Contrary to popular opinion, darkness doesn’t overcome light, but light overcomes darkness. According to the Apostle John, when “the light shines in the darkness the darkness [cannot] overcome it” (John 1:5). Think about it; all of the darkness in the universe cannot overcome the least little perceptible light. 

Why are we, the light of the world, on the run in these dark days? We shouldn’t be cowering in today’s world; neither should we be retreating from it. Instead, we should be charging into it! We shouldn’t be on the defensive, with a monastery mentality, but on the offensive, with an attack mentality. After all, “we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus promised us that “the gates of hell” could “not prevail against” His church. Many misinterpret these words of our Lord as defensive rather than offensive. They believe that the church will survive in the end by the hair of its “chinny chin chin.” In other words, if we’ll only hunker down and hold on, the forces of hell will not prevail against us, no matter how much they pummel us.

Ask yourself this question: “Have you ever seen gates jump off their hinges and attack anyone?” Gates don’t attack you; you attack them. Christ’s words in Matthew 16:18 are not defensive, but offensive. The church is not being pictured as under attack, but as on the attack. It is not pictured as under siege by Satan, but as storming the gates of hell itself. Furthermore, Christ promises that His charging church cannot be held back, not even by the gates of hell. The church is promised by Christ to prevail!

“Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” (C. T. Studd)