I see such a lack of understanding in parents. Why do I need to be my children’s spiritual gatekeeper – aren’t they accountable for themselves? The Bible says that for a lack of knowledge the people are destroyed (Hos 4:6). We so desperately need spiritual discernment. Today, like never before, there is a raging battle at the gates of families, all to get to our children.
Spiritual gates are portals and entry ways into people, families, groups, nations, business etc. When I fly, there is someone who looks at my ticket – they are the gatekeepers. They keep everyone off the plane who’s not allowed and wants to cause harm. From 1 Chron 9:17-27 I see the gatekeepers being appointed and chosen by the King, with a daily responsibility. They had to be loyal and trustworthy, and they were responsible for the safety of the temple.
So often children would say to me ‘I cannot trust my parents, look what they have done, and they were supposed to protect me’. Children know your spiritual calling as a gatekeeper, sometimes better than yourself. Gates and walls are there for protection. What does our gates as parents look like? What enters and is allowed to exit through your gates?
Not only are we the gatekeepers of our children, but also of our own personal gates. We need to be aware of what comes in through our ear gates, eye gates, mouth gates, even our nose gates (inhalation of drugs).
Are you at your post daily?
Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who listens to me, watching
daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me
[Wisdom] finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from the Lord. Prov 8:34,
35.
The gates have purpose and meaning. As in the natural, they can allow or prevent entry and flow. They can confine, shut down, and control spiritual traffic. In Isaiah 60 we see the church rising up, taking authority to facilitating the harvest, and in verse 11 we see, that in the midst of the harvest the gates open so that the harvest can come in. I see control at the gate. That is where the provision of YHVH enters.
YHVH had a plan, and that is that we as parents would be our children’s gatekeepers, their watchmen. We need to take position at the gate.
You need to be a gatekeeper and spiritual warrior who are aware that if you choose to keep the gate open with anger, pornography, hate or unforgiveness - that this is what will enter - and this is what your children will have to deal with and experience. We are called to be watchmen and gatekeepers. I have to be the one who intercedes, who provides a safe place for my family through my life of right standing with YHVH. I have to understand that that which I ALLOW THROUGH MY GATE, IS WHAT MY CHILDREN WILL EXPERIENCE. When I enter into darkness, I pass that same oppression over to my children. Can children fight this? Off course, and it is a constant fight for children whose parents live in denial. Why make it so hard on them if you can help them through repentance and righteousness?
By understanding the purpose of gates we can redeem them for ourselves and our children to be portals of Life.
- Gates are a place of worship
Ps 110:4 Enter His gates with Thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.
- Gates are a place of warfare
Gen 22:12, 17b And your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies.
- There are also gates in operation of those who hate you
Gen 24:60 …and let your posterity possess the gate of their enemies.
Scripture tells us of the:
- Gates of heaven – Gen 28:17
- Gates of righteousness –Ps 118:19
- Gates of hell – Matt 16:18
- Gates of the soul – Luke 22:3
- Gates of the heart – Rev 3:20
See your life in the spirit as a city. Without order and walls and gates- it could hardly be considered a city. Without these structures it will be open for the enemy to attack you, your children and ungodly influences will have constant free access. I look at Nehemiah and how he reacts when YHVH showed him the condition of the walls. He cried, he fasted and prayed. He then called the people together and showed them how their walls and gates are destroyed. We need our eyes to be opened to the condition of our lives. However, it is our selfishness, traditions, laziness, backbiting, jealousy, competitive spirits and sins that allowed our gates to be destroyed and opened up to the enemy to do whatever he wants. Somebody said to me ‘Retah, you just need to pray, and then the enemy cannot do anything to your family’. But, from Nehemiah we learn that he fought and built and fought and built. It is a two-fold process of praying and being pro-active. Because of our ignorance of the spirit realm we are also ignorant of the traps of Satan. Open walls and unprotected gates through our self-centredness, ignorance and sense of comfort leave us all vulnerable to be attacked. How do I change this? By obeying YHVH’s voice, by being open to learning about the spirit realm; and by becoming repairers of the gates in our lives, our families, and our children.
Where do I start? How do I know which gates need to be repaired?
Start with the gate of a holy walk with Yeshua, so that you can start walking in your calling and no longer operate out of your mixed calling. This mixed calling is the false fire in us, the counterfeit of His kingdom. Many people have the anointing of Cult, seen by the sinful fruit in their lives. What you sow you shall reap. Even your children’s children can still reap of your sinful seed.
Also visit the gates of salvation, so that your life can be used to bring in the harvest and the gates of revelation so that you will see and do what He wants from you.
But, how Retah? How do I rebuild my walls and gates?
Take full responsibility for your sin, your arrogance, your secret sin, your self-centredness, your ignorance and comfort.
Start to repent and break all the curses and inner vows in your gates. Come with a humble heart and start recognising your pride. Cleanse yourself daily with YHVH’s word, with His blood and start walking in the Light! And remember it is impossible to give your children a legacy of light if you choose to remain in darkness.
The biggest drawback is our denial gate. It is this wide open gate that allows everything in. This gate says, it is everyone else, not me that is the cause. My children’s condition has nothing to do with me, they are big enough, I do not need to live a holy life, my double life will not harm them, my tongue that operates out of hell can do nothing - they are protected under Yeshua. But, then you have to think and consider the legal right your actions and words give to the roaring lion – constantly seeking whom he may devour! Stop throwing your children to the lions!
I have news for you – you my friend cannot run, you are your children’s gatekeepers. And that is how the sin in the DNA is running from one generation to the next – an open door.
Aldo often says to me ‘Mom, please close that spiritual gate over me, you have to be the least and forgive that person. They fight with tongues filled with fire out of hell. Please Mom, they want the gate open to get to me. Or – Mom, Satan uses Jezebel in that person to get to you, they want the gate open. Mom, Jezebel has a fire out of hell, and that is what the enemy wants to get to us, please close the spiritual gates, and forgive, or bless them and move on, Mom’.
Humbly I have learned that I cannot say I love my children, but keep the gates open with my arrogance and denial.
I teach children to break the ungodly soul ties with their parents, and pray that Yeshua will make the godly ties between them stronger. Explaining to them the importance of praying the DNA prayer and to get the mixed seed out, all the while rebuilding their walls - walls with no mixed seed in it, walls - with the nature of Yeshua and not the nature of the Beast as bricks. This can happen when that child’s eyes have opened to the truth of their current condition, the condition of the gates and gatekeepers, and the entire wall of their family. Thank you for the blood of Yeshua.
And if my children cannot do it for themselves, then I will be there as their spiritual gatekeeper. And what I have, I give – new purified, righteous stones.
Make a choice today. Serve YHVH or serve Satan.
Love to you
Retah and family.