OPENING & CLOSING DOORS TO ENCOUNTER THE LIVING GOD AND LIVE IN HIS PRESENCE

How many of you have heard the following statements and, maybe even said them?

When God opens a door no one can close it.

When God closes a door no one can open it.

When one door closes God opens another one.

Do you tend to agree with these statements?

Let’s consider “Open Doors” first.

What do we mean when we say “God opens a door”? Most of the time we say “God has opened a door” because it something that we really, really wanted.

Is a door open because it’s something that we want to do?

Was a door that was previously closed now open because God opened it?

This raises another question: how did we know the door was closed? And what was the reason for the door being closed?

Do we believe that when something good happens it’s a sign that God has opened a door?

Now, let’s consider “Closed Doors” for a moment.

What do we mean when we say “God closed the door”? Again, many Christians will say things like “I wanted that job but God closed the door. I guess He did it because it was the best thing for me.”

Is the door closed because we believe God has our backs and is keeping something from us that can hurt us? Is that why the door is closed?

Or, is the door closed because we want it so much but God says “no, not now”?

Many of us pray and when our prayers are not answered we say “It wasn’t in God’s timing.” Or “God is saying ‘no’ to this prayer”. Or “God is saying I need to ‘wait’.

Why do we say God opens and closes doors in our lives? How do we even know it is God who is doing this? More than likely, we believe that God opens and closes doors in our lives because we have been taught this by someone we trust and respect. And oftentimes that someone is our parents, grandparents, another relative or the pastor.

If we submit to the notion that closed doors are now being opened or open doors are now being closed by someone other than us, is it possible that God isn’t the only spiritual being who can open and close doors in our lives?

This is going to be the challenging part.

If God opens and closes doors in our lives, this raises some very serious and troubling questions:

If God is opening and closing doors in our lives, doesn’t that mean He is making decisions for us?

If God is opening and closing doors in our lives, doesn’t that mean He is taking away our options? Think about this for a moment. Based on what we say, when God opens a door I cannot close it. Right? And when God closes a door, I cannot open it. Is that what we have submitted too? If God is opening and closing doors in our lives, doesn’t that mean He is violating our free will when He does this?

Let’s take this line of thinking a little further?

Suppose I don’t want the door that God has opened for me. Can I refuse to walk through it? Am I allowed to consider “another door”?

Suppose God has closed a door and I disagree with His decision. Can I walk through it anyway? Will I receive an electrical shock like the dog who tries to walk through an invisible fence?

Why do many Christians believe it is God who is opening and closing doors in their lives? Why is it that they rarely, if ever, consider the enemy of our soul as also being capable of opening and closing doors in their lives?

God is a spirit. Satan is a spirit. So, if God can open and close doors in our lives, doesn’t it stand to reason that Satan can do the same thing?

Is it possible, that neither God nor the enemy of the soul is opening and closing doors in our lives?

The answer is yes, it is possible.

When we say “God opens a door” or “God closes a door” it implies that we have no choice in the matter. It implies that we believe God, and God alone, controls “the doors” and that He is pulling the strings in our lives and that we’re merely the puppets on the strings.

It also implies that, to God we are nothing more than chess pieces that He can move at will for His own pleasure.

After all, He’s God and He’s in control. Nothing happens without His approval or His say-so. Right? We’ve heard this a lot over the years!

Here’s how we typically view an open or closed door:

An open door is something God approves or supports.

A closed door is something God does not approve or support.

Actually, there are some questions we should answer.

• How do we know what God supports? Are there times when a “door” with God is always open? In other words, are there things that we can identify in scripture that God always supports?

• How do we know what God doesn’t support? Are there times when a “door” with God is always closed? Are there things we can identify in scripture that God never supports?

Who initiates the action?

Here are several passages of scripture and a key point to keep in mind is who initiates the action. Is God the initiator or are we the initiator? Its important to know the difference!

Proverbs 3:5-6 says Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.

What is the door in this verse? It’s the door that allows God to direct our paths. How do we access this door? We access it by trusting him. We access it by not relying on what we know or what we can do, and we access it by acknowledging Him in everything. When we do these things, the door to His guidance is always open. It never closes!

Romans 8:29-32 says For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, those he also called: and whom he called, then he also justified: and whom he justified, those he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

What is the door in this verse? It’s God freely giving us all things. How do we access this door? We access it by continuing conforming to the image of His Son. This door is always open. If we are not seeing this door open, it’s not because God has closed it. Could it be that we are not doing everything we can to look like Jesus or that we have chosen not to access that door?

Let’s look at John 2:1-5. Many theologians count these five verses the most powerful verses in scripture.

(1) And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there. (2) And both Jesus was called and his disciples, to the marriage. (3) And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine. (4) Jesus said to her, Woman, what have I to do with them? My hour has not yet come. (5) His mother said to the servants, Whatsoever he says to you, do it.

The statement “Whatsoever he says to you, do it.” When they did the “whatsoever” that Jesus told them to do, what happened? They got wine. The door is always open with God to receive what we need in life when we do what He tells us to do. Always!

John 11:41-42 says, Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank you that you heard me. And I know that you hear me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that you have sent me.

 What does Jesus say? “Father, I thank you that you hear me always.” Turn to John 5:14 says, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us.

What is the door in these scriptures? Answered prayer. How do we access the door? We pray according to his will. Do you understand why Jesus prayed the way he did? Take note, the verse says this is the confidence that we have in him. Was Jesus “in him”? Was He “in the Father”? Yes, absolutely! Jesus never got “out of him”! Jesus was always aligned with the Father. When we are “in him” – when we are in Jesus like Jesus was in the Father – the doors are always open to us.

Its said like this in Ephesians 1:3.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

What is the door? Spiritual blessings. Where are the spiritual blessings? They are in Christ. That word in, just like the ones we read earlier, means “a place of rest, a place of complete dependence”. How do we access the door of spiritual blessings? We access this door when we are at rest in Him, when we are completely dependent upon Him. That door is always open!

Hebrews 4:14-16 says, Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Let us hold fast our profession of what? Hebrews 10:23 says “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith...” (so what is it that  we have to do? We must have a firm grip on what we believe! We can’t be unsure. We have to know!)

(15) For we don’t have a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us therefore (because we’re holding fast our profession of faith) come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

What is the door in this scripture? It’s  God’s mercy and grace. How do we access this door? We must come boldly to the throne of grace believing we will find what we need. When we come boldly before the throne of grace, we will obtain mercy and find the grace we need to deal with whatever we’re dealing with. When? All the time. That door is always open with God! When we go to Him for help, He never says “no”. Never!

1 Corinthians 14:2.

For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.

Scripture says that when we speak in tongues we are having a conversation with our Heavenly Father. It’s not just one way. It’s back and forth. When we pray in tongues that is always the case. That door is always open. Now how often do you open that door?

2 Corinthians 1:20 says “For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him, Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

What is the door? All the promises of God! How do we access this door? When we are in him, when we are resting in Jesus, when we are remaining in Jesus. There’s no praying and God not answering it! All the promises in him are yes and Amen. It’s not maybe God will answer this prayer.

What is the issue? We are not staying in him. If God is not answering prayers in our lives, if God is not moving in our lives, we may want to ask ourselves “Are we staying in Him?”

What does it mean to be in him?

Jesus defined what it meant to be in the Father. Remember, the definition of the word in, is “a place of rest, a place of complete dependence” –  Jesus had complete dependence on the Father.

John 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

John 5:30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

John 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

John 8:29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

These scriptures show us what it meant to Jesus to be in to be in the Father and they show us what it means to be in him, to be in Jesus.

• When we are in him, we do what we know Jesus did and still does.

• When we are in him, we pursue the Father’s will.

• When we are in him what we believe agrees completely with everything the Father believes.

• When we are in him, we always do what pleases the Father.

Do you still believe that God open doors for us? From the scripture we’ve read, are doors already open and just waiting for us to walk through them? We have seen in scripture that God has opened doors to such things as His guidance, blessings mercy and grace among others.

We decide whether or not to walk through those doors and what determines our ability to walk through them is how much of our lives are being lived in him. Our relationship with Jesus is what gives us access to God’s open doors.

Closed Doors

Now, is there a time when the “door” with God is always closed? As we look at scripture, keep in mind who it is that initiates the action.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

What door is closed? The door that leads to life. How was it closed? The person followed what seemed right to him. For example, the person who believes God doesn’t have a problem with killing babies in the womb is walking a path that seems right to him. A person who believes God’s love allows for same-sex marriage is walking a path that seems right to her.

Why are the ways of man the ways of death? They are ways that are in total opposition to God’s ways. That’s why they lead to death. That’s why they lead to our ruin. If our ways are not God’s ways the door to God’s blessings is closed. Always. We have closed the door because the way we are living is not in agreement with what God desires of us.

Proverbs 28:9 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.

What is the door? Answered prayer. Why is the door closed? We have turned away our ears from following the voice of our new nature. We are not listening to the conviction that rises up in our new nature when we are disagreeing with God and His ways. God cannot answer our prayers when we are in rebellion to Him. Its our rebellion closes that door.

Jeremiah 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

By the time we get to this verse, God has told about all of the things He’s done for the children of Israel including how He brought them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. But when they got to the Promised Land, the children of Israel were “showing their butts” so to speak. Be honest, how many of us have been caught showing our butts by speaking for God, or sometimes opening our mouths at all???

When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we were taken out of our spiritual Egypt, the sin nature, and brought into our Promised Land – the new birth. The kingdom of darkness is no longer our spiritual home. We live in the kingdom of God’s Son. We now live in the kingdom that’s filled with light – God’s love. This is now our home!

Many Christians are “showing their butts”. They are agreeing with the ways of man more than they are with the ways of God. They are prideful, egotistical, full of knowledge, and walk in looking for their next project rather than alongside creating relationship! God has kept His promise – eternal life that does not include the lake of fire – and yet many Christians still think and live as if they’re not born again.

God is the fountain of living waters.

In Jeremiah 2:11-13 Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods?
But My people have changed their Glory
For what does not profit. (The Body of Christ has taken the life and nature that I have given them and put it on the shelf. They have chosen to depend on man and what man can do rather than believe Me and My Word.)

Be astonished, O heavens, at this,
And be horribly afraid;
Be very desolate,” says the Lord.
“For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

(He’s talking to us my friends.)

The children of Israel opened doors in opposition to God’s doors that are always inviting, open, with confident assurance.  They rejected the fountain of living waters so they could live by their own doctrines, their own beliefs, their own standards of right and wrong – their own cisterns, the barrels that they fill with their own water. And the Lord says your cisterns are broken.

Are we not seeing this today in the Body of Christ? Society has become the voice many Christians listen too rather than the voice of the Lord, which speaks loudly and clearly in scripture.

What is the door in this passage? The fountain of living waters. Who is closing the door? We are, when we choose to open doors that flush out our cisterns of living water with stale, corroded, poisoned, and life depleting, waste water!

If you’ve ever been honest with yourself, let it be today! What’s keeping you from encountering the living God and living in God’s presence daily??? Are you contaminating your cistern with pride, being inactive and stale, trying to control, sitting in the pity party with all those that will agree with you, murmuring, complaining, planting seeds of discord, and inviting chaos? Or are you keeping your cistern active, flowing in the encounters and presence of God with His love, His mercy & grace, resting in Him, doing what he says, praying according to His will, and conforming to His image???     

John 3:16.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Amen!

I don’t know of any other door to God that is as wide open as this one. Nothing comes close. Whenever a person comes to God for everlasting life, the door swings open so fast that the gust of wind salvation’s door produces can nearly knock the person down!

Often people don’t read verse 18.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The door is Eternal life without condemnation. Who is closing the door? The person who never believes or confesses Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

Scripture says this person will spend an eternity in the lake of fire, which was originally reserved for Satan, his angels, hell and death, and the antichrist. There is no get out of “the lake of fire” free card. There is no repentance. It’s too late.

Our decisions can close doors to God.

Based on what we’ve read, who determines whether or not a door is closed with God? Again, the decisions we make determine whether or not a door is closed to God’s blessings and promises.

Do we truly know our Father’s will for our lives?

When we say that God opens and closes doors in our lives, we’re saying we don’t know our Father’s will for us. We’re saying we haven’t spent enough time with our Father to know His heart. We are saying: God made the decision for me because I would not have made the same decision on my own.

God can open doors and He can close doors. He’s God. He can do whatever He wants. But the question is not what He can do, the question is what will He do? And we know from His word that God is not going to overstep our ability to decide for ourselves. If He was going to do that, He would have done that in Genesis 3.

Genesis1:26 says Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over [a]all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

If we are just like Him, except we are not deity, then should we not already know what is and what is not God’s will for our lives? Shouldn’t we already know the doors He has opened and the doors we are closing?

When we say it is God who determines whether or not we are allowed to do something – when we say God opens doors or God closes doors – we diminish who we are as His sons. We are the ones responsible for knowing when God is giving us the “green light” and when He is giving us the “red light”.

Either way, we are the ones who make decision to obey or not obey God and His Word. So does God open or close doors in our lives? No, He does not. We open and close doors in our lives by how we respond to our new nature. God is not going to tell us what we can and cannot do. He has already equipped us with a nature that knows right from wrong. He has empowered us to know what is and what is not of Him. We can’t blame God, Why? Because we are made in His image!