18 November 2015
OPEN DOORS
Key Scripture: Matt 7:7-11 (Message)
Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide and seeks game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on your plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a think. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?
Two required kingdom realities are growth and change. God wants us to mature, be blessed and expand in terms of favour and opportunity.
2 Cor 3:17-18
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
The right doors
1. Doors are representatives of access
2. A door is a threshold
3. Not all doors are open
Some doors God opens in His sovereignty and others He wants to be or keep closed.
Doors of deception
1. Proverbs 5:8-10
Remove your way far from her
And do not go near the door of her house.
Lest you give your honour to others
And your years to the cruel ones
2. Gen 4:7
“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
4. Some doors are barricaded and require something extra
4.1 Barricaded doors
Mark 3:27
“No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.”
4.2 1 Cor 16:9
For a great and effective door has been opened to me, and there are many adverseries.
5. Keys to the kingdom
Matt 16:19
“And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
6, Ask seek knock
Ask is by means of petition and it’s normally done to a superior. In this case it is God
Seek is where you ask and you put your asking into action. There is a different level of pursuit based on desire and direction.
Knock is asking and putting your asking into action and persevering based on revelation from God.
Jesus says in the book of Revelation he has placed before us an open door which no man can shut. Trust Him in the coming year to open doors on your behalf and thank Him for the doors that have already been opened to you.
Discussion questions: OPEN DOORS
1. What doors does God wan t to lead you through this coming year?
2. What does need to be shut for once and for all in your life this coming year?
3. What is God calling you to seek after?
