NEWS PROVIDED BY
Christa Jones
April 6, 2020
OPINION, April 6, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- Christa Jones submits the following and is available for comment:
On Sunday, March 29, I was praying with a friend about the coronavirus, and during that time of prayer, we felt deeply impressed with two aspects of the virus in regards to a parallelism that can be made from its natural aspects of the virus to the spiritual. There is a natural part, that which we can see and study about the virus, and I believe a supernatural part of the virus that is unseen. Even President Trump calls this virus the unseen enemy. In this summary, I would like to present two parallel structures from the natural to the spiritual that were illuminated to my spirit while praying. The two concepts are time and light. At the end of this paper, I will summarize how these two aspects intersect each other in the realm of the Spirit.
First, I would like to do a brief overview of the virus. There was an article published by TIME magazine called "Coronavirus: A Glossary of Terms to Help You Understand the Unfolding Crisis (1)." The article opens with the following statement, "Two of the most widely felt symptoms of the coronavirus are uncertainty and confusion." The article gives these two personalities to the virus. As a spiritual side note here are three scriptures that amplify confusion:
- The city of confusion is broken down; Every house is shut up, so that none may go in. (Isa 24:10)
- For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. (Jam 3:16)
- God is not the author of confusion but of peace…(1Cor 14:33)
The article goes on to say, "The word virus comes from a Latin word meaning venom and describes a tiny, tiny agent that causes infectious disease. Coronavirus is a family of viruses that got its name from its appearance. The word corona means crown. The scientists who in 1968 came up with the term coronavirus thought that, under a microscope, the virus they were looking at resembled a solar corona: the bright crown-like ring of gasses surrounding the sun that is visible during a solar eclipse." An insight to note is that kings wear crowns, and the coronaviruses were named after a crown of light. Also, virus in Latin means poison. The coronavirus amply translates as the crown of poison. I do believe this virus strand is part of the kingdom of darkness. The virus, this kingdom, brings confusion, fear, anxiety, and death by horrible means.
Now I would like to transition into discussing the first element, time. One of the aspects of this virus that has so many scientists, doctors, and politicians worried is the time-factor. Fourteen days or more to be contagious, weeks in the hospital, weeks on ventilators, rapid spreading, and an exponential doubling effect. Many are asking the same questions, "How long will this last? How long until we have a vaccine? When will it happen again? How long do we have to stay quarantined; how many weeks will businesses be shut down?" In the natural, time is one of the most significant constraints of this virus and the justification for shutting down the world's economy. And now that the Governor of our state recently mandated a Statewide shelter in place order, I could feel the tension in my natural man rise and yell, "How long can this go on?!" In the natural, we see this element of time playing out before our eyes.
Now let me transition to the spiritual. In the Spirit, God is the creator of time. The first verse of the Bible starts with time.
- In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen 1:1)
At the end of creation, He ended it with a statement of time.
- Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy … (Gen 2:3)
God wrapped creation in time; He blessed time and made it holy.
- There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens... (Ecc 3:1)
- Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations. (Psalm 145:13)
- For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." (Mat 12:8)
- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb 13:8)
- And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, those days will be shortened. (Matt 24:22)
- For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Cor 4:17)
- "Surely, I am coming quickly." (Rev 22:20)
When communicating about this virus, the media only portrays it in terms of space, meaning how it affects us in the natural. But God inhabits not only our space but, more importantly, our time. Time is the unseen element of our universe. He created our time, and He is in control of our time. As shown in the above verses, the Bible often demonstrates God working through time, through generations through extending our time or shorting our time. Even though I do not believe this virus is from God, I do believe He is working in the element of time. The very thing that is causing the whole world to shut down their economies. The virus is oppressing our economy, killing the week and feeble, isolating us as believers and neighbors, destroying business, and people's lives.
But God is at work. Things are being restructured and reformed. Systems are being torn down and evil is being halted. Some of which we can already perceive, like carbon emission and pollution reduction, families reuniting, and a season of rest for many. But there are also many unseen workings of the Holy Spirit happening for the good that are not apparent yet. I believe God is doing a mighty work of restructuring and releasing many who have been held in captivity physically and spiritually. I believe He is halting the plans of man. Yes, there is a significant cost to this epidemic, but for a season, God is shaking everything that can be shaken. As believers, instead of being anxious about the time-factor, we need to lean into God's timing. Pray He would accomplish and complete His work as we stand as Christians, willingly sacrificing patiently in prayer and entering intimacy in worship until HE who controls the seasons and times, has finished His work. At the same time, I do believe it is necessary to pray against the timing of the enemy. Pray the epidemic would not move into a demonic timeline or last one day longer than absolutely necessary, trusting God to strengthen us as we wait upon Him to deliver us.
Those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:31)
Let us wait on the Lord in faith, not anxiety.
Transitioning now to the second concept, light. In an article in the Washington Post, "The coronavirus isn't alive. That's why it's so hard to kill, (2)" states, "Viruses have spent billions of years perfecting the art of surviving without living — a frighteningly effective strategy that makes them a potent threat in today's world. There is a certain evil genius to how this coronavirus pathogen works: It finds easy purchase in humans without them knowing. Before its first host even develops symptoms, it is already spreading its replicas everywhere, moving onto its next victim. It is powerfully deadly in some but mild enough in others to escape containment. And for now, we have no way of stopping it."
In a second article published online by the BBC on March 27, "Can you kill coronavirus with UV light? (3)" states, "There's only one type of UV that can reliable inactivate COVID-19—and it's extremely dangerous." It goes on to say, "Though there hasn't been any research looking at how UVC affects COVID-19 specifically, studies have shown that it can be used against other coronaviruses, such as SARS. The radiation warps the structure of their genetic material and prevents the viral particles from making more copies of themselves. As a result, a concentrated form of UVC is now on the front line in the fight against COVID-19. In China, whole buses are being lit up by the ghostly blue light each night, while squat, UVC-emitting robots have been cleaning floors in hospitals. Banks have even been using the light to disinfect their money." There is mounting evidence that COVID-19 can be neutralized by one of the most dangerous light rays on earth UVC, but this will damage our skin and cause skin cancer.
With that said, what we do know is that coronaviruses such as SARS are destroyed/modified harmless by ultraviolet light. I believe testing will also prove UVC will neutralize COVID-19, and this is why China and other nations are deploying this technology in hospitals and in mass transit stations. In the natural, coronaviruses are destroyed by light. But what about the spiritual side of its destruction? For this understanding, let's return to Genesis, chapter one, verse one.
- In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Gen 1:1-2)
Here we see that darkness was over the surface of the whole earth. Similarly, I believe we will see the coronavirus in every country in the world. The COVID-19 darkness is over the entire world. But notice, over the darkness, the Spirit of God was hovering or brooding. The word, hovering used here in Hebrew, indicates a high degree of care, even concern in its action. As the COVID-19 is over the surface of the whole world, I believe God's Spirit is hovering over this epidemic, restructuring and tearing down things that are hidden to many of us, much of which has been oppressing many for years. The Spirit is at work! The next verse in Genesis states,
- And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. (Gen 1:3)
The next words after the Spirit hovering over the waters was, "Let there be light." The Corona Kingdom of Darkness is releasing fear, anxiety, confusion and death. But God's Spirit is hovering, and it is time to bring the Kingdom of Light to dispel this darkness. Note the following scriptures about light.
- You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. (1 The 5:5)
- "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:5)
- Jesus said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
- For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us (2 Cor 4:6-7)
Church go forth in jars of clay, letting God's light shine in this darkness to the world around you, displaying the fruit of the light.
- "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth." (Eph 5:8-9)
And as we do this, let us remember what God provided in the past to destroy the coronaviruses, UVC light waves—the most damaging type of UV radiation. For us, UVC is an unapproachable light. However, this light is completely filtered by the atmosphere not able to reach the earth's surface as to not destroy us. But God, in His wisdom, allows us to be the most powerful spiritual light on the earth. May He "unfilter" our light as we draw closer to Him in fellowship. May His light show us what resides in this darkness that we may war against it with the light that He has given us. He will reveal to us what is hidden in darkness, so that we know how to defeat it.
- He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him. (Dan 2:22)
God is known as in 1Tim 6: 15 as the unapproachable light.
- God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and might forever. Amen (1 Tim 6:15)
The UVC rays we cannot approach them in our natural state, but God has made a way for the lost and dying world to receive the unapproachable light of our God which will destroy the deeds of darkness that have been unleashed on the earth through this virus. So let's put on the armor of light and destroy the 'Corona Kingdom of Darkness.'
- 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. (Rom 13:12)
In conclusion, where does light and time intersect for us during this epidemic. Both of the spiritual aspects of light and time are an internal work of the Spirit. In Daniel chapter two, we see both concepts joined.
- … He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him. (Dan 2:21-22)
Those who wait on the LORD, shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. (Isa 40:31) We are to wait on the Lord in prayer and petition, and surrender to Him asking Him to mount us up on the wings of the Holy Spirit as we wait not in anxiety but in faith. As we join with Him with the working of the Spirit, I believe He will allow us to see over this darkness that He may impart to us prophetic insight, so that we may not grow weary or faint. As we take this time to intercede asking God to show us His face to give us the light of the knowledge of His glory displayed in the face of Christ, may His light in us shine brightly destroying the darkness of fear, anxiety, stress, death in the world around us. Like the invisible rays of the sun, the very presence of God in us, His children of light, will push back the darkness exponentially accelerating His plans and purposes in the world.
- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ….. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. May we walk in the fullness of the grace and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. (John 1:1,4,14)
In closing here are a few things to consider if this bears witness to your spirit:
1. Ask God to bring you peace to dispel confusion. (1 Cor 14:33)
2. Realize that God is in control of time. He created both the visible and invisible. (Col 1:16)
3. Wait on the Lord to renew your strength to mount you above this situation to give you a new vision so that you may partner with the Holy Spirit and His working. (Isa 40:31)
4. Use this time to press into the fellowship of our Lord asking Him to increase the light of the knowledge of His glory. (2 Cor. 4:6)
5. Know that you are a jar of clay that He wants to use to dispel the darkness. (2 Cor. 4:7)
6. Pray when entering an essential business that God's light would emit through you dealing with the invisible spiritual effects of this virus of fear, anxiety, confusion, separation, and uncertainty and that the fruit of light, goodness, righteousness, and truth would prevail. (John 1:5, Eph 5:8-9)
7. Lastly, together seek God on how we may cooperate/participate with what He is doing so that spiritual darkness would be expelled exponentially. Remember, when this virus passes some of its residual spiritual effects will remain, but light overcomes darkness. (Dan 2:22, John 1:5)
Bibliography
1: Steinmetz, Katy. "A Glossary of Terms to Help You Understand the Unfolding Crisis." Time Magazine (March 2020): https://time.com/5798684/coronavirus-glossary-definitions/
2: Kaplan, Sara, William Wan, and Joel Achenbach. "The Coronavirus is not Alive. That is Why It Is So Hard to Kill." Washington Post (March 2020): www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/03/23/coronavirus-isnt-alive-thats-why-its-so-hard-kill/
3: Gornett, Zaria. "Can you kill the Coronavirus with UV light?" BBC Future (March 2020): www.bbc.com/future/article/20200327-can-you-kill-coronavirus-with-uv-light
SOURCE Christa Jones
CONTACT: Christa Jones, 404-455-6791
