The churches battles and victories; The Gates of Hell will not prevail

We will explore the early church's battles and victories:

• The name of Jesus refused by the Jewish High Priest
• Peter's and John's boldness and victories
• Steven's witness spanning from Abraham to Jesus
• Saul's conversion and his witness of truth

Transcript

Welcome to the 11th episode of the Pivot of Ages.  

My name is Bruce 

The church was born on the day of Pentecost, the battle would begin where Satan would try to stop the church.  Satan is darkness, he hates the light and will fight to stop the truth.

Isaiah 9:6 is key to know who came.

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 

The foundation of all creation, God is a spirit how can we limit his power to man’s thought.

The Prince of Peace comforted the early church, and the true light would not go out of their heart.  

Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 

Peter understood the importance of fearing the name and not leaving it out of the foundation of the church.  Peter now filled with the Holy Ghost brought forth the message of truth, the foundation of the church which is found in Acts 2:38.  The gates of hell will not prevail against it.  Peter also knew the verses in Isaiah 9 about the battle and the victory.  The verse says:

Isa 9:5  For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. 

The verse after says:

Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. 

There was twofold of fire.  One of the fires is God’s spirit, the other is Satan's fire to stop it, but church knew the gates of hell will not prevail against the truth.  The zeal first was God robed himself in flesh and was the final sacrifice for the changing of man heart.

Eze 36:25  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 

Eze 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 

Eze 36:27  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost went into men and woman that desired the truth to fulfill the prophecies of old.  Now the beginning church, hell/Satan would go after the followers of Jesus, but God's flames of righteousness would not be stopped.

Act 4:1  And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 

Act 4:2  Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 

Act 4:3  And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide. 

Act 4:4  Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. 

Act 4:11  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

Act 4:13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 

Act 4:18  And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 

Act 4:19  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 

Act 4:20  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 

Act 4:29  And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 

Act 4:30  By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 

Act 4:31  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 

There were many other treats and some of the apostles beaten or imprisoned and killed for the message of the Lord Jesus Messiah.  It was not of religion it was truth, Jesus follower were filled with truth, not religion.  We see more of the battle and fire when Steven testifies to the religious leaders.  Steven will go through from Abraham and the promise in the law of Moses how it fulfilled what Jesus did.

Act 7:54  When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 

Act 7:55  But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 

Act 7:56  And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 

Act 7:57  Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 

Act 7:58  And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 

Act 7:59  And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 

Act 7:60  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 

They were cut in their hearts because they knew that their fathers did not listen to Moses as they suppose themselves were doing, remember the sin of the fathers.  They were mad and stoned Stephen, but Stephen's heart was not for their destruction but to bring them truth so they could have the law in their own hearts. Stephen called to God, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”.

Death came but life came.  First Steven went to heaven, eternal life and now a witness was shown to Saul, and Sauls life would be changed, and he would be the Apostle Paul.

Act 8:1  And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 

Act 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 

Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 

Act 9:5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 

Act 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 

Paul would change from being the persecutor to the follower, what a change in a man.  

Act 9:17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 

Act 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. 

Paul received the Holy Ghost and was baptized in Jesus' name.  Paul would start the gentile churches and travel in journeys giving the same message Peter gave to all three groups of people.  One instance was with fellow Jewish brethren.

Act 19:1  And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 

Act 19:2  He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 

Act 19:3  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 

Paul would come upon twelve Jewish believers, but they still had not heard of the fulfillment of the foundation Jesus gave.  Do you have the Holy Ghost, what were you baptized into?  It is important or Paul would not have asked.  Remember Paul was the one that went to Rome, Paul knew the foundation of the church.

Act 19:4  Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 

Act 19:5  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

Act 19:6  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 

There are many Jewish people today that believe that the Messiah came and have heard about repentance, just like these twelve Jewish men.  Twelve, represents the tribes of Israel, and this scene is given in the 19th chapter.  Nineteen is the generational time frame of the promised generation (make sure you listen to episode 9).  These twelve Jews men were of the generation of testing before the fall of Jerusalem, 40 years from Jesus' crucifixion to fall of Jerusalem.  (To me this gives also the final promise to the generation we are in now, that the believing Jewish brothers will come to the foundation of God’s perfect plan.)  As the fire of God’s spirit started the Jewish church so in the last generation, Jewish men and woman will receive the Holy Ghost and be baptized in Jesus' name.  Paul taught the same foundation that Peter did.

Jesus warned about the destruction that was coming in the Apostles generation.  In both a time of testing, 40 years and of the span of a government of 70 to 80 years.

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 

Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 

Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 

The prophecy was that Israel’s leadership would not hear in that generational time, and Jesus said the temple would be destroyed and Israel desolation.  After Jesus ascended into heaven on the month of Sivan of 30ad, there would be 40 years + days of God’s mercy for the leadership of Israel to hear.  We know what happen, the children of Israel were scattered abroad throughout the world and Jerusalem was made desolate on the 9th of Av of 70ad and for 1900-ish years it would remain desolate until the time appointed in 1948.  The children of Israel would make their way back to Israel before 1948, but when Israel became a state in 1948, the fig tree budded as a nation and a new generation started.

Jesus wept over Jerusalem and desired all to understand and follow him, but he never makes anyone follow him, it is always whosoever will come.

Mat 23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 

Mat 23:38  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 

Satan was a fire to the early church and due to mankind following Satan, God’s fire came right back onto them, the early church did not quite.  God’s ways are deep, but we can see them. The destruction was not because God was destroying good, it was that God was protecting the good from the destroyers.

Mat 16:18  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. 

The word of truth would go into all the world by the destruction of Jerusalem as Jesus told the apostles they would do.

Act 1:7  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

Jesus’ foundation is sure, and we can find the same hope in that foundation today. 

Act 2:37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

Act 2:39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 

Peter and the Apostles were persecuted for this message, will we fight or embrace the truth.

We will continue in the first 40 years and explore what the Talmud said happened, the witness of the final sacrifice of the law in Jesus.

Thank you for listening and I invite you back to the point of ages in Isaiah 9:6