OPEN DOORS - PART 5

FRIDAY 01 MARCH 2024

Open doors are real and rewarding because they are regulated by divine assistance. This means that we should continually yield to the government of the Spirit, in order not to allow any hostile power in form of negative imagination, adverse philosophy or irrelevant opposition of any kind, to keep us from accessing all the significant possibilities strategically installed in such realm of elevation. More below!

Reference: Revelation 3:8 New Living Translation (NLT)

"I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me."

The next segment which is the third in sequence, based on the above versified reference is:

You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word.

In other words, obeying the Word of God is not dependent on your physical strength, but rather it is dependent on a firm decision based on the level of Christ's love you have mastered by revelation or attained by discipline. Got it? If they obeyed the Word of God, regardless of their little strength, it means that you can do exploit in the Kingdom of light - with great and double strength that comes from the Spirit.

Before I continue, one thing I want us to notice is that we just expounded the phrase, "I have opened a door for you that no one can close." And the next segment, which is, "You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word", seems to bring in a separate or different idea in an obvious way. So today's segment presents to us an understanding very peculiar in itself, and not obviously connected to the previous segment. Are you with me? It's simply important that we all noticed it. Hallelujah!

Why did the Lord specifically mention that the church in Philadelphia had little strength, yet they obeyed His word? Human strength is a symbol of toughness, hardiness, vigour and vitality but in the things of the Spirit, it is not a reliable criteria for fulfilling the will of God. To function effectively in the state of being strong enough to withstand pressure, resistance, evil forces, and adverse condition, you need the ability of the Holy Spirit, not your own strength. To that effect, Zechariah 4:6 reads, "And this is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies" (NLT).

So, in obeying the Word, your strength is not elemental but partly essential. By this I mean that by strength shall no man prevail, although you still need human strength to exist. To that effect, 1st Samuel 2:9 reads, 'He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. "It is not by strength that one prevails"' (NIV).

One of the most appealing qualitIes of the Holy Spirit is the strength He inspires and bestows on us for efficiency. This is the reason Paul stated in his prayer on behalf of the Ephesians saying, "I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being" (Ephesians 3:16 NIV). So we always need to be empowered with inner strength through the Spirit of God, especially in regard to building a strong faith. Stay tuned for part 6. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Exodus 15:2; Psalm 73:26; 1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalm 28:7; 1 Corinthians 16:13.

Guided Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I acknowledge with a heart of gratitude that I have a great treasure in Christ Jesus, and I have received all that is needful for accessing the rewarding possibilities of an open door, followed by the transformation of every aspect of my life through the governing influence of the Spirit in Jesus' Name, Amen.