Why does the Gospel surge forward in some places while darkness seems to dominate others? Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, and the Church has been left in the earth to enforce His victory through prayer, truth, faith, and the direction of the Holy Spirit. Using Scripture passages on spiritual warfare, fiery darts, the armor of God, the Prince of Persia, and the advance of the Gospel, this message reveals why believers must remain spiritually alert, resist the enemy, and continually maintain spiritual territory. Discover how the Kingdom of God advances when Christians stand firm, extinguish the lies of the enemy, and boldly exercise the authority Jesus secured through His death and resurrection. Why The Gospel Actually Surges When You Push Back Darkness that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

This Week: Learn why the Gospel advances wherever believers rise up, resist darkness, and enforce the victory of Jesus Christ through prayer and spiritual authority.

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Accept the Challenge

Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put into operation.
This weeks call is:

Stand. Resist. Advance.

This week, refuse to live spiritually passive while darkness presses forward. Stay disciplined in prayer. Stay rooted in God’s Word. Stay alert to the direction of the Holy Spirit. Push back against every lie, distraction, temptation, and spiritual pressure that tries to weaken your walk with God.

Pray for your family. Pray for your city. Pray for your nation. Pray for kings and all who are in authority.

Wherever darkness attempts to advance, stand firm in the authority of Jesus Christ and push it back with truth, prayer, and faith.

Darkness always presses—but it cannot withstand yielded believers enforcing the victory of Jesus Christ.

Join the Conversation

Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony. Testimony is vital to a believers life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11).

This week’s question is:

Question: Where do you see darkness pressing hardest in your life, community, or nation right now?

Share: What Scriptures or spiritual practices help you stay alert, disciplined, and strong in spiritual resistance?

Remember: The Gospel advances wherever believers stand firm, pray boldly, and refuse to surrender spiritual ground.

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 49 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 45 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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Podcast Notes:

• Well again welcome.
• Let’s pray.

Father God, thank you for raising Jesus from the dead and seating Him at your own right hand far above all demon power. Thank you that when you raised Jesus from the dead, you also raised us up with Him and made us sit with Him in heavenly places in Christ. With that, we stand at attention awaiting direction from your Holy Spirit so that the plan of God may go forward. We thank you for these things in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

From Hearing God to Pushing Back Darkness

• In our last episode, we talked about hearing God’s voice in a noisy and distracted world.
• We saw that hearing God is part of the identity of every believer because Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice.”
• But we also saw that hearing Him clearly requires stillness, surrender, obedience, and a life quiet enough to recognize His direction.
• God speaks by His Spirit, but He does not compete with the noise, clutter, and divided loyalties of this world.
• So, if we are going to hear Him, we must slow down, tune in, and stop considering the world precious.
• Now, in today’s episode, we move from hearing God’s voice to acting on His voice through prayer, spiritual authority, and resistance to darkness.
• Because once the Spirit of God gives direction, the Church must rise up, pray, exercise authority, and push back darkness so the Gospel can surge forward.

Jesus Crushed the Authority of Darkness

1 John 3:7–8 (NASB 2020) — 7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

• Jesus walked the earth for this reason: to destroy the works of the devil.
• The word ‘destroy’ is key to understand.
• With that thought, here is the Definition of the Day.
• The word destroy means to undo what held something captive by dissolving the ties.
• The word does not mean destroy as in obliterate or annihilate.
• Satan has not been annihilated — he is still roaming the earth.
• He is called the ruler of darkness and the prince of the power of the air.

Ephesians 2:2 (NASB 2020) — 2 in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

• Did you hear that?
• He is the spirit that is NOW working in the sons of disobedience.
• In the heart of the earth during the three days after the Crucifixion, Jesus defeated Satan and stripped darkness of its authority.
• Colossians says Jesus disarmed Satan.

Colossians 2:15 (NASB 2020) — 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

• Satan has been disarmed.
• Think about a policeman disarming a suspect.
• The suspect still has life in his body but his weapons are of no use.
• Satan still roars and deceives, but he cannot overpower a believer who stands firm in Christ’s authority and truth.
• He must yield ground and flee for he is underneath Jesus’ feet ever since the Resurrection.
• The Prince of Darkness in his pride, though, wants you to believe otherwise.

1 Peter 5:8–9 (NASB 2020) — 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world.

• Satan prowls and he roars.
• But Satan is a liar extraordinaire.
• Did you notice that being ‘sober,’ ‘alert,’ and resisting are some keys to pushing back against darkness?
• Sober describes a self-controlled person.
• You could say disciplined.
• Disciplined people are positioned to push back darkness.
• If you do not maintain a spirit of self-discipline, you’re kidding yourself.
• Before you try to push back darkness, you must push back on yourself.
• You don’t live by your feelings—you live by your discipline.
• When feelings make suggestions—override, don’t yield.
• “Don’t read your Bible now, let’s go rest.”
• We push back and say—‘No, we are reading the Bible—then we rest.’
• Plug-in any daily activity here that you know you must do: praying, going to church, speaking with tongues, exercising, eating right, going to bed on time.
• When your feelings say, “I don’t want to do that”—say “Shut-up feelings, I didn’t ask you for your opinion—we’re doing it.”
• Pushing back on yourself gets you in position to push back against devils.
• We don’t submit to feelings—we submit to God.

James 4:7, (NASB 2020) — 7 Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

• Submitting to God comes ahead of pushing back against darkness.
• The word ‘alert’ in 1 Peter 5:7, adds to the idea of self-control, the needful trait of being spiritually awake, watchful, and actively on guard.
• We must be disciplined in our focused awareness so that we are not caught off guard by the enemy.
• Putting these two definitions together, sober and alert, we come to this maxim.
• Stay disciplined—stay watchful.
• Now, comes the great word ‘resist.’
• It’s great because we can do it—we can resist.
• The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter said we can.
• This Greek word, when boiled down to simplest terms, means to firmly stand your ground in active opposition—refusing to yield and pushing back with determined strength against every pressure of the enemy.
• We can push back.
• Peter and James writing by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said we can.

Ephesians 6:13 NASB 2020—13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

• Now, we have a trifecta: Peter, James, and Paul all said the same thing—Jesus followers have it in their God-given contract (God’s Word) that they can and must push back against darkness.

Why Believers Must Push Back

• Satan influences men’s minds through lies and deception.
• In Ephesians six, these lies and deceptions are called ‘fiery darts.’

Ephesians 6:16 (NASB 2020)—16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

• These fiery darts are so called because they enflame the minds of men.
• Notice that the shield of faith extinguishes these darts.
• So first, we have discipline, watchfulness, and now add to that the word extinguish.
• Extinguish means fire-suppression.
• Satan sends a fiery missile-like thought to one’s head—the child of God has the means to fire-suppress that fiery thought rendering it null and dull.
• Faith, produced by the Word of God, does this.
• Child of God—put up your shield.
• And with that thought, here is the Historical Background of the Day.

Prepared Faith Extinguishes Fire

• Roman soldiers didn’t just carry shields—they prepared them to withstand fire arrows shot by their enemy.
• The Roman shield was a large and curved and made from layers of wood laminated together for strength, then covered with canvas and leather.
• The outer leather layer of the shield was key.
• Before battle—especially when facing enemies known for flaming arrows—the shield would be soaked with water.
• Here’s what that did.
• The wet leather helped the wooden shields to resist igniting making it difficult for flaming arrows to catch and spread.
• The thick, layered construction prevented arrows from penetrating deeply.
• The curved design helped deflect incoming projectiles rather than absorb them straight on.
• A Roman soldier kept his shield ready prior to battle.
• He made sure it was conditioned, and reinforced, to stand against and neutralize incoming attacks, including fire.
• Paul used this concept to communicate a vital truth to Jesus followers.
• To push back darkness your faith must be ready to go.
• Smith Wigglesworth said this and with that thought here is the Quote of the Day.

If you wait to get faith, when you need faith, you’re too late.

• So let’s sum up before we go forward.
• The Greek word ‘destroy’ shows us that Satan’s kingdom is dissolved and undone.
• As the gospel is preached, the bondages of men crumble.
• As men rise to declare Jesus is Lord, Satan’s kingdom shrinks.
• These newly born souls with the Spirit inspired revelation that they can resist darkness rise up with shield in hand.
• Fiery darts turn into puff balls.
• Satan roars but nothing comes of it.
• So while demons are endeavoring to communicate that they are so powerful, the truth is their kingdom is getting weaker as time barrels towards the Millennial Reign of Jesus.
• The battle is against lies.
• Push back against the lies with the truth.
• Your Bible is your best friend here.
• Ephesians six calls all of this engagement—‘wrestling.’

Ephesians 6:12 (AMP) — 12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

• Always keep in mind that this wrestling is against a defeated foe whose kingdom is crumbling.

Why Spiritual Territory Must Be Maintained

Matthew 12:43–45 (NASB 2020) — 43 “Now when the unclean spirit comes out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they come in and live there; and the last condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”

• Notice, when the devil is cast out, after a while he returns.
• If he finds the solid shield of faith, he leaves.
• If he doesn’t, he brings reinforcements seven-fold.
• Mark this down—don’t forget it.
• Darkness always grows back unless it is continually cut back.

Advancing the Gospel—Cutting Back the Darkness

• And with that thought, here is the Illustration of the Day.
• The Jungle Trail and the Advance of the Gospel
• In some tropical regions of the world, jungle vegetation grows so aggressively that workers must cut trails daily with machetes just to keep the pathway open.
• Certain bamboo species can grow nearly two inches per hour under ideal conditions.
• Elephant grass can rise several inches in a single day and quickly swallow entire pathways.
• Vines, brush, and thick undergrowth constantly press inward trying to reclaim whatever has been cleared.
• If the trail is neglected even briefly, the jungle immediately starts taking ground back.
• That is a powerful picture of spiritual reality.
• Darkness never stops pressing.
• Demonic influence never become passive.
• The kingdom of darkness is always attempting to reclaim territory in people, cities, governments, minds, families, and cultures.
• That is why believers cannot live spiritually inactive lives.

1 John 3:8 (NASB 2020) — “…The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”

• Notice Jesus did not come merely to observe the works of the devil.
• He came to destroy them.
• And now the Church has been left here as His body in the earth to continue enforcing His victory through prayer, preaching, authority, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Prayer is spiritual machete work.
• Every time believers pray in authority, proclaim the Gospel, stand on the Word, or resist darkness, they are cutting back spiritual overgrowth.
• They are pushing back against forces that constantly attempt to spread, entangle, blind, and dominate.
• And just like jungle workers cannot clear a path once and assume it stays open forever, Christians cannot push back darkness one time and assume the work is finished.
• Spiritual territory must continually be maintained through persistent prayer and God given authority.
• This is why the Gospel surges wherever believers actively push back darkness.
• The Gospel advances when somebody keeps the path open.
• Revival breaks out when somebody refuses to let the jungle grow unchecked.
• Entire regions change when Christians stop retreating and start cutting forward again in prayer and authority.
• Darkness advances where nobody resists it—but the Gospel surges wherever believers push it back through prayer, truth, and the power of Jesus Christ.

Daniel and the Prince of Persia

• Jesus followers share this planet with demons trying to hold back the light of the Gospel.

Daniel 10:1–2 (NASB 2020) — 1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named ; and the message was true and it concerned great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision. 2 In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks.

• Daniel was praying about Jeremiah’s seventy-year prophecy.
• That prophecy stated that Israel would be slaves to Babylon for seventy years.
• This period was coming to a close and there was no sign of its fulfillment.
• While he was praying, the Spirit of God showed Daniel a vision in which he saw an angel coming to him with a message.

**Daniel 10:10–14 (NASB 2020) — 10 Then behold, a hand touched me and shook me on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, “Daniel, you who are treasured, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand at your place, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was standing in my way for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, because the vision pertains to the days still future.”

• Now compare Daniel 10:1 with Daniel 10:13.

Daniel 10:1 (NASB) — 1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, Daniel 10:13 (NASB) — 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was standing in my way for twenty-one days;

• Persia had two rulers, a physical one and a spiritual one.
• The physical one was Cyrus the king of Persia.
• But there was a Prince of Persia as well.
• This prince was not a flesh and bone human but a demon spirit ruler.
• This demon prince was trying to thwart Daniels prayers and, by so doing, derail the plan of God.
• Daniel’s prayers punched through the darkness—they were heard immediately by heaven—but the answer was delayed by the demon spirit of Persia.
• This demon prince sought to influence the physical king of Persia against the purposes of God.
• This happens in all the nations of the world.
• The spiritual forces influencing Persia in Daniel’s day did not disappear.
• Demonic powers still seek to influence nations, rulers, and governments today.
• Persia is modern day Iran.
• You can see that a Prince of Persia type spirit at work right now.
• Maybe it’s the same one.
• Demons try to thwart the plan of God by speaking in the ears of the kings of the earth.
• A Persia-type spiritual influence still seeks to shape Iranian leadership today.
• This is happening right now.
• Jesus followers must push back with authority exercised through prayer for these same kings so that they draw from the wisdom of God instead of the devilish wisdom of demons.
• This pushing must be continuous.
• Satan shoots his fiery darts constantly at all men, not just believers trying to undermine God’s plan.
• Unsaved earthly rulers have no defense against these attacks.
• They need help—your help.
• Kings are heavily influenced by darkness.
• So this pushing must be continuous.
• Darkness always grows back unless it is continually cut back.
• Now, one of the definitions of prayer is joining forces with God, the Father.
• Together, we join forces with the Father to push back the darkness so His plan can go forward.

When the Church Stops Being the Church

• The call to arms is not optional.

Ephesians 6:12 (NASB 2020) — 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

• Before Hitler rose to power, many traditional Protestant churches in Germany strongly resisted Pentecostal and Spirit-filled movements.
• These churches preferred structured religion, institutional control, and established theological systems over the bold, supernatural, spiritually confrontational Christianity associated with Pentecostal revival.
• Spirit-filled preaching, fervent prayer, supernatural ministry, and emphasis on the active work of the Holy Spirit were often viewed with suspicion and resisted.
• In many places, churches became increasingly formal while losing spiritual sharpness and spiritual resistance.
• Then came political upheaval.
• Fear spread across the nation.
• Social instability increased.
• Radical political darkness began rising.
• And instead of forcefully pushing back spiritually, many churches turned inward, became passive, compromised, or aligned themselves with political power.
• A movement known as the “German Christians” even attempted to blend Christianity together with Nazi ideology.
• Rather than confronting darkness, parts of the church accommodated it.
• The result was devastating.
• One of the darkest governments in world history rose in the middle of a nation filled with churches.¹
• The lesson is sobering:
• When spiritual fire is resisted and believers stop pushing back darkness, darkness never remains passive—it advances.
• Darkness does not retreat automatically.
• Somebody must resist it.
• A church that loses spiritual boldness eventually loses spiritual influence.
• When believers stop cutting back darkness, darkness reclaims territory.
• This is why the Church must rise up, take its rightful seat of authority and push back.²
• Souls are at stake because history shows what happens when the Church stops resisting spiritually.
• Germany did not fall in a single night.
• It fell and darkness advanced when the Church stopped being the Church.
• Push back against darkness.

Romans 13:12 (NASB 2020) — 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

• Jesus follower, this is not the hour to retreat.
• This is not the hour to grow careless, distracted, sleepy, or spiritually dull.
• Darkness is pressing—but the light of Jesus Christ crushes the works of darkness.
• Jesus already stripped darkness of its authority and laid it bare.
• He’s already done everything He is going to do about Satan and his emissaries.
• Now you, the Church, must rise and engage your responsibility exercising authority through prayer by the direction of the Holy Spirit.
• Push back against injustice.
• Push back against demons causing riots and disturbances.
• Push back against rulers of the darkness stirring political upheaval.
• Push back against evil spirits trying to upend the economic sector of our nation.
• Push back against darkness.
• Cut it back with the authority of Almighty God.
• And as believers rise up and enforce the victory of Jesus Christ, darkness will be pushed back, the Gospel will surge forward, and precious souls will come to know Jesus Christ as Lord.

Your Life Affects the Advance of the Gospel

• So what do we do with all of this?
• The Church was not left in the earth to watch darkness advance.
• Jesus already defeated the kingdom of darkness, but the Church has been left here to enforce His victory.
• That means your prayer life matters.
• Your understanding of authority matters.
• Your obedience to the voice of the Holy Spirit matters.
• Your time in the Word matters.
• Your spiritual alertness matters.
• Every time believers obey the Holy Spirit, rise up in prayer, stand on the Word of God, exercise spiritual authority, and resist the forces of darkness, the kingdom of Satan loses ground and the Gospel surges forward.
• Hell cannot freely advance where believers are praying, resisting darkness, and enforcing the victory of Jesus Christ.
• Darkness cannot stand where believers rise up in the authority of Jesus Christ.
• So, this week—accept the challenge.
• Stand Firm—Push Back—Advance the Gospel.
• This week, rise up and take your place in spiritual resistance.
• Make time to pray and move by the direction of the Holy Spirit.
• Stay rooted in the Word of God.
• Keep spiritually awake and alert.
• Push back against the lies and pressures of darkness.
• Push back against spiritual forces trying to influence minds, homes, cities, and nations.
• Pray for Kings and all who are in positions of authority.
• The advance of the Gospel is your responsibility.
• And wherever the Holy Spirit directs you—stand your ground and enforce the victory of Jesus Christ.
• And remember:
• Darkness always presses—but it cannot withstand the authority of Jesus Christ working through yielded believers.

Prayer of Commitment

Pray this prayer with me right now—bow your head. Father God, we understand our responsibility to pray and exercise authority. Use us—we are willing to pray for kings and all who are in authority just as your Word says. Lord, we desire to push darkness back with the Name of Jesus so that your plan may go forward and all men can be saved. Just speak the Word and we will act. Show us where and how and we will go and do. Direct us by your Holy Spirit today. We yield our sword to you so that we can use the Sword in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

• If this podcast helped strengthen your understanding of spiritual authority, prayer, and pushing back darkness, share it with someone who needs encouragement in their walk with God.
• And remember to follow the Light on Life Podcast so you never miss an episode as we continue learning how to hear God’s voice, walk in His will, and advance His Kingdom in the earth.
• You can also visit EmeryHorvath.com for more Bible teaching posts and podcast episodes. to help you grow strong in God’s Word.
• And always remember:
• The light of Jesus Christ still shines in the darkness—and the darkness cannot overcome it.
• Why The Gospel Actually Surges When You Push Back Darkness.
• You guys have a great God week and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life.

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