LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, O YE GATES

MEMORY VERSE: lift up your heads, o ye gates; and be lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in, Psalm 24:7 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 16, Rom 14, Lam 1, Luke 21 

The main purpose of a door or a gate is to restrict access. Doors are used to keep those who are in – in and those who are out – out. Doors are also used to minimize movements in and out of a property. There are visible doors like the one we have at home, and there are invisible doors like the door of our hearts. In Revelation 3:20 , Jesus said I stand and knock at the door and knock , if anyone hears my voice and opens the door ,I will come in and sup with him and he with Me. The door referred to in this verse is not a visible door but an invisible door. 

The best way to define some words is by their opposites for example what is light? Light is the opposite of darkness. What is life? Life is the opposite of death. What is glory? Glory is the opposite of shame. Bible scholars said David wrote Psalm 24 when he was at the lowest point of his life most likely when Saul was chasing. He had just been anointed king over Israel (1 Samuel 16:1-13), instead of taking the throne he became a servant in the palace (1 Samuel 16:14-23). Later he ended up in wilderness. The man who was supposed to be living in the palace began to reside in caves. The anointed king who was supposed to rule over the princes of Israel began to rule over the vagabonds and debtors in Israel (1 Samuel 22:1-2). Brother David, who was meant to be feeding people, began to beg for food (1 Samuel 25:1-44). At this point he decided to invite the king of Glory into his situation. 

This man understood that once the King of glory comes in, everything to do with shame in his life will disappear. Before he invited the King of glory, he did something very intelligent – he addressed the things that had been restricting the King of glory in his life. Psalm 24:7 says lift up your heads, o ye gates; and be lift up, ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in. One of the doors that had restricted the King of glory in the life of David was the love of women. He loved women to the extent that he killed a man and took his wife. When you study this verse, you will notice that David did not say lift up your head o ye gate, he said lift up your heads o ye gates which meant that they were more than one. Until the gates are lifted, the King of glory will stand by the door. The gates in some of our lives are unforgiveness. Oh that brother promised to marry me, he even proposed to me, I took him to my parents and at the last minute he jilted me so I will never forgive him. Oh I trained that sister in the university; I was there for her financially, immediately she graduated she married another brother so I will never forgive her. Brethren forgive. The gate restricting the King of glory in some lives is stubbornness – no matter what anyone tells me, I will do what is in my heart; the man of God has preached his own, I will do my own. The gate in some lives is malice and anger. 

PRAYER POINT: Every gate restricting the access of the King of glory in my life be lifted in the mighty name of Jesus.

Brother Samuel - Reaching the world for Jesus