Hebrews 11:6-7 – “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  NASU

I have long desired for myself, my family, my friends, and the Body of Christ to rise above the theoretical into the realized experience of the victorious plateau of KNOWING who we are in Christ and FULLY enjoying our inheritance in the Kingdom of God.  I would think it obvious that faith is an essential element in that objective.  Just as faith is an essential for the Christian Life, doubt and unbelief are enemies.  If we are to ‘know’ who we are in Christ and move from the theoretical into the experienced reality there are some things that must happen.

• We Must Be Born Again. [ 1 Corinthians 2:14; John 3:3; John 10:27]
• We Must Apply Ourselves. [2 Timothy 2:15]
• We Must Discipline Ourselves to Do What God Instructs. [Romans 10:17; Luke 8:21; Matthew 21:29; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5; Psalm 119:11]

For faith to become a functional reality in my life it must move from the theoretical (mental) into my heart.  I must move from a general knowledge into an ultimate intimacy of becoming one with truth.  That brings several things into focus which I would call ‘Gates’. 

• The Eyes – – (Visual). What I see.
• The Ears – – (Audio). What I hear.
• The Mind – – (Imagination and Meditation). What I think on.
• The Will – – (Choice).

I readily acknowledge that everything that comes through the gate of my eyes and ears enters my mind and becomes subject to my will.  The question is:  “Do I give it place in my life?”  Paul instructs us in Ephesians 4:27 not to ‘give place’ to the devil.  Then Philippians 4 gives us a list of things to allow into our minds for meditation and ultimate entry into the heart.  If I think on these they will enter my heart and Proverbs 23:7 will become reality.

When something passes the Eye, Ear or Mind gate I can choose its disposition but for it to enter my heart it is only there by an exercise of my will.  I chose to allow it there.  They eyes and ears can only report what they see and hear. The mind meditates, contemplates, associates, connects and rationalizes but the will chooses according to its strongest foundation.  It is either the flesh or the spirit; the world or the word. 

 Psalm 141:3 is the Psalmist’s prayer for God to ‘set a guard’ over our mouths and Psalm 101:3 is a commitment to allow no wicked thing before our eyes.  It is making a choice! It is making a covenant with our eyes, ears and minds to be totally God’s.  Clearly, everything I see, hear and think has the potential to strengthen or weaken my faith.  Some things come into my sight, hearing and enter my thoughts but it is in the mind that I have the option and ability to cast it down and bring it captive to the obedience of Christ.

Thomas doubted and Jesus allowed him to see and touch the wounds which restored his faith.  The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were experiencing doubt and Jesus walking with them rehearsed the Word and events but it was not until that evening when he broke bread with them that the visual reignited their faith.  Gideon was a coward at the time the angel appeared to him but something happened.  God spoke a Word to him that passed through the gate of his ears into his mind and as he meditated on that word faith soared in his heart and he moved from the theoretical to the realized.  God gave Abraham a visual to constantly remind him of the covenant and keep his faith level high in the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.

Understanding that our eyes, ears, minds and wills are Faith Gates can help us carefully guard what is allowed through those gates and help propel us from the theoretical to the realized.

            God bless you as you go through this day!