This coming week at the local, we'll take a look at our role in the war against the kingdom of hell.
I was really excited to be called to a 'haunted' house in the neighbourhood this week - it's a privilege to be part of helping other people see the power God has over the kingdom of darkness. That house isn't haunted anymore - it was a great experience and God seems to be inviting those who live there into a new adventure with him.
So as we think about Easter, we most commonly hear about how Christ came to save us from our selfishness - our 'sin' - and set the world free from the pain our selfishness brings (Christians often refer to this as 'the curse'). Now that's certainly true but it's only part of the picture - the cross was also an act of war. Jesus told us he had come to bring judgement to Satan and 1 John 3:8 tells us the reason he came was to destroy the work of the devil.
This Sunday I thought it would be good to understand our role in this war a bit more. Jesus has called us to be a light that shines in the darkness - we are the seed he wants to plant in the field of the world. So what do we do when we come face to face with the real embodiment of darkness there? Jesus warns us not to boast in this, but he has given us authority over demons - so how do we use it in the way he intended?
Disciples who come to embody this aspect of Jesus' Way have a powerful impact in people's live - they help turn back the curse, bring life where death reigned, give strength to the downtrodden and set broken hearts free. Our community needs us to know how to do this - let's pursue that together.
See ya there - this Sunday, 11am-1pm at The Local (Trentham Community House, bottom Merton St, Upper Hutt).
Bless ya heaps team!
I was really excited to be called to a 'haunted' house in the neighbourhood this week - it's a privilege to be part of helping other people see the power God has over the kingdom of darkness. That house isn't haunted anymore - it was a great experience and God seems to be inviting those who live there into a new adventure with him.
So as we think about Easter, we most commonly hear about how Christ came to save us from our selfishness - our 'sin' - and set the world free from the pain our selfishness brings (Christians often refer to this as 'the curse'). Now that's certainly true but it's only part of the picture - the cross was also an act of war. Jesus told us he had come to bring judgement to Satan and 1 John 3:8 tells us the reason he came was to destroy the work of the devil.
This Sunday I thought it would be good to understand our role in this war a bit more. Jesus has called us to be a light that shines in the darkness - we are the seed he wants to plant in the field of the world. So what do we do when we come face to face with the real embodiment of darkness there? Jesus warns us not to boast in this, but he has given us authority over demons - so how do we use it in the way he intended?
Disciples who come to embody this aspect of Jesus' Way have a powerful impact in people's live - they help turn back the curse, bring life where death reigned, give strength to the downtrodden and set broken hearts free. Our community needs us to know how to do this - let's pursue that together.
See ya there - this Sunday, 11am-1pm at The Local (Trentham Community House, bottom Merton St, Upper Hutt).
Bless ya heaps team!
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