The Father Ladder and Four Doors

If you’re familiar with Bethel Sozo, you’ve probably heard the terms: “Father Ladder” and “Four Doors.” But what are they?

The Father Ladder and Four Doors are two of Bethel Sozo’s most powerful inner healing and deliverance tools. They’ve been around since the beginning, and they bring so much breakthrough.

What’s great about these tools is they’re easy to use. You can run through each in about ten minutes, if necessary.

Let’s take a brief look at each tool, and discuss how to use them in a Sozo session.

The Father Ladder

The Father Ladder is Teresa’s favorite tool because it helps people connect more deeply with God. If someone struggles to hear the Lord’s voice, this tool can quickly unblock their spiritual ears.

Teresa and I first discovered the Father Ladder while training as prayer servants at Bethel Church. We discovered that most peoples’ issues were tied to unforgiveness. Once a person released bitterness, their ability to hear God greatly improved.

How to use the Father Ladder

The Father Ladder starts by asking someone how they picture the Father, Jesus, or Holy Spirit. If this is their first Sozo, they might say, “I can’t see God” or “I see Him, but He’s distant or fuzzy.” Such responses indicate a person has issues with their earthly father. But why?

Earthly fathers fulfill our needs of provision, protection, and identity—the same needs that our Heavenly Father provides. When these needs aren’t met, it creates a breeding ground for lies that twist our perception.

For example, someone who had an abusive father growing up may struggle to connect with Father God. Hearing the word “Father” might trigger the lie: God will hurt me, just like my dad. In such cases, the person needs to forgive their earthly father and remove the lie that the Lord too is unsafe.

The Father Ladder in Use

Years ago, I prayed for an older gentleman at a conference. When I asked him to picture Father God, he flinched as if expecting a beating. I gently whispered, “Your Heavenly Father will never hit you.” This man fell to the ground, weeping uncontrollably. He’d been so abused as a boy that the thought of a safe and loving God was overwhelming.

Father Ladder Summary

If a person’s connection with the Lord hasn’t improved after using the Father Ladder, there’s probably a deeper wound that needs to be resolved. Advanced tools like Bodywork and Resolving Trauma can help.

The best part about the Father Ladder is that it’s easy. You can walk a person through forgiveness in ten minutes. The impact is life-changing.

For an in-depth walkthrough on how to use the Father Ladder, check out our Basic Sozo Training Ecourse.

The Four Doors

A variation of the Four Doors was originally developed by Pablo Bottari, a deliverance minister from Argentina. Teresa and I found this tool to be extremely effective when identifying signs of demonic oppression.

For use in Bethel Sozo, we adapted our version to highlight four areas: Fear, Hatred, Sexual Sin, and the Occult.

How to Use the Four Doors

To find an open door in someone’s life, like fear, simply ask, “Do you feel like the door of fear is open?” If the person says “yes,” ask them what type of fear. There are many kinds, but the ones we list are: Worry, Unbelief, Need to Control, Anxiety, Isolation, Apathy, Drugs, and Alcohol.

Once Holy Spirit reveals the specific fear, have the person repent for partnering with it and close the door.

Yoga as an Addition to the Occult Door

One of the newer additions to the Occult door is Yoga. Teresa and I added this because of its newfound popularity in Western society—especially in the church.

For information on the dangers of yoga, my friend, Alan Strudwick, has a detailed book, Authentic Awakening, which delves into the demonic origins of this practice.

The Four Doors Summary

Like the Father Ladder, the Four Doors is quick and effective. Ministers can usually walk through all four areas in twenty minutes. However, if a person has strong ties to the demonic, especially in the Occult or Sexual Sin, they may need to spend more time closing these access points.