What goes in and what comes out. A simple idea of monitoring what is allowed into a certain place and what is not. In the ancient cities of the Old Testament, the city structure was basic, rudimentary, and functional. Build a modest sized city and then completely surround it with a big wall. The wall of the city was its primary and sometimes, its only defense. Marauders, nearby enemies, and even ravenous wildlife could be all be kept out of the city by its wall, keeping its citizens safe to live a life without worry and fear. But of course, the wall had to have access to the outside world. A way to get in and out. A door, or more specifically, a gate.
As you can imagine there was not just one but several gates in any walled city. The gates were of major importance as it was where all people came and went in the daily course of life. As a result, it was the city center of gathering, eventually some gates becoming more like an impromptu courthouse. We see throughout God’s Word, major events happening at the busy intersections of the city gates. In the beautiful redemptive love story of Ruth and Boaz, we see Boaz conduct the legal business of becoming the kinsman redeemer of Ruth at the city gate. We find many miracles performed by Jesus and the disciples at various city gates. And we even see the last time Jesus entered Jerusalem before His crucifixion, being on the back on a donkey through the gate of Mercy. The gates of a city wall were of much importance.
We also see that gates were of such importance that they would be named so they could quickly and easily be identified. We see in God’s Word gates named the gate Beautiful, the gate of Benjamin, the gate of Ephraim, The Water gate, the Corner gate, the Old gate, the Sheep gate, the Fish gate, the Fountain gate, and the gate of the Guard. And we even see in Revelation chapter 21 that the New Jerusalem, that is Heaven, will have 12 gates in its 4 walls, 3 on each side. Each gate will be made of a single pearl and the gates will be named after the 12 tribes of Israel. There’s no denying the importance of gates in God’s Word.
But you know what’s funny about gates? They’re only as good as their security. What goes in and what goes out? An unsecured gate is not really a gate at all but an open door for any and all to come and go as they please. And in order for a city to be secured, this just wouldn’t do. Each and every gate to the city would be closely monitored and watched to ensure that only the proper people went to and fro. We even see that the gates of Heaven will be monitored by 12 angels, one at each gate. A gate is only good if it’s monitored. A gate is only good if you can keep the bad out and allow the good to flow in and out in the natural process of life. This brings up a great question. Today, who is the gatekeeper of your heart?
There is one guarantee of life today, you will be filled up. Each morning as you answer the call of another day, you arise as an empty vessel. An empty vessel that will be filled to overflowing by something; what will it be? Will it be filled with the things of this world? Evil, dark, self-serving images and messages abound in this world and if you choose to hear and believe them, they will fill your vessel; you will become what you ingest. Will you listen to the messages of hate, anger, entitlement, and privilege that are only constructed to benefit the one that issues them? Then you will become their message by allowing it into your heart. Or will you instead choose the path of the righteousness, goodness, and love of Jesus Christ? If you fill your heart every morning with the Word of God and quiet, still prayer time to Him, there will be little room left for the things of the world. If you choose to love, serve and bless others before you seek to be blessed and served, you will leave nothing but a scant trace of space for the selfish thoughts and ideas of the world to fill your heart. As you begin each day with the intent to be filled with the Holiness of God, I have yet another question for you. As the gate of your heart is wide open to the world, how do you guard what goes in and what comes out?
We see in 1 Chronicles chapter 9 the detailed duties of the gatekeeper. And within it we find some valuable advice for the gatekeeping of our heart. Let’s take a look.
1) Someone is in charge.
“The gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their kinsmen (Shallum was the chief); until then they were in the king's gate on the east side as the gatekeepers of the camps of the Levites. Shallum the son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, and his kinsmen of his fathers' house, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent, as their fathers had been in charge of the camp of the Lord, keepers of the entrance.” 1 Chronicles 9:17-19
Folks in order to ensure that the gate is secure, someone has to be clearly in charge. You can’t have two, three or four people in charge, it won’t work. There must be unity of what is allowed in and what is allowed out, a clear role of leadership. Who is in charge of the gate of your heart today? If you have Jesus as your Savior, you have been gifted with a miracle, a Helper, the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit, guides us, convicts us of our sin, and helps us better understand and learn the wisdom of God. If you let Him. I see more people fighting the Holy Spirit every day than a Friday UFC fight night. They pray to God for His guidance and wisdom and then reject it as soon as the message is delivered because they don’t like His message. Because it either tells them something can’t come through the gate or that their behavior should not ever leave the gate. If you’re going to cry out to God to be your gatekeeper, you got to let Him do His job.
2) All gates are protected.
“All these, who were chosen as gatekeepers at the thresholds, were 212. The gatekeepers were on the four sides, east, west, north, and south.” 1 Chronicles 9:22, 24
You can’t post a guard at one gate and leave the others unattended. The bad guys will quickly figure this out and just waltz on through those unprotected gates. As God protects the gates of your heart today are you allowing some of your gates to remain unprotected? If you have a problem with pornography, drastically restrict access to computers when you are alone. Install monitoring software and recruit an accountability partner. Do you struggle with alcohol? Then hanging out at a bar with friends is the last place you need to be. God is prepared to cover all your gates, don’t allow the evil of this world to walk right into one.
3) It’s a daily duty.
“And they lodged around the house of God, for on them lay the duty of watching, and they had charge of opening it every morning.” 1 Chronicles 9:27
You can’t have God guarding the gates of your heart and then decide to give Him the weekend off. You can’t live Godly Monday through Friday and then live like the devil on the weekends. The intruders that are allowed into your heart over the weekend will quickly and easily take over your entire week. Protecting the gates of your heart is a 24/7 job, for just when you think you are safe, a band of marauders will surface over the next hill, their plan of attack better than your plan of defense.
Friends, you are under attack today. Satan and his team are at the walls of your heart and they are looking for an easy way in. But if you relent and allow the Holy Spirit of God to be the gatekeeper of your heart, the attacks will fall away as useless. Allow God to be the one and only gatekeeper of your heart. Name Him to the post and don’t try replacing Him every time you’re tempted or frustrated. Protect every gate into your life. Allow him to police your eyes, your feet, your mind, your words, and your actions. Leave no gate unprotected to attack. And be prepared to know that it’s a never-ending job. But don’t fret, God is always on the job. He is always standing guard, protecting the hearts of those that have called upon the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. He is ready, willing, and more than able. Just sit back and allow Him to do His work in your life. For He is the gatekeeper of the heart.
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:1-10
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