- John 1:51

 

      There is an atmosphere that can come if we put a demand upon it and if we expect it to show up. What is contained within this atmosphere is what might be called portals or openings into the glory world. Sometimes it seems as if the heavens are shut up. Other times it seems as if there is a direct connection into that heavenly sphere.  A place that almost appears tangible.  The very fact that one moment can seem so different from another is because the unseen realm is governed by two very important truths: faith and love.  I'm telling you, you can tap into heaven and experience the presence of God anytime you want to, if you will simply make this your aim. 

      In John 10, when Jesus was talking about entering in by the door into the sheepfold, it says: "To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice" (John 10:3). The word porter means one who guards the gate or entrance. In other words, a porter is one who stands watch over a portal.  What Jesus is talking about is how to obtain an open heaven.  He is the door and the porter is the Holy Spirit.

      Later, in this same chapter he says, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" (John 10:9).   The Greek word for "find" means to detect, discover, to come upon by searching, to learn; to find out by practice and experience.  The word "pasture" implies a place for food where one shall be amply supplied with all that he needs.  It also suggests the idea of growth and increase by eating.  In other words, the pasture will seem to become enlarged as one goes in and out and partakes of the things of heaven. It's like what one preacher said, "The more I know, the more I realize how much I don't know."  That's because of the vastness of our heavenly resources, it is never ending.

      Based up Romans chapter 5, we have access by faith into this grace (Rom. 5:2). But how many of us know that "faith worketh by love" (Gal. 5:6).  When Paul prayed for the church of Ephesus to receive from the Father a spirit of wisdom and revelation into the knowledge of the Son of God, he began by declaring, "...after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints..." (Eph. 1:15).  It is only as we yield to these two great principles, faith and love, that the porter opens up the heavens and we are able to go in and out feeding on the supply that awaits us.

      There is a supply for everything we have need of.  When Paul said, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19), the context points to our faith and love in giving, but the ramifications are not just surrounding our monetary need.  The fact that he says, "shall supply ALL your need" spreads to every possible need in our life.  We could say it this way, "My God shall supply a pasture, rich with the glorious substance of heaven,  afforded to us through Jesus Christ."  How is that possible?  It comes through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and love unto all the saints! When we purpose to fully function in this as a lifestyle, then we can find out by practice and experience the vast storehouse in heaven that is "exceeding, abundantly, above all that we can ask or think" (Eph. 3:21).

      Here is the essential part of it all. Everything about things being opened up to us is a result of the Holy Spirit as the porter, who gives us entry.  In order for us to gain access we have to cooperate with him.  Ephesians chapter two says, "For through him (Jesus, the door) we both (Jew and Gentile) have access by one Spirit (the porter) unto the Father (the one who provides our supply and from whom we find pasture)."  

      Our inheritance involves much more than just our initial salvation. That is just the entryway.  There are things awaiting us in heaven where we can go in and out and experience a full supply of all that we need.  One of the great truths concerning the Spirit of God is that he is the Great Seer. The more we become engaged with him the more his influence will be felt where we are able to "find" (detect, discover, come upon by searching, to learn, to find out by practice and experience) all that heaven wants to do in us and through us.

      I am absolutely convinced that there are things to be discovered within the scope of our salvation that is unparalleled to anything we have yet to experience.  When Jesus said, "I have come that ye might have life, and that ye might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10), it seems clear to me that he is talking about the increase that comes from eating from heaven's pasture.  If you want to discover the greater purposes for your life, then only the Holy Spirit can open up heaven to where you can see as he sees and know as he knows.  But first, you must call attention to your own self to follow after these two great truths: faith and love. Master these and you will hold the master key to all that heaven affords.*