God's open door - will you step in?

1 Corinthians 16:9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

Life presents us with lots of doors and possibilities - life choices. Do we see the hand of God, opening doors? Maybe closing doors?

Do we see the door? Or do we miss it? Miss God’s will?

The door of salvation is the one and only door that all must enter by, to be saved. John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Paul writes about this theme of a door, as representing a faith step, a step into ministry. It’s God’s providence. God’s provision. The door represents the opportunity to do God's will, and to advance his cause.

Has God set before you a door? An open door? Will you follow God’s leading? How do you know what that is?

Paul faced the opportunity to take the Gospel to Ephesus, this idolatrous city. God shows us places that we can serve. This door was great. It was significant. Sometimes we face a great door. It can seem daunting. Humanly, we can feel inadequate. We have need of courage, as we take the leap of faith.

Sometimes the great door can be doing something small. Something little for God. Because that’s the right thing to do. To be faithful in the little. Sometimes God will by pass the proud and the big shots, and He will use the little for His glory.

Interesting that God chose Saul and renamed him Paul, which means little. God is with the small ministry, the faithful labourer. That can be the great door. It can be that the faithful labouring in a small ministry can be a big thing for God. A great work. We have before us a great door.

When God opens a door, it’s effectual. Effectual - it’s same word as powerful where it talks about the Word of God being quick and powerful… in Hebrews 4:12. It’s talking of God-empowered. Energeo. This door is powerful. It’s the operation of God. If God is in it, then we can trust the power of God to work. God will operate and intervene. God will enable, and do a work. We all have a work to do. The work is God’s to do. He will energise, He will quicken, He will enable, He will supply.

God works, as He opens doors for us, across our pathways of life. And He’s wanting to show His power in us.

Joshua and Caleb entered in. The ten spies who doubted did not. By faith they could see what God can do.

Believe God. It’s an effective door. God’s doors are not ineffective. God will effect what He wants to effect. And God empowers US to ACT. Daniel 11:32 …the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. We have to activate our faith.

When God is in it He will do a work by His Hand. We are instruments held in that holy hand of God.
He will effect some things… The Bible tells of a door of hope, a door of faith, a door of utterance - or witness.

The door is open. God opens the door. 2 Corinthians 2:12 ...when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord.

There’s a place for us to serve. Find the place of service and serve well. Paul said, "The door is opened unto me." It had opened to him. He felt a personal obligation. God will put upon your heart where He has called you to be. Will you seize the opportunities that God gives to you?

Many adversaries. Do something for God and you can expect difficulties. Hardships. Disappointments. When you do God’s will it is not always easy. Ministry can be a struggle. Paul says that he fought with beasts at Ephesus. 1 Cor. 15:32. Ephesus was a place of testing for Paul.

Ephesus was given over to superstition and magic and the occult practices. The idol making business was against Paul.

Expect testing. Like Job. When you do something for God, expect criticism, attacks…

Gideon’s army was only 300 men and they defeated an army of 135,000. Trust God’s guidance.

Don’t be afraid to make the hard choices. Galatians 6:7-9 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Soldier on. Battle on. Be persistent. Don’t get discouraged.

We shall reap, IF we faint not. Battle through the weariness. We can feel faint.

Yet there’s an open door. We can choose to ignore it. Avoid it. Refuse it.

Or, you can - Enter in - the open door. By faith.

Don’t miss the open door. Sometimes we get too busy with doors of our own choosing and we miss God’s open door.

We can have wisdom in hindsight… When we look back on life and we see the doors we have missed.

Some would say that we need to Let Jesus Christ be Lord of every aspect of our life.
Jesus is Lord. We do not give Jesus his Lordship. May we willingly and self-consciously submit to Jesus and His Lordship. Trust Him now, and for Him to guide you.