Open Doors

Are you going through a dark time? Are you going through a midnight time in your life right now? What do you do?

The apostle Paul and his companion Silas gave us the keys to getting through the greatest trial of our lives. By their example, they teach us how to open doors of hope into our lives. Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Philippi for preaching the gospel of grace.  Acts 16:25 tells us “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them”. Picture this in your mind…here are two guys in the wrong place for doing the right thing. They were up to their waists in raw sewage in a cold, smelly, dark prison cell for sharing the gospel of Christ with others. Have you ever felt you being punished for doing the right thing? How did they respond? Do you think they were tempted to complain or question God? I’m sure they were but they resisted the temptation.  Paul was quick to remind Silas of all of the other times God had delivered them. He reminded Silas that God was good and all of the things they had to be thankful for. Then, instead of complaining and feeling sorry for themselves they started praying and praising God. Their singing must have been pretty loud because their fellow prisoners in neighboring cells heard them! They were singing Psalm 103-108, written by David, which are known as the “great hallelujah” because they were great psalms of praise and worship.  Prayer and Praise are the KEYS that got King David out of many difficult situations. This is why “prayer and praise” are called the “Keys of David”. In Acts 16:26 we see that ”Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” Notice what happened AFTER Paul and Silas began praying and singing hymns to God. Suddenly, God caused a great earthquake and they were released! God suddenly turned around their situation!

What would happen to you if you were to sing and praise God smack dab in the middle of your storm? God is clearly giving YOU the KEY to your deliverance! The KEY is PRAYER and PRAISE in the midst of your trial! Do you need healing in your body? Do you need healing in your finances?  Do you need healing in a broken relationship? Are there emotional chains that are binding you? Many times the chains that hold us in bondage are stronger than physical chains. What doors do YOU need opening?

Pray and ask God to open the door of freedom and liberty for you. Then start praying and praising Him! In Acts 16:27 “The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.” The jailer was about to kill himself because he was the one accountable for the security of the jail but then he heard the voice of Paul. What man shuts Jesus can open but what Jesus shuts no man can open. The jailer then fell down on his knees trembling and was saved. This was the same jailer who had mistreated Paul and Silas. What a great testimony to the love and grace of Jesus. When you receive God’s love and grace it makes you want to be kind and loving toward others.

Do you need HOPE? Raise your hopes this year because God will open a door of hope for you!  He WILL deliver YOU from your troubles! This is the year of David! It is your year of OPEN DOORS my friend! Look for the DOOR OF HOPE in your life! In Hosea 2:15 “There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.”  Achor means “trouble.” The DOOR OF HOPE in your life is the positive expectation of hope in your valley of trouble. Suddenly, God can change everything in your life! The door He opens for you no one can shut! There is only one door that must be opened from the inside and that is the door to your heart (Rev. 3:20). He will stand at the door and knock, but He will not force himself into your life. The door must be opened by YOU. He won’t come in with all of His protection, favor and grace unless you invite Him in. Will you open the door of your life to Him? Will you invite Him in? Please know that it’s not about you and what you have done or not done. It’s all about Jesus and what HE has done. Satan has deceived man for thousands of years and made Him think it’s about himself but it’s NOT! It’s about JESUS! Stop looking at yourself and look to Jesus alone! God sent Him over 2,000 years ago to die for us. He bore our sin, judgment and disgrace. On the 3rd day He conquered death. He promises you that you will never again be alone! He promises you that when you are in the valley of trouble He will open a door for YOU! Stand on this promise! Stand on Hosea 2:15! Speak it! Right now…ask God to open the doors of His favor, health and promotion to you and to close the doors that aren’t good for you. Praise Him for what He has already done for you and thank Him in expectation of what He’s getting ready to do for you! Praise and thanksgiving open the door to His grace!

Face life with courage and confidence. If you want God to use the Key of David simply ASK him! God will open a door of hope! If you are struggling with doubt ask God to open the DOOR OF FAITH for you. In 2 Corinthians 2:12 The Lord opened the door for Paul. He will open it for you too! When God opens the door no one can shut it or break it down! We are so dependent on Him. The ones who depend on Him stand tall before God and their word will carry power with men. When you enter into a relationship with God it’s the greatest exchange in the world. You get to give Him everything you have which is your doubts, worries, insecurities and debts and He gives you everything that He is and He has. He does it not because you deserve it but because you finally come to the place you admit you have made a mess and you need Him. It takes you coming to the end of yourself to realize that you can’t do it on your own. We have a tendency to be very self reliant and self dependent. We grow up learning this false idea of self confidence from the world and as a result fall flat on our faces before coming to the realization that we need a Savior. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” One sin or a thousand sins…it doesn’t matter. Only God can restore you. The good news is that once you have Christ you will never again have to solve a problem on your own and you will never again have to feel unloved. You have a friend that will never leave you, forsake you or betray you.  Jesus didn’t die so you could have a religion. Religion is man’s way of getting to God.  Jesus is God’s way of getting to man. Religion is about rules and regulations we think we have to follow to get to God. Jesus simply wants a relationship with you. He loves you! He really, really loves YOU! No one will ever love you like He does my friend! Your worst day with Jesus is better than your best day without Him.

This is YOUR year of OPEN DOORS! Choose to be fully dependent on God this year! Remember the 2 P’s during your hour of need…PRAYER and PRAISE! Pray and Praise Him in the midst of your trouble, remembering all of the things He has already done for you! You may not know the future but you know the one who holds it! God holds the KEY OF DAVID to your life!  It’s all in His nail pierced hands! Get ready for OPEN DOORS! This is the year God will bring financial restoration into your life! This is the year God will bring healing into your broken relationships! This is the year your emotional chains of bondage will fall off! This is the year of forgiveness! This is the year God will open doors that no man can shut! This is the year when God SUDDENLY turns everything in your life around! Do you believe it? Will you speak God’s promises of Open Doors into your life? Will you begin today? Will you begin right now? Jesus is knocking my friend! Don’t delay! Let Him in and begin to live in the richness and power of His amazing grace.

God Bless You!

In Christ, Sherry :-)

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