I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16.19
Jesus is the one building His church, the disciples, pastors and the priests are not the builders of the church. It’s Jesus’ church and not our church. You may be leading a church or ministry but it’s not your personal business enterprise. I hope that’s takes off any pressure as you lead God’s people in any capacity. The bulk of the work doesn’t rest on you, God hasn’t asked us to build his church all by ourselves. What a privilege to partner with God’s Spirit in what He’s already doing.
Some seem to carry the enormous burden of the growth and maturity of those they lead on their shoulders. They get upset or angry when there aren’t outstanding results or the harvest commensurate with the invested effort isn’t achieved. We can encourage, pray and support all those God sends our way but we can’t and won’t be able to do what only God’s Spirit can do, revealing Jesus, creating faith in each heart and enabling each one to pursue Him.
The church is invisible, it’s not limited to the elegantly dressed lads and lasses who attend a regular service each Sunday in a decorated auditorium listening to sonorous choirs and pastors preaching or praying at deafening decibels. Many people who will be heaven may never have been to a church service. The Lord knows those who are His. The Lord is adding to his church daily people we may never meet or see.
And while it seems many are in a race against time to build the largest cathedrals, temples and basilica, as disciples of Jesus, our priority is doing all we can as long as we can to reroute as many people heading to an eternity without God. Sadly, this world and everything in it will be destroyed by fire and our beloved places of worship will not be exempt. But God is building something that will last for eternity.
And we don’t all have to be on stage to partner with Jesus as He builds his church. When you share the gospel with a colleague or host an outreach, when you visit someone in prison or pray with a stranger or give someone a Bible, when you disciple new converts or support a missionary who’s taking the gospel to uncharted territories, you’re co-labouring with Christ. Nothing done in Christ’s name and for His glory is insignificant and will be unrewarded.
Sadly many who think they are building for God’s kingdom will be shocked to find out they were rather building monuments and making a name for themselves. We want to ensure that as we partner with God in building His church, we’re doing so with clean hands, clean hearts and the right motives. Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 1 Corinthians 3.13.
We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6.12. Jesus has prayed for the church that we will be kept from the evil one. John 17.15. The church is the bride of Christ and Jesus looks forward to the day when He will present it spotless and holy. But the enemy continues to deter, discourage, derail and divide the church, as we continue to go round in circles but never going forward, ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of truth.
We have an enemy that wants to keep us bound even when we have been rescued, he wants us down in the dumps bereft of the joy of our salvation, depressed and despairing when we have a hope and an inheritance reserved in heaven for us. The enemy is happy as long as we are secret disciples, ineffective witnesses for Jesus, having a name but lacking in the supernatural power to live a godly life.
He’s happy with the several denominations that dote our landscape, as we continue to fight against ourselves but are unable to work as a team to fulfil the assignment God has entrusted to the church. He wants our vision blurred as we continue to move through life without purpose and direction, he’s happy with our frantic busyness and barrenness. But Jesus says, the gates of hell shall not prevail. Amen
Many times when the phrase ‘gates of hell’ is mentioned, we’re quick to think only about the invisible demonic forces out to destroy all God’s plans for His church. We have an enemy that is aggressive and relentless. But could we be partnering with the enemy in any way? When we refuse to serve the Lord whenever and however we can? When we enjoy the pleasures of sin, might we have become unavailable to be used by God?
When the enemy fills our hearts with pride, and there are no results to boast of, then, we assume that God isn’t working, or with doubts and fear, so we’re unable to work with others or delegate certain tasks as we serve the Lord. Or when the enemy fills our hearts with comparison or competition and we seek to outdo one another as if we’re not working together for the same cause. The enemy doesn’t want us depending on God so we will continue to strive till we struggle with burnout. It’s God’s church, let’s step back and watch Him build.
The principalities and powers and the host of wickedness may attempt to destroy God’s plan for His church, though all the host of hell encamp around us, the Lord will deliver us, the weapons may be formed but they won’t prosper. Down the centuries and across the generations, there have been calculated, consistent and intentional efforts by many who hate Jesus to exterminate the church but Jesus says they will not prevail.
And it’s not because we have prayed so much or that we are more righteous or our security details have been so alert but the mercy and grace of God has preserved us and will continue to preserve His own till He returns. God doesn’t slumber nor sleep, He is still on the throne and in control. And let’s not give up or lose heart while it seems like an evil agenda is winning in our world today or that Christians are becoming a dwindling minority, God’s Spirit is still moving over the emptiness, the darkness and the voidness and drawing many hearts to Himself.
In places and spaces that have been closed to the gospel, there are reports of people who are seeking and turning to the Lord. Many held under the bondage of the enemy, have testified of miracles, deliverance and freedom. As the invisible but intense battle rages, let’s keep our faith in God, in the end, God wins. The gospel will get to every nook and cranny of our world, the tears, sweat and blood shared by many missionaries and church planters will not be in vain.
Someday around God’s throne, all who have surrendered their hearts to the Lord from every tribe, tongue and nation will praise and glorify the Lamb that was slain to rescue us from sin, hell, death and the grave. And the enemy of our souls, the accuser of the brethren, the father of lies, Satan and his hosts will be cast into the lake of fire and be tormented day and night for ever and ever. The gates of hell will not prevail. Halleluyah. Amen