What to Do in the Dark | Savannah DiBenedetto | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

What to Do in the Dark

Savannah DiBenedetto

7 Hills Church • Sep 22, 2025 • 25 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

When facing seasons of darkness, uncertainty, or confusion, it is easy to feel as though God has distance Himself or abandoned us. However, being in the dark is holy ground where God covers us with His protection, shifts our foundations, and fights battles on our behalf. Rather than panicking or trying to force our own exit, we are called to stand firm, trust His goodness, and faithfully obey the last word He gave us.

Themes

God's PresenceTrusting God in DarknessObedienceGod's SovereigntySpiritual Shaking

Key Points

1.
Moses refused to move forward into new territory unless God's presence accompanied him and distinguished His people.
2.
Being in a dark or uncertain season does not mean God has lost or abandoned you; it means He is actively working behind the scenes on your prayers and future.
3.
The dark place is holy ground where God places us in the cleft of the rock and covers us with His protective hand while His glory passes by.
4.
God allows seasons of shaking to loosen and separate dead weights that cannot go into your next level, or to shift foundations so what He builds will be stable.
5.
In dark seasons when visual sight is removed, our spiritual hearing becomes more sensitive to listen to God's voice without competing distractions.
6.
True obedience is not just avoiding sin, but staying faithful to the last clear instruction God gave you even when you cannot see where He is leading next.
7.
God removing His hand to show Moses His back demonstrates that God goes before His people, preparing the way with goodness and fighting on their behalf.

Sermon Moments

“Being in the dark places in life... does not mean that God has lost you or left you, but that God is simply at work.”

“Being in the dark, that's holy ground. Being in the dark means God's glory is passing through.”

“When you're in the dark, you simply listen to the last word that God gave you.”

“Sometimes following God isn't merely about what's right or what's wrong, but whether or not you've been obedient to the last word that he gave you.”

“We serve a God that goes before us... We serve a God whose goodness precedes our path. We serve a God who fights on our behalf. We only need to be still.”

“I know that God doesn't put me in dark places unless he's working on something that I can't see right now.”

This Week

Obey the last clear direction or instruction God gave you, even when current circumstances seem dark or silent.

Reframe dark or uncertain seasons as holy ground where God is actively working and protecting you.

Allow God to loosen and strip away dead weights, such as victim mentalities, unhealthy habits, or negative influences that cannot go into your next season.

Yield to God when your foundation feels shaken, trusting that He is shifting circumstances to build a stable and enduring future.

Eliminate worldly distractions during quiet or uncertain times so you can tune your heart to God's voice more clearly.

Take practical steps of obedience in your daily life, such as prioritizing church, setting a godly example at home, or forgiving others to receive healing.

Practice being still and trusting God to fight your battles rather than trying to force your own way out of difficult situations.

Remember This

Being in a dark season does not mean God has abandoned you; it means He is actively working on your behalf, so stay faithful and obey the last word He gave you.

A Challenge for You

What word did He give you? And what are you doing with it? Because it's not enough to just hear from God. You have to do what He says to see His glory.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.