The reign of Christ was manifested in Thessalonica too, through the salvation of many people who heard and believed the gospel. The Kingdom made progress in Thessalonica, but Paul also testifies in 1 Thessalonians that the Thessalonian Jews' opposition to the gospel was the work of Satan. In other words, brothers and sisters, once again we see the clash of kingdoms. God's Kingdom is on the attack, smashing in the gates of hell and bringing people out of the Kingdom of Darkness. But the Kingdom of Darkness fights back by ignobly recruiting riffraff, loiterers in the marketplace, and deploying them to riot and keep the gospel from spreading. You see, though Luke makes it clear that the Kingdom of God will eventually triumph, he isn't trying to minimize the reality of the conflict. Satan's Kingdom can and does fight back, and it can cause some serious damage in the medium-term. We should still throw in our lot with God's Kingdom; it is certain to win in the long run. But don't expect to win every engagement with the forces of darkness!
