In
this life, we are, by default, ambassadors of hell, until we make the decision
to sell out to Team Jesus. There is no
Switzerland; there is no neutrality, we are born into a destiny of hell unless
we decide on a destiny of heaven. There
is no gray area; yet the devil is the master of deception, causing people to
think there is a gray area. And while, like Andromeda, the redeemed are bound
to this earth for a short time, the mission of the redeemed is to generate more
redeemed. Hell has gates because of the
redeemed. Hell does not want the
redeemed to take its occupants, those who don’t even know they are destined for
torment. The redeemed are the rebel alliance. Jesus, our leader,
became like us so that he could set us free and open our eyes to the world
around us. Gates can hold something in or keep something out. Gates are not offensive weapons, they are
defensive structures. The devil’s
defenses are available for us to attack.
Let’s go.
There
are a few words we have to look into so that we understand some of the reasons
for our age of confusion. Firstly, there
is a difference between justice and fairness.
God is just. Life is not always
fair. The Creator of the Universe rules in justice, which is why the devil has
not been obliterated yet. It is also the reason Adam and Eve were not wiped out
after the fall. Justice is a legal upholding of terms and conditions. Fairness
is equalizing the playing field for everyone.
We are born into a world system that was established prior to our
arrival. The terms and conditions were
legally obtained by satan from Adam. Satan
used deceptive means to takeover Adam’s lease on the earth but there was
nothing illegal about that. While the
tactics were unfair as satan had the advantage of the knowledge of good and evil
and Adam did not, the transfer of lordship of the earth was just. Adam willingly gave over his lordship to be
with Eve, rather than be separated from her.
It is just for Jesus to come and redeem his bride out from the rulership
of satan. While it was not fair for
satan to possess knowledge that Adam did not possess when satan used Eve to
betray God’s will, we could say it is
not fair for Elohim to make a way out of eternal damnation for the innocent
earth dwellers. But it is just, as each human was not given the choice
himself.
If
we remember from our study of Pisces, the redeemed are not only those who
believed on Jesus since Pentecost, but also those who believed on the Messiah
prior to His coming. As we know, the
story of his coming was written in the heavens, long before Moses wrote the
Torah. The redeemed include anyone who
accepts the Messiah, Jesus, as Lord.
There is no redemption otherwise. Yet the gates of hell were not
intimidated by the redeemed before Pentecost.
Sheol, the grave, was the
place of the departed spirits. Something
changed for the redeemed after Pentecost, Jesus made a new place, paradise. And
when we believe on Him we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That makes
us strong.
Matt
16:15-20 He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? 16 Simon
Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 Then Jesus
answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon
Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My
Father Who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros — a
large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra — a huge rock like
Gibraltar] I will build My church [1577], and the gates [4439] of Hades [86]
(the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [2729][or be strong
to its detriment or hold out against it]. 19 I will give you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful)
on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose
(declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven. [Isa
22:22.] 20 Then He sternly and strictly charged and warned the disciples to
tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. AMP
Church NT:1577 ekklesia
(ek-klay-see'-ah); from a compound of NT:1537 and a derivative of NT:2564; a
calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious
congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or
saints in heaven or both):KJV - assembly, church.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive
Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
Gates NT:4439 pule
(poo'-lay); apparently a primary word; a gate, i.e. the leaf or wing of a
folding entrance (literally or figuratively):KJV - gate.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Hell NT:86 haides
(hah'-dace); from NT:1 (as negative particle) and NT:1492; properly, unseen,
i.e. "Hades" or the place (state) of departed souls:KJV - grave,
hell.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded
Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and
International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Overpower NT:2729 katischuo
(kat-is-khoo'-o); from NT:2596 and NT:2480; to overpower:KJV - prevail
(against).(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Let’s
look at this written a different way.
Matt
16:18 And now I'm going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a
rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so
expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it
out. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H.
Peterson. All rights reserved.)
The
gates of Hades cannot overpower the called out!
What? That is good news; therefore we should be living it. There is a different word for hell, Gehenna, which is eternal punishment,
but this word in Matthew 16 is Hades,
the grave. Hades is the place of the dead;
Gehenna is the place of everlasting
punishment. Tartaros is the deepest abyss for eternal punishment. Hades
is the place where those people go who are not in paradise. Before Jesus came, every human went to hell,
Hades/Sheol. But Jesus took the
imprisoned spirits out as we have seen in the book of Nicodemus, and as both Peter
and Paul corroborate. Now people either end up in hell or paradise. We are here to empty hell. One
day death and hell will be thrown in the lake of fire. Interesting to note is
how often and to whom Jesus spoke about Gehenna, as there are times he
specifically told people they were not going to escape Gehenna.
1
Peter 4:6 For, for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are
dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live
according to God in the spirit.KJV
If
we are not overpowered by hell, and hell is trying to keep us out, then how do
we storm the gates? Why should we crash hell?
Jesus’ ministry and the legacy of his called out are summed up in the
passage he quoted from Isaiah.
Luke
4:17-21 And there was handed to Him [the roll of] the book of the prophet
Isaiah. He opened (unrolled) the book and found the place where it was written,
[Isa 61:1,2.] 18 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed
Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the
poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight
to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are
downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], 19 To proclaim the
accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the free
favors of God profusely abound.] [Isa
61:1,2.] 20 Then He rolled up the book and gave it back to the attendant and
sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were gazing [attentively] at
Him. 21 And He began to speak to them: Today this Scripture has been fulfilled
while you are present and hearing.AMP
This
is Jesus’ ministry, but it is also ours. The Holy Spirit indwells us to:
·
Preach
the good news to the poor
·
Announce
the release of the captives
·
The
recovery of sight to the blind
·
Send
out the delivered to those who are oppressed
·
To
proclaim the millennial kingdom
We
have been set free from eternal death, therefore we are to tell others. This is the called out, storming the gates of
hell, setting free the captives who are burdened and blind, and giving them
hope and new life in Christ. Let’s be real, the devil can’t make life here on
earth so horrible for everyone that people who are already bound for hell can’t
stand it, or else they would start to question their existence. However the devil can make life harsh for
those going to heaven, because we are the enemies of hell. Is it fair
for the church to set people free? Is it just
for the devil to not tell people there will be eternal life in either the lake
of fire or the new heaven and new earth? It is fair for the church to set people free to eternal life in Christ
because the devil is not just in not giving
people an option of heaven or hell.
Justice in this situation is for everyone to know about eternal destiny
and be given a free choice, but there is no justice in the devil’s
kingdom. Since the devil is hiding the
truth, it is fair to go into his domain and give people an option. The devil’s
rulership is unjust to its subjects, and they don’t even know it. Let’s take a brief look at what the Lord says
about the devil going to hell. Remember,
he will be bound for 1000 years, but then will be loosed for a season, and then
thrown into the lake of fire to join the beast and false prophet as well as
death and Hades.
Isa
14:15-21 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.16
They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is
this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;17 That
made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened
not the house of his prisoners?18 All the kings of the nations, even all of
them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.19 But thou art cast out of thy
grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain,
thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a
carcase trodden under feet.20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial,
because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers
shall never be renowned.21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity
of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the
face of the world with cities.KJV
Satan
is brought down to hell (Sheol, the grave the same as the Greek word Hades),
and the occupants of hell will look at him.
There is consciousness in the grave. Satan made the earth tremble, he
disrupted kingdoms, caused some parts of earth to become a wilderness, and he
destroyed cities. He also did not open the prison cells. He kept people captive without them even
knowing. Instead of a nice burial like well
respected people have, satan will be thrown in the common pit with multiple
dead bodies, then covered up and walked over.
Satan destroyed his land, and
killed his people. Now it’s one thing to take over the earth
from Adam and become the ruler here, but it is quite another to intentionally
destroy the earth and the inhabitants.
Those who sided with the devil, will also be utterly destroyed in the
lake of fire. Let’s also read this in
the Message Bible, as the language is a little more colorful.
Isa
14:15-21 But you didn't make it, did you? Instead of climbing up, you came down
— Down with the underground dead, down to the abyss of the Pit. 16 People will
stare and muse:"Can this be the one Who terrorized earth and its kingdoms,
17 turned earth to a moonscape, Wasted its cities, shut up his prisoners to a
living death?" 18 Other kings get a decent burial, honored with eulogies
and placed in a tomb. 19 But you're dumped in a ditch unburied, like a stray
dog or cat, Covered with rotting bodies, murdered and indigent corpses. Your
dead body desecrated, mutilated — 20 no
state funeral for you! You've left your land in ruins, left a legacy of massacre.
The progeny of your evil life will never be named. Oblivion! 21 Get a place
ready to slaughter the sons of the wicked and wipe out their father's
line.(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H.
Peterson. All rights reserved.)
The
devil shut people into prison, to a living death. That is the state of everyone born onto
earth. But it is not our end. We will have
eternal life, and new bodies that will never decay. Sometimes it seems we are fighting against
people, and clearly we see here that the devil has offspring. Remember Jesus’ words to the Pharisees that
they were of their father the devil?
Those people have been tricked into thinking the devil can do something
for them here and now, as it is clear that the devil has no future power in the
millennial kingdom and is thrown into the lake of fire. This is the choice we all can make, either
the devil’s line which will be wiped out, or Jesus’ kingdom. It seems simple to those who have made the
choice but the devil has blown so much smoke around the issue, people can
hardly see. Jesus made us free by being
the sacrifice for us. We couldn’t do it
for ourselves or anyone else but he intentionally left his home on high to be
beaten and crucified for us, so that we could live with Him. Just as Adam had to make a choice, to disobey
Elohim, or lose Eve forever; he chose to join his bride, and Jesus chooses to
join his bride by his decision. He
redeems the souls of his servants. This is why we should stay faithful to Him.
Ps
34:11-22 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the
Lord.12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may
see good?13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.14
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.15 The eyes of the
Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.16 The face
of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them
from the earth.17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them
out of all their troubles.18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken
heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.19 Many are the afflictions
of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.20 He keepeth all
his bones: not one of them is broken.21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they
that hate the righteous shall be desolate.22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his
servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.KJV
Who
we choose to serve is very clear cut; it is black and white with no gray
areas. Jesus redeems those who are on
his team. Again Peter reiterates the point and adds to it.
1
Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (those who are upright
and in right standing with God), and His ears are attentive to their prayer
[1162]. But the face of the Lord is against those who practice evil [to oppose
them, to frustrate, and defeat them]. [Ps 34:12-16.] AMP
Prayer NT:1162 deesis
(deh'-ay-sis); from NT:1189; a petition:KJV - prayer, request,
supplication.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Again,
the Lord is against those who do the evil of the devil, but he is faithful to
his own. He hears our prayers. Now, how
are we to storm the gates of hell? It’s
not as if there is a physical gate on earth that we can take a battering ram
to. Because the weapons of our warfare
are not carnal but spiritual, we have to look at and recognize the spiritual
battle around us. Andromeda may be bound
to earth, but at her disposal are the angel armies of heaven, and at her
direction they are dispatched. Is it just to bind the called out assembly to
a living hell? No, as we did not have a choice, but it is fair that the devil forgot to tape the mouths of the congregation
so that the congregation can wage war against the gates of hell? Prayer is a
weapon.
2
Cor 10:3-4 For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our
warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. 4 For the weapons
of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are
mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, AMP
Our
words are mighty to the destruction of strongholds. Prayer and intercession work in tearing down
the enemy’s fortress. Because our weapons are not carnal, they are spiritual;
we have to look at what Jesus did to understand this. If we read the whole chapter of Isaiah 53 we
will see Jesus’ terms of death, prophesized by Isaiah. But in verse 12 we see
that Jesus was counted among the rebels.
Isa
53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide
the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and
he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made
intercession for the transgressors. KJV
Intercession OT:6293 paga`
(paw-gah'); a primitive root; to impinge, by accident or violence, or
(figuratively) by importunity: KJV - come (betwixt), cause to entreat, fall
(upon), make intercession, intercessor, intreat, lay, light [upon], meet
(together), pray, reach, run.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and
Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006
Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Jesus
took his place among all those apart from God, took on all our sin, and then
invaded the rebels’ camp (our camp), becoming the leader of the rebel army.
This is why we look to Him as our example and we can storm the gates of hell. Jesus changed the dynamic of our mission. And if you thought your prayers simply don’t
amount to anything, we (the redeemed) will one day see our prayers and the bowls
they are in when the Lamb is about to open the seals. Your prayers are collected
in heaven and will be burnt as incense at the altar, then thrown to earth.
Rev
5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders
fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials
full of odours, which are the prayers [4335] of saints.KJV
Prayers NT:4335 proseuche
(pros-yoo-khay'); from NT:4336; prayer (worship); by implication, an oratory
(chapel):KJV - pray earnestly,
prayer.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
This
seems like a really odd thing as to why our prayers are collected. This does not imply they are not heard, or
fulfilled now. This does imply that
there is a connection to our communication into the spiritual realms that will
affect the future. This also implies
that our heavenly connection, while we are on earth, has some importance, not
only at this time, at the opening of the seals, but also later at the opening
of the seventh seal as well. So let’s
look at that practically for a moment.
We are on earth, a place where time slows down according to the theory
of relativity, and the understanding of the ancients who counted our 8,000 year
time frame for our story as a very short time.
Remember we looked at a thousand years being one day in the heavenly
realms. Heaven time is faster than earth time.
When we breach the perimeters of heaven with our communications,
prayers, fellowship, worship, praise, it is an attestation of the spiritual
realities of our God and Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. The very blindness that came over Adam and
Eve, and everyone since the fall is now opened and revealed to every human who
believes. The Holy Spirit indwells us in
that reality and gives us the connection we need. This is recovery of sight to the blind. Not simply physical eyes being healed, but
regaining sight that was lost at the time of the fall. This is what recovery is. Where Elohim visited Adam, and Adam had
fellowship with Elohim in the garden, we now have the recovery of fellowship
with Elohim and the entire spiritual realm.
A spiritual void is the sad state that we are born into, and the
glorious rescue mission of our Lord. So
he entered our camp, and showed us the spiritual realms we were unaware of, and
then showed us that hell is trying to keep us from its people by putting up
gates. Our prayers have an effect on the
captives. Our prayers are our most
important weaponry. Our prayers are not
forgotten but utilized in the future time of the tribulation as an offering.
Here is the seventh seal being opened.
Rev
8:1-5 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven
about the space of half an hour.2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before
God; and to them were given seven trumpets.3 And another angel came and stood
at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much
incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden
altar which was before the throne.4 And the smoke of the incense, which came
with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's
hand.5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and
cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings,
and an earthquake.KJV
Our
prayers thrown to earth cause quite a commotion. Is this an “in your face” move by the angel
reminding the devil of the armies of heaven, being prepared just before the
start of the seven trumpets? If we keep
in mind our timing, this is still during the first half of the tribulation
called the wrath of the lamb. Peter reminds us to be sober and pray. I love Peter, he’s do dramatic. Do you ever feel like saying “Dude two
thousand years is a loooong time on this planet”
1
Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and
watch unto prayer [4335].KJV
If
the end of all things has not come yet, then the Holy Spirit will work with us.
The next few verses explain intercession.
First the Holy Spirit helps us pray, then we see that the Lord, who
knows our hearts and the action of prayer, whether our prayer language or
earthly language, is brought before the Lord.
Rom
8:26 So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness;
for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we
ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication [5241] and pleads
in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
AMP
Intercession NT:5241
huperentugchano (hoop-er-en-toong-khan'-o); from NT:5228 and NT:1793; to
intercede in behalf of:KJV - make intercession for(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive
Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
This
is the only place this particular word for intercession is used. Huper is over
or above and Entugchano is en, in,
and tugchano to bring to pass. The Holy Spirit entreats or requests above on
our behalf. Even where there are no
words, just our aching heart, the Holy Spirit pleads on our behalf. And in a similar way Jesus intercedes for us.
Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, is not sending prayers
from earth to heaven as the Holy Spirit does. Therefore the words for
intercession are slightly different with the preceding word Huper.
Rom
8:27 And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the
[Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads
[before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's
will. [Ps 139:1,2.] AMP
Intercession NT:1793 entugchano
(en-toong-khan'-o); from NT:1722 and NT:5177; to chance upon, i.e. (by
implication) confer with; by extension to entreat (in favor or against):KJV -
deal with, make intercession.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and
Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006
Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Rom
8:34 Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died,
or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God
actually pleading as He intercedes [1793] for us? AMP
Bring
your words before the Lord. Bring your worship, praise, requests into the
heavenly realm. Because when you do so, you prove heaven’s existence to a blind
world. Remove the veil over the spiritual realm and intercede for the lost and
unsaved. This is what the gates of hell
cannot stand against, breaching eternity while on earth to deliver the captives
to Jesus. Bring people to Jesus in
prayer so that the veil over their eyes brings them sight. Tactical, strategic, and direct prayer for
those who haven’t heard they are born into hell, and eternal death, is the
privilege of the called out assembly. But we aren’t simply warring against
hell’s gates. There are principalities,
powers, rulers, and wickedness to stand against as well; that, next week.
