In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Sometimes we feel as though hell is storming the gates of the church and destroying it, like we are on defense. But Jesus said it is the opposite. The church is on offense. Hell is the one with the gates trying to keep the world bound and enslaved in sin. Through the Gospel, the church sets people free. We need to believe our Lord’s words that he has a future for us that is greater than the one we are living in now, and we need to be prepared for it. 2 Timothy 2:1-26 describes six ways we can get ready for our next season of ministry.