HELEN SANDERS
3-30-2023
ADVERSARIES

We often associate God’s will with an open door when everything goes smoothly. We feel the leading in our spirit that we have an assignment from God, and everything seems to fall into place. Then suddenly it seems like everything, and everybody is against us, and we wonder what in the world is going on. Did God really call me to do this?

The Apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 16:9, “For a great door and effectual (powerful, operative) is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries (opposition).” Just because God leads us to do something does not mean that things will go smooth with it. Paul said there was an open door for him, but there was much opposition.

Another example is Nehemiah, the cupbearer to the king. He was given the favor of the king to go back to Jerusalem to build the wall. All the supplies were given, but some very jealous religious people showed up in Jerusalem to stop the work. They mocked him and ridiculed the workers. These “adversaries” did everything they could to stop the work God called him to do. He ignored their words and had a sword in one hand and a trowel in another and completed his assignment in record time.

Often when we are given an assignment from God things start out with great success, but suddenly things seem to fall apart, and we are stopped in our tracks. Satan does not want your assignment to be finished and will do everything he can to try to stop it. He will try to discourage you, block you and even try to make you ill or kill you from completing the assignment.

Don’t be discouraged if you have been given an open door when Satan will use people to try to stop you from going through it. We must also remember that it is the spirit behind a person that comes against you, and not the person themselves. We have a real adversary that comes to steal, kill, and destroy you, and will use every method he can to stop you from your assignment.

Do not let it deter you! Keep doing what God has called you to do. If God parted the Red Sea in an impossible situation, He will make a way for you also! He will help you complete the assignment if you don’t give up! Keep believing and know God is with you! .