My son wanted to go to the pool yesterday, alone, because no one was there. While we were there he swam and I was reading a book called Realms of the Kingdom by Ian Clayton that Autumn’s dad left for me to read. As I was reading the Lord opened my eyes to what He meant when he said to his disciples in Matthew 16:18, “Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” It was a fresh perspective I had not visualized before, but now will never forget.

As I sat in the walls of that gated pool area, the Lord asked me wether the church is in the pool area where I was sitting or outside the gates where the houses are? I said, I’ve always sensed the pool area is the church and out there is the world where the enemy rules. He said, it’s the other way around. He said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell won’t prevail against it.” The enemy is fenced in, the church is not.

I then looked at the gates and saw new houses going up outside the gates. I looked around at the neighborhood and realized the enemy is penned in a small area, we the church are building new houses (people’s lives) all day every day. As I looked at it from this new perspective I realized the church is not playing offense or defense, rather the church just doesn’t have a correct perspective on what side of the fence were on. The enemy is watching God build His church (His people) and the enemy’s gates can’t overpower it, for the enemy is fenced in. Rejoice friends, for Jesus overcame the world, sin, hell and the grave. He’s got the keys to the gates of the enemy. We the church are God’s neighborhood and all the enemy can domis watch God build more houses (lives).