The Local Church as a Place of Refuge
Joseph Prince
The Old Testament cities of refuge reveal a beautiful picture of Christ as our protection. The six cities were scattered across the land so a person could flee to the nearest one to take refuge. It is a picture of the local church. The local church is a place of refuge. The church is not man’s idea; it’s God’s idea. It is a place where all the guilty, where all who are suffering from condemnation, and where those who are being pursued can come and take refuge. It is not God’s heart for you to take this journey of faith on your own. God’s heart is for you to be a part of a community of faith.
In the Father’s house, people experience healing, breakthroughs, protection, and other blessings. God the Father raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, “far above all sicknessess, all diseases, all terror, all snares, alll cancers, all depression, and all addictions. Amen!
The apsotle Paul declares, “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” ( Ephesians 1:22-23). Where is this power today in our broken and fallen world? It is found in the church! His power, His authority, and His fullness are all found in the church–our city of refuge where we can run to and find divine protection!