“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
When My Son tells you a choice to make, take it seriously and not as something optional if you desire to live the abundant life He came to give you. In the next teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks of two gates that open to two different paths that every person faces in their journey of life. And you must choose one or the other. There is no middle gate or default road that has no gate. And He described the two gates as one being narrow and one being wide, in fact, so wide (in Greek, platus (πλατύς), meaning broad, substantially a street) that it is as broad as a street so that you almost miss you have entered a gate.
And My Son makes the choice easy for you. He tells you to enter the narrow gate and walk the narrow way. Why? It leads to life, the abundant life now and forever. And the other way? The wide one looks very attractive and many of your peers are going that way, but it leads to destruction. The word translated “destruction” there is the Greek word “apṓleia (ἀπώλεια)” which is from apóllymi, meaning “cut off,” so the meaning of apoleia is destruction, causing someone to be completely severed – cut off (entirely) from what could or should have been. In other places it is translated as perdition and wasted. A wasted life. My Son called Judas this term. He described him as a son of destruction (perdition), which is the word apoleia. He chose the wrong gate and way.
When the disciples in the upper room waiting for the promise of being clothed with power from on High as they were baptized in the Holy Spirit, drew lots for another to take the place of Judas in the ministry, and Peter explained why, “to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” Acts 1:25. He turned aside from the narrow way of life to the wide road of destruction, being cut off, severed from the fellowship. The branch that disconnects from the Vine withers up and is good for nothing but to be burned.
Yes, this is a serious choice, it is not one you can ignore. Lack of knowledge will cause you to perish. Perdition.
This is the same choice that Adam and Eve had to make and they chose the path of death rather than the path of life. And I had been very clear with them on what to choose. Life. I told the same to Moses to share with My people, “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20.
And in these Words of Mine you see the steps that keep you on the path of life “by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days.”
The narrow way is the path of the righteous. For the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. But the way of the wicked, the wide and broad way is like darkness, they do not know over what they stumble. Proverbs 4:18-19.
My Word is a light to your path and a lamp to your feet. In My Words I show you the path to life so you can live days full of joy in My presence and the delights at My right hand forever. My Words are spirit and life. In them is eternal life.
Simply put, on the narrow path you are walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh. And on the
wide path you are walking in the flesh and not the Spirit. The mind set on the flesh leads to death, but the mind set on the Spirit brings life and peace.
There are basically three ways you enter the narrow gate and stay on the path of life.
1. The narrow way is the way of self-discipline of the flesh with the help of My grace. I have put My Spirit in your hearts and self-control is produced in you as a fruit of the Spirit. Attached to the Vine of My Son you will bear fruit if My Word remains in you and you remain in My Word. And all self-discipline begins with a well disciplined mind. And by this I mean you must screen the thoughts, imaginations, and influences you permit into your heart. This is monitoring your heart, your mind, and your emotions by renewing your mind with My Word.
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put devious speech far from you. Proverbs 4:23-24. Do you desire a blessed life and love length of days that you may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:12-14. Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Proverbs 4:25. Lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles you, that will take a lot of excess baggage off you that is too heavy for you to carry, and run with endurance the race that is set before you, fixing your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2. Even though He endured much, the joy that lay before Him encouraged Jesus to stay on the narrow way. Hebrews 12:2-3, Let this encourage you as well. Always keep your eyes on the prize. Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:25-27. Be diligent to do according to all that My Son commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. Joshua 1:7; John 13:34.
Never tolerate sin in the way you live and speak. You must deal with sin as you would a poisonous snake and refuse to touch it. Tread on the snake and hold it down but never let him into you. “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and increase, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it.” Deuteronomy 30:15-18.
The wages of sin is death. This is a spiritual law. Never give in to sin. Even one can ruin your life and that of others. If you do not believe that consider Adam and Eve, their sin ruined their abundant life and touched every person who has ever lived. And not for the better. Sin is never something that only destroys you.
But you are under grace, the fullness of grace, and sin is no longer master over you. Submit to Me, resist the devil and he will flee from you. And that is really what self-discipline is about—submitting to My Word and letting it rule your life and then resisting the devil by using the Sword of My Word spoken by your mouth to counter him and by My Name to cast him out. And he must flee.
2. The narrow way is a way of treating others the way you desire they treat you. This is the teaching that precedes and leads into today’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. My command to love your neighbor as yourself and Jesus’ command that you love one another as He has loved you are both included in this as well. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34. He served and blessed you. He healed and forgave you. He provided for your welfare and opened for you the way to life by His teaching and preaching.
Be mindful too that there should be a difference in how you treat those of My household of faith and unbelievers. “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Galatians 6:10. Your sharing and fellowship should be first with like-minded believers and then reach out to others as well, primarily to witness to them and bring them to a knowledge of the truth. But you also must ask higher standards of those who believe than those who do not. My apostle Paul instructed the Corinthian church on this, “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-11.
3. The narrow way is the way of praise and worship. It is not a way of grumbling, fault finding, back biting, gossiping, and seeking revenge on others. It is not a way of depression and sorrow. It is not a way of worry and fear. Rather, it is a way where you are doing My Will no matter what the circumstances by rejoicing always (in faith for the promised result of My Word), praying without ceasing (in the assurance of hope for a good outcome), and giving constant thanks (for My love for you that saved you for eternal life and all the good things that go with that).
You enter My gates with thanksgiving and My courts with praise, and that also is the way you enter the narrow gate. And the narrow gate is the gate to freedom. Jesus is the gate. He is the gate of My choice and I want you to also make Him the gate of your choice. Because then as your great good Shepherd He can lead you on the path to life. He is the gate of the LORD. The gate by which I came to you and the gate by which you come to Me.
“This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous will enter through it. I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation.” Psalm 118: 20-21. Do you see? You enter My gate with thanks. And I have qualified you in Christ to enter My gate, for in Him I have taken all your sins away and made you righteous.
“The LORD is my strength and song,” and what is the result? “And He has become my salvation.” Psalm 118:14. And “The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous.” Psalm 118:15. And your resolution, “This is the day which the LORD has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24.
The narrow way, few find it. Why? Most people, even believers, are not thankful or joyful people. This is because they are looking only at themselves, their circumstances, and listening to the thoughts of the devil, who accuses you constantly. They never take up the authority I have given them in Christ and rebuke the real culprit for all that is wrong in the world. Instead they put up with it and blame Me. Which gains you nothing and keeps you in the control of the devil.
And being on the wide road does not necessarily mean you are lost and ending up in hell with your master the devil. If you have taken My Son as Lord you will not be lost eternally. But if you do not renew your mind to My Word you will stay in the darkness of the wide path and live a life of destruction rather than blessing. A life of sickness, pain (emotional and physical), lack, and confusion. A curse without a cause cannot alight. Check your words and the time you spend renewing your mind in My Word compared to the time you spend on social media, godless shows and movies, entertainment that in no way promotes My Word, conversations with your friends (worldly conversations), godless talk, and worry. You may begin to understand you are NOT on the narrow way, which is the blessed Highway of Holiness where you are headed to Zion singing filled with joy. Isaiah 35:8-10. And what happens on that Highway? The signs of the Messiah, the deaf hear, the mute speak, the blind see, and the lame leap like a stag. And the devil cannot walk there, it is too high an altitude for one who eats dirt. Selah. Watch whose words you are eating to feed your heart. Be careful what you hear, for faith comes by hearing. Listen to things that edify.
Stop living under the curse, Jesus redeemed you from it, why do you want return to slavery a second time?
I love you. Choose life that you and your descendants may live. It all begins in your heart, but it does not stay there. Light up the world with Me.