Lightning Storm

Good morning, church family!

I love to watch a good lightning storm… from a distance! Being directly underneath one is not nearly as much fun.

Last night’s lightning storm reminded me of one night the summer before last when I was a co-dean for a junior week at Nebowa church camp. Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for our area throughout the night. I was lying on my bunk, wide awake while most of the camp was asleep. Outside my window, a thunderstorm was raging. For almost an hour, I watched continuous lightning strikes. Partly because I was concerned for the safety of the campers, but mostly because I was mesmerized by the light show.

We ended up experiencing nothing more than some hard rain and a little bit of wind at camp. But watching that lightning storm was better than any fireworks display I have ever seen.

Perhaps God created lightning in part, to give us a glimpse of His power. I sometimes imagine that if God were to speak audibly to us, it would sound like thunder (see John 12:29).

I believe Jesus enjoyed a good lightning storm.

The only thing I have to support that statement is something Jesus said in Luke 10. Jesus had sent out 72 disciples to do ministry. We sometimes forget that Jesus had many other followers besides the twelve.

When the 72 returned, they were excited because they had been able to cast demons out of people in Jesus’ name. Then Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” —Luke 10:18–19

For many years, I read that passage without giving it much thought. Like many of us, I assumed Jesus was simply describing what He had seen when Satan was cast out of heaven. We find descriptions of Satan’s fall in Revelation 12 and Isaiah 14.

But digging deeper we find there are two different verb tenses used in verse 19. Jesus said, “I saw.” The tense means an ongoing progression. Jesus saw a repeated and progressive action. The second verb is “Satan fall.” This verb tense describes an immediate and quick action.

Jesus was watching Satan fall like a lightning bolt again and again.

Satan didn’t just lose his position in Heaven. He was defeated again when he couldn’t stop the virgin birth of a prophesied king. He was defeated when Jesus overcame his temptations in the wilderness. He was ultimately defeated when Jesus conquered death and rose from the grave. And Jesus has continued to watch Satan lose ever since.

Now imagine what Jesus saw when those 72 disciples returned from their ministry.

Every time they cast out a demon, shared the good news, prayed for someone, or witnessed God bring healing, Jesus saw another lightning strike in the spiritual realm.

His fall was not simply the fall from heaven. Jesus pictured him falling like a lightning strike from the heavens—again and again, every time the kingdom of God advanced.

Repeatedly, Satan received a beatdown!

And that same power is available to us—not because of who we are, but because Jesus lives within us.

So let’s claim the authority Jesus has given us and allow Him to use us to create more lightning strikes in the spiritual realm.

Every time we pray in Jesus’ name, share His love with someone, proclaim the good news, pray for healing, or stand against the work of the enemy, forgive an enemy, we participate in another flash of light and another victory for the kingdom of God.

I think Jesus likes a good lightning storm.

Blessings,
Pastor David