Gates of Hell - II

My spirit continues to be exercised by the statement of Jesus concerning the church's assault on the "Gates of Hell". 


In our last post on this, we spoke some of the Gates of Hell within. Just by way of review, it is important to consider a statement in James.

Jas 3:6 KJV  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

When coupled with a quote from Jesus it becomes a strong statement that must be considered seriously. 

Mat 15:19-20 KJV  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:  (20)  These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.(Mark 7:21)

 Mat 12:34 KJV  O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.(Luke 6:45)

When brought together with our opening scripture there is grounds for saying the one interpretation of the passage is that hell can be in the heart. 


This brings us to a point of recognition that the Gates of Hell can be internal as well. This makes it essential to consider an assault on this stronghold within. It brings new understanding to Paul's comments in 2 Cor 10:4-5

2Co 10:4-5 KJV  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  (5)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

While pondering this, I also want to consider a balance in the battle.


In the external world there is also an application of this that comes out of an awakening in my experience. I believe the Word of God is the final authority. When it says the "gates of hell" will not prevail against the Church, it is clear that gates do not move. That means the Church must be moving. 


This begs a question: What do these gates look like?


Some have looked for some physical place or expression that is clearly an expression of satan's work. Gates are entrances or doorways into cities, forts, or strongholds. There are those who would argue that it is all the things that religious men and women call "sin".  There is a sense in which that can be true in a life or situation. But in looking at that I think we may miss the deeper meaning.


In both our understanding of heaven and of hell, we think of physical places, limiting ourselves and allowing places for the enemy of our souls to hide. I am not saying that there is not a literal heaven or a literal hell, I believe in both, but often believing in the literal blinds us to the spiritual, when both are true.  It is not either or, as much of the church has taught. Truth lays in a balance between the two.


If the first thing the Lord did, after he made man, was relate to them through walking with them in the garden, then that relating sets the context for understanding all things spiritual. Because of the fall, we were turned inside out. That which originally was predominate, the spiritual, became the least priority. That which was the least priority before the fall, became predominate, that is the visible. 


Jesus came to restore us to the original position and then take us on into the fullness of God. The vision of this journey must be seen first, before we can give ourselves to taking the journey. 

When Lucifer fell from heaven, and deceived man, he became the prince of the power of the air. The route to the heavenlies goes through what is currently the devil's territory. This means that is some sense, we go through hell on our way to heaven, just as Jesus did when He descended into hell and got the keys of hell and death. The gates of hell are blockages in our lives to a life of true holiness and abundant life. (There will be more on life and holiness later, but holiness is an internal condition, not external.)


The church has spoken of the saving of sinners. From inside the church they try to fulfill the great commission and wonder why they only see limited results. Others go out into the streets and do witnessing and that also brings a measure of results.

Yet God is looking for a group of men and women who will allow Him to train them with such precision that nothing can stop them as they assault either the external manifestations of the gates of hell or the internal manifestations. 


Selah

The Ebb and Flow of War

There are ebbs and flows to war. Often we do not think of that as we are in our daily battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil. As the battle rages and then seems to subside for a few moments, hours, days or a week, we thing the victory has been won. 

That must have been how Israel felt when Pharoah first let them go. They felt they had won the battle  with Egypt and hurriedly obeyed God's command to leave Egypt. God's heart was not just to release His people from bondage to Egypt, but to so defeat Egypt, it could never again become a world power. That necessitated God luring them out of the land to a place where He could destroy them. A divine ambush if you like. He did not tell Israel, or Moses that Israel was the bait He would use to destroy Egypt Therefore, when God moved to destroy Egypt, God's people thought they would be destroyed and cried out in fear. 

Today, as we watch the ebb and flow of spiritual warfare; as God prepares the stage for the final confrontation between the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdoms of Our God and of His Christ,

Rev 11:15 KJV  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

From this point on, although things seem to intensify, what is described is the last ditch fight of the enemy and his destruction. Jesus did not come to subdue the devil, nor just to chain him up for 1000 years. Jesus came to destroy the devil.

Heb 2:14 KJV  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

This has always been His purpose. In our war against the world, the flesh and the devil, let us make no mistake. God has called us to learn to fight in such a way as to take the devil out. We are not just to cripple him, maim him, and make him say uncle. We are to destroy him.

Lord give the the courage, faith, grace and anointing to act from this base.