ADVANCING THE KINGDOM

Matthew 16:13-14 (NKJV) – “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?’ So they said, ’Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Matthew 16:15-16 – “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Matthew 16:17-18 – “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. 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.”

1. Step Up as The Church

Matthew 16: 18a (TPT) – “…And this rock will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church—my legislative assembly.”

What is ECCLESIA?

Matthew 16:19 (TPT) – “I will give you the keys of heaven’s Kingdom realm to forbid on earth that which is forbidden in heaven, and to release on earth that which is released in heaven.”

Matthew 6:10 (NKJV) – “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

2. Step Out, Plunder Hell

Matthew 16:18b (NKJV) – “On this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

Matthew 12:28-29 (NKJV) – “But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.”

Matthew 11:12 (NKJV) – “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”

Micah 2:12 (NIV) – “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people.”

Micah 2:13 (NIV) – “The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.”

Luke 4:18-19 (NKJV) – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Matthew 10:1 (NLT) – “Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.”

Matthew 10:7-8 (NLT) – “Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!”

3. Step Into More

2 Samuel 23:14-15 (NLT) – “David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem. David remarked longingly to his men, ‘Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.’”

2 Samuel 23:16 (NLT) – “So the three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord.”

Isaiah 12:3 (NLT) – “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

John 4:14 (NIV) – “But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Discussion Questions:

1. How does the meaning of, “ecclesia” impact your thoughts about church?

2. Share an example of hell being plundered that you have seen or heard about.

3. Do you have a desire for more of God? If not, why not?

4. What could it look like for you to step out and plunder hell?