0301 STORMING THE GATES

STORMING THE GATES

Today’s verse is related to several others, and I’d like to combine them all here to talk about an essential concept of spiritual warfare.

In verse 16, Jesus says, “...The kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it.”

What did Jesus mean that everyone is forcing their way into the kingdom of God? Here are other translations: “everyone is eager to get in.” “every man presseth into it.” “everyone tries forcefully to go into it.” “everyone is urgently invited to enter it.” “every man entereth violently into it.” “everyone is pushing to enter it.”

The statement takes on even more dimensions in Matthew, where Jesus is quoted as saying, “the kingdom of heaven is forcefully advancing, and forceful men take hold of it.” That verse is even more subject to multiple translations, as to whether the kingdom is suffering violence or is forcefully advancing. My choice is to see the kingdom as being “forceful” and being taken hold of by “forceful” men.

I say that because there are other references to the aggressiveness of the kingdom’s advance. For example, Paul says he has “fought the good fight.” He may have been a pacifist in the political realm, but spiritually Paul was a warrior. 

In Revelation, Jesus speaks to each church about the believer who “overcomes.” The ones receiving those letters are enduring persecution and attack, to be sure. But they are enduring to the end and thus overcoming in the end.

Jesus talks in all of the synoptic gospels about ransacking the strong man’s house, referring to himself breaking in and robbing the devil’s house. He acknowledges that the devil is a strong man, but places himself in the role of overcoming the “strong man,” tying him up and then doing whatever he likes to plunder the strong man’s house. In all of Jesus’ healings, as well as his teachings, we see him plundering his enemy’s strongholds.

Demons screamed that they knew who Jesus was, and pled with him, “Have you come to torture us before our apointed time?” They know that they are on borrowed time, and their defeat is eternally decided already. In Revelation, the devil and his angels are thrown into the pit burning with fire and brimstone to be tortured for a thousand years. They are tortured forever and ever in the place that was prepared for them, says the Lord.

Don’t be deceived. We are in a battle. It is not an easy one. Satan roams like a roaring lion, seeking to devour our souls. We are to resist him, standing firm in our faith.

When the disciples return from their short-term mission that Jesus sent them on, they report that demons even obeyed their orders, Jesus says that he saw Satan fall like lightning from the sky. And he is filled with joy and gives thanks that he has revealed his truths to little children. Not too long after that, when Jesus rose from the grave, he led captivity captive. Which I think means that he defeated death, rendering its captivity to be null, with death’s captives set free. Peter says that when Jesus died he preached to the souls who are now dead, which is sometimes interpreted to mean that he descended into hell, as the Nicene Creed states.

Jesus tells Peter that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against” the kingdom of heaven. Notice which kingdom is being the aggressor here. It is not the gates of heaven withstanding an attack from the forces of hell. No, it is the GATES of hell being overwhelmed by the forces of heaven. 

So, how do we win in this spiritual warfare? By faith, through humility, in peace, we take back dominion of all the strongholds that had been controlled by Satan. By this means we allow the Spirit to set people free!

The sting of sin is death, and the power of sin is the law. The power of sin and death has been erased by the Spirit. Both sin and death have been rendered powerless, shut down by the forceful invasion of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. And this is our victory; even our faith. Thanks be to God, who gives to us the victory!