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THE TEN GATES (6-10)
Let’s look at the last 5 gates of the walls of Jerusalem as it relates to the gates of our own lives. Do any of these gates need to be repaired in you?
The sixth gate is The Fountain Gate.
This gate represents the refreshing and empowering of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Jesus told the woman at the well of a spring of water welling up to eternal life that comes from Him.
This wellspring is meant to not just refresh us, but to refresh others around us who desperately need it. This “river of living water flowing from within us” is the Holy Spirit. The more we give Him place in our lives the more impactful we will be to those around us.
Make sure the fountain gate of the refreshing Holy Spirit is strong in your life.
The seventh gate is The Water Gate.
Water is always a symbol of God’s Word in the Bible.
The closer in proximity to it, the greater effectiveness God’s Word has in washing us.
Ephesians 5 says Christ loves His Bride, the Church, and washes it with the water of His Word to prepare It as a radiant Bride without spot or wrinkle.
Let’s face it, our daily interaction with life, no matter what our occupation, gets us smelly, stinky, dirty, and in need of a bath. We cleanse ourselves regularly to get the smell and grime off physically. The same goes spiritually, and a daily washing in God’s Word will keep us clean and prepare us for the Day when we see Jesus face to face!
So make sure the gate of the washing of God’s Word is strong in your life.
The eighth gate is The East Gate.
The east gate faced the rising sun, which always brought with it the hope of a new day filled with God’s blessings and new beginnings.
This gate represents our Blessed Hope of Christ’s soon return.
Jesus said in Matthew that “As lightning comes from the east and is visible in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man.”
Know this – Jesus is returning for His Bride. It may not be today or it may not be tomorrow, but one thing I do know, it’s very, very soon!
The Blessed Hope of Jesus return is a tenant of our faith. A tenant is an unswerving, unchangable, foundational belief we use as an anchor for how we live our lives.
God’s Word is clear. Jesus is coming soon! The prophecies are being fulfilled daily. The signs of the times are every where. Keep the East Gate of your Blessed Hope strong and intact.
The ninth gate is The Horse Gate.
Horses are always symbols of warfare in the Bible.
In this respect, this gate represents the warfare we have with the enemy of our soul.
We are in a battle whether we realize it or not and whether we like it or not.
Us wishing it away doesn’t change the fact that satan hates your guts and has as his singular goal to destroy you.
But have no fear. Worry not! God is bigger and greater in you!
Revelation 19 describes the battle that ends all battles when Jesus gets on His white horse and, with us riding along behind, comes to defeat the enemy once and for all, setting up a kingdom that will never end wherein will dwell righteousness!
If your Battle Gate is in disrepair, if the enemy has easy and regular access to your life, if you feel like wherever you turn your walking in defeat, then set this door strongly in place and know that God fights your battles for you and you’re on the winning side!
The tenth gate is The Inspection Gate.
This is where judgement took place, where things were measured up, disputes were settled, and examinations of people’s claims took place.
This speaks to us examining our lifestyle choices.
Do your words, your thoughts, your choices, your priorities, your hobbies, your use of time, talent, and treasure, line up with what you know God’s Word says about it?
If not, be courageous enough to change. Repent. Live like Jesus did.
He’s our go-to model to compare our lives to.
This gate is the smallest of all the gates. For it’s the small gate and the narrow road leading to it, Jesus said in Matthew 7, that leads to life, and few find it.
So how are your gates? May God help you and me to get them in repair and working order, strongly installed in our lives.