Nigeria: Three Strategic Gates That Must Open to You (1), By Ayo Akerele

27 April 2026
Premium Times (Abuja)
opinion By Ayo Akerele

The Gates of Nations

Reinhard Bonnke consistently devoted days, often weeks, to prayer before every Christ for All Nations crusade in any country. This was in addition to the many hours of corporate intercession offered by the ministry's prayer teams. This disciplined spiritual preparation was not symbolic; it was strategic.

Why is this significant? Because every nation is governed by gates. A person may reside in a nation for twenty years and yet never truly enter its gates, thereby remaining physically present but spiritually disconnected from influence, growth, and measurable results. In such cases, life becomes routine without impact.

The Lord once spoke clearly to me that we have entered a season of open gates; a season in which God desires to open multiple gates to many people. The emphasis on gates (plural) is critical. Life is not governed by one gate alone but by many gates: The gates of mercy, gates of nations, gates of favour, gates of access, gates of restoration, and gates of resources.

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Scripture shows that gates are constructed from different materials, symbolising varying degrees of resistance and authority. Isaiah 45:2 speaks of gates of bronze, representing fortified systems, while Acts 12:10 describes iron gates, denoting stronger resistance.

"Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in." -- Psalm 24:7

Throughout biblical history, God has operated consistently through gates. At times, He opens them; at other times, He forcefully dismantles them.

"For He has broken the gates of bronze, and cut the bars of iron in two." -- Psalm 107:16

Gates as Seats of Authority

In Jewish history, gates functioned as seats of authority. Judicial rulings, civic decisions, and economic control were exercised at the city gates. In the modern world, these gates manifest as airports, national borders, immigration systems, and trade corridors. Nations deploy their strongest security, intelligence, and enforcement structures at these access points. If a gate is compromised, the nation is compromised. Yet, the spiritual dimension supersedes the physical.

"Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, and their kings in procession." -- Isaiah 60:11

This passage clearly reveals that spiritual gates regulate material flow. Wealth does not move arbitrarily, it passes through gates.

Spiritual Gates to Nations

Spiritual gates exist within every nation. One may live in a city yet never prosper, blossom, or advance into God's ordained stature because the gates of that land remain spiritually closed.

These gates are maintained by spiritual powers that regulate:

- Decision-making

- Access to influence

- Movement of opportunities

- Flow of strategic resources

Until these gates open, or collapse, individuals struggle for relevance.

Scriptural Patterns of Opened and Closed Gates

  1. Acts 12:10. The iron gate opened of its own accord for Peter because the church prayed earnestly. Intercession altered national access.
  2. Joshua 6:1. Jericho's gates were sealed. Prayer prepared the people, but praise dismantled the structure. What prayer does not accomplish alone, praise can complete.
  3. Nehemiah 2:7. After prayer, Nehemiah demonstrated assertive faith. He requested official authorization and gained strategic access. Faith must engage authority structures.

Modern Believers Who Entered National Gates

Billy Graham gained access to over 185 nations, including communist states closed to missionaries. His access was preceded by prayer, personal consecration, and uncompromising obedience. He preached behind the Iron Curtain and to world leaders.

Daniel Kolenda, Bonnke's successor, continues to gain national access across Africa through prayer-driven evangelism.

Joseph (Genesis 41) entered Egypt's gate through wisdom, preparation, and divine alignment, rising from prison to national leadership.

Why Gates Close Against Believers

  1. Sin
  2. Rebellion
  3. Self-inflicted curses through persistent wickedness
  4. Bloodshed and systemic injustice

What Happens When Gates Are Closed?

  1. Strategic opportunities are denied or severely limited
  2. Long-term stagnation sets in
  3. Access to insight and intelligence dries up
  4. Emotional fatigue, frustration, and despair increase

Principles That Open Gates of Nations

  1. 1. Prayer opens gates. Prayer grants access to realms beyond natural limitation. In Acts 12, the church prayed earnestly for Peter, and God sent an angel to open iron gates that no human effort could unlock (Acts 12:10). Strategic gates, whether spiritual, vocational, or territorial, respond to sustained, focused, and fervent prayer. If gates must open, prayer must be intentional and persistent.
  2. 2. Praise opens gates. Praise invites God into situations that appear permanently shut. In Joshua 6, Israel praised God in obedience, and the walls of Jericho collapsed supernaturally. Praise shifts atmospheres, dismantles opposition, and accelerates divine intervention. When believers praise God ahead of visible outcomes, barriers give way.
  3. Faith opens gates. Prayer must be followed by action. Faith expressed through wise and courageous steps activates what prayer initiates. In Nehemiah, after prayer, Nehemiah acted strategically and placed a demand before the king, and it was granted. Many pray sincerely but fail to act intelligently. Gates open when prayer is matched with disciplined action and preparation.
  4. Obedience opens gates. Obedience positions believers for access beyond their limitations. Abraham experienced opened gates to nations because he obeyed God fully. In Acts 8, the apostles were scattered, and Philip's obedience led to the opening of the city of Samaria, bringing widespread joy and salvation. Likewise, Jonah's obedience resulted in the repentance of an entire city (Jonah 3). Obedience aligns believers with divine opportunity.

Alignment with gifts and calling opens gates to cities and territories.

God opens doors where purpose is honoured. Many experience closed gates because they operate outside their divine assignment. Every individual in Scripture who remained faithful to their gifts and calling experienced open doors, whether to cities, regions, or nations. Authentic alignment releases access; disalignment produces resistance.

THE GATES OF PROVISION

Scripture and church history affirm that provision flows through gates. While skill, intelligence, and labour attract resources, spiritual alignment governs release.

Historical Examples of Opened Provision Gates

George Müller sustained five orphanages caring for over 10,000 children without soliciting funds. Time and again, prayer produced immediate provision. In 1844, after praying over empty tables, a baker and milkman arrived unannounced with food. Over his lifetime, tens of millions (by modern equivalent) passed through his hands, purely in response to prayer.

Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, prayed for payroll needs, and funds arrived shortly before deadlines. Donors frequently testified that they felt divinely prompted to give without knowing the urgency.

Other Believers across Professions

R.G. LeTourneau, an engineer and inventor, honoured God through consistent giving and prayer. He became one of the wealthiest industrialists of his time, funding missionary work worldwide.

David Green, founder of Hobby Lobby, built his business on biblical principles and prayer. The company thrived despite countercultural decisions.

Dual Platforms of Provision.

Jesus revealed a sobering truth:

"For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light." --Luke 16:8

Believers must operate on two platforms:

  1. Principles
  2. The Supernatural

Neglecting either creates an imbalance.

Platform of Principles (Scriptural Foundation)

  1. Diligence (Proverbs 10:4)
  2. Excellence (Proverbs 22:29)
  3. Integrity (Proverbs 13:11)

Ayo Akerele is the senior pastor of Rhema Assembly and the founder of the Voice of the Watchmen Ministries in Ontario, Canada. He can be reached through ayoakerele2012@gmail.com. You can connect with him on: YouTube: @VoiceoftheWatchmen, TikTok: @drayoakerele, Instagram: @drayoakerele, Facebook: @Ayo Akerele

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