Storm the Gates of Hell

Matthew 16:18, “…and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
 
I love the International Feast! The food is amazing and the worship is probably as close as we are going to get to being in heaven. Everyone pitches in and takes care of all the work that is necessary to pull it off. Did I mention how much I love the food?
 
This year the feast has really gotten me thinking about “the big C” Church-not just our congregation but the entirety of God’s Church around the world. Throughout this year we have been talking about the importance of discipleship-growing closer to Jesus and helping others grow closer to him too-but then the Lord revealed another aspect of what we are supposed to be doing as the church.
 
We don’t just help others. We storm the gates of hell. We don’t just help people feel better. We take back what hell has stolen. We don’t sit in a service hoping we have paid enough for fire insurance. We willingly take on the fires of hell in the power of the gospel to bring salvation, restoration, healing, and wholeness.
 
Here is the message I’m hearing from God in all of this. “Don’t stop short.” Don’t just pray. Cry out to God with all your heart. Don’t just read the Bible. Study God’s word like your life depended on what it says. Don’t just fellowship with others. Build real relationships that help you and others make disciples. Don’t just come to a church building. Be the church that storms the gates of hell to take back what hell has stolen. Others are depending on us to have the faith to lead them to faith in Jesus.   Let’s show this world what “the big C” Church can do!
 
In Him,
Pastor Tim