13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 16:13-19
At a point in the journey of discipleship of Jesus and His chosen people from the rest of Israel; He asked the who they thought or knew He was. And Peter said, “You are the Christ – the Chosen One of God”; Jesus then said, “I will build My own governmental influence on earth; and the GATES of Hades (Hell) shall not prevail against it”. It is worthy of our note that Jesus identified the looming battle against His Kingdom on earth; but He was emphatic in His declaration of victory for His government and His Kingdom.
To keep us in proper perspective; Jesus said, “I will build My Church“; meaning, My Church will not be the responsibility of Ceaser from Rome; neither will it be the responsibility of the High Priests from Jerusalem; I the Lord will build My own Church. Again, He concluded that while He is building His Church; everything won’t be bed of roses – there will be steady and sustained attacks over My Church; but it will never prevail over the Church.
In the book of Daniel, a long time become the Child Jesus was born in Israel; see what God showed the people of the past generations:
32 This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and [e]consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
Daniel 2:32-35, 44
If you read the entire chapter of the book of Daniel; you would realize the agenda of God for the rulership of the earth. The chapter was about the dream of the greatest king of earth at that time (King Nebuchaddnezzar); how God showed him his own position and the Kings that will rule the earth after him and their kingdoms. In verse 34, the Bible reveals the plan of God to establish a new order of authority on earth by Himself; and in verse 44; it becomes further clearer how God intends to set up a new Kingdom by Himself and rule the Kingdom by Himself. If you observe the word RULE; you will see CONTROL inside it; meaning, the LORD want His new Kingdom on earth to be just as only Him wants it to be.
But what then happens when any of the gods who thought they were ruling notice that God wanted to rule the earth directly Himself; “Don’t you think they will fight to frustrate that plan?”; knowing that God’s plan is against their own evil plans? That is why Jesus emphasized that the Church will be built by Him and no matter how much efforts the gods of this world put to quench the rising flame of the Church of Christ Jesus; they will never prevail or succeed.
One thing must be clear to everyone living on earth today; when the Government of Egypt led by King Pharaoh wanted to stop the rising escape of the children of Israel (who were the type and shadow of the Church of Christ today); what the God of heaven did was to punish both the gods of Egypt, Pharaoh and the leaders of the Kingdom by destroying them inside the Red Sea.
12 ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
Exodus 12:12 (NKJV)
Among other things, that verse 12 above shows that the LORD God of heaven can judge the gods on earth; infact, the book of Psalm 82:1 declares that the LORD God stands in the congregation of the mighty and judges among the gods. The issue we mustn’t miss here how these gods of the nations (the fallen angels of God) who were chased from heaven to the earth make repeated efforts to control whatever God setup on earth.
Remember that God is in heaven; and He has handed the earth to the children of men (Psalm 115:15-16); therefore, should these gods (fallen angels) seize the control of the works of God in the care of men; they then assume the position of gods over the works of God. If the Church of Christ mustn’t become an agency for the execution of demonic intents and will; the believers across the various denominations of the Church must rise up in unity against every repressive law of the government of Nigeria that intends to seize control over the work of God in Nigeria and subsequently hand such control over to their gods who sent them.
In reality, if any member of the Church is waiting to see these gods physically before such believer rises up in battle against the GATES OF HELL; then, such believer is a state of rest (quite a dangerous place to be). Indeed, the governments are authorities; and because of their potential capabilities over the lives of people (believers and unbelievers alike); they are the first point of control for the fallen angels of God (gods, demons), who are unrelenting in destroying God’s work among the nations.
If the CAMA 2020, as passed into an act by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and signed into law by President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR) is allowed by the people of God to take effect; I believe the GATES of HELL are given opportunity by the Church to oppress the Church; and we must remember, if the GATES of HELL must not prevail; it would be because each member of Christ function in his or her place of calling and authority among the nations.
Should the Church allow herself to be monitored, threatened, directed and controlled by government of Nigeria; then we as a people of God risk becoming controlled by the gods of this world whose interest is always to pervert justice, truth, impoverish more people, and enthrone anarchy. May your Kingdom come upon us O Lord Jesus Christ! May your Church arise to responsibility and in unity become truth law givers over the nations – and not mere law receivers as we are right now. Lord Jesus, raise up men and women across the various segments of the society that we speak truth to power and shape governmental decisions and policies. In Jesus Name I have prayed! Amen!!!
