A recent favorite passage of mine comes from Revelation 3:
“7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” Revelation 3:7-8 NKJV
The key of David is an allusion to Eliakim, who held the highest position in Hezekiah’s royal court. Isaiah 22:20-24 speaks about Eliakim who had been given authority to refuse admittance to anyone seeking to enter the king’s presence. As prime minister of the royal palace, he wore a key to the house of David around his shoulder. The key symbolized his authority. He was the only person in the palace who had access to every room. There was no door he could not shut. There was no door he could not open.
Jesus applies this terminology to Himself in Revelation 3, as one who determines who will enter His future Davidic Kingdom. Jesus holds the key of David. What He shuts no one can open, and what He opens no one can shut. In fact, Jesus is the Door!
9″I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:9 NKJV
I have discovered that when we walk through the Door, we never know where we’ll go, whom we’ll meet, or what we’ll do. Following Christ truly is the great adventure. It is also worthy to recognize that Jesus likened the working of the Holy Spirit to the wind.
8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 NKJV
Sometimes the Spirit is a light wind. Other times He is a gale-force wind that batters our lives. Sometimes He acts as a headwind that seems to frustrate our plans and close doors. Still at other times, the Spirit becomes the wind at our backs as doors seem to fly off their hinges before us!
Last month, while Linda and I were on a study break, we decided to invite a few people we had begun a casual friendship with out to dinner. During our conversation I felt a strong impression from the Holy Spirit, (perhaps the wind of the Spirit pushing me), to ask permission to pray and thank God for our meal. I chose to walk through the door the Lord had set before me and politely asked, “Would it be okay for me to offer a prayer of thanks for our meal tonight?”
The gal sitting across the table from me said, “What did you say?” Linda told her that I was asking if it was alright to pray a quick prayer of thanks for the meal. She looked at Linda and exclaimed, “You have got to be kidding!” She emphatically looked at me and said, “Absolutely NOT. I grew up Southern Baptist and I have had enough of that!”
Wow! The moment was slightly tense to say the least but I graciously told her that I wouldn’t pray out –loud. The conversation went on a bit awkwardly shortly after that, but we continued our meal and it ended up being a cordial time.
Truth be told, I really wasn’t discouraged at all by her response. I was simply sad that she was so quick to reject a gracious offer to thank the God of the universe for our meal. Silently, I praised the Lord for the joy I felt come over me. I knew I had listened to the Holy Spirit! I said, “Lord, this is exactly where you want us. It takes no courage to keep silent! This reaction would never have been seen if I did not listen to You.” I remembered the words of Peter.
“14 If you are reproached (express disapproval or disappointment) for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.” 1 Peter 4:14 NKJV
Not all doors the Holy Spirit opens have favorable greeters! Our simple task is to keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25) and to bring the grace and truth of Jesus Christ into the divine appointments God has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10).
I think as you listen and are lead by the Spirit you also will discover those doors that are open.
In Christ,
Dale