The assassination of Charlie Kirk, the visionary behind Turning Point USA, has sent shockwaves through the nation, stirring a prophetic awakening. Evangelist Daniel Kolenda, in a powerful response, discerns a profound spiritual reality: the bullet that severed Kirk’s vocal cord was not a random act but a deliberate strike by the powers of darkness to silence the voice of God’s Word, particularly to Gen Z on university campuses. As Psalm 94:16 (ESV) declares, “Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers?” Kirk stood as a voice crying out in the academic wilderness, and his death signals an urgent call for the church to rise in this hour of spiritual warfare.

Campuses: The Battleground for Souls

University campuses are not mere institutions; they are spiritual battlegrounds where the seeds of truth or deception are sown. For decades, these campuses have been fertile soil for teachings that stray far from the Holy Scriptures—ideologies of secular humanism, relativism, and what Kolenda rightly calls dark influences. These seeds, as Jesus warned in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:24-25), are like weeds sown by the enemy while the world sleeps, choking out the good seed of God’s Word. The harvest is evident in the moral and spiritual decay permeating our cities, politics, and culture. Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) reminds us, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Tragically, campuses have trained generations in paths leading away from God, shaping leaders who propagate godless worldviews.

Yet, God’s redemptive plan is at work. Charlie Kirk, through Turning Point USA, sowed gospel seeds in this same soil, wielding philosophical rigor and biblical apologetics to proclaim Christ as the Savior of the world. His efforts, unparalleled among modern preachers, turned campuses into fields ripe for revival. As Jesus said in John 4:35 (ESV), “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.” Kolenda’s prophetic word declares Kirk’s death a turning point—a divine moment for the church to reclaim campuses for Christ. Videos of students turning to Scripture in the wake of this tragedy testify to a spiritual hunger among Gen Z, a generation awakening to the truth of 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV): “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Pivoting to Spiritual Warfare 

This is no mere cultural clash; it is spiritual warfare of cosmic proportions. Ephesians 6:12 (ESV) reveals the true nature of the battle:

 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

The enemy’s assault on Kirk—a symbolic silencing of a prophetic voice—exposes Satan’s desperation to maintain control over campuses, where future leaders are shaped. As 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) warns, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The severed vocal cord is a chilling metaphor for the enemy’s attempt to mute the gospel’s proclamation. Yet, God’s Word assures us that no weapon formed against His purposes will prosper (Isaiah 54:17). To fight this battle with human strategies—cultural arguments or political solutions—is to wield straw against a furnace. We must put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11), wielding the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17), to counter the principalities seeking to dominate these sacred grounds.

Campuses are strategic in this spiritual war. They are where worldviews are forged, where the seeds of revival or ruin take root. The enemy knows this, targeting young minds to perpetuate darkness. But God is raising up laborers, as Jesus instructed in Matthew 9:38 (ESV): “Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Kirk’s martyrdom has ignited a fire, with students turning to Christ in unprecedented ways. His death, though tragic, has become a catalyst, fulfilling Romans 8:28 (ESV): “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

What’s Next for Christendom? 

The question remains: what’s next for the church in this battle for souls? We cannot abandon the campuses, for to do so is to surrender the harvest field to the enemy. Kirk’s legacy calls us to equip a new generation of believers—apologists, evangelists, and disciples—who will carry the gospel into the heart of academia. As Isaiah responded to God’s call, “Here am I! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8), so must we answer with urgency. This is our moment to sow gospel seeds with boldness, to water them with prayer, and to trust God for a mighty harvest. Let us proclaim, as Habakkuk 2:14 (ESV) envisions, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

The church must act swiftly, training young warriors to stand firm in the truth, as 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV) urges: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” Let us reclaim campuses as places where God’s voice resounds, where revival takes root, and where Gen Z encounters the transformative power of Christ. For the glory of God, let us seize this turning point to take our campuses—and the world—for the Kingdom. Amen.