|
Keys, Hades, and the Church
more articles similar to this one are available at: courses online |
"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."
KEYS, HADES, or the CHURCH I remember vividly how shocked I was in the 1970s with our nation's inordinate preoccupation with the occult. Several secular universities actually offered accredited courses in the subject, I was told. Most of us now have become accustomed to horoscopes published in the newspapers and astrologists followed more religiously than some Christians read their Bible. A friend of mine, who is a professor with a significant ministry of exorcism, tells me that a large number of young people are in literal bondage to Satan.In the last two decades this interest in the "supernatural" has obviously intensified. It is, in fact, permeating much of our media. But Christians hardly should be surprised at this phenomenon. The Bible warns us of an acceleration of demonic activity in the "last days." Could it be we are in the last of last days and unaware of it? If hearing about demons being cast out of people in a foreign land gives us cold chills, how are we to deal with the needs in our own back yards? Is not this a strategic moment for the Church to return to a balanced teaching of Scripture, avoiding the extremes of either over-estimating or under-estimating the power of Satan? Believers have no need to fear Satan. Rather we should learn to stand aggressively against him with the same confidence Jesus expressed to Peter: "I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16: 18). Since the power of hell did not prevail against Jesus in death, we can be confident that neither will the strongholds and fortifications of Satan contain the Church in its mandate of world evangelism. The outcome of the mission of the Church is predicated in victory: "The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world: then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14). The keys that Jesus promised are certainly not limited to Peter but are available to all who make that same personal confession: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mat- thew 16:16). This affirmation signifies our rights and authority to march against Satan's gates and literally "bind" and "loose" in Jesus' name. It is most significant that the word "church" or ekklesia reminds us that the body of Christ is expressing only its true nature when it is engaged in spiritual warfare. As we bind Satan on earth we will discover as time passes it has already been done in heaven. An act of binding or loosing is never lost or wasted. Our human waiting is only that period of time during which God is clearing up other matters to make room for the answer. Let the Church reflect its true nature!
-2Corinthians 10.3-6
QUOTABLES: ...from Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) "We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doing, or, our feelings. It is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the saved." "The Gospel offers you no opportunity of going on in sin and escaping without punishment." "If we live near to God "Giving to God is no lose. "It is hell to live without a Savior." "Two little words are good for every Christian to learn and to practice – pray and stay. Waiting on the Lord implies both praying and staying." |
