The Narrow Gate
Matthew 7:13

   After hearing all the Sermon on the Mount, it becomes clear that the road leading off into life is not an easy one, and how much more difficult is it to get into the gate at the end of that road. Our own fleshly desires pose a serious obstacle, and the hidden spirit forces at work pose the other. But again if getting into the kingdom were easy, what reward would gaining the Kingdom be?
    Our flesh is a serious obstacle to our journey along that road leading into everlasting life. Many teachings of Jesus go contrary to our fleshly desires such as letting go of our natural tendency to take pride in earthly ideas and things. Thus if a person slaps us on the right cheek, how difficult a thing it is to give over one's left cheek. Our pride tells us to slap back, but Jesus commands us to accept it and not to seek vengeance. Rather we are to allow vengeance to be taken by YHWH in his appointed time. Or how about giving money to someone who seems to be clearly lazy? Because of such a judgment our pride in the money we worked hard for, keeps us from helping such an individual. But Jesus commands us to give to the one asking without expecting anything back, and to lend to the one wanting to borrow without charging interest. Another problem we have is a natural sexual attraction to others. Some men are attracted to other men, some women are attracted to other women, and most men are attracted to their opposite sex. The problem is that we are commanded by Jesus not to look at anyone with a desire to have them. He then goes on to tell us that if we are unable to control our desires it would be better for us to cut off the body member responsible for causing such a problem. For men and women this would imply their source of testosterone, and or their eyes if necessary.  However did Jesus mean for us to take him literally? To remove a body member from oneself is very difficult to do. Remember Abraham and all his family had to cut off their foreskin. So we can conclude from this that the answer is "Yes" Jesus did want us to take his words literally as well as metaphorically. Another problem we have is with our flesh's infirmities. Some suffer from depression, others are simply cognitively challenged in some way, and others are physically crippled. These disabilities may appear as something the one challenged with can easily change, others not. The infirmities that are not clearly obvious are the ones we may stumble on, such as depression. Because we really do not know what is going on within someone's head, or body, thus it is best to simply heed the commands given us by Jesus and not assume anything or judge anything about a person's motives in asking for help. Another problem with our flesh is that it feels pain, both emotional and physical. This pain will be felt by the persecution we, as followers of Christ in this Wrold. Because we tend to avoid pain of any sort, it's easy to see why many people will simply run in the opposite direction when it's required of them to stand up for God's Word in a Christian way.
    Another obstacle we have is our inability to see any physical evidence of our Father, his Son, their angels, Satan, and his angels. In order to verify that these all exist we are limited to indirect evidence by observing the things we see in the Almighty's creation, the incredible utility and truth of his commandments, the advice in his Word, and the fulfillment of all the portents therein. Paul says it quite well to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 6:10-12 GNB Finally, build up your strength in union with the Lord and by means of his mighty power. 11 Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil's evil tricks. 12 For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.

    Finally we need to realize that the prize we are striving for is far beyond anything we can ever receive from mankind on earth. The prize is everlasting life as kings over the earth and priests to YHWH God. This is a weighty prize, and one should know that nothing as weighty as this shall just be handed over to them without having to work for it. In fact Jesus asserts that the reward would be of no value to anyone if it were simply handed to him without him having a difficult time getting it. 

Matthew 5:46-48 GNB Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that! 47 And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that! 48 You must be perfect---just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Genesis 32:24-32 GNB but he stayed behind, alone. Then a man came and wrestled with him until just before daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he was not winning the struggle, he hit Jacob on the hip, and it was thrown out of joint. 26 The man said, "Let me go; daylight is coming." "I won't, unless you bless me," Jacob answered. 27 "What is your name?" the man asked. "Jacob," he answered. 28 The man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have struggled with God and with men, and you have won; so your name will be Israel." 29 Jacob said, "Now tell me your name." But he answered, "Why do you want to know my name?" Then he blessed Jacob. 30 Jacob said, "I have seen God face-to-face, and I am still alive"; so he named the place Peniel. 31 The sun rose as Jacob was leaving Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Even today the descendants of Israel do not eat the muscle which is on the hip joint, because it was on this muscle that Jacob was hit.

James 2:18-23 GNB But someone will say, "One person has faith, another has actions." My answer is, "Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions." 19 Do you believe that there is only one God? Good! The demons also believe---and tremble with fear. 20 You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless? 21 How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. 22 Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions. 23 And the scripture came true that said, "Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous." And so Abraham was called God's friend.