As the gatekeeper of your home, walking hand-in-hand with your husband, it is your God-given responsibility to lead your family to Jesus, trusting and obeying Him, all the days of your life. Sounds simple enough, right?
As women who love and serve God are called, we are called out the be keepers of the gate. It doesn't matter if you are married, divorced, single, or a single mom your top priority is to a Lioness at the gate of your home. Why a lioness you ask? Well, according to google and nature, a lioness is fierce, hardcore, she's a protector, she is vicious when the enemy comes to infiltrate her den to with the intentions to harm her cubs.
The lionesses, however, do everything they can to protect their young. They will fight to the death, sometimes, and gang up on the intruders.
I am a lioness, hear me roar! Mother, protector, and provider.
The lioness embodies the raw power of a woman.
Caring, nurturing, and fiercely protective – the lioness is a queen in her own right. ...
They have strong maternal instincts.
They stick together.
They are the behind-the-scenes breadwinners.
They are breathtakingly beautiful!
1. The Sheep Gate (v. 1-2) brought sheep to be slaughtered for sacrifices. This was the only gate that was sanctified. The Sheep Gate reminds us of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
John 10:9 — “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”
The Sheep Gate was consecrated. As they began with the sacred offering as soon as they got an altar built, it was proper that the gate by which these sacrifices entered should be consecrated for this purpose, i. e., set apart so that it should be for this use only.
The Sheep Gate was the first gate repaired, for without the sacrifice, there is no salvation. Note that the sheep gate had no locks or bars, for the door of salvation is ever open to the sinner. This is the only gate that was sanctified, setting it apart as a special gate.
As the gatekeeper of your home, you must continually check the spiritual temperature of your family, collectively and individually. Is your family spiritually healthy? You must keep watch over each family member, including yourself, seeing to it that the family is well nourished on the Word of God, and is being spiritually fed on a consistent basis. You must also guard against anything that threatens your family’s spiritual health and strength. As the gatekeeper of your home, walking hand-in-hand with your husband, it is your God-given responsibility to lead your family to Jesus, trusting and obeying Him, all the days of your life.
2. The Fish Gate (v. 3-5) was the entrance to the fish market. This gate reminds us of why we’re here on this earth: to save souls.
Matthew 4:19 — Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
As the gatekeeper of your home, your family is your first ministry! Are you leading them to Christ? Also, we must no neglect our friends and extended family. Are we leading them to Christ?
3. The Old Gate (v. 6-12) was also called the Corner Gate. This gate speaks of Christ as our chief cornerstone.
Matthew 21:42 – “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.”
Who is the chief cornerstone in your home? The Old Gate reminds us of the old paths and the old truths of the Word of God. Jeremiah 6:16 — Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is a good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said We will not walk therein.
Jeremiah 18:15 –Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
The people of the world are forever looking for “some new thing”
(Acts 17:21: Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.), and they refuse to go back to the basic truths for salvation, eternal life, and everyday living. But, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He does not change.
Look at the path on which you are traveling. Are you on the old, rugged, and narrow road? Or do you find yourself cruising along with the masses on that broad, smooth road?
Are you teaching your family the ways of the Lord, walking in the light, living by The Word, and standing on the promises? Or are you following the ways of the world, looking for a lighter load, trusting in empty promises? Byword and deed, we must continually bring Truth into our homes.
4. The Valley Gate (v. 13) speaks of humility, humbleness, and lowliness. This gate reminds us of the humility of God becoming the Man and the type of humility we should put on if we truly are His people.
Philippians 2:1-10: If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; In Phil. 2:1-10, we see Christ descending from the glories of heaven into the valley of human limitation and even death.
1 Peter 5:5-6 says, Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.” Are you walking humbly with God? How about your family, are you teaching your children meekness and humility, leading by example? Or are they adopting the selfish, self-absorbed ways of the world? The world has it all wrong: the only way up is down. Humble thyself.
5. The Refuse Gate. (v. 14) is also known as the “Dung Gate.” This is the gate through which the garbage, waste, and refuse of the city were taken. Imagine how difficult it would be to repair a gate in such a place! Certainly, this speaks to us of the cleansing of our souls (2 Cor. 7:1; Isa. 1:16-17; 1 John 1:9).
2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good (Isaiah 1:16-17).
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
The night is almost gone, and the day is near Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12).
Castaway from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 18:31).
Have you taken out the trash in your home? There is so much garbage in this world that we must not allow to creep into our homes. Your home is not the city dump, but it could quickly become one if you are not on guard! But, how easily they become a spiritual dump.
There are many different avenues by which this trash can enter in: television, videos, movies, internet and social media websites (e.g., Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, etc.); music, video games, cell phones—personal conversations, picture mail, and text messages; books, magazines, fashions, and attitudes, occult items (this was eye-opening for me!!) I wasn't even aware of some items were tied to the occult.
It is your business, as the gatekeeper, to know what is going on in your children’s lives! Know who their friends are and what kinds of families they come from. Know what your child is doing and where he/she is at all times. Supervise your children! Do not set them up for failure by allowing them unsupervised freedom. Monitor all of their electronic devices (if you allow them to have any) and set firm limits for their usage. Be willing to drastically reduce your child’s use of these items. Eliminate the things or people who jeopardize your family’s spiritual health. Take out the trash!! Again, TAKE OUT THE TRASH!!!
6. The Fountain Gate (v. 15-25) speaks of God, our Fountain of Life.
“Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water‘” (John 7:37-38).
It is interesting to note the order of these gates: first, there is humility (the valley gate), then cleansing (the dung gate), and then the filling of the Spirit (the fountain gate).
The Fountain Gate reminds us of what is required of each one of us if we are truly followers of Christ and Gatekeepers of our homes. We must stay focused on Jesus! He is the way, the truth, and the life. Are you walking in His way? Are you leading your family to Him?
Just like the old Jerusalem, there are walls around The Church, and there are walls around our homes. We, with our husbands (if were married), but these walls and these gates around us for our family’s protection, and you are the Gatekeeper. If a gate needs to be built, build it! If one is in need of repairs, fix it! It is our responsibility as keepers of the home to see to it that the gates are watched; ALL of the gates not just some of them.
As the gatekeeper, you are “holding down the fort,” protecting your very precious family from anything, big or small, that can cause harm; knowing that sometimes it’s the little things that will do more damage than the big things.
The role of the gatekeeper should never be underestimated. It is incredibly valuable and as important as our husbands’ role as the head of the household. Husbands and wives are one! Our role, as the gatekeeper, honors God’s desire for us to be our husband’s helpmate. Having a family and raising our children in the Lord requires BOTH husbands and wives to take active roles and strong stances. Women, assume your posts!
“The Gatekeepers had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God…everyone who had knowledge and understanding … entered into an oath to walk in God’s Law and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and His ordinances and His Statues (Nehemiah 10:28-29).”
And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone having knowledge, and having understanding;
They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;
Gatekeepers, have you separated yourself and your family from the world? Have you accepted your role and assumed your posts? Your calling is not one to take lightly. Wimpy, spineless women need not apply! For as the gatekeepers of our homes, God is calling us to rise and build!
The first thing I did when discovering I was the gatekeeper of my home was pray. I prayed and asked God to forgive me to allow such vile things to enter my home. I think asked him to show me where I had failed and to reveal what I needed to dispose of to spiritually clean my house. I walked through the house as I prayed. If you ask, you receive. Therefore, be careful. There were numerous items I had ZERO clues that needed to be removed. If you are looking to enforce your role as the gatekeeper of your home there are a couple of books I suggest you begin with the following of prayer.
These two books were life changers for me. Seriously!
I also have watched a couple of videos that have helped me put into perspective of things I wish I had known when my children were younger.
You are not reading this blog by chance today. You are not here by accident. If you are here reevaluate your gates. Ask yourself if you need to build or repair your walls. It took Nehemiah 52 days to physically rebuild the walls. It doesn't have to take you 52 days and you can begin right now. But, be prepared once you start there is NO GOING BACK! Don't believe me? Just try it. Your family is worth it. Your marriage is worth it. The eternal destination of your children is worth it. It's not easy, it's not quick and it's not what the world deems as necessary. But, God does.
My challenge for you today is for you to evaluate yourself, your home, your marriage are you the lioness at the gate? If not begin. If you need prayer in the process just comment or message me I would be happy to join you in this prayer.
Remember, keep your coffee hot and your prayers hotter,
Hollie McCalip
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