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Today's Pathway: I Corinthians 16:8-9 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

Paul writes in verse 8 that he intends to spend some time in Ephesus. In verse 9 he gives the reason: there was a great door of opportunity being made available to him. This verse has two parts to it. The first is the open door, and the second is the opposition. As we examine Paul's ministry in Ephesus, we should also make applications to our own areas of service.

Let's look at the "door". First, Paul says that the door is "great". Paul realized that the opportunity for ministry in Ephesus was huge. There were many souls who needed to be saved, and he could be greatly used by God during His time there. In addition, the door was "effectual". The root idea of the word used there is "energetic" or "powerful". Paul knew that if he went to Ephesus he could accomplish something. His labor would not be in vain. If he would stay there and be faithful there, God could really allow him to impact the lives of the people in that city. Third, the door was "open". It is worth noting that the verb tense indicates that Paul did not open the door, but God opened it for him. God was going to allow him to make a difference in Ephesus, but Paul was going to have to be willing to walk through the door. Sometimes doors are closed. In Acts 16:7 Paul wanted to go into Bithynia, but the Holy Spirit closed that door and would not allow him to go. Here, the door to Ephesus had been flung open by God, with the promise that some great work for Him could be done there.

In Acts 19 we read of some of the things that were accomplished in Ephesus. In verse 1-7 we read about the conversion of 12 individuals. In verse 8 Paul spends three months in the local synagogue teaching the Truth to the Jews about the kingdom of God. In verse 9 he separates out his followers and has a daily teaching time with them that lasts for two years. In verse 11, God allowed Paul to do "special miracles". Verses 10, 20, and 26 summarize his work in Ephesus this way:

"so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks... so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed... this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people."

The second part of I Corinthians 16:9 shows the other side of ministry: the opposition. Paul writes that there are "many adversaries". Any time someone decides that they are going to step out and serve the Lord there will be people who oppose him or her. Satan does not want the Lord's work to go forward, and he will do whatever he can to try to stop it. Paul wrote this about his time in Ephesus:

"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;" (II Corinthians 1:8-10).

What door of service has the Lord opened in front of you? Don't look at the door as a place of opposition. Look at it as a place of opportunity. If you walk through it, there will undoubtedly be difficulties along the way. But the reward of seeing lives changed, and the future rewards that will come from our Heavenly Father, vastly outweigh the struggles.