DOORS
By Caron Cline
The word ‘door’ or ‘doors’ is used 259 times in the Bible. Doors are wonderful inventions. What would we do without them? The most important ‘door’ mentioned in the Bible is in John 10. Read John 10:1-9. In the Eastern world, several different shepherds would put their sheep together in a pen at night for safety reasons. There would be a gatekeeper and he would only allow the shepherds to go into the sheep pen. Each shepherd had a unique method of calling their sheep and when it was time to separate them, the sheep knew their own shepherd’s voice and would not follow anyone else. Sometimes when there was not a gatekeeper, the shepherd would actually lay down at the opening of the pen and become the door. Jesus said that He was actually the door of the sheep. He is the only way to the Father; John 14 says that He is the way, the truth and the life. Once we have come to the Father through the Son, the Door, we are free indeed. We can come and go out so that we might enjoy all the benefits of being one of His sheep. We will look at of those benefits tonight.
Jesus is our door of protection:
Genesis 7:11-16. God told Noah to build a boat because judgment was coming on all the Earth. The people were so wicked that God was sorry that He had even made man. However, Noah was a righteous man who found favor with the Lord. God protected him and his family by shutting them inside the ark. Noah had a choice whether to believe the Lord; his faith resulted in salvation from the flood.
Joshua 2:1-19. Rahab knew that destruction was coming to Jericho and she asked the spies for mercy; for herself and her whole family. They gave her instructions to hang a scarlet cord in the window and promised her protection when they conquered the city. The stipulation was that she and her family must be shut inside to avoid death. Her faith resulted in salvation from the conquest.
The key was to be behind the door of protection. We must be hidden with Christ in God to experience His protection from eternal death, but also from the attacks of the enemy every day. In both instances, these faithful people stayed behind the door until the time or season of danger passed. When it seems as if the storms of life are especially fierce, stay behind the door; stay behind Jesus.
Jesus is our door of preparation:
Exodus 33:7-11. The people stood outside their tents as Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord face to face, so to speak. Moses had to go behind the door of the tent to experience the presence and power of God, as well as commune with Him.
2 Kings 4:1-7. This widow was financially destitute and needed a miracle. Elisha told her to gather as many empty vessels as she could, go into her house, shut the door and watch what the Lord would do. She filled a tremendous number of vessels with a seemingly endless flow of oil.
When we need a fresh word from the Lord or a special anointing, we must get behind the door and position ourselves to receive it. Jesus wants to prepare us to meet the needs of others. Moses needed wisdom to lead the children of Israel. This widow needed money to pay her debts so that her children could be rescued. If we ever needed wisdom to lead our families and friends, it is today. If we ever needed a full vessel to rescue those who are held captive by the devil, it is today. It is imperative that we get behind the door and allow Jesus to prepare us by filling our vessels so that we can fulfill our calling in our generation.
Jesus is our door of promotion:
Revelation 3:7-8a. Jesus is our door of protection during trials so that He can prepare us for our individual callings. When we are filled with His Spirit, He promotes us in the kingdom of light. Doors will open that no one can shut, and doors will shut that no one can open. Our Father is sovereign, and He will open doors of opportunity for which He has saved and prepared us. There is a season for everything; a time to get behind the door and then a time to walk through the door into the fields that are ripe for harvest.
We must first be saved by walking through the door of protection.
We must then be filled and prepared for service by getting behind the door of preparation.
Lastly, we must go forth through the door of promotion to reach the lost and then disciple them.
Which phase are you in today?
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Caron is a follower of Jesus Christ and a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Morganton, NC. She loves to teach the word of God.
Her desire is to see every believer growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.
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