An Open Door, But Only a Little Strength
Last week we began our series on open doors with the message entitled: "the door your grandpa opened." We talked about how God said he would judge some sins to the third and fourth generation, and we looked at several people where that happened: David, and Gehazi. The doors you open affect everyone in the house. Then we showed how that is true both of evil and good. If you open the door to good generations after you would be blessed. We took a good amount of time to explain Romans 8:2 the law of the spirit of life has made me free from the law of sin and death, and applied it specifically to generational curses. What Jesus did has more impact and power over your life, if you are a believer, than anything your grandpa did. Some people want to live their life under the curse their grandfather or father brought, rather than under the grace Jesus brought.
Ga 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree:
Ro 15:3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." {Psalm 69:9} (NIV)
Ro 15:3 That's exactly what Jesus did. He didn't make it easy for himself by avoiding people's troubles, but waded right in and helped out. "I took on the troubles of the troubled," is the way Scripture puts it. (MSG)
Today's message is going to be about open doors, and how we often need courage to go through them.
Title: An Open Door, But Only a Little Strength
There are three main truths I want you to grasp about open doors:
1. They always have a certain amount of Uncertainty
2. They can provoke feelings of Insecurity
3. They often require a level of Bravery
We will look several portions of scripture.
First a text in the book of Revelation:
Re 3:8 'I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. (NAS)
Re 3:8 "I see what you've done. Now see what [I've] done. I've opened a door before you that no one can slam shut. You don't have much strength, I know that; you used what you had to keep my Word. You didn't deny me when times were rough. (MSG)
There are several things I want to pull from this passage, the first is that the open door of opportunity appears to be based on previous faithfulness.
I know your deeds, you kept my word and didn't deny me.
A while back I preached a message entitled, "hell in the hallways," - when God closes one door, He opens another, but it can be hell in the hallways. A very important part of that message is that it is what you do in the hallways of life goes a long way in determining what future doors God will open to you. The example of that message was Joseph who walked in integrity and character when no one else around him did. God opened an incredible door for him that:
1. Put him in charge of pharoah's goods. (Ps 105:21)
2. Enabled him to bind his princes (chief rulers!) (Ps105:22)
3. Gave him the power (street credability) to teach Pharoah's counsellors wisdom. (Ps 105:22)
We see something similar here in the book of Revelation. A church that served God in the most adverse of circumstances had a wonderful door opened to them by God. Do you want God to open a door for you? God knows your deeds, He knows what your obstacles are, and the hatred some have shown you:
Re 3:9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
(That literally happened for Joseph!) What we do and how we act plays a role in determining the doors of opportunity that God opens for us.
2ndly God said He placed and uncloseable door in front of them. A door that Divine sovreignty opened and no one or no devil in hell could close. I don't think they could have had any more assurance given them than what God said.
Re 3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:
3rdly there is always some uncertainty about open doors:
Do you think it interesting the scriptures don't tell us what that open door was, or was about?
Most doors in life don't come with flashing neon lights on them. There is always an element of faith that is involved. Many times in life we have to make decisions and do our best to figure out which door it is God wants us to walk thru.
4thly the door is said to be placed in front of them. The text doesn't say I will make you or cause you to walk through the door, it simple says I have placed an opportunity in front of you.
That scenario can evokes feelings of insecurity.
Finally, in the context of the placing of the open door, God says, "I know you only have a little strength." In other words bravery required.
How many times in life do we check our emotional gas tank level before we make decisions about opportunities. That is where I want to go with this message today.
I find it very interesting that God acknowledges they weren't very strong but instead chooses to deal with things, not from their end, but from His.
I wonder how many wonderful doorways of opportunity have never been crossed because people focused on the wrong thing. Instead of focusing on God's power, they looked at their own strength reservoir.
I have always said that you learn more about people when you say no to them (closed door) than when you say yes (open door). People are much easier to get along with when you say yes, but when you say no to them you are more likely to find out more about the true nature of their character.
But in preparing for this message I have come to realize that an open door reveals personal weaknesses just as much as a closed one does.
An open door will teach you about insecurities you have.
Pr 20:27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost parts of his being.
When we first become a Christian the thing we notice about the candle of the Lord is the warmth it provides, and how it provides light in dark places, what was hidden is now in plain sight. There is a comfort and a sense of protection that light provides in the night. But as we continue with the Lord we find that light that was such a source of comfort is also a source of revealing our character flaws and personal weaknesses.
Open doors show whether your confidence is in the Lord or yourself. There is a very interesting story in 2 Kings 13:
2Ki 13:14 When Elisha became sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!"
2Ki 13:15 And Elisha said to him, "Take a bow and arrows." So he took a bow and arrows.
2Ki 13:16 Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." And he put his hand [on it,] then Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
2Ki 13:17 And he said, "Open the window toward the east," and he opened [it.] Then Elisha said, "Shoot!" And he shot. And he said, "The LORD'S arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Aram; for you shall defeat the Arameans at Aphek until you have destroyed [them."]
2Ki 13:18 Then he said, "Take the arrows," and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground," and he struck [it] three times and stopped.
2Ki 13:19 So the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you would have destroyed [it.] But now you shall strike Aram [only] three times."
I wish I had time to unpack this passage in its entirety.
A. My father, my father... A recognition Elisha was passing, but was it also an attempt to pass his mantle also? I think so. This was the exact same thing Elisha said, as Elijah was departing this life. Could it be the prophetic mantle of Elijah and Elisha was trying to find expression in the life of king Joash? He started out good, but didn't end up that way. He had open door, but he failed to walk thru it.
In the passage we read Joash's hands were united with the prophets. (See Pink on this good article)
Joash would have understood what the prophet was illustrating: As you go to battle with the Syrians the hand of God will be with you and you will smite them.
He then asks the king to act out how much the king thinks he will be able to beat the Syrians.
By striking the ground only three times, he was in effect saying, "I think I can beat them a little bit."
He forgot about the help of God, and looked inward instead of upward.
There are many open doors in life that will ask us how much faith do we have in God, but the question is never phrased that way, it is always phrased this, "do I think I can do this?" Thus shifting the focus to an area that is more prone to failure.
Should I consider a career change?
"I don't think I could be a supervisor."
"I don't think she likes me."
"I'm too old to go back to school."
Should I take an early retirement?
With the economy the way it is, should I risk buying a new car?
Opens doors shine a light on the true depth of your confidence in God.
Lets look in the book of Joshua this morning, there is something very important I want to show you there.
Jos 1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, [even] to the children of Israel.
Jos 1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
Jos 1:4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
Jos 1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, [so] I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Jos 1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Jos 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God [is] with thee whithersoever thou goest.
God tells Joshua I want you to go through this door, but you need to muster strength and rally your courage. Be strong and of good courage. God was telling Joshua there were some very scary things ahead, but to be brave when he faces them.
What do you do if you don't know how to muster your courage?
Where do you go to get courage, if like the church in Philidelphia you only have a little strength?
There is always some uncertainty about open doors.
Open doors usually increase stress levels, and reveal isecurity.
Open doors require courage to pass through.
Courage you have made the right choice.
Courage you and God are up to the task.
I grew up in Yonkers, NY. The aquaduct goes through the city and is a 10ft diameter brick lined water pipe. It is a almost continuous path of grass through that concrete city. It was the scariest place in the city for me. No street lights. Would the boogey man get me from the shadows? For me as a city boy the woods are scary and for country people the city is scary!
That scary feeling is the feeling you often get when facing open doors.
A child had to walk each evening past a dark, spooky house. Some adult friends tried to give him courage. One handed him a good-luck charm to ward off the ghosts. Another installed a light at a particularly dark corner near the house. A third took a more spiritual approach, saying, "It's sinful to be afraid. Trust God and be brave!" It was good advice, but not much help. Then one friend said with compassion, "I know what it's like to be afraid. I'll walk with you past the house." And instantly the child's fears were gone.
God told Joshua, "I will be with you wherever you go." Fear not.
Jesus said these very same words as he sent the eleven disciples out to all the nations. He did not say they would not be afraid. He said "I shall be with you always, even to the end of the world."
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me. You muster your courage by realizing that God is with you in the battle.
An open door with a little strength produces feelings of:
Uncertainty
Insecurity
And demand a level of Bravery.
Close:
Are you facing an open door?
