By Damien Doherty
Damien Doherty was involved in Rock Bands, drugs and alcohol to a point where paranoia, demonic and paranormal activities would harass him at night and keep him awake in fear of his life.
Turning to Jesus one fateful night in sheer desperation, Damien discovered his salvation, forgiveness and freedom through the power and love of Jesus Christ.
This is Damien’s poetic story of that journey to Hell and back again.
The Two Gates
By Damien Doherty
Matthew seven, thirteen to fourteen shows them the way
to enter through the Narrow Gate.
For the gate is wide, and the road is broad,
that leads to destruction and to it, many are drawn.
For each day that goes by, is just another step,
on a road that leads to life, or a road that leads to death.
On The Wide Road
There are many who walk the road that is wide,
and nothing’s written for them in the Book of Life.
Each day is just another empty page,
they are slaves of wandering impulse, locked in a self-love cage.
They ignore understanding and study fleshly delights,
with a desire for worldly habits, all the tinsel glitter and lights.
They have become stranded in deserts of their own making,
squandering at will, thinking their life is for their taking.
And all the way along the wide path,
the sinners thrive and flourish like grass.
With hearts that are directed by sin,
they will die from a lack of discipline.
They go through no strictness to achieve.
For them it is easier just to lie steal and cheat.
And they live by the philosophy of,
“Do what you want to do, be what you want to be.”
Many that journey down the wide street,
deny the existence of a superior being.
They just cannot begin to contemplate,
the message of the cross, to them it is insane.
For they live their life in the ordinary,
their whole existence, their whole reality,
can only function and behave
by natural principles in order to operate.
They are anchored to logic and human strength,
and can only relate to things of the flesh.
They do not see, therefore they do not believe,
so it is foolish to judge things spiritually.
They can only determine things in the natural,
based on evidence that is true and factual.
Trapped inside of their own cleverness,
if only they knew those thoughts are worthless.
And as they walk along the wide road
they walk under the curse of sin.
But those who walk on the Narrow Street
walk under all of the Blessings.
On the Narrow Path
Those that choose to walk the path to life,
walk in the brightness of God’s Light.
They are strangers to this land and to it’s vanity,
preserved from this perverse age, they will live for eternity.
They know they are only resting on this earth,
fighting against the deadly seven.
For they do not belong to this world,
they belong to heaven.
They know all pleasures of this day
pass on by like a parade,
and the joys and rides that glide by
are just moments sprinkled into the flux of time.
Those who walk, talk and act in God’s ways,
will enter through the Narrow Gate.
They study his law every day and night,
to his will they conform their lives.
Blessed is all the work of their hands.
They are granted success in all their endeavours and plans.
The light of God glows from their face,
And when they walk they walk without shame.
Their flesh they have crucified,
with all it’s passions and desires.
They have left all things behind to follow Christ,
and placed him at the centre of their lives.
They have become a people set apart,
They have turned their back on things of the past.
They seek the Kingdom of God first in their life,
all the other things will be added in time.
There are very few who do find
the constricted path that leads to life.
The way to the Narrow Gate, the world can not accept.
The very thing it needs, it hates and rejects.
So, there two paths that man can walk,
they can’t sit on the fence nice and lukewarm.
It has to be one or the other,
not a foot in one and one on another.
You know it is I, the Prince of Darkness
that controls the road which is wide.
I use all my powers and great intelligence
to deny man of his rich inheritance.
So my demons, make sure that they never repent!
We have to keep them walking the wide road toward death.
On that mighty street that I direct,
don’t let them see the powers they possess.
Remember, the kingdom we are building on earth is unseen.
This is our greatest power ’cause nobody believes.
Hiding behind myth is just fine with me, ha-ha,
I can deal blows without being seen.
I sneak about ever so quietly
doing all the things I want to achieve.
I have seduced the world into a deep sinful sleep
with all my false riches and empty dreams.
I’m so cunning at leading the humans astray.
I blind their eyes to God, to get them to walk in my way.
I lure them down my road with lies,
so death will be their shepherd through the gate that is wide.
I am a master at the art of seduction,
I won’t rest until I see mans’ destruction!
so let’s keep all men from finding the Narrow Road,
my standards! I want them to follow.
Ha! If only they could see their world from heavens view,
they would die of horror and fright.
As millions of my shadows prowl the earth,
and shape the events of their earthly lives.
My demons. If they followed Jesus they will see,
the authority they have over you and me.
So let’s cover their eyes with many lies,
so they never see the power of the Risen Christ.
I’m the original liar and thief,
steal the truth from them, so they can’t be set free.
Plant seeds of doubt into their minds,
So they never know Jesus has paid their price.
Tempt them to eat the fruit of my tree,
just like I did to Adam and Eve.
Let’s get all of God’s creation to rebel!
and drag them all with us, in to the fires of Hell!
Ah, I’m such a crafty enemy of mankind,
and when I attack I go straight for the mind;
the gateway to their sorry souls,
so I can suck them down into my, deep hole.
At night, when they are fast asleep,
prowl through their fields and sow thorn and weeds,
to choke any messages of belief,
to assure they keep on strolling along, down my wide street.
The Battle for My Soul Begins
Come gather around my evil angels and listen up.
There’s little time but many minds to corrupt.
The failures of the past must be prevented!
So I’ll finish up with a story of repentance.
There was a young man who feared to stray
from the fashionable path, so he walked my way.
He paid attention to opinions and current tastes,
rather than walking in the Christian way.
He believed in God, but didn’t want anyone to know.
So he tried to blend in, and go with the flow.
The only thing he desired was to be accepted.
He knew being a Christian would get him rejected.
So Instead of principles to guide his life,
he exchanged the truth for a lie.
He was led by fear of ridicule,
of being alone, in doing right.
I used on him my many skills.
And with unholy longings, his heart was filled.
Instead of claiming his Divine Rights.
He began to fancy, my forbidden sights.
The whole time I attacked him he was unaware.
I used to whisper lies into his head.
Using the mouths of friends,
even loved ones, and people he respected.
I shaped his beliefs to whatever I liked,
because he didn’t have on, the mind of Christ.
His guard was down, he didn’t put up a fight,
so I just tightened the grip, I had on his life.
Then he tried to walk both ways:
The wide by night, the narrow by day.
Until the time came when he discovered it was I,
leading him astray, covering his eyes.
So every day he started to pray.
He tried to run, but I didn’t let him get away.
He tried to climb the muddy banks of the wide road and escape.
But I dragged him back into the sludge once again.
He cried out to Jesus who threw him a rope,
and lifted him to safety, on the Narrow Road.
I let out, such mighty roars,
as another had been pulled out, of my evil jaws.
That young man laid there, covered in slime and mud.
His skin was completely covered in blood.
I watched with disgust as Jesus washed away,
all that I had blemished, all that I had stained.
So we can’t touch him now, we’ll just have to wait.
He’s with his Shepherd, so he is safe.
But keep an eye on him every day.
And as soon as he strays, strike like a snake!
He is clothed in God’s Armour
so It’s hard to attack him.
He’s now safely hidden
in the shadow of God’s wings.
This young man who I controlled for years,
has now become one of our greatest fears.
He now understands the power of his hands.
He has become extremely dangerous to all of my plans.
He’s a fierce warrior in this invisible war.
If I even go near him, he draws his flaming sword.
And he now goes in, behind the enemy lines,
rescuing many, human minds.
As I let my fiery arrows fly,
he holds his Shield of Faith up high.
He draws the Sword of the Spirit and strikes,
as swift as lightning from the sky.
His old friends he now hardly sees:
They find it hard to mix with those who believe.
Even though they walk side by side, they walk different roads;
he has now discovered, he can’t walk both.
Now he’s an alien, part of that, Chosen Race.
His worldly friends laugh, just laugh in his face.
They think he’s insane. They cannot see what he can see.
It’s because I still have them, sound asleep.
The Narrow Path Found
The Narrow Path he walks, is a path of peace.
And when he rests, his sleep is sweet.
In this world that is walking in darkness, he is shining the light.
He has entered through the Narrow Gate,
and he will have, Eternal Life.