The Gates of Hades Shall Not Prevail!
Matthew 16:17-19
17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 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.
19 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.”
It was at Caesarea Phillipi, where Jesus revealed himself as Messiah to His disciples.
This was home to the Temple of Pan, a place so demonic that many of the rituals performed there are too horrible to mention in a daily devotion.
The city sits at the foot of Mount Hermon, which was known as the ‘Rock of the Gods’, which was referring to the many shrines built against it.
At the foot of Mount Hermon sat the temple of Pan, the ruins of which can still be seen there. In the rear of the temple was a cave with a deep pool… (which is still there) and a spring of water flowed from there.
Ancient Pagans believed that the water symbolized the abyss, and that the cave was a door to the underworld.
The cave at the rear of the temple was considered to be the ‘Gate of Hades’ because it was believed that Baal would enter and leave the underworld through it.
God only knows what kind of spiritual activity passed through this realm of darkness.
It was here, in the most demonic place in Israel, that Jesus chose to reveal, through Peter's Holy Spirit inspired proclamation, that He was Messiah, the Son of God.
And it was in this place of repugnant darkness and spiritual wickedness that the Lord announced His intention to build His "Church".
And it was in this " Hellish place" that Jesus gave us the assurance, "The Gates of Hell will NOT prevail against it."
We are planted where evil dwells, to proclaim and represent the Lord of Light.
And we seem to be witnessing an advance of evil in this world that is unprecedented, and is becoming a "flood" reminiscent of the "Days of Noah".
How precious and vital are the Lord's words, "The Gates of Hell will NOT prevail..."
Believing those words, we will stand, every day, and we will overcome the power of Satan, through faith, especially as we continue to pray as He taught us, "Deliver us from evil."
Not in our own strength or power – but in the power of God given to all His children through His Son!
Life Happens, and not always they way we want or like… but in Christ we can enjoy it!
Philippians 1:27, Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Jude 1:24, Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
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