"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. (Matthew 16:18-20)
Kingdoms at War
The world we live in is under control of a tyrannical dictator who seeks only to steal, kill and destroy.
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)
People are enslaved to this tyrant without even being aware of it and even those who are freed sometimes desire to become enslaved again.
...and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:26)
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? (Galatians 4:9)
Understanding the nature of the battle, we must examine the purpose and calling of God’s church. So often we are lulled into being a defensive church.
The Defensive Church
What are some marks of a defensive church?
• Protects its own territory
• Responds to attacks from without and within
• Seeks comfort and offers ministry to those who are not “comfortable”
The Offensive Church
What are some marks of an offensive church?
• Seeks to take ground from the Enemy in expanding the Kingdom of God
• Initiates attacks against the kingdom of darkness
• Ignores comfort and seeks to release captives as the major ministry and seeks to equip those who have been released to further crash the gates of Hell
The Nature of the Enemy
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)
If you want to see the clearest picture of the Devil’s plans for humanity, read Job 1-2. Notice that the Devil takes no mercy and grabs every inch that he is allowed. This is the reason for Paul’s stern warning to those who are no longer under his rule:
and do not give the devil an opportunity. (Ephesians 4:27)
The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
Our Enemy is fierce and it is unwise to deal foolishly with him and his forces:
and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. (2 Peter 2:10-11)
Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 1:8-9)
Standing in the Might of the Lord
Although our Enemy is fierce and fearsome, he is no match for our Lord who reigns!
You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
We must stand in His strength and clothed in Him, or else we would stand no chance in advancing His kingdom. Therefore,
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)
Do not quench the Spirit; (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
The Call
The living God has called us to be gate crashers through proclaiming the good news of the kingdom!
But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9)
Those who are followers of Christ Jesus are commanded to walk as He walked (1 John 2:6). Jesus declared to His earliest followers that He was sending them out in the same way that He was sent (John 20:21) as His ambassadors (John 13:20, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Jesus is calling us into the ministry that He walked in:
And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:16-21)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon us that we would preach the good news to the poor. He is sending us to proclaim release to the captives, to demonstrate the Kingdom is at hand, to set free those who are oppressed and to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Romans 16:20)
We are called to be an offensive church, not a defensive church.
God’s Expanding Kingdom
The Kingdom is explained to be like a mustard seed (Matthew 13:31, Luke 13:18), leaven (Matthew 13:33, Luke 13:21), a treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44), a merchant seeking fine pearls (Matthew 13:45), a dragnet (Matthew 13:47), a head of household who brings out of his treasure things new and old (Matthew 13:52), a landowner going to hire laborers (Matthew 20:1), and a man who casts his seed upon the soil (Mark 4:26).
These truths explained by Jesus point to the Kingdom starting small and increasing to great size, being pervasive and expansive, as well as of the great value of the kingdom (especially in comparison to everything else). Jesus taught that we should seek first the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33) … are we?
Jesus came preaching that the Kingdom was at hand and he came to deal the final blow to the Devil’s rule. While the battle for men’s souls rages, the war is over and the King is victorious. We are often distracted by the worries of this world, but we are called to be consumed with the glory of our King and to proclaim His excellencies.
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
Kingdoms at War
The world we live in is under control of a tyrannical dictator who seeks only to steal, kill and destroy.
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)
People are enslaved to this tyrant without even being aware of it and even those who are freed sometimes desire to become enslaved again.
...and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:26)
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? (Galatians 4:9)
Understanding the nature of the battle, we must examine the purpose and calling of God’s church. So often we are lulled into being a defensive church.
The Defensive Church
What are some marks of a defensive church?
• Protects its own territory
• Responds to attacks from without and within
• Seeks comfort and offers ministry to those who are not “comfortable”
The Offensive Church
What are some marks of an offensive church?
• Seeks to take ground from the Enemy in expanding the Kingdom of God
• Initiates attacks against the kingdom of darkness
• Ignores comfort and seeks to release captives as the major ministry and seeks to equip those who have been released to further crash the gates of Hell
The Nature of the Enemy
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)
If you want to see the clearest picture of the Devil’s plans for humanity, read Job 1-2. Notice that the Devil takes no mercy and grabs every inch that he is allowed. This is the reason for Paul’s stern warning to those who are no longer under his rule:
and do not give the devil an opportunity. (Ephesians 4:27)
The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
Our Enemy is fierce and it is unwise to deal foolishly with him and his forces:
and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. (2 Peter 2:10-11)
Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 1:8-9)
Standing in the Might of the Lord
Although our Enemy is fierce and fearsome, he is no match for our Lord who reigns!
You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
We must stand in His strength and clothed in Him, or else we would stand no chance in advancing His kingdom. Therefore,
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)
Do not quench the Spirit; (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
The Call
The living God has called us to be gate crashers through proclaiming the good news of the kingdom!
But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9)
Those who are followers of Christ Jesus are commanded to walk as He walked (1 John 2:6). Jesus declared to His earliest followers that He was sending them out in the same way that He was sent (John 20:21) as His ambassadors (John 13:20, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Jesus is calling us into the ministry that He walked in:
And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:16-21)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon us that we would preach the good news to the poor. He is sending us to proclaim release to the captives, to demonstrate the Kingdom is at hand, to set free those who are oppressed and to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Romans 16:20)
We are called to be an offensive church, not a defensive church.
God’s Expanding Kingdom
The Kingdom is explained to be like a mustard seed (Matthew 13:31, Luke 13:18), leaven (Matthew 13:33, Luke 13:21), a treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44), a merchant seeking fine pearls (Matthew 13:45), a dragnet (Matthew 13:47), a head of household who brings out of his treasure things new and old (Matthew 13:52), a landowner going to hire laborers (Matthew 20:1), and a man who casts his seed upon the soil (Mark 4:26).
These truths explained by Jesus point to the Kingdom starting small and increasing to great size, being pervasive and expansive, as well as of the great value of the kingdom (especially in comparison to everything else). Jesus taught that we should seek first the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33) … are we?
Jesus came preaching that the Kingdom was at hand and he came to deal the final blow to the Devil’s rule. While the battle for men’s souls rages, the war is over and the King is victorious. We are often distracted by the worries of this world, but we are called to be consumed with the glory of our King and to proclaim His excellencies.
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
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