I remember a couple of years ago being invited to a girls' movie night. The women were so excited about it—they kept telling me how hilarious the movies were and how much fun we were going to have. Their energy was contagious, and for a moment, I found myself getting excited too.
Then, just a couple of minutes later, I felt a nudge within me to ask what the movies were. They told me: Bad Moms and Girls Trip.
Now, if you know me, you know I’m a goofball who loves to laugh and have a good time. I enjoy being around good people and having a blast. But when they said the movie names, I felt a firm “no” rise up within me. Not from fear, not from legalism—but from conviction.
These women weren’t wild or reckless. In fact, they were sweet, genuine Christian young women—married, with kids, raising families and doing their best to follow the Lord. That’s why I want to emphasize this: it wasn’t about whether or not they were Christian… it was about understanding the power of spiritual gates.
You see, I had been walking closely with the Lord, and through that, He had been teaching me about something many people—even believers—overlook: the importance of guarding your gates. Your eyes (what you watch), your ears (what you listen to), your mouth (what you speak), and your mind (what you think about). These gates are how things enter your soul and shape your thoughts, emotions, and even your decisions.
I wasn’t trying to be “extra” or super spiritual—I was just choosing to stay consecrated (set apart). Meaning: living in a way that’s different—not out of pride, but out of love for the One who saved me...Jesus Christ
So when I said “no” to the movie, one of the girls laughed and said, “Jasmine, don’t be dramatic. Stop acting extra.” But for me, it wasn’t about being religious—it was about keeping my soul clear and my heart aligned. It was about protecting the atmosphere of my life so I could continue to hear from God, walk in wisdom, and live in peace.
🌱 What Are Spiritual Gates and Why Do They Matter?
Your spiritual gates are entry points into your soul (mind and emotions). Just like a house has doors to protect what’s inside, your gates protect your soul. What you let in will eventually come out in your actions, desires, thoughts, and habits.
Romans 12:2 says:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
Transformation starts with guarding what you allow in. And unfortunately, many people unknowingly let compromise in through entertainment, conversation, music, and even casual humor.
🧠 1. Your Eye Gate – What You Watch Becomes What You Crave
If you're constantly watching movies where people are sleeping around, cheating, or celebrating ungodly lifestyles, it doesn’t just stay on the screen—it plants seeds in your soul.
Example: Someone watches a show where a married man has an affair. At first, it’s shocking. But after a few episodes, the storyline becomes entertaining. Before long, the viewer sympathizes with the character. The standard of fidelity begins to blur. That’s how compromise starts—through subtle exposure.
Matthew 6:22–23 – “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.”
👂🏽2. Your Ear Gate – What You Hear Shapes What You Believe
Music, gossip, podcasts, and conversations are powerful. When we keep hearing lyrics that glorify sex, money, or rebellion, it affects how we feel and what we tolerate.
Example: Someone listens to music that constantly objectifies women or glorifies money. Even if they don’t agree at first, over time their soul becomes numb to the message. They start desiring those very things.
Romans 10:17 – “Faith comes by hearing...” (So does fear, lust, pride, etc.—it all depends on the source.)
👄 3. Your Mouth Gate – What You Speak Reinforces What You Believe
Our words have power. “This one is not taken serious enough by most people." When we speak death, drama, or negativity—even jokingly—we reinforce those patterns in our lives. Words are not just sounds; they are seeds with creative power.
Example: A woman keeps saying, “All men cheat," “I'm not good enough,” or "This is how I am" Eventually, her soul believes it, and her life follows the direction of her words.
Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
🧠 4. Your Thought Life – What You Dwell On Will Eventually Lead to Action
Everything starts with a thought. When we let impure, fearful, angry, or worldly thoughts run wild, they create mental strongholds. The enemy’s goal is to wear you down in your mind.
Example: A person watches a lot of violent shows and begins thinking in extremes. Or they see constant images of sexual temptation and suddenly fall into behaviors they never thought they would entertain. Why? Because the thoughts were fed long enough to become actions.
📌Now I must go into a little more detail when we're talking about the Thought Life. Here’s why - The enemy knows that if he can get control of your thought life, he can slowly weaken your strength, your clarity, and your standards.
Satan RARELY starts with big, obvious attacks. He works subtly and consistently—through thoughts, suggestions, distractions, and compromises. If he can get you to:
- Tolerate what you used to resist
- Doubt what God has already said
- Feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or confused
- Entertain sinful or harmful thoughts regularly
…then over time, your mind gets tired, your soul gets cluttered, and your discernment gets dull. This is why many believers feel “off,” dry, or unclear—not because they don’t love God, but because their minds have been under constant warfare and they didn’t recognize it.
This is why Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:5:
“We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Why? Because if we don’t take our thoughts captive, they will take us captive.
Here’s an Example
Let’s say someone watches a lot of shows with adultery, violence, or ungodly relationships. They may not agree with it at first—but over time, it becomes entertainment. Then it becomes normal. Then, one day, that person finds themselves tempted in an area they never struggled with before. Why? Because the enemy wore them down mentally first.
He doesn’t always kick the door in—he slips in quietly through your thoughts and slowly chips away at the walls you've built to keep the good in and the bad out.
💡 So the goal is to keep your mind guarded and filled with truth (God Word)—because a strong mind in complete alignment with the mind of God is impossible for the enemy to wear down.
“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
—Romans 12:2
🌪 How You Draw These Things into Your Life
You may think you’re “just watching” or “just listening,” but what you consume through your gates is planting seeds; to create a harvest. Every show, conversation, or lyric has the potential to either build your spirit or weaken your defenses.
- Watching shows about adultery can cause you to become suspicious or bitter in your own marriage.
- Alot of ungodly and sexual entertainment infiltrates you with the wrong ideas leading to insecurities — which equals to doing stupid and regretful things; that later makes you smack your forehead.
- Listening to songs about sexual freedom can make you tolerate or even desire things that don’t align with God’s heart.
- Entertaining gossip can make you overly judgmental.
When you open the gates to these things, you slowly allow yourself to be softened and molded into the world’s pattern. You become more open–minded and tolerant of ideas and ways that God hates—and less sensitive to what He loves and adores.
🛡 Why This Matters for Dominion Living
We were never meant to live reactionary lives. We were created to rule and reign in life (Romans 5:17)—but to walk in authority, we must walk in clarity. Clarity requires alignment with God. If you're constantly filling your soul with distraction, images, and confusion, you will find it VERY hard to hear God clearly, discern His voice, or know what to do in life.
Our gates are our entry point to our soul (mind and emotions) They’re the filter through which we receive information, which forms our perception and view of life. And when you protect them, only allowing Godly things to enter, you stay aligned with Heaven and all that heaven has to offer you here on earth.
👑 You Are Set Apart for a Reason
If you're mocked, misunderstood, or called "too much" because you guard your gates—know this: you're not being extra, you're being extraordinary. God honors obedience. You don’t need to compromise to connect with others. Your royalty, your meant to stand firm.
You were created to live clear, to hear God, and to walk in wisdom. In a world full of compromise your purity is your power.
With Love,
Jasmine Johnson