In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus spoke:
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
A gate is a means of access or entry to a place and it is the point of separation or inclusion. You are either in or out depending on which side of the gate you are on. Jesus speaks of a gate that separates life from death and destruction. There are those who choose life and by default the rest have chosen death.
Jesus makes it clear that it will not be easy to enter in through the narrow gate. People are looking for solutions to this problem by examining and analyzing the external conditions of man. They are looking for “the fountain of youth” as though it has been hidden in some remote place on earth. The fountain of youth is not found in the external but can only be found in the internal.
If Jesus says it will be difficult, rest assured that it will. We must strive to enter in as Luke writes in Luke 13:24 so we must not think that the masses have achieved this particular aspect of life. Each of us must be willing to die to the flesh and keep it under subjection. FATHER’S Word must be more alive in us than the world around us. Jesus goes on to say:
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
In this regard, a false prophet is one who falsely claims the gift of prophecy or divine inspiration, or who uses that gift for evil or lawlessness. A ravenous wolf is one who seizes, grabs, claims for one’s self. In other words, they will sacrifice you for the benefit of themselves. Oh how I have seen ministers fleece the congregation for larger offerings in order to satisfy their fleshly desires and egos. Jesus did not make a distinction between believers and unbelievers in the above verses. He was comparing those who are obedient to those who are lawless.
The key to entering through the narrow gate is hearing and obeying FATHER’S Voice:
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Those who are truly passionate to enter by the narrow gate will not be denied entry. They will persist in their quest and FATHER will see their great faith and will answer them accordingly. They will set aside what the world has to offer and will jettison the weights placed on them by the demands of the world. I marvel at the people who now go to restaurants with others and sit around texting and surfing the net rather than communicating with the ones across the table. Technology will not gain you entrance through the narrow gate. There will be no cell phones allowed at the Great White Throne.
What if I can’t hear FATHER’S Voice? Then be still and quiet your mind. Often, the best time to hear is when you wake up in the morning. The world has not yet bombarded you with its disinformation about life. Some find it best at the end of the day knowing there is nothing else to deal with in the world for that day. As you purpose to be still, FATHER will respond. Is it easy to enter in? If you have exercised your mind for years at the expense of your spirit, your mind will try to keep you from entering in. You will analyze and reason away why you can’t hear FATHER. Your mind will distract you from the stillness required to hear HIS Voice. Don’t give up!
When you hear and respond to FATHER you will bear good fruit. When you walk in Love, you set yourself up to become more sensitive to HIS Voice because you become like HIM. When you seek to do those things which Love promotes, you take on HIS Character and those actions produce greater faith and you see the results as good fruit.
Entering through the narrow gate is not easy or else everyone would have already entered in. We only have to inspect the fruit to see where people are at. There is a remnant determined to enter in and stay in, forsaking the world. Let each of us take on HIS Divine Nature and produce good fruit by hearing and responding to HIS directives.