THE VALUE OF KEYS ROSS SMITH 15112014
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“God often gives us a key but then we need to find the door it unlocks”.
My thoughts were directed on the subject as I studied how important it is for us to recognise the sovereignty of God, His all-powerful nature, the enormous expanse of creation, and I began to understand that A MAJOR “KEY” TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNISE AND UNDERSTAND AND COMMUNICATE INTIMATELY WITH THE KING OF KINGS WAS TO HAVE A HEART COMPLETELY ENGAGED IN PRAISE.
Petitions do not have wings of their own, they are carried on pinions of praise. This is a “KEY” and I am sure as we grasp the significance of this key then, many doors will open.
Keys are generally only given to people who are responsible, although in the present generation we have “key kids”, kids who have been issued keys because there is no one home when they get in. But in so saying, not everyone is given the key to the car, or the key for next door, and not everyone who works in the bank has a key to the bank. A KEY CONSTITUTES A PRIVILEGE.
How trustworthy are we that God would condescend to provide us with keys that give us unlimited access to His very throne room, unfettered access to the King of Kings, but He also expects us to guard these keys with our lives.
I was further challenged by a prompting of the spirit which said: – “I want everyone else to understand this key I have given you, but more than anyone else, I want you to understand.”
Some weeks ago Ruth and I left the house to carry out some tasks and on return I went to put the key in the lock. The only problem was I had brought the wrong keys. I was able to access the building courtesy of another owner and recalled that I had a spare key in the garage. The only problem with this solution was that the key to the garage was in the unit.
An hour later the locksmith arrives and attempts to pick the lock, and after about 20 minutes decides that because this is a security lock the only way to open it is to get “the key”. This entails accessing the computer records to identify the appropriate key, then reproducing the key and voila, access was granted. I had located the right door but was equipped with the wrong key. It is noteworthy that the door was equipped with a special key and no one else could open this door unless I gave them the key.
This applies in the spiritual dimension as well, Father is sharing with us gems from his Word, “KEYS”, principles that are coming to life with new emphasis and clarity, and I believe equipping us with keys to scriptural truth of profound consequence, He expects us to unlock the door and then be able to give succor to others who may need, but do not have that key for appropriate access.
My lack of accuracy in taking the incorrect key incurred a cost of $150 for the callout and another $25 for the key. Suddenly I learned “The Value of Key’s”. This mundane experience however has great spiritual relevance.
I am not sure that there is a 24 hour locksmith available in the heavenly realm, if we lose the key then we have lost the access and in this case, I would think that it was not an accident that we lost the key, it was either neglect, irreverence, blatant disregard, or stubborn refusal. And I recall that Father is very jealous of His “assets”, if we are careless in embracing the favour Father shows to us then we lose the privilege.
Genesis 6:3 Then the Lord said, My Spirit shall not forever dwell and strive with man, for he also is flesh; (The promptings and revelations and goading of Father will not go on forever, and if we neglect them then we qualify as just being “flesh “or lacking that component of “responsibility” that identifies us as being “borne of the spirit …. Comments mine)
Firstly for keys to be useful you have to have doors, or at least one door! The apostle Paul was aware of this principle, and no doubt took advantage of it.
1Corinthians 16:9 For a WIDE DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY for effectual [service] has opened to me [there, a great and promising one], and [there are] many adversaries.
What the apostle Paul was saying is that not only do we have to perambulate through the door but to be ready to carry out and put into effect the opportunities, despite our sense of inadequacy, lack of confidence, deficiency of self-worth, or any other of myriad adversity.
This is the consciousness we should have when God offers us a key, as it is generally a “wide door of opportunity”. Paul’s description of the door serves as an incentive for us to go through the door God opens for us when we use the key.
You will note that a key is not a remote control. A remote control can open any door within range of its transmitter, if it is on the right frequency. A key however will only open the door for which it was designed. Obviously we have been equipped with “Key’s” and offered “doors” but sometimes are slow to either recognise or respond. Jesus quickly dispelled this myth as he addressed His disciples prior to His arrest.
John 7:6 Whereupon Jesus said to them, My time (opportunity) (or “door” …. comments mine) has not come yet; but any time is suitable for you and your opportunity (or “door” …. comments mine) is ready any time [is always here].
There is also a different door which requires a different key, a key which has already been provided and the door identified, now all that is required is effort of passing through the already unlocked door.
Luke 13:24 STRIVE to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it], for MANY, I tell you, will try to enter and WILL NOT BE ABLE. (It is obvious that these people have not been given a “key”. Also noteworthy is that Paul had a “Wide door of opportunity”, and this door is “narrow” … comments mine)
There are times however when Father will give someone else the key that will bring us into victory, to open doors that for some obscure reason, or our stubborn blindness, we have not been able to recognise as the “key” of Grace that has been so liberally afforded us. These are identified in the Word as “spiritual gifts” and are “for the good of all”.
Acts5:18-20 They seized and arrested the apostles (special messengers) and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors (had possession of the key … comments mine) and, leading them out, said, Go, take your stand in the temple courts and declare to the people the whole doctrine concerning this Life (the eternal life which Christ revealed). (or make good use of the opportunity … comments mine)
There are generally two ways involved in the use of the door once the lock has been opened, that is we can go in or we can go out. In this case the Apostles had someone else bring the key, but they still had to make use of the door. The Apostles could have sat in fear and trembling of the consequences of leaving prison without permission, and so often we replicate that sensation because we are not quite sure what might happen after the door is opened.
Father has provided us with another very important key, one that has already been placed in the lock and the door opened into a great opportunity and place of safety. It is within this secured environment that we can experience another dimension of that “sweet satisfying companionship” referred to in Psalm 25:14, and it is as follows.
Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, (that room of “sweet satisfying companionship” Psalm 25:14 … comments mine) and, closing the door, (the door Father has already opened for us …. Comments mine) pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open.
It is important to note here the instructions regarding going in through the door, and how significant is the consequence when we come out from the door, the results will be evident when we apply the “key” of Matthew 6.
Losing keys in the natural realm seems to be a common past time, in fact there are now numerous devices on the market that will enable you to attach a “tag” to your keys so that when they are misplaced you can locate them. My question is, WHY DO WE LOSE OUR KEYS? I would suggest firstly, that we are not conscious of their value, we are not careful enough to realise the implications, and lastly, we “forget” because we are not concentrating. How many lessons for us does this provide?
I fear that there are those who have been alerted by Father of things, principles, procedures, purposes, truths, that have been lost due to our lack of concentration, and as a result we are locked out of the blessing that Father intended for us. So is there a remedy? There is a potent example recorded in:-
2Kings 6:5-7 But as one was felling his beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried, Alas, my master, for it was borrowed! The man of God said, Where did it fall? When shown the place, Elisha cut off a stick and threw it in there, and the iron floated. He said, Pick it up. And he put out his hand and took it.
CHERISH THE KEYS FATHER HAS GIVEN YOU AND DO NOT NEGLECT OR DELAY TO USE THEM
Ross Smith 