning and experience, and revelation – that which Holy Spirit reveals in the present. Because of this unique blend, these Issachar leaders could discern the general times and seasons, God’s strategic timing, and what to do in light of that time. Wisdom and revelation combine to give us God’s “what, when, and how.” This is why the Scriptures say in Ephesians 1:17 that we need a spirit of wisdom AND revelation.
This combination is also what Solomon possessed. We think of him as having wisdom, but Solomon asked for and was given biyn (1 Kings 3:9), which again, encompasses wisdom and revelation. The margin of my NAS Bible says he asked, not just for wisdom, but for “a hearing heart.”
This is also what Daniel possessed (Daniel 9:22-23). In verse 22, the angel Gabriel said, “I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding (biyn)” (NASB). What a phrase – insight with understanding! That is the starting point in transforming chaos into order, barrenness into fruitfulness, and darkness into light!
One of the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:28 sheds light on this. The Greek word is antilepsis(7), usually translated as “helps.” The word comes from antilambanomai,(8) meaning “to lay hold of.” We “help” another by “taking hold” of an object or situation along with them. The Passion Translation, however, gives added insight to the word. It translates the word as “gifts of revelation knowledge.” This leapt off the page at me! In their margin note they inform us that the word means not only to lay hold of in a physical sense, but also appreheanding, perceiving, laying hold of revelation!
God “helps” us by giving us His thoughts – revelation. We assist one another by sharing this revelation, “helping” them hear what God is saying. Once we know His thoughts, His will, we can receive His strategy. Part of that strategy will almost always involve declaring what He has said, which is the second step in overcoming chaos and darkness.
Saying What He Says
When we know what God’s will is, from His Word and by His Spirit, we can then say what He says. Remember, that’s how God dealt with the chaos in Genesis: He thought, imagined, conceived; then He spoke. When He speaks, His words have creative power. Why? Because HE AND HIS WORD ARE ONE! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). His words are filled with unlimited power because they flow from the very essence of who He is, releasing His breath, life, nature, and power (also see John 6:63).
Which brings us back to Genesis. A footnote in the Passion Translation regarding Genesis 1:3 states, “God created light but did not create the sun until the fourth day. God Himself filled the universe with the light of His presence and glory.”(9) Incredible! The footnote continues, saying that “The Hebrew verbs used with the phrases ‘Let there be’ and ‘and there was’ are both related to the holy name Yahweh: yehi (“let there be”) and wayhi (“and there was”).” As Yahweh spoke, His creative power flowed FROM HIM into the universe. The I AM, who is light, released His nature with the words “Light BE!” and light BECAME! Truly, there is no one like our God!
And here is the staggering application for us. As His body, Christ intends for us to represent Him, releasing His words, in order to transform chaos into order and darkness into light. The New Testament word used to describe God’s creation of all things is ginomai (John 1:1-5; Hebrews 11:3). The word essentially means, “cause to be or become.”(10) Amazingly, this same word is also used in Christ’s teaching on how we should pray (Matthew 6:10). In the phrase, “Thy will be done,” the two words “be done” are translated from this single Greek word, ginomai. The tense of the verb (aorist imperative) indicates a command. Simply stated, Christ said we are to command or declare His will to be, to become, to be created in situations. Selah. Let’s do so now.
Pray with me:
Lord, we are in chaotic and dark times, as Genesis 1 references the earth at creation. Just as You thought, imagined, and declared Your will then, we know You have plans for the earth today. From Your Word, we are confident what some of those plans include: we know Your will is that no one dies in a spiritually lost condition; we know You have a great harvest planned throughout all the earth; we know the Father has promised You the nations of Earth – they all belong to You; we know You’re building an Ekklesia that the plans of hell cannot overcome; and we know we can declare the release of Your Kingdom authority, and the manifestation of Your will.
We align with Your will and declare a worldwide harvest. We call forth a revival of such proportions that a billion or more people will come to Yeshua. We decree the salvation and restoration of America, including a transformed government. We call forth a youth revival in America and around the world that will result in millions of young people coming to Christ. We decree the breaking of Baal’s stronghold over America. We call forth the fire of Holy Spirit and renewed passion into America’s churches.
Father, we declare these things in Christ’s name and authority alone. We humbly acknowledge that we have no other authority to do so, and that His will is what You honor. Of Him, to Him, and through Him are all things. And we acknowledge that Yours is the Kingdom and power and glory forever. We want You alone to be honored in all we do. Amen.
Our decree:
We decree that God is bringing order into the chaos and light into the darkness of our day.
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James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 8414.
Ibid., ref. no. 922.
Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard, rev. ed. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1990), p. 2063.
Strongs Concordance, ref., no. 559.
Zodhiates Hebrew-Greek Study Bible, p. 1804.
Strongs Concordance, ref. no. 998.
Ibid., ref. no. 484.
Ibid., ref. no. 482.
YouVersion Bible App, The Passion Translation.
Strongs Concordance, ref. no. 1096.