August 16, 2019
In Matthew 16, Peter (Shimon Kefa) received a significant revelation of Yeshua. There were 4 parts to this historic breakthrough:
Messiahship of Yeshua
New Covenant Community of Faith
Delegated Spiritual Authority
Protection against Satanic Forces
Matthew 16:16-19 Shimon Kefa answered, "You are Messiah, the Son of the living God." Yeshua said to him, "Blessed are you, Shimon son of Yonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but My Father in heaven… On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." When a person receives a revelation of Yeshua, he becomes a member of the Ecclesia, the universal New Covenant community of faith. That membership should be expressed by active participation in a local congregation of like-minded believers. As we receive revelation from heaven about Yeshua, we also receive authority from heaven through Yeshua. The revelation and the authority together are called symbolically here "the keys." As we submit to Yeshua's authority, we receive authority under him (Luke 7:7). Spiritual authority comes in two ways: directly through the name of Yeshua, and indirectly through the leadership of the local congregation. In both ways, whether direct or delegated, all spiritual authority comes through submission. Being under the cover of authority is a place of protection. It is safe, secure and stable. It is a "rock." In that position, we are protected from the forces of evil and we are able to release the will of God into this earth. We are so protected from evil that even the "gates" of hell could not defeat us. We have so much ability to release God's will, that what we "bind" or "loose" on earth will be bound or loosed in heaven. The opposite is also true: if we do not have a personal revelation of Yeshua and\or we are not members in a local congregation, we have little authority to influence the world for good by the kingdom of God, and we are left exposed to demonic attack. The "key" is a revelation of Yeshua together with an understanding of spiritual authority. The "rock" is a revelation of Yeshua together with active membership in a local congregation. When we are on the Rock, we have the Keys. If we're not on the Rock, we don't have the Keys. Our feet should be on the Rock, and the Keys in our hands.