The assassination of Charlie Kirk has rattled so many, myself included. I’ve been in prayer and meditation, asking the Holy Spirit for guidance. My heart was drawn to Philippians chapter one, where Paul—writing from prison—shows us how to face persecution, pressure, and even death with unshakable hope in Christ.

Charlie Kirk was murdered for one reason: his life and work were rooted in Christ. He was a light shining in the darkness, unashamed of the gospel and his Redeemer, Jesus Christ. And Jesus Himself said, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

Charlie Kirk was a modern-day example of this light John spoke of. His life radiated the love of Christ—whether on a college campus in front of thousands of students or through millions of screens on social media. He handled the most controversial topics with grace, confronting error with facts and truth, all while being firmly grounded in Scripture and sound doctrine. Evil could not ignore that light. And it was evil—driven by the god of this world—that used a lost soul as a weapon to silence him.

But here’s the truth: darkness cannot overcome the light.

Living and Dying for Christ (Philippians 1:20–21)

Paul wrote, “Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20–21).

This is the anchor for us right now. Charlie’s life magnified Christ, and his death does the same. The world may see tragedy and loss, but heaven sees victory—because when a believer lays down their life, willingly or unwillingly, Christ is glorified.

The Holy Spirit inspired words in Philippians 1 remind us that no matter what the enemy tries—whether through intimidation, persecution, or even death—the gospel will advance.

Standing Firm in Unity (Philippians 1:27–28)

Paul then exhorts believers:

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God” (Philippians 1:27–28).

This is our call in the face of Charlie’s Kirks death:

• To conduct ourselves in a way that honors the gospel.
• To remain unshaken, immovable, united as the body of Christ.
• To stand together, shoulder to shoulder, for the faith of the gospel.

The world will try to frighten us into silence. But every time we refuse to back down, it is a sign to our adversaries of their coming judgment and a testimony to us of our salvation.

Suffering as a Gift of Grace (Philippians 1:29)

Paul closes this section with words that are difficult for our flesh to accept but powerful for our spirit to embrace:

“For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29).

Satan wants to silence believers through intimidation, persecution, and fear of death. But God says suffering for Christ is not defeat—it is a gift of grace. With that gift comes eternal reward and the power to shine all the brighter in a dark world.

The Bottom Line

Charlie Kirk’s assassination is heartbreaking. Yet the gospel tells us this truth: the blood of the saints has always been the seed of the church. The enemy thinks he can kill the messenger and silence the message. But what happens instead? The gospel spreads further, and the light shines brighter.

So let’s honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy the way I’m sure he would have wanted: not with hatred or destruction, but with boldness in Christ. Let us stand firm, united, unafraid, and proclaim the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere we go.

Because the darker it gets, the brighter the light of Christ shines.

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)