The Gates and the Door

So shall there be prosperity in thy gates.........

Pro.1:20-21 "Wisdom in the open places sounds forth, in the broadways she raises her voice; at the head of bustling streets she cries aloud; AT THE OPENING OF THE GATES in the city, her sayings she does utter...."
Pro. 8:1-3"Does not wisdom cry aloud? And understanding send forth her voice? At the top of the high places above the way; at the place where paths meet she takes her stand: BESIDE THE GATES at the entrance of the city, at the going in of the openings she shouts...."
Rev. 3:20"Lo! Iam standing AT THE DOOR AND KNOCKING; IF ANYONE SHALL HEARKEN TO MY VOICE AND OPEN THE DOOR, I will come in unto him and will sup with him and he with Me."

The "gates" and "door" are symbolic words referring to the "Will" of man. The Will is the "yes" and "no" of man and therefore, is like "gates" and a "door" which open, saying yes, or close saying no. It can also be called the yielding and resistant aspect of man. The gates and/or door-the Will- is the portal or entryway into the "city" which is the mind.

The Will, or volition, is what makes humans of a higher order than animals, which live by what is called "instinct". Both the Will in humans and instinct of animals are an aspect of the One intelligence which emanates from the Creator God. Both "intelligences" emanate from the One, but in the animal, the intelligence has a "built-in-limitation", whereas in man it is not; in this he (man), is "godlike".

How the Will is used determines the condition of the mind "behind the gates/door". God has chosen not to change the Will by force, for to do so would make man a robot. God, being in charge of all circumstances, has myriads of ways of arranging things, the ultimate result of which brings about the transformation of the Will. One example in scripture of this is Jesus' parable of the prodigal son, who after "going down" as far as he could go, "came to himself"- had a change of Will, which some call a "change of mind" or "heart". Actually God has some people like this "by the nose", leading them down into the pit, but they know it not. Not all have to go this way, but many do, for it's the only way their Will can be changed. This method of "letting the individual go to suffer the consequences of their own behavior", which came about through their own Will, I call "loving manipulation". Sort of like letting an individual have what they want until they get sick of it-and themselves for choosing it. Many times it leads to actual physical symptoms.

The scenario I've just described is the opposite of the subtitle of course. It is decrease or contraction, as opposed to increase/expansion, called here prosperity. One's mental state or condition is determined by the Will's "tendency". The prodigal son's Will revealed it's "tendency" in the choices he made leading to his downward spiral. He had a "tendency" to say "no" to what was good for him, and "yes" to what was bad for him. Each choice he made led him down another step into deeper darkness.

Prosperity is not making a lot of money and living in a mcmansion with 1.5 children and 3.5 cars. It is prosperity of the mind, which then flows downward to the body and outward to relationships with others. It is not "mind control", "mind over matter", or "thinking positive thoughts", or any other principle pumping activity.

A yielded Will brings "prosperity in the gates", which causes obedience, followed by health and life to the body.