What did Jesus Say the Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail Against?

In Matthew 16 18 Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. This reference to gates of hell is often taken to mean that any attempt of Satan to mount an attack against the church will not succeed.

The Church Advances Against the Gates of Hell

Now that's certainly true in history testifies 2 ,000 years since the first Christians were baptized at Pentecost. The church is still growing. Saints are added daily through the preaching of the gospel all over the world in the face of opposition.

Every effort to stop the mission has failed. Not lies evil insults hardships or persecutions. The devil has not prevailed, but that's not the same thing as saying the gates of hell will not prevail. Gates are not offensive weapons.

They're used for defense. So in this particular instance, Jesus was not referring to hell mounting an attack against the church. He was saying the church will be attacking hell. Psalm 913 says that the Lord lifts us up from the gates of death the same gates Jesus called the gates of hell.

Christ's Victory Over Death and the Cross

Christ ripped these gates off their hinges when he gave his life on the cross for our sins and rose again from the grave. God has commissioned the church to deliver the good news that all who believe in Jesus will be saved from death and have Everlasting life.

The Gospel as the Power of God for Salvation

We've been given our marching orders and when we preach the gospel of Christ We storm the gates of hell. The gospel is the power of God for salvation for all who believe and not even the curse of death.

Can stop it when we understand the text.