We Need the Church
We Need the Church
Gary Watts and Family
In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 16 verses 13-20 we find the passage of scripture where Jesus came to the coasts of Caesarea Philippi where He was with His disciples. Jesus asked His disciples “whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” It is recorded some said He was John the Baptist, Elias, Jeremias or one of the prophets. Then Jesus said “but whom say ye that I am?” Simon Peter answered “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Then Jesus told Peter that “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.”
In this passage, we find Jesus has given the church two powerful gifts. The first gift is the keys to the kingdom. Keys represent power and authority. The Lord has given the church power and authority over Satan and his demons, over death, the grave, lacking, sickness, diseases, marital issues, life’s problems, challenges with our families, all curses, life’s circumstances, rejection, abandonment, shame and all well laid foundations that are set up by the enemy. With these keys we have the ability to unlock the blessings of the Lord in our lives and in the lives of those around us. The second gift given to the church is the power to bind and loose. To use this gift, we find the direction in Matthew 18:19 “…that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” When we use this gift it must line up with the Word of God. The power of binding and loosing gives us freedom only found in Jesus Christ.
These gifts are given to the church — we need the church. The church has been given these gifts “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12). Jesus declared He would build the church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. It does not say that hell won’t come against us, but it promises hell will not prevail. We need the church because it possesses the power to fight against the attack of the enemy. The church has the keys to the kingdom. The church has the power to bind and loose. Since the church has these gifts — we need the church. I am glad to be a part of body of Christ which makes up the church!