There is no bullet, no bomb, no missile that can destroy the power of darkness. It is not a kingdom of flesh and blood, but of immaterial evil. Its ruler is a liar, a thief, and a murderer from the beginning—an enemy who is cunning enough to persuade the world that he does not exist, that he is nothing more than a religious fable.
This kingdom of darkness cannot be overcome with material weapons. To remove a wicked man may be an act of justice, but the true adversary simply finds another vessel for his destruction. The deeper question remains: What chance do we have of overcoming a spiritual foe we cannot see—one who cannot be harmed by earthly weaponry?
If we insist on treating spiritual problems with material solutions, despair will only grow. Violence cannot drive out darkness. Only light can.
When Christ, the Son of God, entered the world, He was declared to be the Light of the World. The darkness hated Him, but could not overcome Him. By laying down His life, He turned the enemy’s own weapon—death—into the very means of victory. Through His death and resurrection, Christ triumphed over sin and Satan, giving His people the power to resist the darkness that presses upon us.
The apostle Paul reminds us:
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)”
—2 Corinthians 10:3–4
Our response to evil, then, must be a spiritual one. Instead of clinging to revenge or hatred, we cast down our own rebellious imaginations and bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Instead of being overcome with evil, we overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).
If the adversary attacks with hate, we answer with love—not a soft tolerance of sin, but a steadfast love for Jesus Christ. For our warfare is not against people, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12). And the God who has already won the war through His Son promises to stand with us in every skirmish we face.
So let us hold fast. Keep raising your torch. Keep resisting evil with good. Stand firm in the unshakable promises of God—that He loves His people without fail and that He will never abandon us.
“Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
—1 John 4:4