Don’t Get Tripped Up at the Gate!

I was working at the tent ministry for my church. We were at a local ballgame having our Easter (Passover) service. Our service had finished, and we were getting ready to leave. A group of people coming into the ball game lined up at the entrance gate. As I was heading out of the ballpark gate, a lady stepped backwards and accidentally tripped me. My left leg was pinned behind her leg so when I fell all my weight went on my right wrist and knee. I ended up with a fractured wrist that required surgery.

A few days later, I heard “Don’t Get Tripped Up at the Gate!” I thought, “Why didn’t you tell me that before I tripped.” After getting over my emotional confusion, I could see God’s hand on my life. God didn’t trip me up, but we live in a world where people’s missteps can cause us to trip. The word of God says all things work together for good. God doesn’t cause bad things, but He redeems destructive situation and uses it to bring His people to a higher level of love, power, and patience. This is the lesson I learned from this fall.

What is a Gate?

A gate represents leaving one place and entering a different place. Whenever God is shifting a person to a new level of maturity or giving them a new assignment that is a gate. You can think of it like graduating college. You are no longer a student but now entering the workforce. Entering through a new gate means you need to let go of the old mindset, certain friends, comfort from the familiar, or giving up the good for God’s best.

When Jesus said, “Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus was making the point that a camel with a full load of baggage had to have the load removed from its back. Then the camel had to get on its knees to get through the small gate which was called a needle. The Passion Translation says, “You could compare it to trying to stuff a rope through the eye of a needle.”

Disciples Becoming Kingdom Builders!

Here is an example of how the apostles had to change from being disciple who traveled with Jesus to walking in their new position of Kingdom Builders.

To catch a fish, you must be at the right place at the right time. Peter, Nathanael, and a few other apostles of Jesus decided to go fishing. They fished all night but didn’t catch anything. Then Jesus shows up at dawn on shore. The apostles didn’t recognize Jesus. Jesus told them to fish on the starboard side of the boat. They did this and caught so many fish the net was overloaded! That is when Peter recognized Jesus and jumped in the water to meet him.

To put this incident in context you need to see what had happened in previous encounters with Jesus. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishing when Jesus called them to follow him. They planned on having a completely different life after encountering Jesus. Their hopes were crushed when Jesus was crucified. They went back to the old pattern of life which was fishing.

Jesus appeared to them before they went fishing but they were still unsure of God’s plan. The apostles were used to following Jesus. Plus, Peter had denied Christ, so Peter wasn’t even sure God had a plan for him. Jesus even made a special appearance to Thomas to remove the doubt of Jesus being raise from the grave and death.

Jesus instructed the apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The apostles and other disciples gathered and were empowered by the Holy Spirit. When this happened, a boldness to come out of hiding happened. Peter was restored after denying Christ and spoke to a crowd that caused three thousand people to convert to Christianity. The apostles’ assignment shifted and a new understand release God’s vision for them. With the help of the Holy Spirit, they were to build God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

What Can Trip You Up At the Gate?

Here are a few things that can trip you up at the gate when you are transitioning to the new assignment.

You start to have favor with people, and they start accepting you. Don’t let people and their desires pull you from what God wants you to do. Many of us have been wounded from rejection and feeling unacceptable. As God pulls down our walls and heals us, then other people start accepting us. Their acceptance can cause you to be pulled by their heart’s desires instead of God’s plans for your life. Always be led by the Holy Spirit and not by people’s needs or desires. That is why Jesus would leave the crowds and go to the few.

Another stumbling block is judging ourselves and others about whether we have fruit or not. Everyone has a different place in the Body of Christ. Some will be oak trees that will take years to grown. Others will be beautiful flowers and bloom in different seasons. One of the ways to overcome judging yourself and others is asking God to be your accountant. God sees everything you do. Allowing God to keep track of your sacrifices and good deeds keeps you focused on God and not others. This allows the Holy Spirit to reveal if you need to be corrected or make changes to be more fruitful.

Many people stumble because of past experiences of victory or wounds which can cloud your judgment. This can lead to false assumptions and hinder the gift of discernment. It is looking through a dirty lens instead of looking from God’s perspective. I call this a putting on your God Glasses. Asking God how He is seeing the situation will keep you seeing His truth beyond the natural realm.

Depending on our environment, our perspective can be ruled by fear, poverty, and other ungodly views. Ask God what He wants instead of assuming you know. The Word of God says when we don’t operate our gifts in love, we are a clanging cymbal. Others may get blessed, but you will come away empty.

Prayer

Father God,

Help! Keep me from tripping at my gate of destiny. Open my eyes to see Your will. I am willing to be willing to change from my old way of thinking. Help me to see Your truth. Forgive me for judging myself and others. Please, remove any mindsets that have kept me trapped and falling from Your pathway of grace. I am choosing to put on my God Glasses to see what You want me to see. I give the Holy Spirit permission to correct me, strengthen me, and comfort me on this new path to life. Thank You, Jesus, for providing the way to be God’s kid who is loved and provided for.

Scriptures

Romans 8:28, Luke 18:25, John 21, Matthew 4:18-21, John 20:1-31, Acts 1:4, Acts 2, John 15:3-7, John 21:15-23, 1 Corinthians 13:1