Strangers to Him

Strangers To Him

Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

He is telling them there is going to be a struggle here. We have an adversary to contend with, and it's a fight of faith. There is something that has to be overcome here to make it in this narrow entrance. Struggle to go in through the only channel or avenue there is to enter here. Remember, Jesus Christ Himself is the Door-the entrance. He said by Me if any man enter in he shall find rest. But any who try to get in any other way are thieves and robbers. (John 10). Many will demand entrance into this life which is eternal, this kingdom of God that is available. Many are searching, trying to obtain this life. The question is about how they are trying to obtain it. If He is the Door, we must be joined to Him-for he that is that is joined to the Lord is one spirit-united with Him. Our life must be hid in Him. We are to put off self and put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for self. (Rom_13:14) Self cannot get through this entrance. He plainly says no flesh can or will glory in His presence. (1Co_1:29) He said many are going to try to come in but the can't. They won't be worthy. It will be impossible for them to enter. They are unwilling to pay the price to enter here. They won't have what it takes to enter here. They won't have the strength to make it in.

Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

Luk 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

The Master of the house is the Head of the Body-Christ. When He appears, and closes the door-that is the entrance, the gate, some will be left outside. What a horrible thought. Remember the five foolish virgins here, folks. This door isn't going to stay open forever. There is a set time and it will close. Those who have been making excuses, who haven't done what He told them, will be left outside. If they have been misled by a preacher because they didn't take time to dig in the Word and pray for understanding themselves, they didn't seek God for themselves, they will still be left outside. There will be those who are left outside and will realize they are outside and not understand why. How tragic, folks! They'll be knocking, just like the foolish virgins, "Lord, Lord, open up, let us in with You! And He will respond, "I don't know you, or where you have been or where you are from." He does not regard them for they are strangers to Him. They use His name but He does not know them. He had a table spread, full of the provision of God, but He never saw them there. They had no time for prayer and communion. They were perhaps religious but would not pay the price to come into His presence, and learn Him, and tarry there until they got the power they needed to overcome what they were. There was no relationship, no intimacy, no hunger to know Him. Their lips were full of His Name but their hearts were far from Him. Where they had been, He was not.

It is a straight, or narrow entrance because there are obstacles all around it. There are many things that are naturally in us that won't make it through that gate. Self will, pride, anger, envy, jealousy, malice, lust, covetousness, hatred, selfishness, bitterness, unforgiveness, dishonesty, things like this are obstacles that will hinder us from entering that gate for what fellowship has Light with darkness? Christ will not let these things come in Himself. Only what is centered in HIM, only lives that are hid in HIM get through. To do that we have to reject ourselves and all we are apart from Him and embrace the cross that will destroy self, crucify it, and embrace everything HE is. It's like trading our rags for His righteousness. We give up what will destroy us, and receive what will save us. Hallelujah!

How do we do this? Take Him at His Word-Believe it and then act on it.We get in His Presence and tarry there, waiting on the Lord, praying for the power to overcome what we are, we pray for the Holy Ghost to come on us and fill us and be the power in us to do what He's calling us to do. You can't represent Someone you don't know. So how can you be an honest witness for Christ if you don't spend time in His Presence learning Him yourself?

But what is a true witness? Someone who knows personally this great God. Someone who can accurately represent Him to a lost and dying world. Someone with the oil of the Spirit of God burning brightly in their vessel so those in darkness can find their way out of the darkness, into the light, and be saved! THAT is what it is all about. THESE are the ones who will be taken INSIDE before He shuts the door. If you are strangers to prayer, strangers to His Word, then you are strangers to Him. If you don't make time for Him now, He will have no time for you then. You reap what you sow. I pray to God in the name of Jesus that all who read this, if you sense your need of Him, that you resist the pull of your self that will try to draw you away from Him, resist the pull of the world that would have you believe other things are more important. Nothing is more important than knowing HIM. For if you don't know Him, you have no life. Joh_17:3 says THIS is eternal life-knowing HIM. They learn to know Him, through relationship, they are ever learning Him, daily learning Him, spending time with Him, gaining understanding of who He is and sharing His heart. He is Life-to have life you have to connected to the Life Source. Break the connection, the flow of life leaks out and the vessel is empty and dead. It can't be otherwise.