EXPOSITION:

The English word church comes from the Greek word ecclesia which   means “the called-out people who belong to the Lord.” Bible scholars have classified the church into various forms depending on the nature and the function they play. Some of these classifications are: The universal church, the local church, the visible and invisible church, the militant church, the triumphant church among others.

For our devotion this morning, we will be looking at the Militant Church. The church militant refers to the earthly body of believers which in its life is involved in spiritual warfare with the flesh (Galatians  5:17), the world (John 16:33), and the devil (Ephesians 6:11-12). The statement Jesus made “I will build my church and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it,” signifies and implies an army in warfare.

The world and its systems have been set up to oppose the values and the principles of the Kingdom of God. Day in and day out, governments and authorities come up with legislations that seek to push the church back. However, God expects the church to be on the offensive. The militant church must be on the offensive attacking the schemes of the enemy in prayer and through sound biblical teachings. The church must be aggressive in evangelism, taking territories and nations for Christ. Every space and personality in the world must be reached with the gospel of Christ. The church must not keep mute, but must also respond to life’s challenging issues. The church must focus on letting the world know Jesus, in all the things that we do.