"Darkness is the heart's true essence" –Ansem

Though Ansem is the arch enemy in the game Kingdom Hearts, he does make some interesting comments. He says to Sora, the hero, "From those dark depths are all hearts born. Even yours..." Despite the fact that Sora proves himself to be one with a bright spirit and a kind heart, there is truth in this, "…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…" (Romans 3:23). Darkness, or sin, does lie within every heart. This sin in our hearts separates us from God, who is holy. "But your iniquities have separated you from God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2) We have all left God, who is the maker and sustainer of the universe. God gave us all we needed in the Garden of Eden, just as Riku has all he needed on Destiny Island. But he (like us) wants more, and leaves the perfect place to find something else. In doing so, he falls into the traps of Maleficent, a problem he would have not encountered if he had not left his island. She, like Satan in the Garden, attempts to make sin look good. Maleficent tempts Riku with the power to control the Heartless, and to save his friend, Kairi. Satan may tempt us to take drugs, or steal, or just have our own way, even when we know it's wrong. It may look appealing, but it is really just a lure from the darkness, designed to produce separation from God and death, because sin has consequences, "For the wages of sin is death…" (Romans 6:23). This is bad news. But notice that the verse goes on: "The wages of sin is death…BUT the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

So there is hope! God Himself provided the solution to the dilemma of our separation from Him (because we are sinful and He is holy). He sent His Son, Jesus, to be our substitute "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8). Jesus paid the penalty for sin that we deserve (death) and His sacrifice was acceptable to God because He (unlike us) is perfect. He lived a perfect life, was crucified, and rose from the dead, conquering death and proving that He was God, God loves every person and wants to give us the gift of forgiveness and eternal life. "For God so loved the world you and me that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) This gift is either accepted or rejected. In the Bible (God's love letter to people), God warns about being callous like the Heartless, and rejecting His gift. "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." (Psalm 95:7b-8a). To avoid becoming like the Heartless, we need to realize that we are sinners and completely trust in Jesus and what He did for us on the cross as payment for our sin. We can never be good enough to earn God's favor, for as Titus 3:5 says, "He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy…" Jesus did for us what we could never do for ourselves.

His gift is open for you to accept, and all you have to do is ask him! "…if you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved…"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:9-10) If you want to express your belief in Jesus and receive the forgiveness and eternal life that God offers through his Son Jesus, you can say something like this:

Dear Jesus

Thank you for loving me so much that you died on the cross for me. I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Savior. I know that you will take away my sins and make me yours because you promised to do it, if I open my heart to you. Amen.

It is not true as Ansem says that "Darkness conquers all worlds." God has provided us with the gift of light. Sora was told he was the only one "who could open the door to the light." But you can open the door to the light for anyone through telling them what Jesus did for them and how they can put their trust in Jesus, who will forgive them and give them eternal life. Jesus said in John 5:24: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."