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[Genesis 28:17 KJV] “And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven”.

As we journey through life, there are times when we stumble upon certain special places, where God dwells – the house of God. For most of us, the HighCity Church is such a place. I found the Lord here, and I can attest that God is still in this place. Let us remember that we met God here, and our lives began to change. This is where it all began for most of us, our real spiritual journey to success and a life of godliness began here.

Today, we are studying about standing in the Gate of Heaven. Every city has a gate, and we know that heaven also has gates. The Bible tells us in Genesis 28:17, that the house of the Lord is the gates of Heaven. Hebrews 12:22-24 teaches the same thing.

[Hebrews 12:22-24 KJV] “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, [23] To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, [24] And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel“.

The Bible tells us that Jacob saw a ladder from Heaven with angels ascending and descending, and God standing above it, and he said, “this is the house of God and the gate of heaven”. We can therefore understand that the house of God is the Gate of Heaven. (See Genesis 28:10-22)

So as I said, for us, the HighCity is where it all began. This is the house of the Lord to us, this is the place where many of us found God in a way that changed and affected our lives. If you sit back and analyze your life honestly, you will see how true this is.

Anyway, we know that a gate is;

An access, regulating entry and exit to a place.
An place where elders sit to discuss the city
An observatory of kings, and
A place where the wisdom of the city cries (See Proverbs 8:1-3)

The gate of heaven, which is the house of God, is a place where you gain access to deep mysteries of God, a place where the pastors meet to discuss issues pertaining to the church and the members of the church, a place where kings sit to observe the atmosphere, and a place the wisdom and understanding of God cries out.

Gates may shut or open, depending on how you approach it. We, therefore, want to learn about the protocols of standing in the Gate of Heaven. The simple protocols that govern standing in the gates of heaven are:

1. Command the gates to open: Join the people who are called by the name of the Lord to humble yourself and pray.

[2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV] “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”.

2. Worship: Come before the Lord with singing, worship and praises (See Paslm 100).

3. Set up a memorial: Set a pillar for a memorial or reminder in the Gate of Heaven.

4. Redeem your vows: Redeem your vows and strengthen your covenants at the gates

5. Rename the house: Rename the house based on your experience and testimony. The people called the place, Luz, but Jacob renamed it, Bethel, based on his experience.

6. Heed the cry of wisdom: Heed the cry of wisdom and understanding. (Proverbs 8:1-3, 34)

7. Love those who rebuke you: Love them that rebuke at the gate, and speak up rightly (See Amos 5:10)

8. Walk by the truth: The gates open to the righteous nation, to the people that walk by the truth. (See Psalm 118:2; Isaiah 24:12; Isaiah 26:2)

[Psalm 24:1-10 KJV] “The earth is the Lord’s , and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. [2] For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. [3] Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? or who shall stand in his holy place? [4] He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. [5] He shall receive the blessing from the Lord , and righteousness from the God of his salvation. [6] This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. [7] Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. [8] Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. [9] Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. [10] Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah”.