Last year(2009) on a Friday morning, I was going to work and I was praying in the spirit inside my car and I saw a red light and I heard in my conscious these words in Portuguese ( my native language ):
“NEM TODOS ENTRARAO” which means in English: “ NOT ALL WILL ENTER”
I meditated in these words and I was inspired to expound them through:
Matthew 7:13- Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
These are many kinds of gates that we can find in this world , but for God there are just 2 gates: the strait gate and the wide gate. The strait gate is the one that we can choose to enter to have eternal life and live with Him forever IF we do what He says we must do to enter into it. And the wide gate is the gate which leads to hell, to destruction IF you practice evil works and unrighteousness. Those who choose to enter this gate will never ever have rest.
I will put here the explanation of the strait and the wide gates from the dictionary to help you understand what they are, even though I am talking about something spiritual, not a physical gate:
STRAIT GATE – 1archaic : STRICT , RIGOROUS2archaic a: NARROW b: limited in space or time c: closely fitting : CONSTRICTED , TIGHT3 a: causing distress : DIFFICULT b: limited as to means or resources
WIDE GATE - 1 a: having great extent : VAST b: extending over a vast area : EXTENSIVE c: extending throughout a specified area or scope —usually used in combination
So, what to do to enter the narrow gate? Here are some examples we find in Scriptures to follow:
DO GOD’S WILL - Matthew 7:21- Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father( Jesus’s Father = GOD) which is in heaven. What is the will of God? It is Sanctification and the mortification of the flesh and all human will in order to be free to do God’s will. (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
HEAR GOD’S SAYINGS AND PRACTICE THEM - Matthew 7: 24 - Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
LABOUR FAITHFULLY AND BELIEVE– Hebrews 4:11 - Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
OBEY GOD’S COMMANDMENTS – Revelation 4:22 - Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
BE CONVERTED AND BECOME AS CHILDREN TO GOD – Matthew 18:3 - And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
PASS THROUGH MUCH TRIBULATION IN CHRIST – Acts 14:22 - Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
I hope and pray that this expounding can help anyone who is reading and still did not decide to do God’s will to run to HIM and obey His words and practice all works of righteousness and receive His Holy Spirit and the sanctification that comes with the gift of God. And to those who are walking with the Lord and obeying His commands, I hope these words can inspire you to keep faithful and persevere until the end to receive your crown of life.
God bless You so much!
Cynthia R. Palmer
