I le Mataio 16:18, Sa fetalai Iesu Iesu e uiga i lana ekalesia ma fai faitotoa o seoli. Jesus not only promised that He would build His Church upon the testimony of Peter, lea na tupu i le Aso Penetekoso, Ae na folafola e Iesu o le a le faalavelaveina faitotoʻa e seoli e faalavelaveina lana Ekalesia. What are the gates of hell and how shall the gates of hell not prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ according to the Bible?
What authority has Jesus Christ in heaven and on earth?
Jesus has the highest authority in heaven and earth. The Father gave His Son Jesus this position and the power after His sufferings, oti, toetu, and ascension.
Ina ua maliu Iesu i luga o le satauro ma ave i ona luga agasala ma amioleaga uma a le lalolagi, Jesus entered Hell (Hades). Ae peitai, e le lava le malosi e taofi ai Iesu. Mavae 3 aso, Jesus rose from the dead and left by the power of God and left an empty tomb.
E ala i Lona maliu, Jesus overcame the devil that had the power of death (Eperu 2:14). Na faatoilaloina e Iesu le oti ma toe aumaia faaletulafono ki o seoli ma le oti.
Jesus is seated in heaven on the right hand of the Father and has the highest authority in heaven and on earth.
O ia o le Molimau faamaoni, le Uluai Fanaua o e ua oti, ma le Alii o tupu o le lalolagi. (Faaaliga 1:5).
O Iesu o le Head of His Church (the assembly of born-again believers that are His witnesses on earth).
As long as the Church is seated in Christ and stays in Him, His Church has the highest authority on earth. This means that the Church has power over hell and death, le malo o le tiapolo (pogisa).
Ekalesia a Iesu Keriso o se faalapotopotoga sili ona malosi faaleagaga i le lalolagi. E le faigata tele foi faitotoʻa o le lioli e tau ma le tino o Iesu Keriso; le Ekalesia.
O le upu moni lea, ma o le auala lenei e tatau ai.
Ae faapefea, that many times we don’t see this truth manifesting in the natural? How come that satanic powers have free rein in the church and prevail against local churches? O le a se mea e tatau ona faia e Kerisiano e faamautinoa ai e manumalo le faitotoʻa i le Ekalesia e tusa ma le Tusi Paia.?
The Church is an Embassy of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth
The Church must acknowledge that the Church is the embassy of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. She is the assembly of believers, o ai toe fanauina in Christ by water and Spirit. The Church is the connection on earth between people and the Kingdom of Heaven.
The assembly of Jesus Christ represents God’s spiritual power and Kingdom on earth.
The Church is an Embassy of the Kingdom of Heaven that is appointed and founded on earth and acts on behalf of Jesus Christ in His authority and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
O Iesu o le Ulu o le Ekalesia. Na te (le Upu) controls the Church through the Holy Spirit Who dwells in the born-again believers.
Le ekalesia le faatuatua
O le Ekalesia a Iesu Keriso e faaleagaga ma taitaia ma pulea e le Upu ma le Agaga Paia. A aunoa ma le Upu ma le Agaga Paia, the church is nothing more than a (agafesootai) humanistic organization that is spiritually dead.
A aunoa ma le Upu ma le Agaga Paia, the church is carnal and a worldly organization that is controlled and led by carnal knowledge, poto, ma auala o lenei lalolagi (poto faaletagata, filosofia, ma fuafuaga) and uses natural means. The church will be controlled through the flesh by the darkness instead of through the Spirit by the Light.
O le Ekalesia o le Ekalesia Waterk pe a uma le tino ma ua taitaia e lona mafaufau, lagona, lagona, ma le atamai. The people shall be the center of the church instead of Jesus. O lea la, the church focuses on pleasing people instead of pleasing Jesus Christ and glorifying the Father.
O le a nofoia le Ekalesia i mea o lenei lalolagi ma mulimuli i agaga (aga masani) o lenei lalolagi. E talia e le ekalesia faaletino le agasala ma Suia afioga a le Atua i tuinanau, manaoga, lagona, le finagalo, ma ola o tagata.
The church shall resist and rebel against the Truth of God and defile the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world (pogisa).
The church shall not be occupied with the things of the Kingdom of God and shall not instruct and correct Christians in the Bible, so that they get to know the will of God and adjust their lives to the Word and will of God, ma tutupu a’e e avea ma atalii matutua o le Atua (e faatatau lenei mea i alii ma tamaitai), o e ola i le olaga paia ma le amiotonu. But the church shall be occupied with death works that are done by the flesh.
O se ekalesia le faatuatua e faaletino ma galue i le lalolagi faaletino
O se ekalesia lavelave o le le mafaamatalaina ma galue i le itu faaletino nai lo le natura faaleagaga. E ui lava o le tele o le ekalesia le tele o le ulu o le tagata ma talitonu i lona atamai, E le magagana o ia i le faaleagaga.. Ona o lena, the spirits of this world can easily enter the church through the lives of people and take their place without any resistance from the church leaders.
O le a taumafai le ekalesia e pulea le pule leaga o le pogisa ae o le a toilalo. That’s because the believers that are the church are dominated and controlled by the same powers of darkness, o e latou te saili e pule ma pulea.
E le mafai e le ekalesia ona ave lona tulaga i le malo faaleagaga. It’s even dangerous when a carnal church tries to enter the spiritual realm, because the church will enter the spiritual realm out of the soul instead of the Spirit. O lona uiga, that they are not protected in Christ.
A aunoa ma le puipuiga a Iesu Keriso, the church shall be overwhelmed by the evil powers of darkness.
This becomes visible in the natural realm by the fruit that the church (le au faatuatua) bears, the teachings and decisions that are made in the church that oppose the will of God and His Word.
When shall the gates of hell prevail against the Church?
The gates of hell shall prevail against the Church when the church abandons the Word and becomes worldly and tolerates sin in the church. E ala i le agasala, the devil and hell take dominion over the church and control the church.
O faitoto'a e fai ma sui o le ulufale, pule, mana, pulega, poto, ma fautuaga. I le Feagaiga Tuai, we read that the elders of a city were gathered in the gates to give counsel and to make important decisions. Ina ua motusia le ekalesia mai le Upu, ona ala lea i le agasala, o le a manumalo faitotoa o seoli i le ekalesia.
This means that the church shall be inspired by the kingdom of darkness and operate in the occult power of darkness. The church shall speak and do those things that contradict the Word of God and His will.
O le a le ekalesia faamaoni?
A faithful church is a church that is spiritual and stays faithful to Jesus Christ; o le Afiolelei le Afioga ma le Agaga Paia. The faithful church walks according to the Law of Christ in His authority and has dominion over the host of darkness and brings the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
O le a manumalo faitotoa o seoli faasaga i se lotu faamaoni?
Leai, Le a le manumalo faitotoa o leoli i le Ekalesia faamaoni, because the faithful church is spiritual and takes her position in Christ in this world and stands her ground. O le ola ua pule nai lo le oti.
The church takes authority and reigns spiritually over areas and claims territories and souls for the Kingdom of God. The church shall claim and save as many souls as possible from the hands of the devil, O ai le perenise o lenei lalolagi.
Ma ou te fai atu foi ia te oe, O oe o Peteru, ma o luga o lenei papa ou te ati aʼe ai laʼu ekalesia; ma o le a le manumalo i ai faitotoa o seoli (Mataio 16:18)
In churches where the Holy Spirit is present in the lives of Christians, the people who live in sin and are devoted to sin will be confronted with their sins. That’s because the Holy Spirit reproves the world of sin (a.o. Ioane 16:8-11).
Pe a soloia i latou e le Agaga Paia ia latou agasala ma o latou tagata agasala e pau, they have two options:
They can decide to salamo o a latou agasala, turn their lives to Jesus Christ to serve and follow Him, or to continue living in sin and stay obedient to the devil and serve him.
That’s why the church should take her place in Christ, i le agaga, i mea faalelagi. The church must reign from that position and protect the church against all the evil forces of darkness.
The church should be guided by the Word and the Holy Spirit, so that the world will be reproved of sin.
The importance of knowing the Word
E tatau ona iloa e le faapotopotoga a Iesu Keriso le Upu ma le finagalo o le Atua, so that the congregation will walk by faith and can pray according to the will of God and intercede not only for the believers, but also for the people who don’t know Jesus, ma mo nuu, aai, ma atunuu ma maua i latou mo le Malo o le Atua.
Se'i vagana ua maua e le ekalesia lona tulaga i le agaga ma taitaia e le Upu ma le Agaga Paia, shall the church know and recognize its enemy.
The works of the devil and hell shall become visible by the Word. The devil shall come and try to enter as an angel of light through the lives of Christians. Ae afai e iloatino e le ekalesia agaga, the church shall close the spiritual gates for the devil and his demons, ina ia le mafai ona latou ulu atu i le ekalesia.
Ua iā Iesu le pule uma i le lagi ma le lalolagi
Ua iā Iesu le pule uma i le lagi ma le lalolagi, ma ua Ia tuuina atu le pule uma i Lana ekalesia, Lona tino. Now it’s up to Christians what they do with this responsibility, pule, and power on this earth.
Ma ua ia tuuina mea uma i lalo o Ona vae, ma tuuina atu o Ia e fai ma Ulu o mea uma lava i le ekalesia, O lona tino lea, le atoatoa o Ia o le na te faatumuina mea uma i tagata uma
Efeso 1:22-23
O le a le uiga o le a le manumalo faitotoa o seoli i le ekalesia?
If we stay faithful to Jesus Christ and remain in Him, then the gates shall not prevail against the Church. We should build the church upon the Rock and not only be hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word. This means that we keep His words, tautala i Ana afioga, and be doers of His words, and represent Jesus Christ and do what He commanded us to do. (i.e. Mataio 28:18-19, Mareko 16:15-18, Ioane 20:23).
Se'i vagana ua tatou tumau i Lana Afioga, o faitotoa o seoli e fai ma sui o le malo o le tiapolo, e le manumalo.
That’s the promise that Jesus gave to His Church (the assembly of born-again believers that walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh).
Jesus knew the devil and He knew what His work on the cross and His resurrection from the dead would cause.
Na silafia e Iesu o le a ita tele le tiapolo pe a aveesea e Iesu le pule uma mai le tiapolo.
O lea la, Jesus knew that the devil would try anything to attack His body, His church, and destroy His body.
O le mafuaaga lena na tuuina atu ai e Iesu i le ekalesia Lana Afioga ma Lana folafolaga, that as long as we stay in Him the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.
Le osofaiga a le tiapolo ma seoli i le ekalesia
The devil knows how dangerous a living, victorious church is that is faithful to God and walks after the Spirit in the authority of Jesus Christ. A church that doesn’t focus on entertaining and pleasing people and their carnal enrichment and prosperity, focuses on Jesus Christ and the mission of the Kingdom of God.
E le manao le tiapolo e faaumatia lona malo. That’s why the devil has one mission, and that is to extinguish the Light.
He wants to spiritually eliminate every local church in every city. The devil succeeds in eliminating local churches by cutting them off from the power Source and connecting them to himself. Lea auala, the church has no authority and power and is seated in darkness, operating from the power of darkness.
How does the devil cut off the church from the power Source?
The devil cuts off the Church from the power Source by removing the words of God and the testimony of Jesus the Christ, o le Alo o le Atua soifua, o le foundation of the Church and replaces them with worldly knowledge and wisdom of man.
The devil wants to build the church upon human knowledge and powers. Because the devil knows that without Jesus; le Upu, e leai lava se malosi o le ekalesia. E le gata i lena, it will ensure that Christians shall depart from the Word and keep living in sin.
O le agasala e maua ai le avanoa ma mana i le tiapolo ma seoli. O le tele lava o le onosai o le ekalesia ma faatagaina le agasala, o le a sili atu le mana o le a tuuina atu i le tiapolo ma lona malo.
A o ola Kerisiano i le agasala, le malo o le pouliuli; o le tiapolo ma seoli, have power and dominion over their lives. Ona o lena, e i ai le pule a le tiapolo i le ekalesia.
E tatau i le ekalesia ola i le pogisa ma pulea e mana o le pogisa ma taitaiina e le poto ma le malamalama o lenei lalolagi ma faaaliga pepelo.. O lenei poto ma le malamalama o le lalolagi ma nei faaaliga pepelo ua tetee i le Upu ma le finagalo o le Atua.
O le a le mea e tupu pe a manumalo faitotoa o seoli i le ekalesia?
O faufautua o le malo o le pogisa o le a musuia taitai o le ekalesia ina ia faaseseina i latou ma o ese mai le Upu ma se olaga paia.. The church thinks she is inspired by the Holy Spirit and that she lives in freedom. But the truth is that she is bound by hell.
The lifestyle of carnal Christians gives access to the devil and hell. They will be inspired by the evil spirits of darkness and follow up their counsel. Ona o lena, Christians become lukewarm and tolerant.
The church shall no longer intercede for the people and guard the spiritual gates of the church, but shall leave the gates wide open for sin and death to enter.
They think that they are merciful and walk in love by being tolerant to people and by allowing pagan religions and philosophies and allowing sin. Ae peitai, the truth is that they are workers of iniquity and servants of the devil.
Ona o lea amio a le tagata, the Body of Christ is affected by sin and death. Ua tupu tele le agasala e pei o le kanesa i le Tino.
Everything that takes place in the spiritual world will eventually become visible in the church, in the lives of Christians.
O lea la, if the gates of hell have prevailed against the church, this becomes visible in the lives of the members of the church and the fruit they bear.
A lukewarm church that walks in sin
They shall persevere in sin and live in rebellion against the Word and grieve the Holy Spirit. O le a latou faaleogalua ma momoe faaleagaga. O le a avea o latou laulaufaiva ma meafaigaluega a le tiapolo ma o le a faaaogaina mo lona malo.
O le a latou ola e pei o le lalolagi, faitio, ma be unforgiving. O le a latou le fiafia, fa'anoanoa, lofia i le fefe, alofa ia te oe lava, teena e le tagata lava ia, ma le pule i le ola (manatu). O le a latou tetea, mulilua ma isi amioga lē mamā ma faiga faapiʻopiʻo, ma o le a aafia i latou i maʻi, lea e tau atu i le oti.
Pe a tutupu nei mea i totonu o se ekalesia po o se faapotopotoga, e le o le Atua po o Iesu’ sese. Ae o le sese o le ekalesia, na le tumau faamaoni ma faamaoni i le Upu ma le Agaga Paia, but are led astray and entered self-chosen paths. Ua faamuamua e le ekalesia le fautuaga a le lalolagi nai lo le fautuaga a le Alii. (Faitau foi: Taofi le tuuaia o le Atua).
O lea la, let the church of Jesus Christ repent and renounce sin, e aveesea le agasala mai ia te ia. O lona uiga, o le a le faatagaina e le ekalesia o ia lava e taitaia e ona lagona faaletino, lagona, lagona, manatu, ma le atamai (tino). Ae ia taitaiina le ekalesia e le Upu ma le Agaga Paia.
O le tiutetauave o le ekalesia a Iesu Keriso
If there are members in the church who don’t live according to the Word and do things that go against the will of God, then it’s the church’s responsibility and task to confront the person. Ina ia mafai e le tagata ona salamo i le agasala i luga o le molimau a le Upu.
Ae peitai, if the person is not willing to repent, then it’s the responsibility of the church to remove the person from the church and deliver the person to satan.
Atonu e foliga saua, ae e tatau lava. Aua e ala i le agasala a le tagata, o le a ulu mai le tiapolo ma seoli i le ekalesia ma o le a aafia ai olaga o isi tagata talitonu. O le mafuaaga lena e taua tele ai le aveesea o le agasala mai le Tino o Keriso.
Faaiuga
Ia toe foi le ekalesia i le Upu, aveese agasala ma amioletonu i totonu ia te ia, ma fai lona tulaga ia Iesu Keriso. So that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. Ae o le ekalesia o le a avea ma ekalesia malosi ma manumalo, o loo afio ia Iesu Keriso.
Afai e te fia faitau atili e uiga i togafiti a le tiapolo ma lana osofaiga i le ekalesia, e mafai ona e faitau i le blog posts e ala i le kiliki i luga o sootaga:
- Ua saunia le ekalesia i le lalolagi mo le anetikeriso
- E faapefea ona fasiotia e aoaoga a temoni le ekalesia; o le Tino o Keriso
- Pe ua tuliesea Iesu mai le ekalesia?
- Sa nofonofo le ekalesia i le pogisa
- O le a le mea ua tupu i le ekalesia?
- E faapefea ona e iloa perofeta pepelo?
- E toʻatele faifeʻau o loo taʻitaʻia mamoe i le to e lē gata
- O le mana o le tiapolo e malosi i le agasala
- O luko i ofu o mamoe e faʻaleagaina
‘Ia fai ma masima o le lalolagi’
