THE CHURCH 2014: Just "Holdin' The Fort" Or Storming The Gates?

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:18,19

THE CHURCH HAS NO EQUAL; NO COUNTER-PART, NO SUBSTITUTE. 

Further, she must be on the move against the very gates of hell. She must be on the offense. If she is not there no one, nothing else, will be there. Her prayers ought to arise from a soul bent on anticipation and not desperation.

To be desperate is to be in anguish, despair, and misery. To anticipate is to be expectant, joyful, confident, and hopeful. Hebrews 11:1 expresses it best. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."Anticipation is the confident expectation that the living Lord Jesus has all of our tomorrows in his hands.

To be desperate is to be on the defense. We're just "holdin' the fort." Circumstances may get desperate but the church of Jesus Christ can and must operate in a spirit of anticipation, expectation, confidence, joy, and hope. Her prayers - the prayers of her people ought to reflect that. The prophet Jeremiah lamented Israel's abandonment of their covenant with God. He felt grief, sorrow, regret, and mourning for their behavior. But he also had hope, anticipation of their return to God. Circumstances were desperate but the prophet was not.

In his book Prodigal Nation, Andrew R. Murphy said:
     "[Jeremiad] narratives of decline, chastisement, and renewal appear across time, culture, religion, and  geography, from classical Asian and Western cultures to yesterday's news. The sacred tests of many religious traditions lament declining moral and spiritual standards, and hold out hope for renewal and revival, if only the community will see the error of its ways."

Praying in the spirit of Matthew 16:18,19 means taking the fight to the gates of hell, to the very gates of the Devil's residence, binding and loosing as we go. We don't wait for the world, the flesh, and the Devil to bring the fight to us. 

We go on the offense for our lost friends, neighbors, and work associates. 

We go on the offense for the tearing down of satanic/demonic strongholds. 

We go on the offense for winning the battle in the spirit realm in the name of Jesus. 

We go on the offense for the reversal of the moral breakdown of the family and society. 

We go on the offense for revival in the church and awakening in the land. 

We go on the offense for the Christ-like transformation of our local, state, and national leaders.

The church has no equal, no counter-part, no substitute. She muse be on the move with great anticipation to win a desperate world in 2014 and beyond.