Darkness Cannot Overcome

I was having a conversation the other day with a brother and we were reminiscing on the first days of ministry when our church and the ministry was still in its toddler years. I realized that we are so blessed and privileged to be part of that initial phase of the ministry. Not everyone gets that chance.

We reminisced on how we were subjected to very tough discipline. It was mainly because of our pastor's calling. Pastor Kevork had lived seven years as a mystic in prayer, in solitude in his room, after giving away all of his possessions. After seven years, the Lord called him to the life of ministry and He told him that He will start seeing miracles and healings, and the rest is history.

In the early days, we had services every day. We served every day. I even skipped lunch breaks and came to church to pray. I was eager to receive the gift of tongues. I used to mess up big time tough! I was rude, clumsy and not a very friendly person. I got disciplined harshly. To date, I do not know how I took all that correction and kept on pressing forward even harder. Even when taking initiatives to advance the work of the ministry, I was confronted with the Pastor testing my intentions. 

It was tough! I'm not even talking about the persecution. Now, that was on a whole other level. I was confronted by my parents, my boss, colleagues, friends, relatives, clergy in my old domination, you name it!

Then there was the inner struggle. The urge to break through. The urge to "give birth". There were some inner strongholds that needed to be abolished. There was pride, attitude problems, rebellion, you name it, the list goes on.

Under all that pressure, disciples were made. Under all that pressure, I believe, different type of ministers were forged. Those who were called and who answered the call with willingness to undergo change, the type of change that hurts, that is bitter, that costs, but is also sweet at the same time.

The thing that kept me pressing forward was a fire, which just like in the story of Moses, started in an encounter with a little bush, in my bedroom when I obeyed God's call and surrendered my whole life to Him and keeps on growing to this day, from a spark to a raging volcano. That fire, I believe is what the apostle John testifies to when He says: "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (or overcome it)." (John 1:4-5) 

I've seen many drift away. I've had my own downfalls as well, but I got back up. Something inside of me just couldn't give up. It was no human effort, or spirit of competition, or a challenge to prove my self-worth. It was the Life that was in me. You would argue by saying that didn't others have the same Life in them, who fell away? My answer is, it is not up to me decide or to judge. I can only testify of my own story. A violent story of a sweet and tender loving God.

Whatever phase you are going through in your spiritual walk with Jesus, I would like to encourage you, by reassuring you that with the fire lid in your heart, you have overcome the world, you have overcome darkness, overcome fear, depravity and aggression. And no matter how comfortable you would like to convince yourself to be right now, you know full well that your satisfaction in Him is a never-ending journey of love, hope and perseverance; a journey in which He is the ship, the anchor, the sail and the wind, a journey where you get to play the role of the captain, just so you can get the prize in the end. 

By identifying ourselves with the Lord and Him crucified, we immediately set ourselves apart from the world, declare our belonging, reclaim our true origin, set ourselves for the ride of our lives and press forward toward the ultimate prize. God is with you. He is in you. He desires to move you. God bless you!