Last time, I told you about my brother-in-law, who was an experienced goat thief, and how everyone thought he used witchcraft fetishes to carry out his crimes. When I spoke with him, he told me that he didn’t use fetishes but instead bought cassava leaves that he placed all over his body, which attracted the goats to him, and that’s how he captured them one by one. I gave you this example to emphasize that the Enemy always uses what you love to trap you and harm you.
If the sheep remain in the pen, they are safe because the Shepherd lays down his life to protect them. Thus, the sheep will always be safe.
Likewise, when you are in CHRIST, you are safe. As long as you remain in Him, He watches over you. CHRIST laid down His Life for you and me.
Sometimes we are afraid when we see danger outside of where we are. But if we are in CHRIST, if we are in the fold where all of CHRIST’s sheep are gathered, nothing bad will happen to us!
Other times, we are afraid of certain situations that are dangerous to us, even though JESUS CHRIST is already the Guarantor of our safety.
Fear drives us away from CHRIST and causes us to doubt ourselves! Because of this, many of GOD’s children do not believe that JESUS CHRIST is their protection against all danger. We place more trust in physical demonstrations and various kinds of actions to resolve issues.
I remember a child who was sick and had been brought to the hospital. I prayed for him, giving thanks to the LORD, and then I said, “Amen.” After that, I asked him if he had eaten yet. Everyone there was surprised, saying, “But he didn’t lay his hands on him! He didn’t anoint him with oil! He didn’t do anything! He just thanked GOD and said, ‘GOD has already healed the child!’ What does that mean?”
Deliverance is not found in demonstrations. That is why GOD said in Psalm 33:17: “To rely on a horse for safety is vain, nor does its great power assure escape.” Only JESUS CHRIST saves. He is the Good Shepherd, and He gave His Life for you and me (John 10:11-18). If you are aware of this Truth in your mind, no matter what danger surrounds you, you know that you are safe in the fold because the Good Shepherd is there, at the Gate of the fold. No attempt by the enemy to capture you will succeed because the Good Shepherd is there to protect you within the fold. No matter what happens outside, you will hear only the noise from within the fold where you are safe because JESUS CHRIST is the Good Shepherd and He gave His Life for you.
Your walk with GOD is a walk of Madness! You can’t see, but you trust in GOD. You see only the result!
Take the case of Naaman, who was afflicted with leprosy: He lived in Syria, where there were rivers. But when he came to Elisha to be healed, Elisha told him, “Go, and bathe in the Yarden seven times. Your skin will become as it was, and you will be clean” (2 Kings 5:10). In 2 Kings 5:11-12 Naaman thought to himself:
11 (…) ‘Here now! I thought for certain that he would come out personally, that he would stand, call on the name of Adonai his God and wave his hand over the diseased place and thus heal the person with tzara‘at. 12 Aren’t Amanah and Parpar, the rivers of Dammesek, better than all the water in Isra’el? Why can’t I bathe in them and be clean?’
But if Satan tells you something else…
One day, we were on our way to the hill to pray, and I took a path that other people often used. In other groups, some people climbed by moving on their knees. In my group, however, we simply walked up. One of the people with me asked me, “Why don’t we get on our knees like them to climb?” I told him, “We save our knees for bowing down and worshiping the LORD. It’s better for us to suffer for the LORD.” We went to the place of prayer, where we prayed, and GOD was glorified, and many people shared their testimonies about what GOD had done for them.
We humans don’t like simple things! We prefer complicated one. It is through these complicated things that we are more inclined to believe in GOD… But when it comes to simple things, to simple divine interventions, very few people believe in them. In reality, it is not a matter of simplicity but rather a matter of inspiration. It is what GOD wants, what He reveals, that we must do.
GOD tells you that JESUS CHRIST is your Shepherd. The shepherd is always in front, and the sheep follow behind. Likewise, if you want to walk with the LORD, let Him go before you and follow Him. Then, He will lead you “by quiet water” (Psalm 23:2). Even if GOD’s intervention is delayed, continue to trust Him. It will only take a small gesture from Him for your situation to change in your favor, and all the Glory will be His.
JESUS CHRIST said that He has other sheep that are not yet of His fold and that He must bring them in (John 10:16).
Let us read Ezekiel 34:2–9:
2 Human being, prophesy against the shepherds of Isra’el. Prophesy! Tell them, the shepherds, that Adonai Elohim says this: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Isra’el who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the choice meat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, and you slaughter the best of the herd; but you don’t feed the sheep! 4 You don’t strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bandage the broken, bring back the outcasts or seek the lost; on the contrary, you tyrannize them with crushing force. 5 So they were scattered, without a shepherd, and became food for every wild animal — they were scattered. 6 My sheep wandered around aimlessly on every mountain and hill; yes, my sheep were scattered all over the land, with no one to search for them or look after them. 7 “‘Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of Adonai: 8 “As I live,” Adonai Elohim swears, “because my sheep have become prey, my sheep have become food for every wild animal, since there was no shepherd, since my shepherds didn’t look for my sheep, and instead my shepherds fed themselves but not my sheep,” 9 therefore, shepherds, hear the word of Adonai!
A shepherd is not there to feed himself or to indulge himself! A leader is not there for his own sake! Unfortunately, many find themselves in this situation. The term “shepherds” in this passage should be understood as “pastors,” “leaders,” or “those in charge.” If, for example, you are the head of your household, you are like the “pastor” or “shepherd” of your home. This is the role of the father in a family, for instance.
In this passage, GOD is angry with the Pastors… Why? Because these Pastors are only concerned with themselves and do not tend the flock. That is to say, they do not feed their sheep, do not ensure their safety, do not watch over them, do not care for them, and do not strengthen them. These shepherds seek only to consume the fat of these sheep and kill the sheep they wish to have for their meals.
Today, many sheep are in danger. And this danger does not come from the LORD but from those who are charged with guiding them. We see today how many pastors do not care for the sheep of CHRIST. Likewise, many leaders and managers do not care for those with whom they work.
Let us take the example of the times we spend fasting and praying. To break the fast, it is a good idea to give porridge, for instance, to those who come to pray after fasting. But some leaders object, saying, “Oh! Why spend money to give them porridge? They have their own homes!” The fact is, some of them have nothing to eat at home… If they don’t take anything in the church at that time, they spend their nights with empty stomachs and sometimes even in the dark due to a lack of electricity… Instead of having compassion for these people, we “kill” them with our objections, without having the slightest idea of the realities these sheep are living. By acting this way, we are not behaving like shepherds, like guides, but rather like robbers or highwaymen, like wicked people… This is not the behavior of leaders. The role of leaders is to know who is weak so they can support them, who has nothing so they can help them accordingly, and who is wounded so they can care for them. This is part of the duty of leaders!
Sometimes, when we’re struck by deaths here, no church leader comes to support those who are grieving! And yet, it is your brother or sister who is grieving!
When someone doesn’t come to church, no one tries to find out why. Tomorrow, you too may be in a position of responsibility somewhere, but you will have picked up this bad habit of not checking to see if those around you are doing well. You’ll say, “That’s their business!” No. That’s not right.
And it is the same in families, in neighborhoods, and so on. If you don’t see a certain person anymore, you should check to see if everything is all right. But since that doesn’t mean anything to you, all you want is to consume the fat and clothe yourselves in the sheep’s wool! Some people here have this kind of heart: They don’t care about buying clothes or food for the sheep. All they want is to consume the fat…
In your family, you want people to give you a hand, but when those same people who helped you need your help, you refuse to help them in return! For example, one day you might take a moment to reflect and say to yourself, “My Sister or Brother really helped us out. This time, let’s make an effort to help them too!” Unfortunately, many people would rather see their Brothers and Sisters in need suffer…
I once knew a man who lived in the same neighborhood as me. He used to go around on a motorcycle. No one in the neighborhood liked him, even though when some people were grieving a death, he would let them use electricity from his house for free to light the place where the mortuary vigil was being held. Sometimes, he would give money to those who needed it. One day, he eventually left the neighborhood, and the entire electrical setup that powered the house he rented was removed. When the neighborhood was struck by another death, I found myself on a team that had been sent to find electricity to power the mortuary vigil. We were advised to go specifically to a man who lived a little over two kilometers on foot from where we were. When we arrived at the Daddy’s house, we asked him to give us access to his electrical system so we could get power by using cables connected to his system. The man said to us, “Are you the ones paying the electricity bill here? Don’t you know I have bills to pay at home? And what will happen if you make a bad connection?” He gave us every possible reason, and in the end, he said, “No.” He flatly refused. When we got home, I said, “Look, if it had been the other man, he would have given us electricity…”
Sometimes it is only in hindsight that we realize how much good others did for us.
Joseph lived in Egypt, and at one point, his brothers went there to get food. If Joseph hadn’t been in Egypt at that time, or if they had gone ahead and killed him when they were planning to, they wouldn’t have been able to get the food that was in short supply at that time. Today, many have “killed” all the “Josephs” in their lives… You complain, saying, “I don’t have any relatives…” In reality, there are many people who have helped you, but you ended up “killing” them all with your words, your bad behavior, and your cruelty! Today, those people are no longer there, and you’re crying!
One day, a mother came to see me. She said, “I am a witch. I had seven children, and I killed them all. I have only one daughter left. She’s the one who gives me the loincloths I wear. But the others tell me I must sacrifice her. If I kill her, who will give me clothes to wear? Who will take care of me? That’s why I want you to call my daughter, but don’t tell her what I’ve told you. Instead, encourage her and pray for her to remove all the evil within her. That way, when they come for her, they won’t be able to touch her to harm her, and she’ll stay alive.” That’s what I did. The mother helped me encourage her daughter; we prayed for her and baptized her. The Devil’s agents tried to kill her but failed. To this day, that girl is still alive…
A witch who manages to pull herself together while the Brothers and Sisters persist in their wicked ways… It is the person who always does you good that you’ll be more likely to try to crush or kill! Is that normal? No!
At the same time, let us remember that JESUS CHRIST said that He sends us “like sheep among wolves” (Matthew 10:16) … But all those who have JESUS CHRIST need not be afraid.
Ezekiel 34:30–31 states:
30 They will know that I, Adonai their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Isra’el, are my people,’ says Adonai Elohim. 31 ‘You, my sheep, the sheep in my pasture, are human beings; and I am your God,’ says Adonai Elohim.”
Here, GOD tells us that His sheep are not animals but human beings and the children of Israel. Likewise, you, too, can be one of the LORD’s sheep. Like David, who compared himself to a sheep in Psalm 23:1: “Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.” Why can a sheep say that it will lack nothing? Because it knows the abilities of its Shepherd.
If JESUS CHRIST is your Shepherd, you can rest assured. You can be at peace, knowing that nothing bad will happen to you because JESUS CHRIST is there. When you sleep, He watches over you. When you’re hungry, He leads you to where you can find food.
Can a child of GOD say today, “I have everything”? If people hear him speak this way, they will ask him/her where this or that thing is—money, for example. And the child of GOD will say, “It is with my Shepherd, who is hidden within me and whose name is JESUS CHRIST…”
The family home or household should be a place of rest. The Church must be a place of rest, where there is peace. Why does the LORD lead us “by quiet water”? For pasture. Because the sheep live off pasture, off natural products! When there is no more pasture, the shepherds are forced to move on!
I know a Brother who used to live in an area where sheep are raised. He told me one day that there were no trees and that the shepherds were forced to go near water sources so their sheep could graze on the leaves of the trees. Since it wasn’t raining, nothing was growing, and they had to travel long distances to find leaves. That’s what caused the sheep price crisis in our country here…
David said, “he leads me by quiet water”. GOD knows your needs, and when you’re hungry, for example, He provides because He is your Shepherd and watches over you.
Recognize that it is better to eat vegetables without meat and in peace than to eat a meal full of meat in a home where there are many problems. You say that GOD is with you, but do you also have peace? If GOD is guiding you, He will also give you peace because He is called “the GOD of Peace.” Matthew 5:9 declares: “How blessed are those who make peace! for they will be called sons of God.”
Do you make peace? Why are you called a son or daughter of GOD? Because your GOD is the GOD of Peace.
On the other hand, if you have a knack for stirring up trouble, you are a son or daughter of Satan! Do you rejoice when certain people stir up trouble? If the answer is yes, then you have a problem…
Psalm 23:3–4 declares:
3 he restores my inner person. He guides me in right paths for the sake of his own name. 4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines, I will fear no disaster; for you are with me; your rod and staff reassure me.
It is not because of your own strength. It is GOD who guides you, gives you peace, tranquility, and rest. His Name is upon you. You may find yourself facing great danger, and in that case, are you confident that GOD will protect you? Do you have peace in the face of such danger? Are you aware that the Good Shepherd is with you?
David spoke this Psalm because he knew the power of his Shepherd! Abraham did too! He knew that GOD was able to raise his son Isaac from the dead—the very son he was to sacrifice! Do you truly know GOD? The one who knows the Power of GOD is at peace no matter what the circumstances.
Do you know that GOD is with you? The Bible declares that GOD is Spirit (John 4:24) and that your body is the Temple of the HOLY SPIRIT (1 Corinthians 6:19)! This means that if a witch were to devour you, he/she would also have to devour the HOLY SPIRIT… If, at this very moment, we heard a noise coming from outside, wouldn’t we go out to see what’s wrong? How much more, then, will the HOLY SPIRIT manifest Himself when He senses the danger lurking for you? For He is with you. The HOLY SPIRIT is with you and moves with you wherever you go! And JESUS CHRIST said in Matthew 28:20: “And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age.” You like to say, “HOLY SPIRIT, come down…” But know that the HOLY SPIRIT dwells within us!
There is one thing I have come to understand through my experience: When I sleep and have attacks, I speak to GOD like this: “LORD, what is the role of the Angels You have placed here? Where are they that these witches were able to come and disturb me? Please tell them to be at their posts to do their work…”
David’s words, “your rod and staff reassure me” mean that GOD’s children have with them tools that are safe weapons which GOD uses for each one of them. Know that GOD loves you.
What does Psalm 23:5 tell us? “You prepare a table for me, even as my enemies watch; you anoint my head with oil from an overflowing cup.”
If you are standing before your enemies, will they look favorably upon you? No. Imagine GOD setting a table before you in the presence of your enemies! And because the LORD is within you, they cannot come near you. So they watch you from afar with hostile eyes…
You know, David had fierce and relentless enemies! Starting with Saul and everyone in his camp! But those enemies didn’t stop him from succeeding! And your enemies won’t stop you from succeeding if you’re with GOD!
Furthermore, by anointing your head with oil, GOD consecrates you before your enemies… This means that GOD has made a Covenant with you and has sealed you in Happiness, Well-being, and Health! Your future and your days to come are assured! Yesterday was not today, and today is not tomorrow. If today is perhaps difficult for you, know that your meal for tomorrow is being cooked in a secret place…
But you lack confidence and self-assurance! Instead of your enemies looking at you with hostility, they look at you with joy… And yet you are the one who is afraid of them, because you have a problem…
Yet GOD has promised to bless your children for a thousand generations (Exodus 34:6-7)! My Sister, my Brother, you are rich! How so? Through a thousand generations! And if your enemy curses you, GOD will turn that curse back on your enemy and continue to bless you!
David also said, “you anoint my head with oil from an overflowing cup”. This means that if you are standing still, it is because your cup is overflowing… Everything is overflowing around you. Remember the prodigal son’s brother. He complained to his father when the father threw a party in honor of the prodigal son. What did his father say to him? “Son, you are always with me” (Luke 15:31) and “everything I have is yours”.
David also said: “Goodness and grace will pursue me every day of my life; and I will live in the house of Adonai for years and years to come” (Psalm 23:6).
EVERY day! So why are you afraid? Goodness and Grace must be with you every day of your life! Do not be afraid, for JESUS CHRIST is at the Gate of the Sheepfold. He watches over you. He is at the Gate, and if danger comes, He will face it. If people are getting impatient with you, tell them to wait a little longer because your food is being cooked and your table is being set…
Moreover, you will dwell in the House of the LORD until the end of your days. If you pray and someone tells you that you are exaggerating, tell them this: “Since it is over between you and GOD, I understand. But in my case, I dwell in His House until the end of my days…” The enemy uses these people to make you leave the House of the LORD, where Goodness and Grace are found! As long as you are in the House of the LORD, the enemy will not snatch you from the LORD’s Hand (John 10:28)! Do not be afraid; the LORD is your Shepherd, and He gives you life “in its fullest measure” (John 10:10)! You may be going through difficult trials today, but this will not last forever, for GOD is with you and within you, and He is Greater than the one who dwells in this world (1 John 4:4).
Whatever your situation may be, praise and thank your GOD. Jeremiah 9:22(23)–24(25) tells us this:
22 (23) Here is what Adonai says: “The wise man should not boast of his wisdom, the powerful should not boast of his power, the wealthy should not boast of his wealth; 23 (24) instead, let the boaster boast about this: that he understands and knows me — that I am Adonai, practicing grace, justice and righteousness in the land; for in these things I take pleasure,” says Adonai. 24 (25) “The days are coming,” says Adonai, “when I will punish all those who have been circumcised in their uncircumcision —
All those who are not circumcised in heart are those with evil hearts. But you, place your Faith in the LORD, for it is He who protects you. Do not worry; trust in Him… He does not sleep because of you. He watches over you. If you fall, He will lift you up. He is your Assurance.
Receive this Word in the Name of JESUS CHRIST.
| “The Gate”, translated into English from a sermon by Pastor Léonard Matchide Gonitoua on January 4, 2026 at the HOPFAN Church of Boy-Rabe (Bangui, Central African Republic – CAR). Unless otherwise stated, the Bible verses presented here are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net. |
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