"Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Matt. 16:18
While the New Testament states unequivocally that Christ totally defeated the powers of darkness in his atoning work, it also makes clear that the results of this victory still remain to be worked out through the increasing liberation of the earth from the occupying army of hostile spirits. Jesus told his disciples, "I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the powers of the enemy and nothing shall hurt you." (Lk 10:19) It is actually the risen Lord who is striding forth through his body on earth, striking the forces of darkness with the two-edged sword of truth, driving them back and chaining their influence among the nations through the transforming power of the gospel. Paul tells the Roman Christians, "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet" (Rom 16:20). In folk religion the posture of the Christian toward fallen angels is defensive; in Scripture the church is on the offensive, and the blows it receives from Satan come from a retreating enemy.
Richard Lovelace, Dynamics of the Spiritual Life, 136.
"Why can't we reach out to the people around us? Why don't people seem interested in the gospel?"
I have heard both of these questions asked numerous times in the past month. As I hear it, I always struggle to come up with an answer. There are always many, many reasons why our evangelism and outreach is in effective. Sometimes our message is not presented clearly. Sometimes our cultural baggage gets in the way of reach those outside our culture. Sometimes outreach does not occur because people talk about it, but do not do it (OK this one happens often!). It could be a combination of all these things.
Yet, sometimes outreach to the searching gets lost because folks have not taken the spiritual dimension of evangelism to heart.
We are in a battle. There are shots rings out, bullets flying over our heads, and real conflict in front of us. Because most believers do not believe this or live like it is true, those who take ministry, evangelism, and outreach seriously often get wounded in this battle. Unfortunately, they have few who will assist them with their real needs- prayer, fasting, encouragement, and instruction.
When you repent and believe in Jesus, you enter a whole new realm of existence. The spiritual, while always present, becomes more real. Why? Before faith you were totally captured and bound by the world, the flesh and the devil. When faith comes by the Holy Spirit, you are set free by a changed heart. Now, your life is marked by a constant choice. Will I follow the leading of the Spirit and walk with God or will I follow the still indwelling flesh that love the sin and death of this world and that listens all to often to the temptations of the evil one. Thus the battle begins in earnest within us!
This is as far as most believers get in their understanding of the work of Christ. It is all about me and my walk. We know our struggles. We rejoice in our victories. Yet, there is so much more! In fact, this inward focus is the cause of most critiques against modern evangelical expressions of Christianity.
While Jesus loves you, His work was really not for you alone! He has called you to join his army. He has called you to take the light He put into your heart to others. He has called and. believe it or not, equipped you to be salt and light wherever He leads you.
Here is where many believers miss the power of the gospel in their life and ministry. As you go forth proclaiming what Christ has done, you will experience difficulty, opposition, anger, and unforeseen road blocks. This will happen! I will also say that if you pray it through and continue in outreach, you will also experience incredible joy, power, personal growth, and people will come to know Jesus. This will happen!
Jesus encountered opposition to His ministry. The apostles encountered opposition to their ministry. All believers throughout the history of the Church encounter opposition. Yet, all who preservere also see the Kingdom advance through their witness.
"The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church."
These folks understood that life, gospel-power, and the Holy Spirit are on always on the offensive. The true Church will be attacking the gates of hell. The enemy must retreat before the glorious Son of God! In His name, we will be demanding the release of prisoners. In His name, we will be asking that the blind regain their sight. Always, always, always, it is not us doing it, but Jesus working through us to build His Church.
We are in a battle. We need to realize this. We also need to find others who understand the full dimensions of this struggle. We need their prayer, encouragement, instruction, and advice. We also need them to join us in praise to God when He works "abundantly beyond all that we can imagine or think, according to His power that is at work within us." (Eph. 3:20)
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