Opening doors to non-believers

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria
… And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples. 
Acts 14:27-28 (ESV)

Plans for Travel
I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
1 Corinthians 16:7–9 (ESV)

Further Instructions
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Colossians 4:2–6 (ESV)

To the Church in Philadelphia
“ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.
Revelation 3:8–9 (ESV)

God will close doors too

The Macedonian Call
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Acts 16:6–10 (ESV)

Seek his plans with all your heart

Trust when He closes a door… His plans are greater than ours…

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (ESV)

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 
Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)

Even our faith is a door

Our Faith is a Door

He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 
And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 
“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 
When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 
Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 
But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 
And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 
And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
Luke 13:22–30 (ESV)

Depart from me, all you workers of evil, 
for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. 
The LORD has heard my plea; 
the LORD accepts my prayer. 
All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; 
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment. 

Psalm 6:8–10 (ESV)

Our Faith is a narrow door…. The ways of the world, the ways of the majority, are not God’s ways.
As we said some weeks ago God’s work through the small, the meek, the weak.
Even Moses did not feel up to the task!

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
Exodus 3:11-12 (ESV)

In God’s Timing

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! 
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
Psalm 27:13–14 (ESV)

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. 
O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. 
Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Psalm 25:1–3 (ESV)

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29–31 (ESV)

We may not like God’s Timing (at the time).

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 (ESV)

…but His timing is always best.

So…. What do we do?

Rest in the Goodness of a Good, Good Father…

…whose ways are not our ways… and whose plans are so much greater than our plans…

This message was developed using Nate Johnston's book The Wild Ones as a key resource. The book is available via Nate Johnston's website.

The Garden

There’s something about being close to the Lord’s heart that seems to keep at bay the taming nature of religion and all the external influences that daily try to take our wildness away.
- Nate Johnston

It all started in the garden. Can you imagine the beauty and the rugged landscape that the garden of Eden was? Eden, which means “delight,” was God’s masterpiece, His dream; man and woman were tangible poetry that He placed within it.

The garden would have been stunning, bursting with smells, tastes, and the vibrant colors of plants, trees and fruit. There would have been constant sounds of the wildlife everywhere you turned. It was the place of intimacy where God would walk in the garden with Adam and they would speak face-to-face, and this was God’s original design until man chose to eat from the wrong tree and the garden was closed off. Instantly, everything changed. The enemy had tricked man and woman, and they were suddenly aware of their sinful state, having the ability to choose life or death. Instead of face-to-face relationship with God, life became about rules and customs, sacrifices and atonements, and always reminded them that things weren’t the same and they would never measure up again. Humanity lost the garden and lost their wild.

The Three Gardens

Eden – we were cut off in the garden of ‘delight’ because we were created for us to enjoy God and God to enjoy us. We were not meant to live by rules, but in relationship to our God. (See Genesis 2:8–25.)

Gethsemane – Jesus stayed up all night praying and interceding in the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane means “oil press” and represents the crushing and wounding that Christ would endure for us to be able to reconnect to Him. (See Matthew 26:36)

Garden Tomb – Return to the garden. This represents the full circle redemption plan of God to bring us back to the place where it all began, and all went wrong. The tomb was unnamed, but was owned by Joseph of Arimathea. (See Matthew 27:57-61)

You may have heard the description of the gospel as the story of a father who lost his children in the garden. So, He bankrupted Heaven to get them back. This eloquently tells us our Father’s heart, but more than that he set up something beautiful in how he orchestrated His rescue plan:

• Joseph – means ‘double’
• Arimathea – means ‘high place’
• The Father’s mission was not just to take us back to the garden but to give us ‘double for our trouble’ and for us to ascend and be with Him in heavenly places.

On the cross Jesus fixed the sin issue and the access issue, and reinstated us back where we belong – back to our roots, in Eden, with Him.

The Counterfeit

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. 
Matthew 23:13–15.

Old Covenant / Old Testament – in the absence of the Garden religion was the replacement. Religion is but a pale shadow of the real thing – a counterfeit – and it was a constant reminder to the people of Israel that they were falling way short of the mark.

New Covenant / New Testament – today we have access to the real thing, we can re-enter the garden, but we see people still acting as if they are bound. We see a church that is intent on keeping people locked in these chains of bondage – just like in Matthew 23 above.

Religion closes the gate, shuts the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven, it numbs people and blinds them to the resources and reality that they have access to.

John the Baptist was a Wild One – he paved the way for Jesus:

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force
Matthew 11:12.

Right now we see the signs all around us that God is awakening a people who would forsake the trodden path of religion and go back to the garden, back to their origins, and back to where it all began – and dare begin the quest of the wild!

Why Go Back?

Coming back to your original design and purpose unlocks a level of creative birthing you just cannot access through religion.

• It breaks all bondage to and all agreements with the demonic or religion
• It ushers in freedom into your life you didn’t have before
• Creativity is rebirthed
• Your voice is rebirthed, and
• Your authority is activated

School of the Spirit not Man

Staying in submission to the Holy Spirit is a journey that requires constant taking stock and analysis of what we are following, feasting on, agreeing to, and with whom are running.
Jesus said it like this:

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Matthew 6:24.

Money, fame, power are what often pull people away from God.

Beware coming under man’s yoke – under ungodly authority. Brothers and sisters in Christ can be helpful mentors and Holy Spirit led teachers and evangelists, but they are no substitute for submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

When you trade your freedom for unhealthy alignment, it only creates disastrous fruit, and eventually you become discouraged and disillusioned regarding your call.

Protect Your Calling

Stay wild!
Protect your calling
Protect your anointing
Protect your own legacy by not allowing man to make small modifications to you that over time steal from the purity of who you are

Additional Scripture

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. 
12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. 

Example of Hagar and Sarah

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written, 
                  “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; 
      break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! 
                  For the children of the desolate one will be more 
      than those of the one who has a husband.” 
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. 

Galatians 4:8–31.