Floodgate
Psalms 24:9 KJV (9) Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
The lifting, the drawing nigh, the opened eyes- if the force of God and His incredible greatness is going to make His way into our lives to bring deliverance and make an incredible difference, there is going to be an effort on our part in lifting whatever would stand between us. There is a barrier wall that must be opened for His glory to flood in.
For the last couple of days the news channels have given a continual image of the hurricane in the gulf and the force of the ocean with its surge threatening to break down the levees and flood the cities. There was a particular scene that was recurring on one particular channel. It showed an area beyond a certain barrier where flooding had risen half-way up a storefront and almost covered a little white pickup. What was interesting to me about the barrier was that it had a gate that could be opened to allow water to flow one way or the other. While the incredible force of the flood was rising on one side of the gate to dangerously destructive heights, this simple metal gate was all that kept the water from passing to the other side with the full strength of its powerful force. Though the power of the surging water was more than enough to completely wipe out all that lay beyond the barrier wall, until the gate were lifted there would be no passage of water and none of its effect.
There is a presence in our lives today that is incredibly powerful and able to completely transform our landscape. Though this force is continually there, never letting up in its readiness to pour into our hearts and lives with power that will render everything else insignificant, it will always be held back until a gate is lifted. I believe the King of glory is that force, and that the surging, pressing force of God’s goodness will never makes its way into our hearts and lives until a certain gate is lifted by means of worship and prayer. In worship, the heart is opened to all that God would speak into it, and in prayer that follows a magnified awareness of Him, nothing is impossible. All the old is removed and God’s glory makes significant and lasting changes with its unstoppable force.
It is possible to go all the way through life with the surging force of God’s glory never making its way into the landscape of our hearts and lives. God is ever pressing upon the barrier wall to our heart, just waiting for the gate to be lifted and the light of His glory to pour in and make those desired changes in our lives. The gate is in great working condition, never failing to move as soon as God is exalted and His Spirit inspires and motivates the communication of prayer. However, it will also be lowered to its retaining position as soon as worship and prayer end, and the heart’s focus returns once again to the cares of life and the fear they instill. Learning to keep the gate lifted with a life that is unceasing worship is the need, desire and ability of all that would be completely transformed by the power of the King’s glory.
There is a lifting for today and throughout all that comes our way in it. There is a floodgate with the unstoppable force of God’s glory and love just waiting on the other side. Our worship and prayer will lift this gate, giving access to the King of glory, and allowing Him to completely change perspectives and set us free to run, dance, and experience the abundant life that is ours in Christ. Let’s keep that gate lifted.
