Why Is the Gate to Life Narrow? 3 Reasons

Today again I continue this very powerful teaching on the narrow way and I believe this is one of the most important teachings I brought to you in a long long time. Thank you for joining me and I pray that you'll share this with your friends because this is a very important message for the hour.

Wonderful Jesus, we thank you for your word. Now Lord, open our hearts and our eyes that we might behold wondrous things out of your precious work. To you be all the glory and honor and praise. And God's people said, "Amen and amen." Let's just continue from where we left off yesterday.

If you did not watch me yesterday, please watch yesterday. Please. You will really enjoy it. It'll it'll stir your heart. If you love the Lord, it's going to stir your heart. Matthew 7:13, please and 14. Dear Jackson is going to read for us. Go ahead. >> Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadth to destruction, and many there be which go therein out.

Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadth unto life, and few there be that find it. Now, I explained yesterday what the narrow is. The narrow way, if you look at Matthew 5, which I already taught, so I don't want to repeat everything I said.

That's why I like to watch what I said and taught yesterday in Matthew 5 3-11. The Lord here is describing the inward state of those who belong to his kingdom in Matthew 5. So he's describing to us in Matthew 5. Now this we just read Matthew 7:13 and 14 where the Lord said now you have to enter in the narrow way and so on.

But in Matthew 5, he describes what the narrow way is. In verse 3 to 3-1, he's identifying those who belong to it. In verse 13- 16, he says, "Now, here's who they are. You can identify them by by these things which are the salt and light." And then he says something amazing.

He's he he talks about in Matthew 5:17-28 about the righteousness that God demands from from from us as his as his as his people. And finally in Matthew 5:29 and 30, the demands of God that are so holy uh uncompromising are the requirements of God's indescribable character and holiness that Jesus said if you're right eye offends you, take you out, you know, take it out. have your right hand cut off.

He's explaining something to us that's very, very important. It's time we begin to resist sin and loathe sin and deny sin and deny self because God's precious eyes are too holy to behold it. And we also need to have those same eyes, too holy to behold sin. We have to turn away from all that is repulsive to God's pure eyes and to our own eyes is what he's saying.

So now I want to continue from where I left off yesterday. Okay? Because this is important. Um the straight gate. Okay? Let's talk about this narrow way. The narrow way to life. So it says clearly that the way to life is straight and the and the way to heaven is straight or narrow.

So narrow is the way to life and heaven. And Jesus said very few will find it. We just read it in Matthew 7 because it says very clearly here uh in and I'm going to read that again one more time. Matthew 7:13, enter in the straight gate or means narrow.

Uh for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be which go in. So many are going to go through the wide one that leads to destruction because straight or narrow is the gate, narrow is the way which leads to life and few there be that find it.

Because you see in Matthew 5, he explains what it means. >> All right. Now in John 10:9, the Lord said he is the door. Just read that for them. John 10 verse9. He's the door into God's presence. Let's let's let's read that please. >> I am the door.

By me. If any man enter in, he shall be saved. >> Okay. Now, the Lord is prophet. The Lord is priest. The Lord is king. As prophet, he gives us the word. We we receive the word from him. He is the prophet. Now, as as priest, he gives us salvation. as king will receive his authority.

So the prophet gives me the word. The priest is the one who died for my salvation and the king is the one I bow to and obey. So Jesus must be the way before he becomes the truth. >> Yeah. And before he becomes the life. So you cannot know him as truth and life till he is the way in your life and you enter through the door Jesus.

Um now his cleansing blood is available only to those who are willing to throw down their weapons of warfare against God. Because many today are fighting God. They don't want to obey him. They don't want to do what he said. They read the Bible and just ignore what God says.

The blood is available only to you and only to those who will throw down their weapons of warfare against the Lord and must submit to his holy rule. Isaiah 55:7. Please read that for them. This is a very important verse because it says something that God requires before we we we receive forgiveness.

Before we receive salvation, it says in Isaiah 55:7, >> "Let the wicked forsake his way." >> Uhhuh. So the wicked has to forsake his way. The unrighteous man has to forsake his thoughts. Yeah. And then let's just finish it. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. >> Yeah.

So you cannot find salvation till you forsake your way and find God's way. Forsake your thoughts and find his thoughts and repent and come to him and you'll find forgiveness. Now why is the gate narrow? Why is they get narrow? I'm going to give you three reasons why it's narrow.

Number one, because of sin. Uh Psalm 9:17, please. Psalm 9:17. The gate to heaven is far too narrow to admit characters who are living in sin. Read Psalm 9:17. >> The wicked shall be turned into hell. >> Aha. The wicked shall be turned into what? >> Hell. >> Keep going. >> And all the nations that forget God. >> Now the wicked then who are living in sin will never make heaven, will never be admitted to heaven.

Such characters will not even see it. Now Paul the apostle made it quite clear in Ephesians chapter 5 uh to everyone to everyone and today uh like I said the the teaching on the narrow way is hardly ever mentioned anymore. I mean when have you heard a sermon on it?

The straight and narrow way when >> Yeah. >> When have you? >> No. >> I have not heard it for long. And I and I said finally I'm going to do it. Each time somebody talks about it. >> Yeah, >> it's in the Bible. For this you know, I'm reading Ephesians 5 verse 5-7.

For this you know that no whoreonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idoltor has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Now it says, "Be not ye therefore partakers with them." So because of sin, that gate is quite narrow because no sinners are allowed in. Now number two, this is going to take time to explain the law. The law. Now pay attention so no one would mis misunderstand. There are those who say and believe that uh by keeping the law by obeying the law they'll make heaven.

There are those also who believe that they don't need to obey the law. They just need to have faith in Christ Jesus and they'll make heaven. Both positions are wrong because they're actually dangerous because the the one who says I need to obey the law is is is dependent on self.

I'm going to obey the law. I'm going to make sure I obey every little detail of the law. Well, no one can. Frankly, no one ever has. We read that very clearly in scripture. But then you've got the other group that says, "Well, we we live by faith.

We live by faith." But they also uh deny the personal practical godliness that God's law requires. >> Right? Uh let's let's read uh Hebrews 12 verse14 because the law is still God's law. It's still God's word. It says in Hebrews 12:14 what? >> Follow peace with all men. >> And now that's in the law, >> right? >> Follow peace with all men.

Keep going. >> And holiness. and holiness without which >> no man shall see the Lord. >> You got it. So, you've got a group that says, "I'm going to obey the law and I'm going to do all I can to obey the law." And they fail >> and they don't make heaven.

They cannot make heaven because no man is going to be justified by the law. Paul said that quite clearly. But then you have others who dismiss it altogether. So there's a group that trusts in themselves, not the Lord at all. But there's another group that will not conform to the will of God.

They will not conform to the will of God. You say, "Well, I'm living by faith, but I'm not going to conform to what God says because it's Old Testament, >> right?" >> Yeah. I don't have to obey because it's Old Testament. It says, "Thou shalt not lie. Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not commit adultery." And so on. The the ten commandments must be obeyed. What are they? Thou shalt not have any god but the Lord. God makes it very clear. Thou shalt not have any gods before me. Number two, you'll not make unto thee any graven image.

Number three, don't take my name in vain. Number four, honor the Sabbath. I want a day a week. Number five, honor your father and mother. Now, every Christian needs to obey that. If you're a real Christian, you will obey that. Thou shalt not kill. Obey that. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Obey that. Thou shalt not steal. Obey that. Don't be a false witness. Obey that. Don't coveret. Obey that. Now, that's these 10 beautiful laws are required. Every believer needs to obey the ten commandments. But those who dismiss it, oh, I live in faith. I live by faith. Read Hebrews 12 verse14 please one more time. >> Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. >> I mean God gave us the ten commandments to obey them. >> Right? >> When you are living the life of the spirit, you will obey the 10.

They're not difficult. It says the commandments of the Lord are not difficult in the Bible. It's easy to obey them with joy. So why is that gate narrow? Well, number one, sin. Number two, the law. Number three, the world. You see, nobody can take the world with them to heaven.

The gate is far too narrow to admit to admit those who love the world into heaven because Jesus told us it's impossible to serve two masters. Self must be rejected. Self must be disowned before the Lord can be received. Look what the Lord said to us in Luke 9.

Let's let's read Luke 9 23 24 25 please. And he said to them all, "If any man will come after me," >> we're looking at the narrow way with us, right? You're looking at it with us. Here it is. If any man, >> he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it. >> But whosoever will lose his life for my sake the same shall save it. >> For what? >> Now, now let's go to Luke 14 and let's look at verse 26 and 27. Now, now we we have to look at what the Lord is saying about the narrow way.

And he says, >> "If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife, >> he must be first in in our life." >> Yes. >> Keep going. >> And children and brethren and sisters, yay, and his own life. >> His own life. >> Yes. >> He what? >> Also, he cannot be my disciple. >> He cannot be my disciple. >> Yeah.

That's the narrow way, >> right? >> We choose it. >> Yes. >> Now, let's look at Luke 13:24. In Luke 13:24, we have a very powerful command. >> A very powerful command. Read it for us. >> Strive to enter in the straight gate. >> Ah, strive. Strive. I began teaching on this yesterday.

I can teach on this for a whole week, but I'm only teaching for two days. I want you to hear this word. Strive means there will be obstacles to overcome. >> Jesus said, "Strive to enter in at that narrow gate, at that straight gate." >> Yeah. >> The Greek word amazingly is agoniza.

Egoona means to labor fervently. Uh in 1 Corinthians 9:25, we see that word quickly there. 1 Corinthians 9:25, it's used there laboring fervently. And it's about a man who was laboring fervently for them. But let's let's let's read First Timothy 6:12 instead because of time because it's that same word.

We see it in First Timothy in 1 Corinthians 9:25 and 1 Timothy 6:12 in 2 Timothy 2:5. And I want to focus on those in Timothy. So first Timothy 6:12 says, >> "Fight the good fight of faith." Now that word fight is the same word. >> Wow. >> That is used in 1 Corinthians 9. >> Labor fervently. >> Yeah. >> Or fight. >> It also means 2 Timothy 2:5.

Uh Paul said if you strive you have to do it lawfully. Lawfully. Read 2 Timothy 2:5. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully. >> Now what does lawfully mean? Lawfully means prayer. Lawfully means supplication. Lawfully means diligently seeking deliverance >> from from the things in this world that would block our entrance into heaven.

Because there are things that will come to block our entrance, >> right? >> That's what Peter was talking about in First Peter 5:8 and verse 9. Please read it for the people. What is the devil after? He wants to block our entrance to heaven. Read that. Be sober.

Be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour. >> Devour from what? Devour from walking in that beautiful narrow way. >> Right. >> Keep going. >> Whom resist steadfast in the faith. >> Steadfast meaning don't ever weaken. Don't ever stop resisting him. >> Yeah. >> In the faith. >> Yeah. >> Finish it. knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. >> Now look, look.

Or we overcome the world or the world will overcome us. >> In first Peter 2:1, please read that. First Peter 2:1, >> "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts >> which war against the soul. war against the soul. Read that again. >> Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lust. >> The lust of the flesh, >> wars against the soul.

That is that blockage. >> Yeah. >> The devil uses that to block people's way into heaven. And I read already to you what it says in Ephesians chapter 5 so clearly. Now I have got to talk to you about something because I think the time has come we make a decision.

When Jesus said strive he's telling us there will be obstacles. We have to be overcomers. So we are called to fight the good fight. We are we are to to lawfully diligently intercede seek the Lord for deliverance from those things which would block our entrance. We are to cry out to him for help against our enemies and especially the enemy of our soul himself.

And Peter told us exactly he's like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and he has devoured a whole lot of them already. It's time we get back to the word. It's time we allow the word of God to work in us. Holiness. Because when the word of God gets into your life, holiness will be the result.

Righteousness will be the result. I could have given you many more scriptures today. But we are commanded, it's our duty to find the narrow way and walk in it. Jesus said, "Strive." I want to go back to Matthew chapter 7. I want to go back to the beautiful verse that I read in the beginning.

Verse 13. Enter ye in the straight gate. Wide is the gate. Broad is the way that leads to destruction. Oh, please don't go there. Don't go into that destructive path of life. Because it says there'll be many which go in their hand, but straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life and few there will be that find it.

Are you are you w willing to pay that price of refusing sin, abandoning sin, saying no to sin? Are you willing to loathe the world and loathe sin and reject it altogether? Are you willing to to to walk away from self and the pleasures of the flesh and the pleasures of this life and the and the love of this world and live for Jesus.

Even if it means you lose all your friends, it's worth the cost. It's worth the cost. Though none go with me, yet I will follow. No turn. No turn. I've been in ministry over 50 years. I've ministered to millions around the world. The day will come I will stand before God by myself.

No one will stand there to defend me. Every one of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and answer for ourselves. What have you done with your life? It says redeem the time. Redeem the time. No more wasting time. Redeem it. Are you saved? Are you really saved?

Is the fruit of salvation really in your life? Are you the salt of the earth and the light of the world? Are you preserving what God has given you? Are you able to keep what God has put in your heart, his word, righteous living, holy living, reverence towards the Lord, loving him with all your heart and strength and being and soul, hating this world and all that it represents.

It's time to surrender completely. Not just say prayer, surrender completely to the Lord. Even if it means death, even if it means persecution, even if it means the loss of family and friends, though none go with me, I will follow. No turning back. It's not by Jesus in this life.

We were born to know him. We were brought into this world to meet him. Not our family, not our parents, not our brothers and sisters, only the Lord. Fervently seeking him, loving him, adoring him. Every day belongs to him. Every breath belongs to him. The lover of our soul, the love of our life, the apple of our eye, and more than that, the treasure of our He's all in all.

You know, there there aren't enough beautiful names to call him. Most precious, most beloved, most wonderful, most wonderful Jesus, most cherished Jesus, most glorious Jesus. He's more than that. More than than tongue can tell. He's He's the Lord. And how he loves you, how he loves me. And he'll be there for you when no one else is.

Give him yours. I I just, you know, I I run out of words. Most beloved Jesus, most cherished Jesus, most beautiful Jesus, most darling Jesus, most wonderful Savior, most blessed Lord. You run out of words cuz he he's too wonderful. He's too glorious. He's beyond all blessings and praise like the Bible says. loving him.

That's what makes life worth living. I thank God for Bill Gator who wrote so many beautiful songs. Jesus, there is something about that name. Thank God for it. And today, like I said yesterday, many people are going back to the Catholic churches and Greek Orthodox churches looking for that reverence that awe because they began losing it in those see friendly churches.

They they combined a club uh and a church together and look what they got. A big mess. Young kids today are completely confused leaving the church by their thousands. Many of them going to the old line denominations like Catholic and Greek Orthodox and so on because they're looking for something with structure, with authority, with reverence.

I told you yesterday I grew up in a Catholic school. I was taught by Catholic nuns and monks, Franciscans, who taught me reverence towards the Lord. And I'm grateful forever because of that. I love the Catholic people. I love the Catholic Church. I consider to myself to be one of them because they put so much in my in me and I still believe more people are healed during communion in a Catholic church than in a Pentecostal church because they revere the Eucharist.

They rever the Lord. They don't cheapen the communion. They rever it. They revere it. I hope one of these days Catholics and Pentecostals and charismatics and Baptists we all come together around the Lord's table around the Eucharist. Hallelujah. That day is coming. That is coming. We need to go back to the holiness and the reverence that the Bible talks about to reveal the Lord, but especially to live for him, to love him, to follow him.

Please do. Dear Jesus, thank you for your word. Now Lord, don't let one miss, not one person miss finding that narrow way that you mentioned in Matthew 7. You told us to strive to enter into. Help them do it and help them win and be victorious. Help them be some of those few that will enter there in Jesus wonderful name.

Not one of us will be rejected. You're able to keep us from falling and to present us before your throne. Blameless with joy we give you praise. Wonderful Lord. Wonderful heavenly father. most precious one for heaven in Jesus most precious and glorious and God's people said amen share these teachings yesterday today on the narrow way enter in Jesus said through the straight and narrow way we'll make it we have to we shall not we will not disappoint the Lord love you much.

Thank you for your love and your support. Yeah, I'm glad I shared this with you. It's time. Much love. Have a glorious weekend and I'll see you on Monday. You know, the Lord has given me a lot of new teachings. A lot of new teachings. I'm going to be teaching soon on the seven sayings of the cross.

There were seven sayings of the Lord on the cross. I'm going to teach on that. >> That's going to be so beautiful. >> Oh, dear Lord. There's so many things in my heart I want to I want to teach on >> because I want to bring people back to the cross. >> Amen. >> Back to the Lord.

Back to his love. >> Yeah. >> Back to the holiness that belongs to every Christian. We must live in it. Much love. Thank you again for your love and support. The information is on the screen on how you can give to the Lord's work. And uh love you all.

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