Are there spiritual gates and doors over my family, my city, and my region.
Revelation 4:1
"After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, 'Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.'”
YES. But, we need to discern in the Spirit what these gates and doors are. In this verse John was in the spirit. He was praying, fasting, and seeking the Lord. These spiritual doors and gates are designed to allow that which is in the spiritual to manifest in the natural realm. Our Lord wanted John to know what was coming so he could warn the church. As a result of this open spiritual door we now have the peace and reassurance that no matter what happens we who have repented of our sins and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ will have a future with Him in His kingdom.
Is it important who controls these doors and gates? What happens if our adversary, Satan, controls these gates and doors?
2 Samuel 15:1-6
"After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.” Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.” Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.” And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel."
How does the enemy get control of the gates?
OUR SIN!
2 Samuel 12:11
"Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun."
David sinned against God with Bathsheba, as a result the Lord told David that He was going to turn the hearts of the people away from him, and give his kingdom to another. This was part of the consequences of David's sin. When there is unrepented sin in a city, this allows the enemy to take control of the gates and doors and to also set up gates and doors of his own to allow sickness, lack, violence, and all kinds of things into the city. David had an option. He did repent, but later again made mistakes in his judgment which caused this curse to be fulfilled. You can read about it yourself in 2 Samuel 13 & 14. To summarize these passages. David's son, Absalom killed his brother because he had defiled his own sister. David should have handled the first situation by following God's laws. His son should have been killed because he raped his sister, but he didn't act properly, therefore causing Absalom to take matters into his own hands. He took it upon himself to bring justice instead of taking the matter to the leaders and judges to handle the fate of his brother who raped his sister. Again, David turned his back to God's commandments by not bringing Absalom to justice for his murder of his brother, but instead gave Absalom a full pardon. Our sin gives our adversary, Satan, legal right to set up and control demonic spiritual gates in the spiritual realm.
What happens when God controls the gates and doors?
Genesis 28:12-15
Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
When God controls gates and doors in the spiritual there are blessings and shalom released. Jacob was on a journey at this time. He was leaving his home land in search if a new start. God revealed Himself and said He was with him. God reminded Jacob of the promises He had given to His fathers Abraham and Isaac. He promised Jacob His shalom! This time when this door / gate was opened up in the spiritual Jacob received tremendous blessings. It was after this he found his wives. The Lord blessed him with a very large family. Then Lord blessed him with wealth and prosperity. The Lord gave him health and healing. The Lord gave him peace. Look what happened when Jacob passed through this door a second time. You can read on your own Genesis 32 &33, but to summarize, Jacob was on his way back to his own land and he had sent everyone ahead of him; his wives, his children his servants, and all his wealth. Jacob stayed alone that night and he wrestled with "a man" until morning. Jacob wrestled for the blessing and the same gate he stopped at when he left his land. This was the exact same location! This time as he passed through he was blessed. He was given a new name; his purpose changed and he entered into a new season in his own land. There was healing of family relationships as his brother welcomed him, and forgave him.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Isaiah 45:2-3
“I will go before you
And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the Lord,
Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel.
There are gates over our cities that are being controlled by our enemy Satan. He is filling our cities with all sorts of demonic activity and influence. We need to take back control of the gates of our city and ask the Lord to establish His gates of blessings over our cities. When we repent and ask forgiveness we remove the legal right Satan has and we can then ask the Lord to smash down those demonic strongholds and gates. This verse gives us the hope and a promise that He will do it. God's shalom will come and He will establish gates of blessings where He will release hidden treasures. Hidden treasures of souls coming to salvation, treasures of deliverance, treasures of healings, treasures of prosperity. It will all be for His glory and for His honor!