A Great and Effective Door

For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. (1 Corinthians 16:9 NKJV)

Today my message is taken out of 1 Corinthians 16:9 I couldn't sleep Friday morning and woke up at 2 am and the Lord began to deal with me about this passage. So i had to get up and start seeking Him .

This scripture is about Acts 19 where Paul came to Ephesus. If you read Acts 19 you realize that there were*

many adversaries

but

there was great miracles

The name of the Lord was magnified

many believed, the demonic and the witchcraft was defeated

and the word of God grew mightily and prevailed

How many think it was a door of opportunity worth fighting for?

Lets talk about Pauls “great and effective door”

what it means in the greek…

Great- “Magale” - large, big, great, whopping, sizable, Gigantic

Effective - “Energes” - conveys the idea of something that is operative, powerful in its working, and therefore certain to achieve its intended result. The term describes not mere activity but focused, fruitful efficiency grounded in God’s own power.

Door - “Thura” - Typically refers to a door but in this case a rare opportunity.

Opened- “Anoiga” - Something standing wide open

So a translation could be: A gigantic powerful opportunity is already set in motion and is standing wide open to me and there are many adversaries. *

Opportunity and adversaries seem to go hand in hand’

Walking through this kind of door is impossible without divine guidance and Paul was fully aware that only God could open this door.

It had already been opened in the heavens and he was going to walk through it!!!!

Thats what this verse in Matthew 16 is saying its already bound in heaven and its already loosed in heaven

Matthew 16:19 ESV

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

so today what Gigantic Door has God already loosed in heaven for you and for River of Life that we need bring it into the earth?

With every great door of opportunity as Paul was saying there would be many adversaries.

The enemy will try his best to keep you and I from stepping through the gigantic door of opportunity God opens for us.

Look what He did to Paul 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

2 Corinthians 4:8–9 NKJV

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—

Satan is afraid of what will happen when his territory is invaded by someone that is fully equipped and armed with the full arsenal of Spiritual weapons.

God has opened doors here at River of Life for each of us both individually and corporately

but

church we have to determine to walk through them no matter the opposition!!

because with the help of The Holy Spirit as we are dressed in His armor and in the power of His word the new territory is ours.

When we obey God the devil is forced to move out of the way.

If God opened a gigantic door of opportunity for us, a door that never could have been opened if it was not God...Then we are not going to fail, we are going to defeat every adversary.

Every step of the way He will empower you to defeat every adversary and bring Him glory in the new territory that is yours to possess in Jesus Name.

But listen…Sometimes that Adversary is you that the enemy uses....

Come on how many know what I am talking about?

So what do we do?

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NKJV)

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.

27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

So you say okay Pastor I know i am suppose to do those things….But what If you get knocked down by an enemy or you yourself fall into temptation and get knocked down What then?

Well

Failure is not in the falling down...

Failure is the not getting up!!!

We have all fallen down or gotten knocked down by an enemy

How do we get up….Simple…. ask God to forgive us and get up…but without condemnation!!!

For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again… (Proverbs 24:16 NKJV)

So look With this great door God has opened there are many adversaries and facing them is tough… but God is able to handle them!!!! look at these scriptures.

O God, how long will the adversary reproach?… (Psalm 74:10 NKJV)

We have all gone through battles and said this Oh God how long!!!!

For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, A day of vengeance, That He may avenge Himself on His adversaries… (Jeremiah 46:10 NKJV)

We have to hang in there we cannot give up…because it isn't an option

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9 NKJV)

many people say there are 4 seasons but God says wait…here is another one….its called Due season!!!

 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. (Luke 21:15 NKJV)

Lets start using our mouths against the enemy instead of for the enemy

Davis said:

...“As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all adversity. (2 Samuel 4:9 NKJV)

Persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.(2 Timothy 3:11 NKJV)

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV)

So today we know that God has opened doors for each of us.

We also know that There will be opposition.

How many have been facing the adversary since you started walking through this gigantic door of Opportunity?

maybe it is you and your temptations, you have fallen, you have failed this week. Its time to rise again, Ask forgiveness and rise without condemnation

Remember what Proverbs 24:16says:

Proverbs 24:16 ESV

for the righteous falls seven times and rises again…

2. Maybe the battle has been rough this week.

2 Timothy 3:11 NKJV “my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.”

3. Maybe you are about to go through a new door to take new territory.

Fix your eyes on Jesus, put on the armor of God and buckle up!!!

If any of those are you come down to this altar today and lets kick some adversaries out of or gigantic doors we are walking through!!!