Closing and Opening Doors

Closing Old Doors

Many people in the body of Christ are in a season of closing doors — because you must close one door before you can open the next door.

Closing the door may relate to a relationship, it might be a business situation, it might be a partnership dealing, or it might be related to a church alignment.

No matter the arena of life, closing a door is important so you can pass through a new door into the fulfillment of a future promise.

Isaiah 22:22 says, “The key of House of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut; And he shall shut, and no one shall open.”

Many of you are stewarding promises of the great harvest or of something new. But often you must close a door to familiarity before you can go through a door of the unknown into the future.

Frequently, we want to know what’s behind the new door before we will close the previous door. But most often it doesn’t work that way in faith, and in wisdom ways of God.

Instead, we must listen.

I’m reminded of an old Beatles song that says, “You say goodbye and I say hello, hello, hello. I don’t know why you say goodbye, I say hello.”

In my book, Tell Your Heart to Sing Again, I share how I have dealt with a lot with feeling like there are too many doors.

You may feel that when you close a door, it is almost too complex, like there are too many new doors or opportunities.

Door of Hope

One time I had a dream in which I went through a single door, and it led to a place like a hospital or hotel that had a long hallway with doors on both sides as far as I could see.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me in the dream and said, “I have now brought you through a door.”

And I thought, yeah, okay. And then he said, “And that door is going to lead you to many doors.”

That’s often how it feels, isn’t it? Where are you? What are you supposed to do? Perhaps a time of trauma or transition or trouble has created too many decisions and you might feel fear of the future or a foggy brain syndrome or something like that.

You may be aware of the standard advice — not to make major decisions during a troubled time — but sometimes you must make them anyway, even small decisions.

Well, let me assure you, if God’s grace has carried you through to this point, he will not abandon you now. Reach out to him. Just lean in.

He will give you more grace, lots of mercy, and best of all, peace.

You can decide between those multiple doors by means of His peace. You can ask Him for guidance and peace as many times, over and over, as you need to. He is the source of all righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).

You will be able to distinguish His voice when you close the door, and you go into the hallway where there might be many doors.

And I want you to know He will lead you to the door of hope.

By the way, here is a wisdom principle: don’t slam the door. And don’t just shut the door, because how you close the door will help determine how you go through your next door.

Closing Prayer

Father, though I walk through the valley, I choose to trust in You. Turn my valley into a door of hope. I believe miracles still happen today. And I believe there is no pit so deep that Your immense love cannot reach deeper still. Restore me. Heal me as I come before my Creator. And Lord, turn my mourning into dancing. Help me close doors to open doors. And help me to find your door of hope in Jesus’ name, because You lead me by Your grace. In Jesus’ amazing name. Amen and amen.

Closing and Opening Doors!

James W. Goll

If you want to walk in God’s wisdom ways through times of difficulty and transition, you will be encouraged and strengthened through James W. Goll’s book, Tell Your Heart to Sing Again.