POSSESSING THE GATES

[Albert Finch]

We have an enemy who wants free access to our lives...and we have angelic hosts to guide, guard, and protect us here on the earth (Psalm 91:11, Psalm 34:7). As we become more aware of both, while living in this day and time, living a lifestyle of victory becomes our daily norm.

"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them." - Psalm 34:7

The enemy has many tactics to prevent us from stepping into our destiny. One of those tactics is distraction. Distraction can be a hindering spirit sent to draw us away from our God-given assignment and is a decoy sent to interrupt the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Distraction can be described as mental distress, a diversion sent to lead us off course, or something dividing our loyalties away from the will of God. Distraction is a ploy by the enemy to delay the fulfillment of our prophetic promises. A spirit of distraction has one main intent: to hinder! An oppressive spirit is always sent to kill, steal and destroy.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10

NEHEMIAH'S DISTRACTION

In Nehemiah Chapter 6, Nehemiah had all but finished the wall of Jerusalem, except for installing the doors to the gates of the city. When the enemies of Judah realized that Nehemiah had completed the restoration process, they plotted against Nehemiah to stop his progress. Judah's enemies – Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem – devised evil schemes to hinder Nehemiah through distraction, conspiracy, and physical threats.

"For a great and effective door has been opened to me and there are many adversaries." - 1 Corinthians 16:9

When Nehemiah faced opposition from his adversaries, he discerned the strategy of the enemy and avoided being drawn into the snare of verbal discourse and distraction. Nehemiah chose his battles by recognizing distraction as the main attraction sent by the enemy to halt and hinder his progress! Nehemiah didn't engage in a verbal dispute with his enemies because he believed that if God was for him, who then could stand against him (Romans 8:31)? Nehemiah used wisdom and undistracted focus to defeat the foe before him. Even when Tobiah and Geshem (which represents carnal thinking and the ways of the world) rose up as adversarial cohorts, Nehemiah didn't fall prey to the stress and pressure to perform to their demands.

In Nehemiah chapter six, scripture says there was an entrance left open for the enemies of Judah to pass through and enter the city. The walls were erected as a fortress to protect them from outside opposition, yet there was still an opening through the doors to the city that left them vulnerable to an attack.

When we leave an open door for our adversary to enter in wherever he pleases, he is more than willing to oblige us by occupying our unguarded territory with his presence. One of the keys to closing off unwanted spiritual warfare is to check the gates of our city! When access to the enemy is denied, there's no room for him to wreak havoc. We are careful to protect our ear gate, eye gate, heart gate, and mouth gate -- not giving the devil an opportunity (Ephesians 4:27).

POSSESSING THE GATES OF OUR ENEMIES

When Abraham believed by faith that God would provide a sacrifice to lay on the altar in place of his son Isaac, God blessed Abraham through his act of obedience by promising Abraham's descendants would possess the gates of their enemies (Genesis 22). We are descendants of Abraham!

Galatians 3:29 in the NKJV says, "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."   To possess the gates of a city represents power. In the Word of God, business was established at the gates. Prophets stood at the gates of the city to make declarations from God (Jeremiah 7:2; 17:19). Kings sat at the city gates to dispense justice (2 Samuel 19:8).

To possess the gates of our enemies means to conquer and defeat our adversaries by the power of the Holy Spirit. The word "possess" is the Hebrew word "yaras" which means to drive out previous tenants, cast out, succeed, to expel, and to utterly dispossess. God has given us all power and authority over the enemy, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against us (the Church) (Matthew 16:18-19).

VOCALLY AFFIRM YOUR BREAKTHROUGH

We occupy a place of authority by making declarations of breakthrough, casting out the works of darkness wrecking havoc upon the earth, and disarming the enemy at the gate! God is bringing turning points into the Body of Christ with His signature all over them. NOW is the time to claim your inheritance and possess the gates of your enemies. Blessing and multiplication is your portion. What the enemy meant for evil, God is turning around for His good.
"Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the Heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore, and your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies." - Genesis 22:17

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
http://afministry.ning.com/

[Wanda Joy]

Yes yes yes Amen