There is this incredible scene in the new Star Wars movie (yes this is a spoiler alert) where Ray is waist deep in a light sabre battle with Kylo Ren (why he isn’t a Darth, I’m not sure). She has recently realized that buried deep inside of her is an ability to use the force. She has only known the force through stories and legends that she has heard – which seems to be enough for her to access it in her times of need. After all, when in times of desperation most of us will reach out for the most abstract and remote possibilities, won’t we?
In any case, she is fighting Kylo, who has been trained and has embraced the dark side of the force. She is fighting with ALL of her human strength, using all of her instincts and self defence skills she has learned over the years of being stuck on a desert planet alone trying to fend for herself.
There is a moment when Ray is losing and Kylo feels and sees her potential, recognizing the strength and determination that she has. With sabres locked between them inches from their faces, Kylo tells Ray that she needs training, and that he will train her in the force.
It’s in this moment that Ray realized and remembers; she has access to something more than her own strength. She has access to the force.
With a quick second to focus, and what almost looks like a quick prayer, she bursts forth with immense strength, overpowering Kylo and disabling the threat.
This scene is incredible to me, because it reflects our fight against the “dark side.” When I’m fighting to avoid sin, whether it be avoiding gossip, negative thoughts, lust or whatever – I’m programmed to believe that I need to rely on my willpower and personal resolve to fight through whatever it is that I’m struggling with.
It’s in exactly those moments that I begin to lose the battle, that the dark side begins to wear me down and I wonder if I’m going to make it through, the final push plunging the sword into me, my own strength failing.
This is the power of the Holy Spirit!
John 14:26 calls the Holy Spirit our helper. He provides power for and through us that we don’t have in our own strength. He gives us words when we don’t have them for ourselves, and the way out of dangerous or complicated situations. Most importantly He is that supernatural force that allows us to fight, push and overpower the devil and his schemes against us.
We aren’t alone!
In those moments where you are tired, beaten down and feeling like there is only an inch away from your failure, remember the Holy Spirit and rise up.
Jesus has defeated the devil, and through Him so can we.
You see, eventually, as Ray becomes aware of the force and makes it more a part of her every day life. She won’t have to remember at the last minute but will fight off the dark side immediately and in the moments where the attack begins.
This is my prayer for each of us, that we would allow the Holy Spirit to become a bigger and better part of our lives and that the devil’s attacks would be thwarted earlier and earlier, enough so that we don’t even notice the attacks and he is simply a mosquito in the room, swatted away and put aside.
May Christ dwell in you and may you acknowledge His presence and remember the power we have in and through His spirit.
Ephesians 3:16-17
*photo credit unknown. Promotional image
Dave McVety's Blog 
I sort of thought that it was a way of acknowledging that even for those who give into the Dark Side, the Light Side doesn’t give up on them, but it calls toward them and asks them to come back. Darth Vader had the ability to close himself off to the light and ignore it’s pull as it never seemed that he was tempted to return to the light before he met Luke; Kylo, on the other hand, does not and there’s a constant flame from the light-side that’s still in him telling him to renounce the Dark Side and come back to the Light.
Absolutely, I can see that too. When we admit where we have messed up and accept responsibility, then we can and are turning to the light… specifically of Jesus through forgiveness and repentance.