BRINGING DOWN THE GATES OF HELL

“I will build My Church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18

What does that statement mean to you? It is one of those scriptures that people pass over without a lot of thought. ‘Oh that just means…..’ In this case it is ‘Oh that just means that whatever the devil does he will not bring down the Church.’  Yes, but it means much more than that! Jesus is saying that the Church He is building will overcome the gates of Hell. – “I will build My Church and the gates of Hell will not stand against it.’ The Church needs to be on the offensive against the devil and his hosts; not just on the defensive.

The world we are living in is a world that lies under the influence of the satanic kingdom.

“The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” 1 John 5:19 Principalities and powers of wickedness are over every nation maintaining Hell’s grip on the Earth. We can see the results everywhere and more and more that wickedness grows. We can see the anti-Christ spirit – the spirit of rebellion - increasing in the earth at a rapid pace.

What is the Church doing about it? Well a lot of Christians are eagerly watching for Jesus to come and rescue us out of the mess in an event called the ‘Rapture.’ We are told that this is next on God’s agenda. Some are into date setting – 13, 14^th, 15^th, or 23^rd September this year and excitement is growing. If it doesn’t happen then, [and it won’t] they will set another date. What we are supposed to be doing is building up the Army of God and imparting a vision for taking the world for the Kingdom. Jesus will return when we’ve finished the job He gave us to do – make disciples of all the nations.

 The Church that is most effective is the Eastern Church which doesn’t have a rapture teaching. This Church [e.g. the Chinese Church and the ‘Back to Jerusalem’ people] believe that the Church is here to make all the nations disciples of Jesus as He commanded in the Great Commission and they are totally committed to that end.  They are overcoming by the Blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony and they love not their lives to the death.

Jesus is building His Church ‘precept upon precept and line upon line’ bringing it into all truth. – the truth of the finished work of Christ. The Cross has taken all legal authority from satan and given it to His Church to bring down the ‘father of lies’ and bring in the Kingdom. That one perfect sacrifice for all time has done everything necessary for the Church to rise up in victory and' possess the Land.' The Type of the Journey to, and possession of Canaan, is a pattern or a map which shows us how this will be accomplished.

The ‘Rapture’ rescue is error that came into the Church and popularised by Derby. When it made it into the notes of the Schofield bible, it became almost regarded as ‘Holy Writ.’ – not to be questioned and has prevented Christians from coming into the fullness of truth that will bring down the ‘gates of hell.’ It tends to not encourage Christians to be too involved in the world because what is the point if the earth is destined to go to rot anyhow and we are getting out of here any minute now? The result is that Satan is having a hey-day.

For almost two thousand years Jesus has been building His Church and the end result is that He will have a Church that will rise up in the power of the Spirit and demolish Hell’s grip on the Earth.

The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints…..which is ‘Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.’  Colossians 1:26, 27

 

I have been studying the Word for nearly 50 years now. Once I put aside all my ideas about the end times which I had been taught, the Holy Spirit opened up the Bible in a new and exciting way. I have shared these things in my books “The Other Bible Code” and  “End Time Insights.” I invite you to get hold of some copies of my books and see for yourself. www.valpym.blogspot.com.au This site lists the places which have my books.

Sincerely  Val Pym

THE SACRED COW

There is a "sacred cow" standing in the way of the Church's journey into Truth. That is the teaching of an imminent Rapture of the Church. The Cross is not just about taking us to Heaven but it is about reclaiming the Earth for God. That is what God has been working toward since the Fall. The ultimate goal is that the Kingdom of God will come on Earth as it is in Heaven.

The imminent Rapture is admittedly an attractive teaching; but is it true? After many years of searching this out, I KNOW by the Word and the Spirit, that God has something even better in mind - a Church rising up in the power and Glory of God to bring in the nations. As Jesus said "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not stand against it." [Matthew 16:18,19] The Church is destined to destroy Hell's grip on the Earth. 1 John 5:19 tells us that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. Not for much longer! Jesus' work was to destroy Satan's authority and legal right to the earth and to give it to His Church. His victory has to be enforced.

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would lead and guide us into all truth. We have not arrived yet! "The Lord has yet more light and truth to break forth from His Word."

Always before a great move of God, the Spirit brought revelation on the Word as God works towards restoration to the Church and ultimately for the world. The truth of Justification by faith brought in the Reformation, it was followed by Sanctification in the Wesley awakening. These are the truths of Passover. The Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewals restored the truth of Pentecost. One great Feast has yet to be fulfilled and that is Tabernacles - the Feast of the final harvest. The truth that will usher in this Feast is The Finished Work of Christ as pictured in the Day of Atonement.

We have not yet come into the truth of all that the Cross accomplished. When we do the Church will rise "unto the measure of the stature of Christ" [Ephesians 4:13] and bring in the nations in fulfilment of the Great Commission.

The Church is the Army of God. It is empowered by Truth. Much of the Church can't see beyond the 'Rapture' that is going to happen 'any minute now.' Their eyes are closed to any other revelation. It is wrong teaching. It fact it is worse than wrong. It is a 'red herring' placed in our way by the one who 'deceives the whole world.' [Revelation 12:9] The' father of lies' has been desperately trying to keep the whole truth from the Church ever since the Resurrection because he knows that then his grip on the earth will be finished.

The 'Rapture' Scripture [1 Thessalonians 4:14-17] is really about the 2nd Coming. When we have done what Jesus commissioned us to do, then He will return. Creation will be restored, the dead in Christ will live again and all His people will rise to meet Him and escort Him back to the throne.

I have written about this last great move of God in my books "The Other Bible Code" and "End Time Insights." featured on this page. May I hope that you will read them and earnestly pray about the precepts therein? They are the result of many years of searching out truth in the Word and revelation by the Spirit.

Push the sacred cow out of the way. Silence it's mooing, and open your spiritual eyes and ears. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.'

VIOLENCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Often when Christians make comment on the present escalating violence by radical Moslems, someone sees fit to bring up 'The Crusades" and the violence in the Old Testament as if that somehow vindicates what is happening now. Concerning the Crusades; there were two sides to that story and yes wrong things were done by the Crusaders who went to recapture the Holy Land. That was over 1,000 years ago and I think that situation is well under control now. The thing to note is that when Christians do wrong things, they are disobeying their Scriptures. Jesus doesn't condone violence but taught "Love your enemy, pray for those who despitefully use you."

What about the violence in the Old Testament?  When Israel went in to possess the Promised Land, they were told to destroy the inhabitants. The Canaanites were a very depraved people. They practised bestiality among other vile sexual practices, also child sacrifice and all that went with the worship of idols. God gave them 400 years to repent, then used Israel to bring judgement. God withheld judgement for that length of time because He said, "The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." Genesis 15:16. God is longsuffering. As it says in 2 Peter 3:9, He is “……not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Iniquity is rising in Planet Earth, but rest assured it is not going unnoticed.

 What is physical and natural in the Old Testament becomes spiritual in the New Testament. The enemies of God now are not people. God loves all people and Jesus died for everyone. The enemies of God are now “principalities, and powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual hosts of and wickedness in the heavenly [spiritual] places” committed to preserving Satan’s grip over the Earth and keep its inhabitants in spiritual darkness. [Ephesians 6:12]  Since the Cross Satan operates illegally, his only two powers left are to deceive and accuse. He is defeated by Truth.  Christ’s Army which He is raising up will bring down the devil’s strongholds in the Earth and make way for the Kingdom of God. As Jesus said “I will build My Church and the gates of Hell will not stand against it.” Matthew 16:18, 19 The Veil of darkness over the Earth will be destroyed [Isaiah 25:7-12] and Creation renewed. [Romans 8:19-21]Then at last there will be peace on Earth.

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb

The leopard shall lie down with the young goat….

And a little child shall lead them…..

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain

For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord

As the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11; 6-9

 

PASSOVER AND THE EASTER EVENTS

It's Easter again and usually Facebook posts reflect this. Some don't think we should celebrate Easter at all because, they say, it has pagan connotations , e.g. it originated in a pagan celebration of spring and the spring goddess. Others want to debate about the day Christ actually died; some wanting exactly three days and nights in the tomb though the Scriptures don't call for this exactness, stating mostly 'the third day.' Even the quote about the sign of Jonah being 'three days and three nights' in the fish, doesn't need exactly 72 hours.

 My own thoughts on Easter are as follows:- Easter is the Christian Passover. Though the Jews and the Christians calculate the dates differently, they are both celebrating a great event - the time God delivered them from bondage to slavery under a merciless tyrant and given a whole new identity and a new life. The Last Supper was a Passover meal; the Communion cup at the institution of the Lord's supper being one of the four cups of wine consumed at the celebration.

Jesus was in Jerusalem to be the fulfilment of the sacrifice of all the little lambs which the Jews sacrificed at Passover for centuries.  The time had come for all that Passover prophesied to become a reality. A lot of Christians don't really understand the close connection between Passover and Easter. God gave the instructions for the first and subsequent Passovers knowing exactly what was going to happen all those years after, when the Lamb of God would be sacrificed for the whole world. Israel was the Priestly nation and God worked in that nation to set the stage for the Easter events which would change the destiny of multitudes. Moreover Jerusalem was the only place where sacrifices could be made and the Feasts celebrated. At the River Jordan, John announced Jesus "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

At the first Passover God instructed:-
The Lamb had to be chosen on the 10th of Abib.  Exodus 12: 3. On the Sunday beginning Passover week, Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was hailed by the crowds who were there to celebrate the Feast. They waved palm branches and spread their cloaks on the ground before Him, hailing Him as a king. Though they were not aware of it, they were choosing the Passover Lamb for the world. Although the Bible doesn't say it was the 10th, we know it must be. God was very meticulous in fulfilling every requirement, and the Lamb was to be chosen on the 10th. That month was to be 'the beginning of months' for Israel - a new beginning for the nation.
The Lamb had to be without blemish - a perfect Lamb. Exodus 12:5.  In the days leading up to the sacrifice the lamb was examined to ensure it's perfection.  In the days preceding the crucifixion, Jesus presented Himself in the Temple and was questioned by the Scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees all who tried to 'trap Him in His words' to no avail. Finally He was questioned by the High Priest, King Herod and by Pilate- every authority in the Land. Lastly Pilate declared "I find no fault in Him" John 19: 4. The Lamb was declared to be perfect.
"Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things,......but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Peter 1:18,19
The Lamb had to be slain on 14th. Exodus 12:6 This would have been Thursday.  [Sorry about that!. Hope I didn't shock you] The Temple lamb was slain at 3pm: This is the time that the Lamb of God died. I heard lately that the Temple lamb was tied to the altar at 9am, the time Jesus was nailed to the Cross.
No bone was to be broken: Exodus 12:46 The soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus to speed up their death before the Feast of Unleavened Bread. When they came to Jesus He was already dead. This was in fulfilment of the Scriptures. John 19:36.
The Lamb had to be roast with fire: Exodus 12:8 Fire speaks of the wrath of God. "Our God is a consuming fire" Hebrews 12:29.  Jesus took our sins on Himself and suffered the righteous wrath of God against sin. He suffered separation from God that we might be forgiven and joined to God. That's why He cried out "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me"
 Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, 'I thirst'. A cup of sour wine was given to Him. [John19:28-30] Then He died. The cup was significant. It was the cup of the Lord's wrath "For in the hand of the Lord, there is a cup, And its wine is red; It is fully mixed and He pours it out; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down." Psalm 75:8
"For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me; 'Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send you, to drink it." Jeremiah 25:15.  Jesus took that cup and drank it Himself,  drinking the cup of sour wine symbolically to show that the wrath of God was now satisfied and we can now be reconciled to God. 

There is much more we could say about fulfilled prophecy at the Cross, e.g. the gambling for His clothes. All of it pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. One more thing!
The blood of the Passover lamb had to be applied. Exodus 12:7,13, 22,23 The lamb had been slain but its death was of no avail unless the blood was applied. Only then would the death angel Passover and not destroy. Jesus' blood has been slain. Have you applied the Blood over your heart and your life. Everything has been done to save us and reconcile us to God and make us His heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. All we have to do is, by faith, place ourselves under the cover of the Blood of the Lamb. Then all that God is and has, is ours. 

"Under the blood of Jesus, safe in the Shepherd's fold,
Under the blood of Jesus, safe though the ages roll,
Safe though the earth may crumble, safe though the stars grow dim,
Under the blood of Jesus, I am secure in Him."

THE TRUE SABBATH

Are we still under the command to keep the Sabbath, and what is the Sabbath? Is it Saturday or is it Sunday or is there more to it than just a day?

 Sabbath is about rest and holds a principle much deeper than just physical rest. A ‘rest’ in Scripture denotes a finished work. God finished His work of Creation then rested and Man was commanded to rest also.

Whenever you see a rest in Scripture this is God saying ‘This is My work. There is nothing you can do about it so don’t even presume to try.’ On the Day of Atonement, everyone had to rest in their tents while the High Priest [God’s representative] made Atonement. This of course pointed to the fact that only Jesus, God’s appointed High Priest, could make Atonement. We can’t add to it by our good works any more than Adam and Eve could improve on Creation; we can only rest by faith in His finished work.

 Jesus angered the Jews when He healed a crippled man on the Sabbath. [John 5]. Jesus answered the by saying that His Father was still working and so was He. The work of Creation had been completed but there was still a work to be done. That was the work of Redemption. In Jesus Christ, God began a New Creation. That work was completed with the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus. The old Creation was put to death in Jesus, the ‘last Adam’ and the New Creation began on Resurrection Day. The Old Creation is ‘passing away’ but the New Creation is eternal.  We are part of that New Creation if, by faith, we rest in Jesus’ finished work on our behalf. When Jesus has finished His work He ‘sat down’ that is He rested, in contrast to the Old Testament Priests who were ‘standing’ continually offering up sacrifices . [Hebrews 10:11 – 14]

Jesus is the Sabbath of the New Creation. The Sabbath rest finds its fulfilment in Him who said “Come unto Me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”[Matthew 11:28 – 30] The rest that Jesus gives is a rest of soul, when we cease from struggling and striving in our own strength and rest in His finished work. This is the rest that is spoken of in Hebrews 3:7 – 4:11 which we are to be ‘diligent to enter into.’ As Colossians 2:16,17 says, the Old Testament Holy Days are ‘shadows’ but Jesus is the ‘substance’ or fulfilment of them all. He is our Passover, our Unleavened Bread, our Atonement [propitiation] our Sabbath and all that the Old Testament types portrayed.

As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:7, 8; concerning Passover and Unleavened Bread, [my paraphrase] Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us, therefore this is how we keep the Feast [of Unleavened Bread] now. We put the leaven [symbolic of sin] out of our lives.” Likewise concerning the Sabbath  – By one sacrifice, Christ has perfected us forever [Hebrews 10:14] and this is how we keep Sabbath now. By faith we rest in His finished work. With Jesus in our heart, we can have Sabbath every day.

 Christians met together on a Sunday very early in Church history. It was not a new Sabbath, but a celebration of the Resurrection.   Ignatius 30-107 AD, Bishop of Antioch wrote, “And after the observance of the Sabbath [that the Jews kept,] let every friend of Christ keep the Lord’s day as a festival, the resurrection day,  the queen and chief of all days of the week…..on which our life sprang up again, and victory over death was obtained in Christ….” Ignatius would have been contemporary to at least some of the disciples and would surely have known which day was considered to be ‘The Lord’s Day.’

Justin Martyr born about 100 AD wrote. “And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read… but Sunday is the day on which we hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead.”

 [These two quotes are taken from vol 1 of “The Ante Nicene Fathers”]

To summarise:-

Saturday was the Sabbath of the Old Creation. It was a day of physical rest. It was a shadow or sign, pointing to the soul rest we have in Christ.

Sunday is a day of celebration of the New Creation in Christ. It is the day of the Resurrection. Also the Spirit was given on a Sunday.

The true Sabbath is a Person not a day. Jesus is our Sabbath Rest just as He is the fulfilment of Passover, Atonement and all the shadows of the Old Testament.

Setting one day a week aside for worship and rest is still an important principle to observe.

God is to be honoured every day of the week in all of our living. [Romans 12:1 ‘service’ means ‘worship’]

Christians who gather to worship on Sunday or any other day aren’t worshipping the day, they’re worshipping the Lord and that is a good thing to do any day.

The Romans 14 principle is that these things ought not to separate or cause contention among Christians, but everyone should be ‘fully persuaded in their own mind’ and not judge one another. Whatever day you choose to rest and worship on, you will only know true rest in Jesus; that is by not trusting in your own good works, but by faith resting in the perfect finished work of the perfect One.

 

For a longer version of this, click on the booklet on this page titled "The True Sabbath"