RESUME FOR GATEKEEPERS
Part 3

“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
(Ephesians 6:10, 11).

The following are more qualities we must discover to be a gatekeeper of the home.

5. We must be strong and courageous

They chose the gatekeepers for the temple who were brave, strong, and courageous. 1 Chronicles 26:6-9 describes them as:
"mighty men of valor"
"strong men"
"able men for strength for the service"

Each one of these descriptions uses the Hebrew word chayil which is the same word that was used to describe David's brave soldiers who were also mighty men of valor. Chayil is used in the context of an army going out to battle and means “strong, courageous, and valiant.”

Doorkeepers required strength. They had to examine every person that came into the temple and be able to resist anyone who tried to come in by force. Ezekiel 44:9 says, “Nothing uncircumcised (nothing of the flesh) shall enter my sanctuary.” They couldn't be weaklings. They had to have the power of a "bouncer" if the need arose (if we could use that word in a positive way).

I remember when we pioneered a church on the Gold Coast of Australia, a place of many nightclubs. Our church looked out on Jupiter’s casino. One of the first converts who came into our church was a bouncer. He was a big black guy. One punch from him and the recipient would be knocked out flat! He didn't know any other work apart from “bouncing" and would come to us every night before he went to work and ask us to pray for him! I trust he did his job with a little more restraint! The wonderful thing is that God worked in this man and today, thirty years down the track, he is still preaching the gospel.

Did you know the word, chayil is also used about us women? Proverbs 31:10 uses the same word: "Who can find a virtuous (chayil) woman: for her price is far above rubies." To be a mother and homemaker we have to be strong and courageous--especially strong in God’s truth, our godly convictions, and in resisting the enemy.

As gatekeepers of our home, we must daily put on the armor of God and "bounce" out of our home all deception, evil, and anything that rises up "against the knowledge of God" (2 Corinthians 5:10). We examine everyone and everything that could defile our home. Our responsibility is not only to make everyone happy, but to keep our home cleansed and holy.

1 Peter 5:8, 9 says: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; whom RESIST steadfast in the faith.”

James 4:7 says: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” To resist does not mean to tolerate that which is unclean and grieving to God. It means to oppose it, stand against it, and withstand it. That means you do something about it!

6. We must be wise

1 Chronicles 26:14 talks about Zechariah the gatekeeper who is recorded as “a wise counselor.” We certainly need God’s wisdom as we watch over the gates of our home. We dare not be satisfied with the humanistic wisdom that is purported by everyone around us. We must seek the Lord and His Word to exercise His wisdom, which is usually the opposite of man’s wisdom.

7. We must guard on all sides and all night

1 Chronicles 9:24 (HCSB): “The gatekeepers were on all four sides: east, west, north, and south.” We cannot leave one side or one door unguarded. It is important to hedge our home and family about with daily prayer for Satan continually looks for some opening or weak area to enter (Job 1:10 and 1 Peter 5:8, 9). Our job is to protect each one in our family from the ravages of the enemy. Other Scriptures about gatekeepers say they must watch at “Every gate” (1 Chronicles 26:13; 2 Chronicles 8:14; and 35:15). We cannot leave one area unguarded.

Some of the gatekeepers spent all night around the house of God to guard it day and night. We must also guard our homes day and night. We can’t be up all night of course, but just as we check all elements and lights before going to bed, so we check out the whereabouts of every family member to know where they are, what they are doing, and what time they will be home.

We then commit the keeping of the bodies and souls to God, building a protective hedge about them in prayer. Claim the wonderful promise in Psalm 34:7: “The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them.” We better be sure to walk in the fear of the Lord.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:

“Dear Father, please strengthen me for this important task you have given me. Help me not to cave in for the sake of being “nice” when the holiness of my home is at stake. Help me to know what is right and to stand on the side of right. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

I’m “bouncing” all evil out of my home.