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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: GUARDIAN OF THE GATE

Today, I want to encourage you to stand strong. When the enemy sees our potential to harm his kingdom, he will try to stop us before we can reach our potential. God knows how we will grow and learn to surrender to his will and power. When we realize who we are in Christ, the enemy will be in trouble. This is why he attacks first. He wants to discourage us before we reach our potential.

I have been thinking about the boldness of David today. I am about to tell my age, but in 1989 the song, “I won’t Back Down” was released by Tom Petty. There are portions of the lyrics that keep going through my mind today. “I won’t back down, No I won’t back down, you could stand me up at the gates of Hell. But I won’t back down.  No, I’ll stand my ground, won’t be turned around, I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down. Gonna stand my ground.” Those of you that are children of the eighty’s I am sorry for getting that stuck in your head. I am not sure about his reasons for the song or anything else about it.

All I know is we as Christian’s have to have that determination to stand our ground. We cannot allow the enemy to stop us, slow us down or turn us around. We must have a made-up mind that we are going to fight for the truth. We are going to share the gospel, no matter the cost.

I love the line you could stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won’t back down. That is one determined person. I pray I can find that kind of resolve and determination within me, no matter what I have to face. In other words, there is nothing satan has to offer me that will make me back down from the truth of God.

Gates of hell, made me think about Jesus’ words:

Matt 16:17-19 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Part of the foundation that he gave Peter was the power to bind things on earth and loose other things on earth. We have more power as children of God than we accept or have been taught. We have authority in the name of Jesus to bind spirits of sickness, poverty, depression, and anything the enemy tries to use to stop us. We can also, through the power of the Holy Ghost, loose people from the chains that are holding them bound, if they want to be free.

We have so many amazing examples of determined people in the word of God. Those who believed in God and his power to set them free. Those who would not back down, even if it meant their lives. There is a book called Fox’s Book of Martyrs. I have tried to read it several times. But many were tortured and killed in unimaginable ways for refusing to turn their back on the truth of God’s word. I often wonder if I would be strong enough to say, “do what you want, I won’t back down.” Because of their resolve to not back down, the gospel thrived and survived.

We as warriors in the army of God have an assignment to be guardians of the gates of hell. Not only do we have to be defiant about our own lives and not give in, but we cannot let anyone pass through the gate without a fight. The word of God is our weapon. People need to know that God is real and wants to save them from the pit of hell.

It is not an easy task; some are bound by things that they are not willing to let go of and will not listen to what we are saying. We cannot truly stop them if they are determined to go to hell.  However, we can make it difficult for them to get past us. But others have never had anyone show them God’s love or tell them that he is real. It is up to us to fight through our battles so that we are fit for duty.

Where would Israel have been if David had backed down from Goliath? What if he let things like Saul’s armor not fitting or the fact that he was young, stand in his way? What if he allowed the words of Goliath to cause him to fall into fear? But David was bold, it is time for the church to rise and be bold. We cannot allow the words of the enemy to cause us to falter in our resolve. It is the only way we will win the battle.

Prov 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

The reason the wicked flee is because they are afraid of being caught in their evil. If we are walking upright before God, we do not have to fear because we are doing the right thing. In our right standing with God or our righteousness, we can be bold. We know that we can depend on God. We know that he will honor our boldness. He wants us to have confidence in him and his ability to save, heal, deliver, and set free.

Are you bold as a lion? Are you ready to arm yourself and show up for guard duty? I pray we all get a large dose of boldness, many are dying lost every day. It is time we stand our ground and not back down.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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