Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  19 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.” Matthew 16:16-19 NKJV

Keys are instruments used to open and close doors, to lock and unlock, and to admit and prevent access. Keys are symbols of power and authority—emblematic of one’s ability to open and close, and their unquestionable right to do so..

In the text above, Jesus’ promise of the keys of the Kingdom of heaven was first made to Peter, but it is now extended to the Church (Matt. 18:17)—the Church collectively and individually. These keys aren’t keys of the Church; they are keys of the Kingdom that the Church—an instrument of the Kingdom—is authorized to use against the gates of hell. Metaphorically, the gates of hell speak of the assaults and counsels, the plots and schemes, the stratagems and machinations of evil that the devil uses to attack and come against the people of God. But the good news is: if you’re standing on the Rock of revelation, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you when you use the keys of the Kingdom to counter-act him.

What are the keys to the Kingdom of heaven? It is power and authority to bind and to loose according Matthew 6:10—the Kingdom prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. For example, since there is no sickness and disease in heaven, you now have keys to bind sickness and disease in your life here on earth and loose health and life. No mater what the devil brings into your life, you can bind the problem and loose the answer according to what is already done in heaven (Matt. 16:19).

The keys of the Kingdom also include the Church’s power and authority to legislate and administrate Church discipline (Matt: 18:15-18). Whatever discipline is deemed appropriate by the Church here on earth, it is ratified in heaven, and Jesus promised that He would be in the midst of the Church, even as few as two or three, to make their decision good. This is immense power! The power to bind and to loose are keys of the Kingdom of heaven on earth.