Use Your Spiritual Keys

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Due to the large amount of sermons and topics that appear on this site I feel it is necessary to post this disclaimer on all sermons posted. These sermons are original to the author and the leading of the Holy Spirit. While ideas and illustrations are often gleaned from many sources including those at Sermoncentral.com, any similarities and wording including sermon title, that may appear to be the same as any other sermon are purely coincidental. In instances where other minister’s wording is used, due recognition will be given. These sermons are not copyrighted and may be used or preached freely. May God richly bless you as you read these words. It is my sincere desire that all who read them may be enriched. All scriptures quoted in these sermons are copies and quoted from the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible.

Pastor James May

USE YOUR SPIRITUAL KEYS

Matthew 16:18-19, "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."

We often hear messages concerning the statement in verse 18 that “upon this rock”, that “rock” being the foundation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who was crucified and resurrected to establish the church and the way of salvation for all men. The church and your salvation are established upon the fact of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and hell’s power has already been defeated at the cross.

Satan brought out his biggest “guns” at the cross. Hell’s power to kill, steal and destroy was unleashed in all its force upon Jesus Christ and Jesus defeated all that Satan could bring to bear upon him. Jesus allowed Satan to do his worst and then showed Satan that God’s power could not be overcome. Jesus went through the door of death, into the grave, down into the prison where the souls of faithful men were kept until that day.

Revelation 1:18, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

Then Jesus cornered Satan and demanded the keys of death, hell and the grave and that took away all of Satan’s power to control the ultimate destiny of mankind.

Satan had held sway over man ever since the sin in the Garden of Eden but now he held that power no longer for Jesus had paid the price of redemption and bought back the right to the souls of every man, woman and child who would accept his sacrifice and receive forgiveness for their sin.

Jesus has the keys and even though Satan still does his best to destroy man, and still attempts to be the god of this world, he has no power over the church; no power over the lives of God’s chosen people; and no power to control your lives unless you give it to him through unbelief and disobedience to God’s will for your life.

2 Thessalonians 2:7, makes a statement that if often referred to in teaching of Bible prophecy, but that statement has a great meaning for you and I this morning, not just as it refers to prophetic events, but in your every day lives, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

By this statement we can see that the Bride of Christ, the true Church, those who are truly born again, Bible believing, Jesus loving, and those who are sold out to God’s will, have been given a power that often forget is ours.

How often do we allow things to go on in our lives, in our homes, in our families, and in our churches, that we have the power to stop and yet we put up with them day after day as though we had no power over them?

Jesus made a statement to Peter, and to all his church, that carried with it great power and provision if we would only learn to use it“…and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

As Spirit filled Christians, who have the indwelling power of the Holy Ghost in our hearts and lives, we have been given a position of power and authority over the enemy of our soul.

James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”