The Power of the Church

King James Version Chapter 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. 19 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.

I want to establish in the heat and minds of this precious Body of believers an understanding of a biblical truth… There is power in the church of the Living God!

In the old testament we see that God dealth with a Nation but that Nation started based on Gods relationship with a single man. Abraham!

In the new testament we see the beginning of a new dispensation… and a Church that is founded upon the fact the Jesus is the Christ!

Growing up on the Atlantic Coast, I spent long hours working on intricate sand castles; whole cities would appear beneath my hands. One year, for several days in a row, I was accosted by bullies who smashed my creations. Finally I tried an experiment: I placed cinder blocks, rocks, and chunks of concrete in the base of my castles. Then I built the sand kingdoms on top of the rocks. When the local toughs appeared (and I disappeared), their bare feet suddenly met their match. Many people see the church in grave peril from a variety of dangers: secularism, politics, heresies, or plain old sin. They forget that the church is built upon a Rock (Mt. 16:16), over which the gates of hell itself shall not prevail.

Gregory P. Elder.

I want you to Know the church has its power base on whats its built upon.

The church of the living God is built upon biblical truth and that preiminent truth being who Jesus is....

So I want to take a moment this morning and just remind us who Jesus is.......

Galations 4:4

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 4

4 But when the fullness of time came, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 in order that he might redeem those under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption

1 Timothy 3:16

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

The Lexham English Bible john (Chapter 10)

27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they will never perish ⌊forever⌋, and no one will seize them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them* to me, is greater than all, and no one can seize them* from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”

Is 9:6–7

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, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be…

Jesus was the messiah Jesus was God manifest in flesh redeeming the world unto himself.....

saints the reason the church has the power that it does is simply because it is founded on the word of GOD and its founded on the truth that Jesus is God!!

Whose is it!

Acts 20:28 KJV 1900

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

I want to tell someone that has maybe felt like this week you were gonna make it!

You were purchased with the blood of Jesus!

What makes the church im not just talking about lighthouse but im talking about the church of the living God so powerful is the very simple fact that we have been purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ

Ephesians 1:13-15

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints.

You are a purchased possession!!

You are his......

Could i remind someone that possession is 9/10s of the law!

what is his HE protects the scripture says he has sealed us with a spirit of Promise!

So lets refresh...... the church is founded on Jesus!!

This church was purchased with the blood of Jesus!!

Why does this matter let

Matthew 7:23-25

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

The church has a foundation that can be built upon...... the reason its so imporant that it be built upon the power of biblical truth!

Pslam 127:1

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain

we build upon the word of God because its a lasting foundation and his word is eternal!

Matthew 24:35

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Mark 13:31

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Luke 21:33

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

2 Peter 3:10

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Acts 2:47

The church is so powerful if its living the biblical outline of Christianity it will grow all by itself.

Acts 9:31 “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

Acts 16:5

Acts 16:5 KJV 1900

And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Faith Establishes them!

Look at the power of a praying church!

Acts 12:1-18 “Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he…”

Hear me a praying church sent an angel into prison that physically led a man out into Freedom! that is the kind of God we serve and the power of the church on Display!

Folks Im telling you a praying church!! Is a church that has the power to move heaven and change things here on this earth

The birth of the church in acts 2 took place in a multiday prayer meeting....

The number one attack against a praying church is distraction.... He will do anything he can to simply get you to look another direction…

Can we ask the Lord this morning that he would baptize us with a spirit of Prayer and a discipline to carry of the desire of the spirit.

Secondly I want the church to know that a church that is a worshipping church......is a powerful church!

2 Chronicles 5:12-14

12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.

Psalm 43:5

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Psalm 44:8

In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Psalm 45:17

I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Psalm 47:6

Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.