Going Through God’s Doors – The Narrow Door

Luke 13:24 talks about a narrow door. It is narrow, but it leads to life. The greek word for narrow is “stanos”. It also means “confined”. I found another interesting thing about this word. One source said it is “narrow or confined as a result of different obstacles or things that might be standing nearby.” In other words, you have a path from here to there, but you have to navigate through a narrow place, because there is a lot of clutter or debris or obstacles in your way. 

Think of going through the woods and going down a narrow path. If you are a hiker or walker, you likely know exactly what I mean. You may need to avoid the edge of a cliff or just be able to squeeze through a rocky outcropping. Some of you have been moving in or out and know what it’s like to navigate through boxes and debris filling a room or hallway, where you have to navigate  a pathway through it all. That’s the description of this word “narrow”. 

So, the Lord is saying that there are times where there is a door opened to us, but there are things in the way. We have to manipulate, maneuver, twist, and squeeze to get through it. We can even miss an open door like this. We are often looking for a big, wide door. We think God’s going to do something so obvious and easy that we just stroll right through once the door opens. Sometimes, He does. Sometimes, that door is very narrow and you will find yourself having to carefully navigate your way forward. Maybe you will be hearing Holy Spirit so clearly that you will just shoot right around the obstacles and get through quickly. So, look carefully and watch. Be on the alert for that narrow door.  

Combine this door with the door of opportunity or “effectual service” in 1 Corinthians 16:9. There were adversaries at that door. This is that. 

“Exert every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.” (Luke 13:24; NET)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

• This door can be a door of salvation. Intercede for your lost loved ones to find and be able to navigate through the narrow door to find eternal life.
• This door can be a door where warfare to advance is necessary. Ask the Lord for the faith and strategy to get past your enemies and through the door into life.
• Wisdom may be needed at this door. James 1:5 says to ask God for the wisdom you lack and He will provide it without hesitation.
• The obstacles may be physical. Command the physical obstacles to move out of the way, for God says we can even command a mountain to move if we have the faith for it.
• Our battles are often in our minds. We may even perceive obstacles in the way that are not there, or are not as big of a deal as our mind makes them out to be. Remind yourself that you have the mind of Christ and ask Jesus what He thinks of the situation. 

A prayer you can pray:

Father, give us revelation of how to navigate through narrow doors you open in our lives. The first door we know is a narrow door is the door of salvation. Few are able to navigate through that door, as they may need to lay some things down or change some things in their life to get through it. Lord, what they don’t know yet is that everything they could ever put aside to follow You will be more than worth it! Grant our lost loved ones the grace to go through the narrow door of salvation!

You also tell us that our spiritual adversaries may wait at the door making it a challenge to get through. Satan and his cohorts will try everything to stop us from going through and into the blessings You have prepared for us on the other side. Give us faith and determination to press through every obstacle for the high prize You have prepared for us if we persevere. We also ask for wisdom to make it through. We don’t know what we don’t know. We know You think differently than we do, so we humbly ask for a grace gift of wisdom to help us know the wise way to navigate through. We don’t want to fall into the enemy’s traps. Where the obstacles are physical ones, we command them to get out of the way! Where the obstacles are in our minds, we ask You, Jesus, to let us think the way You think. In alignment with Your heart and mind, we can overcome everything in our path. We can make it through the narrow door and into our future! 

Our nation is also facing a narrow path forward right now. Our national future is at stake. The enemy knows it and is trying everything to keep us from getting through our national door of destiny to fulfill Your dreams and plans for America. We apply all of the above strategies to the atmosphere that is dark and clouding the way forward. To every plan of darkness, we say, “Flee!” To every person standing in the way, we say, “Go!” Help us to see things from Your perspective, Lord, so we can intercede, war in the heavenlies, decree and declare, and command every block gone until Your righteousness shines like the noonday sun. By Your grace we will make it onto solid ground again. Grace to the mountain, Jesus. Amen.

Today’s decree:

Narrow doors full of obstacles are where the Church’s and the nation’s greatest victories  lie! We will not fear, but forge ahead!