Gates of Hades

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Mathew 16:18

Note on "Gates of Hades" from the Holy Bible, Recovery Version

Gates of Hades refers to Satan's authority or power of darkness (Col. 1:13; Acts 26:18), which cannot prevail against the genuine church built by Christ upon this revelation concerning Him as the rock, with stones such as Peter, a transformed human being. This word of the Lord's indicates also that Satan's power of darkness will attack the church. Hence, there is spiritual warfare between Satan's power, which is his kingdom, and the church, which is God's kingdom.

These days in the church in our locality, the Lord has been training and perfecting us to build up the church by shepherding the saints. As the building work is progressing, the enemy is not happy at all. He seems to intensify his work of attacking the vulnerable saints. His ugly horns have been raised up and we are not ignorant of his schemes.

This reminds me of a hymn by brother Martin Luther, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God".

Stanza:

And though this world, with devils filled,

Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph through us:

The Prince of Darkness grim,

We tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure,

For lo! his doom is sure,

One little word shall fell him.

Last week I could suddenly see a visible attack of the enemy on the saints. A brother was brought down to his bed helpless for a couple of days. Another brother suddenly suffered from severe stomach ache almost making him functionless for a gospel meeting in which he was supposed to give the gospel message. The Lord healed him and he still could give the gospel message. A couple was suddenly attacked with a minor misunderstanding trying to stop them from coming to the gospel meeting. The saints visitation later recovered both of them. A family that came into the church life recently suddenly had a marital issue unheard of among believers to the extent of an outburst of anger and ungodly exchange of words. 

When all these things were going on right under my nose, I simply looked up to the Lord with my brothers and exercised the authority God gave the church to bind the enemy. We fellowshipped and prayed over all these matters. This confirms the word of the Lord Jesus concerning how the gates of Hades could not prevail against the builded church. 

I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in the heavens, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in the heavens. Matthew 16:19

These are all the necessary experiences that the church needs to go through. The church is real, so is the gates of Hades. The attacks are real, so are the words of the Lord and the saints engaging the enemy in spiritual warfare. Though the church goes through such an attack, I take it very positively and victoriously. The Lord in His sovereignty is allowing things so that He can also deal with the saints and perfect them. 

As I and a brother seriously fellowshipped and considered the matters before the Lord, we realized that the Lord is working in the situation to perfect all of us so that we can be proper vessels to contain the Lord and bear His testimony in this city. The Lord will turn all the schemes of the enemy to display His multifarious wisdom. Praise the Lord!

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Mathew 16:18

Lord build Your church in Gurugram!