The Gates of Hell Shall not Prevail

The Gates of Hell Shall not Prevail!

Jesus said:

“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Mt 16:18)

The phrase pulai hadou (gates of hell) is a Jewish expression meaning “realm of the dead.” The same two words appear in the Septuagint version of Job 38:17: “Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness [ puloroi de hadou]?” They appear again in Isaiah 38:10: “I said in the middle of my days I must depart; I am consigned to the gates of Sheol [pulais hadou] for the rest of my years.” In both passages, pulai hadou is a euphemism for death.

There is no doubt that we are involved in an intense spiritual warfare. God is impressing upon us that we are in a battle against an enemy who is taking the offensive against us. Satan’s kingdom is not divided and disorganized as some would believe, but is a highly organized array of spiritual powers and principalities. However, God is also impressing upon us that we have the authority to take the initiative against our enemy, and effectively counteract his ruling spirits and influences.

In fact, if we do not take the initiative against Satan, he will take the initiative against us. Whether we like it or not, we are at war with the kingdom of Satan, and we must not settle for a negotiated peace. We must utterly dominate Satan and his co-workers.

As I pondered this, I realized that Satan has a place, a gate, where he counsels together with his forces and exercises authority out of that council. To effectively counteract those satanic forces then, the Church needs its leadership, under the head of Jesus Christ, to gather together in unity and harmony in a sense of government. When this happens the gates of hell will be no match for the Church.

some Christians are not even aware of who or what the Church is. My understanding of the Greek term which gives us the ward "church," is that it is similar to the governmental houses in the United States which used to be called "assemblies." It is men coming together in right order, exercising a certain amount of rule and authority. This type of order and unity represents a tremendous threat to Satan, because his basic strategy towards the Church has always been to divide and conquer. As Jesus said, "Any kingdom divided against itself would be no match for its opposition. For this reason it is necessary for the leadership of the Church to assemble together, counsel together and exercise the corporate authority needed to defeat the government of Satan.

Adam failed in his delegated responsibility to rule the earth for the Lord, and that enabled Satan’s rulership to be established. But Jesus won the right of rulership back, and as we come together and align ourselves with Jesus, once again exercising the authority and dominion that Adam forfeited, there is a clash of governments — a conflict between the government of Satan and the government of God.

Satan, through trying to influence governments in the world, is trying to take dominion over the earth or at least regain his former dominion.

Jesus follows this by saying “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven” so that what the church binds and looses on earth will be bound and loosed in heaven. Whatever the church locks up when it bashes down the gates of Hades will be locked up in heaven, and whatever it unlocks and sets free will be set free in heaven.

Another corporate picture, in addition to the one of our being the army of God, is a picture that we are still trying to come to grips with in many ways, that or being God’s government on earth. To successfully attack the strongholds of the nations, "binding the strong man" and "plundering his home" and thus ultimately fulfil the Great Commission to disciple not only individuals but nations, is going to take the authority of Christ invested in His people as a corporate Body under the government of God. Against this type of Church assembly the gates of hell are no match.

2Cor. 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

The Realm of Death and its arrays cannot Overcome the Triumphant Church.

REFERENCE:

1. Chuck pierce - storming the gates of hell(Spiritual Warfare)