In her book “DOORKEEPERS OF REVIVAL”, Kim Owens makes this statement, “Revival requires an open door, an access, or an entry point. This entry point is a place of personal hunger and pursuit for more of God.” When we speak of revival, we are simply describing a sustained manifestation of the power, presence and glory of God that results in transformation. If that manifestation is to be sustained, then we must understand the importance of keeping the access or doorway to His presence open. The Word describes the people who labor to keep them open as doorkeepers.

One of the most striking examples this is found in 2 Samuel 6. There is a man mentioned named Obed-Edom. This is a familiar story, but most people miss the significant moment that took place in this man’s life. David is desiring to bring the Ark (the place where God’s presence dwelt) back to Jerusalem. In the process, a man dies because the Ark was not handled properly (that’s another message for another time) and the result was the death of a man and the chaos the followed. David was afraid to move the Ark, so the decision is made to leave it at Obed-Edom’s house. Because of what Obed-Edom had just witnessed, I’m sure there were many thoughts that ran through his mind as the Ark was brought into his home. What transpired over the next three months is found in verse 12. It states that the news spread to David that God was blessing the house of Obed-Edom because the Ark, the presence of God, was in his house. By allowing the Ark to be placed in his home, he created an access point for the presence of God to be released. If you read on, the Ark is removed from his house. But he decides his access point to God’s presence must stay open, and he goes to Jerusalem to serve in the tabernacle to stay close to God’s presence. Why did he do that? It was because he had stepped through the access he opened, and he was not about to go back. He was determined to keep his access open. Because of that, you can read on in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles and see his name mentioned as one who participated in many facets of Tabernacle ministry. In 1 Chronicles 15 you see him designated as a door keeper of the Ark. The bottom line of this story is that Obed-Edom’s encounter with God’s presence so marked him that he whatever did he could to make sure his access remained open. He consecrated himself to becoming a doorkeeper of God’s presence.

To really get a proper understanding of this, there are two things that need to be defined. A doorkeeper must have a doorway to maintain. A doorway is defined as an opening that allows access or exit; it is a place where transition from one space to another occurs. A doorkeeper is defined as someone who is in charge of guarding their point of access. In relationship to what we are discussing, a doorkeeper makes sure that there is open access to God’s presence and to assure that they, along with others, can freely make use of the access. A doorkeeper allows access and entry. A doorkeeper has keys, a doorkeeper has authority, a doorkeeper is a watchman, guardian and protector of the entry point. They have the position and assignment and must, at all costs, not allow the access to go unattended.

There is no calling or gifting given to be a doorkeeper of God’s presence, just a desire to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” There must also be a determination to see that others have the opportunity to experience what we have and continue to experience in the presence and power of our Heavenly Father. The position demands accountability. It must be embraced and stewarded. We must be committed. We must be committed and consecrated to making sure that there is a place of encounter first for us, and then for others. We must have an access point where heaven opens, and God is revealed in our lives and then manifested to others through us.

Psalms 84:10 states “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness” (NKJV). We tend to view that as a spirit of humility, which it is. But there is a deeper truth that the Psalmist wanted to communicate. If you read the entire Psalm, it describes a desire to have continual access to God’s presence. It’s a cry for a sustained manifestation of God’s presence to be available. When stating he wanted to be a doorkeeper, he was expressing the desire to keep the access to God’s presence open and accessible. We must believe that God is purposed to reveal His power and presence to us. He is not behind a veil anymore; He is readily available and longing to make us his dwelling place. If we are to experience Him, we must create an access that takes us into the powerful manifestations that are available to us, and then do what we must to keep it open.

So what does that mean for us? Each one has a choice to be a doorkeeper. Being intimate with Christ requires a moment of encounter and that moment must birth a hunger within us to go in behind the veil and access him and then keep it open for others. It requires that we be consecrated. It may require lifestyle changes, a new perspective of who you are, priority changes or whatever God requires of us. Being a doorkeeper is not a place of mediocrity or unimportance. It is a place of great responsibility, great sacrifice, but also great reward. We must have a mindset that produces hunger and pursuit because once you experience Christ and his presence, you find it impossible to live without it.