It was about noon when I heard the news. Fortunately, I was safe in my office. All the power was out at Newark Airport. Now, I had used that airport so many times I could very well have been one of those poor travelers who I saw on the evening news groping their way through a totally darkened terminal. There was no electricity to the terminal for an entire day. What a mess! No lights, no computers, no baggage equipment. It was a good day to be in my office. And the reason there were no lights? A pile driver that was being used on an airport construction project somehow punched right through the main power line. Nice shot! With the power and lights out, it was just a very dark day.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Knocking Out the Light."
Our word for today from the Word of God, Luke 22:31-32, Jesus talking to Simon Peter, "Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." Okay, now here's Peter, perhaps the brightest light of the disciples. And basically Jesus is saying, "Satan wants to knock you out, man." And he wants to do that to anyone who is a light in a dark spot - like you maybe.
See, if it's dark where you work, and you're Jesus' light there if you belong to Him. The enemy wants the light out so it's totally dark there. Maybe it's dark in your school, or your area, or your family, but God's installed a light there - you. And Satan's trying to knock out the light. He wants to sift you as wheat, and God may be preparing you to spread the light to an even larger circle of people. Don't be surprised if you're suddenly taking a pounding from hell's pile driver. The enemy's only hope of keeping his prisoners in the dark is to knock out the light. So does this explain maybe some of what's been hitting you? You're making a difference. And the forces of darkness want to destroy or at least dim your light.
One wise old preacher gave a young evangelist this advice. He said, "The ferocity of Satan's attack upon you will increase in direct proportion to your potential usefulness for Jesus Christ." So those difficulties and feelings and temptations you've been dealing with? They may not mean there's anything wrong. In fact, there may be something wonderfully right. You're starting to make an impact for Jesus. You've attracted attention in hell. You're not wrestling with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers - spiritual forces. There's no reason to be afraid. There's no reason to be discouraged. According to Colossians 2:15, Jesus has "disarmed the powers and authorities. He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by His cross."
Remember the simple principles of winning against any attack from the dark side. Number one; depend on spiritual weapons to win spiritual battles. That means prayer. That means fasting. You need to recruit a team of prayer warriors to cover you now with daily prayer as you're becoming a make-a-difference person. You're a target now, and God's people praying for you will cover you with the blood of Jesus and a hedge of His protection.
Number two, regularly put on the spiritual armor of God. Read - memorize if you can - Ephesians 6:10-18. Thirdly, don't give the devil a foothold. Remove any sin, any compromise that your enemy can use to get into your life. And number four; keep your power lines strong. Don't miss a day of being with Jesus through His Word.
Yes, Satan may desire to have you. But Jesus says, "I prayed for you." Your enemy wants the people around you to spend this life and forever like those people at the airport that day. He wants them stumbling in the dark. He has only one way to make that happen - knock out the light.
If you wander away from Jesus, they'll go there with you. You're either going to be a reason for somebody to be attracted to Jesus or to say, "He doesn't really work." There's a lot riding on you keeping the light on. So stay close to the awesome power of the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself is the light of the world.