Having already written about the Reticular Activating System, or what I prefer to call the Divine Activating System, I will not revisit all of that content today. However, after a message from Eric Gilbert, a morning devotional, and even a set of song lyrics converged around a common theme, I found myself wondering whether there might be an auditory equivalent to the phenomenon. Think about it. How often can we recall lyrics from decades ago? A familiar song comes on, and suddenly we’re transported back in time to a specific place, season, or memory. Sound has a remarkable ability to capture our attention and connect us to experiences stored deep within us.
According to my research, there is no single anatomical structure that functions as a direct auditory equivalent to the Reticular Activating System. The closest comparison is a collection of neurological structures that help filter, prioritize, and process incoming sounds. While that may satisfy the scientific explanation, I suspect the deeper question is not scientific at all. Perhaps it is spiritual. For me, the answer simply comes down to sight and sound, or Eyes and Ears.
Once again, I return to the language that best describes these moments of divine connection: the Divine Activating System. Recently, I experienced it through a series of seemingly unrelated events. One Sunday morning, Eric Gilbert challenged us to become Warriors for Light. At the same time, I was reading recreationally and repeatedly encountering the imagery of lighthouses. “Okay, God,” I thought, “I see the connections You’re making.” Then, the following morning, my devotional led me to Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation” (NLT). Some may view these connections as coincidence. I do not. As Eric Gilbert often says: “God is doing something that coincidence can’t take the credit for.”
The more I reflected on this theme, the more it continued to surface through both Eyes and Ears. Messages, Scripture, songs, and stories all pointed toward the same truth: we are called to shine His light in a world that desperately needs it.
If we are being challenged to become Warriors for Light, we must also acknowledge a difficult reality. There is an enemy who wants to see God’s purposes hindered and His people discouraged. At times, following Christ requires a warrior mentality, not one rooted in aggression, but in spiritual courage, conviction, and perseverance.
Recently, I listened to Pastor Levi Lusko discuss the television series House of David. He noted that one reason visual storytelling can be so powerful is that it allows biblical stories to come alive in our imagination. Rather than remaining abstract concepts, they become vivid images. Again: Eyes and Ears.
As I pictured scenes from David’s life, I was reminded that David was described as a man after God’s own heart. Yet David was also a Warrior for Light. He faced giants, overcame opposition, and repeatedly trusted God in moments of conflict and uncertainty. Likewise, there may be seasons when we are called to put on the Armor On and engage in spiritual battles of our own. We are not fighting people; we are pushing back darkness with the truth and light of Christ.
Gilbert challenges us to consider a powerful question: Which rooms in our lives have become dim and need the light of God?Where do we need to discern darkness, surrender it, and ask the Lord to flip the switch? The invitation of Christ is not to settle for dark rooms. We are called to walk in the light and remain connected to its source. We cannot generate that light ourselves. We are the lamp. He is the power.
When we embrace the calling to become Warriors for Light, God provides the illumination needed for every environment we enter: classrooms, locker rooms, workplaces, homes, and communities. But first, we must surrender those spaces to His will and His plan.
As someone called to invest in Emerging Generations, I feel the weight of this responsibility. I want to do it well. I want to do it with integrity. And I want to do everything within my ability to equip young people to recognize and resist the darkness that seeks to distract, deceive, and discourage them.
We live in a world where it is increasingly easy to be misled by what we see and hear. The pathway toward darkness often appears effortless, while the pathway toward light requires intentionality, courage, and faithfulness. Obstacles will come. Challenges are inevitable. After all, we have an enemy who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy anything that reflects God’s light. That reality only strengthens my conviction.
The challenge I feel personally is to put the Armor On and prepare to fight for the light that this next generation desperately needs. They are searching for meaning. They are hungry for purpose. They long for something authentic and lasting. And they are depending on us to help point them toward the Light. We cannot take that responsibility lightly. We must choose to become Warriors for Light.
References:
Collier, W. (2026, August 3). Waiting for God. Our Daily Bread. https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/waiting-for-god-7146?ts=1785715200000
Gilbert, E. (2026, August 2). House lights. 3Trees Church, Campbellsville, Kentucky. https://ericgilbert.org/sunday-discussion-guides
Lusko, L. (2026, July 6). Hack Agag to pieces: Is that in the Bible? House of David. Fresh Life Church. https://freshlife.church/messages/hack-agag-to-pieces/
