Ron Hutchcraft Ministries - Knocking Out the Light - #5058

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

It was about noon when I heard the news. I was safely in my office, fortunately. All the power was out at our airport. I mean, I've been at 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 this darkened terminal. There was no electricity at the terminals for an entire day. It was a mess! I mean, no light, no computers, no baggage equipment! That's a good day to be in my office. Oh, and the reason there was no light? A pile driver that was being used on an airport construction project somehow punched right through the main power line. With the power out, let me tell you, it was a very dark day.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Knocking Out the Lights."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 22:31-32 where Jesus says to Simon, "Simon, 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've turned back, strengthen your brothers." Here's Peter, perhaps the brightest light of the disciples, and basically Jesus is saying, "Satan wants to knock you out, man." He wants to do that to anyone who's a light in a dark spot - maybe you.

If it's dark where you work, you're Jesus' light there, and the enemy wants the light out! Maybe it's dark in your school, in your area, in your family. But God has installed a light there - you. And Satan is trying to knock out that 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 some of what's been hitting you lately, maybe? You're making a difference, or you're about to. 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 Satanic attack upon you will increase in direct proportion to your potential usefulness for Jesus Christ."

The difficulties and feelings and temptations you've been dealing with lately may not mean there's anything wrong at all. In fact, maybe there's 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 and spiritual forces.

There's no reason to be afraid; there's no reason to be discouraged. Jesus, according to the book of Colossians "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:

1. Depend on spiritual weapons to win spiritual battles. That means prayer and 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.
2. Put on the spiritual armor regularly. It's described in Ephesians 6:10-18 .
3. Don't give the devil a foothold. Remove any sin or compromise that the devil could use to get in.
4. Keep your power line strong. Don't miss a day of being with Jesus through His Word.

Yes, Satan may desire to have you, but Jesus says, "I have prayed for you." The enemy wants the people around you to spend this life and forever like those people at the airport that day - stumbling in the dark. He has only one way to make it dark. He has to knock out the light. But he can't; not as long as you stay close to the awesome power of the Lord Jesus Christ.