"There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me" (1 Corinthians 16:9).
G. Campbell Morgan said, "If you have no opposition in the place you serve, you're serving in the wrong place." Very often I've seen that Satan attacks hardest where the work of God is the greatest. "A… necessary principle for doing the Lord's work in the Lord's way is accepting opposition as a challenge rather than as a hindrance. In the present age there is no such thing as an authentic ministry without problems and opposition of some sort. Satan will see to it. A work that has little opposition from the antagonistic system of Satan is one that is doing little work for the Lord." (MacArthur New Testament Commentary)
The apostle Paul experienced a lot of opposition as he served the Lord. He says, "…a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries" (1 Corinthians 16:9, NASB).
The Greek word for "adversaries" means lining up opposite or against another.
Perhaps you're experiencing adversity, and it seems everything is lined up against you. Generally, we can't control when adversity comes to us, but we can control our response to it. Winston Churchill said, "If you're going through hell, keep going."
Billy Graham said, "Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has."
The apostle Paul gives us an excellent response to spiritual opposition and adversity:
Be on guard – stay alert, watch out
Stand firm in the faith – persevere
Be courageous – be brave
Be strong – having mature strength (1 Corinthians 16:13).
G. Campbell Morgan said, "If you have no opposition in the place you serve, you're serving in the wrong place." Very often I've seen that Satan attacks hardest where the work of God is the greatest. "A… necessary principle for doing the Lord's work in the Lord's way is accepting opposition as a challenge rather than as a hindrance. In the present age there is no such thing as an authentic ministry without problems and opposition of some sort. Satan will see to it. A work that has little opposition from the antagonistic system of Satan is one that is doing little work for the Lord." (MacArthur New Testament Commentary)
The apostle Paul experienced a lot of opposition as he served the Lord. He says, "…a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries" (1 Corinthians 16:9, NASB).
The Greek word for "adversaries" means lining up opposite or against another.
Perhaps you're experiencing adversity, and it seems everything is lined up against you. Generally, we can't control when adversity comes to us, but we can control our response to it. Winston Churchill said, "If you're going through hell, keep going."
Billy Graham said, "Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has."
The apostle Paul gives us an excellent response to spiritual opposition and adversity:
Be on guard – stay alert, watch out
Stand firm in the faith – persevere
Be courageous – be brave
Be strong – having mature strength (1 Corinthians 16:13).