THE ADVANCING CHURCH
Study Text: Matthew 16: 13 – 19
Introduction:
- Jesus questioned His disciples concerning His identity:
a. He asked who others thought He was
b. He then asked who they thought He was
c. Peter responded: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
d. Jesus commended Peter, stating that his confession of faith was based upon what the Father Himself had revealed
- Jesus then used this opportunity to speak of His church
a. He promised to build His church
b. He mentioned the foundation upon which it would be built
c. He described the ultimate victory of His church
d. He spoke of great authority that would be given
- In this passage, Jesus tells us a little about the character of the church He is going to build.
- First, He says that the church is to be built upon Himself. Jesus Himself is the foundation of the church. His death, shed blood and resurrection form the foundation upon which the church stands.
- Then, Jesus says His church is to be a militant church. He says that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Gates are not offense weapons, but they are defensive in nature.
- The church Jesus described was not a body of weak, oppressed people who were sitting around in fear waiting on the next attack of the devil. Instead, the church Jesus pictures is one that is on the move.
- They are active in the Lord's work and they are charging the very strongholds of Hell itself. They do not operate on fear, but on faith. Literally, the church Jesus came to found is a church that Satan and his kingdom cannot overpower.
- We shall discuss the topic under three sub-headings:
1. The Foundation of the Church
2. The Fortification of the Church
3. The Fantabulous Gift to the Church
1. The Foundation of the Church
- Every building has a foundation, the strength of which determine the stability and strength of the building.
- Then, if the Church is described as a building, then there must be a foundation.
- Jesus is the Rock upon which the Church is built. 1 Cor 3:11. The foundation of the Church has several implication:
1. The Strength of the Church
- The Church is built on the right, sure and solid foundation, hence, it is expected to stand the test of time.
2. The Guiding Principles of the Church
- The Church is to be guided by the principles of truth, love and righteousness, not just for a while, but as long as it exists.
3. The Mission of the Church
- The mission of the Church is to be a local assembly of believers, gathered together for the work of God: elevating the Saviour, evangelizing the sinner and edifying the saints
4. The Power of the Church
- The Church is expected to operate only through the power of the Holy Spirit in following the principles and fulfilling the mission. Acts 1: 8
5. The Future of the Church
- The Church has a future home in heaven, after faithful observation of the guiding principles and fulfilling the mission here on earth.
- All of the hardships, afflictions and heartbreaks of this life will soon be over for Christians, and we will be in the presence, provision and safety of our loving Saviour in Heaven (John 14:1-3).
- All these truth about the Church has been established from the foundation which is based on Christ, the Son of the Living God.
2. The Fortification of the Church
- The Builder of the Church is aware that the Church will face terrible opposition from the enemy, and has fortified the Church to be victorious.
- The truth is that very few believers view the Christian life as a spiritual war that we are engaged in as soldiers for Christ.
- The battle has already been won when Jesus raised up from the dead triumphantly. We are on the winning side in Christ Jesus.
- The Bible calls every believer a “soldier” of Jesus Christ. Every Christian believer is enrolled in God's army against the flesh, the world and the Devil.
- Those are every Christian's three enemies in life: the flesh, the world and Satan. We are at spiritual war! Ephesians 6:12
The Devil works to destroy every Christian, roaming about as a roaring lion seeking whom to devour (1st Peter 5:8).
- The gates of Hell will not be able to withstand or withhold the advancing church. This is because:
1. The Builder of the Church
- The Builder has got all that is required for all-round victory. He knew no sin, He paid the price for our sins, He has been given a name above every other name and a power above every other power.
2. The Foundation of the Church
- The Church has been built on a sure tested and solid foundation, well prepared for victory at all times.
3. The Promised Victory of the Church
- Jesus has already promised that the Church will always prevail against the gates of Hell, and He can never fail His promise.
- Jesus is saying that he who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. His power is greater than the power of the enemy.
- When there is a head-on conflict between the power of the enemy and the power of God, the power of the enemy will lose every time.
4. The Authority of the Church
- The Church has been given the keys of the kingdom of Heaven to open and close under the guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. The Fantabulous Gift to the Church
- The Local Church has been placed by God in the locality so that the Church can advance and take over the Territory around it, bringing down strongholds of the devil. This is the most important responsibility of Church.
- The Church had been given the Keys of the Kingdom, and the authority to bind and loose with heavenly back-up’
- Jesus Himself, who is the owner of the Church describes Himself as the one that has the keys of David, and He opens and shut at wills without restrictions and opposition.
- These keys have been given to the Church to open certain doors and to close certain doors.
- The Church must close the doors of anything within or without that does not glorify God.
- For instance, the Church succeeded in closing the door of oppression by king Herod, when God miraculously delivered Peter at the request of the Church. Acts 12: 1- 5.
- The Church must identified all the promises and blessings of God that the enemy is preventing from coming to manifestations through closed doors, and must open those doors
- The Church must be forceful in advancing and Proclaiming the Victory of Jesus. (Matt 16:18-19)
- The Gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Church as Jesus has defeated the devil and we are the manifestation of his Victory. (Matt 16:18).
- The gates of hell represents all the demons and evil strategies that Satan can marshall in an attempt to destroy the Church or to withstand its mission in the world.
- The Church will rise up in faith, authority and the power of the Holy Spirit to righteously assault Satan’s kingdom and domain of darkness by delivering people from sin, disease, bondage and oppression.
- This means that the Church will go into the enemy’s Territories and not wait for the enemy to come. (Gen 22:17)
- The Church has been given the authority to bind all demonic spirits that keeps the people in bondage of any kind, and those that prevent people from seeing the gospel light towards their salvation. 2 Cor 4: 3 – 4.
- The Church cannot experience failure or disappointment in the use of this fantabulous gift as long as the Church remains in the will of God.
- The Church can never be destroyed or successfully be resisted by Satan. The Church has been given the keys to bind demons and diseases and to loose the prisoner of sins, addiction and sickness from their bondage and captivity unto salvation.
Conclusion:
The advancing Church can never be destroyed, nor be successfully hindered by the kingdom of darkness from fulfilling its mission here on earth to the glory of God.
