“Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the great release that You have given to Your church. We are here on earth, to wage war against the enemy, pull down his strongholds and in its place establish the kingdom rule of God. We have not understood nor fulfilled our task, to a large extent. Please have mercy and forgive us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
Peter has reached the climax of his message to this Jewish audience that they must reckon with Jesus as the Christ.
Acts 2:34-36 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, (35) TILL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES YOUR FOOTSTOOL.” ‘ (36) “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Our enemies have been made our footstool. This is a great victory for His church. We were once in the clutches of the devil but now we are set free.
Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, (15) and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
The devil had placed death on us because of our sins. We were in the prison house of death. Jesus took our death on Himself and He died in our place. Our death has been paid for and settled. We are set free!!
We are set free as His church to wage war against the enemy the devil. Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
We bring down the strongholds of the enemy and build the kingdom rule of God.
II Corinthians 10:4-6 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, (5) casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, (6) and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
The enemy has set in place many strongholds. He gloats over his position that no one can shake him.
This is where His church must stand up to the systems and structures that the enemy has set up. We must confront the powers of the enemy. We must take a stand against these issues and make it clear that we will not bow to his edicts. We will take a stand for truth, righteousness, and justice, in the name of Jesus.
The stand of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego is an example (Daniel 3:16-18)
We must know that His church has greater power than the authority of hades. Matthew 16:18 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.
Gates represent authority. The authority of Hades cannot prevail against His church. With this truth as our foundation, we must, with confidence, confront the fortresses of the enemy. When we confront the enemy, he will flee.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. We will only be able to see the devil flee when we are submitted to the lordship of Christ over us. Our obedience to Jesus must be fulfilled.
Not only will the devil flee, when we confront him but what has been placed in the hands of His church are the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 16:19 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.”
We are therefore expected to use the keys, who is Jesus, and in His Name and in the enablement of His Holy Spirit raise up the bastions of His kingdom here on earth, in all spheres of life. Isaiah 22:22
This was the plan of God from the beginning of the age.
Ephesians 3:9-11 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; (10) to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, (11) according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
The entire victory of Jesus over the enemy, the devil and his forces, have been given to His church.
Ephesians 1:20-23 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, (21) far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. (22) And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, (23) which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
His church must execute the task of bringing the kingdom rule of God on earth.