OVERCOMING THE ADVERSARIES TO OPEN DOORS
TEXT: I CORINTHIANS 16:9; 1 THESSALONIANS 2:17-18; 2 CORINTHIANS 2:11-14.
1 Corinthians: 16. 9. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
1 Thessalonians: 2. 17. But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. 18. Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
2 Corinthians: 2. 11. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 12. Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, 13. I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. 14. Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Adversary simply means an opponent in a contest or battle. It also refers to an enemy that does not want you to enter into the doors God has opened for you.
To every door, there is usually a door keeper or janitor that monitors the movement in and out of the door. Matt. 27:59-65.
Matthew: 27. 57. When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: 58. He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. 59. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60. And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. 61. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. 62. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, 63. Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 64. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. 65. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 66. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
N.B. God has determined to open doors for you and no man or devil will be permitted to hinder the opening or shut it.
THE ADVERSARIES TO OPEN DOORS
The adversaries will be looked at from 2 perspectives: internal and external adversaries.
INTERNAL ADVERSARIES: This includes some personal limitations like fear of failure, inferiority complex, unbelief, past experience, disobedience or sin. All these personal defects will go a long way in hindering the open doors. Job 3:25; Prov.29:25; Matt. 25:14-15, 24-28.
Job: 3. 25. For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
Proverbs: 29. 25. The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
Matthew: 25. 14. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 24. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
EXTERNAL ADVERSARIES: These include the following:
ASSOCIATION OR FRIENDSHIP: The kind of friends you keep will go a long way in determining whether you will access the doors opened to you or not. Prov. 13:20; 1 Cor. 15:33.
Proverbs: 13. 20. He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
THE ENVIRONMENT: The environment you find yourself can also hinder you from open doors. Until you break yourself free from your environment, you will conform to its mould. Isa. 6:1-8; Rom.12:1-2.
Isaiah: 6. 1. In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7. And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Romans: 12. 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
THE DEVIL AND HIS COHORTS: Open door is a spiritual issue and our greatest adversary is the devil that will want to go a long way in hindering our open doors if we allow him. Isa.14:12-17; I Pet.5:8-9
Isaiah: 14. 12. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13. For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 16. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; 17. That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
1 Peter: 5. 8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
KEYS TO OVERCOMING THE ADVERSARIES TO YOUR OPEN DOORS
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: You need to have an adequate knowledge and understanding about God and His promises concerning your life. Also, you must not be ignorant about the devices of the devil. Hosea 4:6; II Cor.2:11.
Hosea: 4. 6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
2 Corinthians: 2. 11. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
FAITH IN GOD AND HIS WORD. For every word of God to be effective and useful for you, you must belief that God and His words are settled for ever. He can never fail. Heb.11:6; Psa.119:89.
Hebrews: 11. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Psalm: 119. 89. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. – Bible Offline
POSITIVE DECLARATIONS IN LINE WITH GOD’S WORD. Engage your mouth in positive decrees and declarations continually in line with the word of God. The word has the ability to grow up and prevail over every circumstance. Acts 19:20; Heb.10:23.
Acts: 19. 20. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
Hebrews: 10. 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
COURAGE AND BOLDNESS: When you know that the doors have been opened for you, you need to take the bold steps to enter into the doors irrespective of the adversaries on the way. The enemy is always incapacitated in the face of determination. Jos.6:1-5, 20
Joshua: 6. 1. Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2. And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 3. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 5. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. 20. So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
THE WEAPON OF PRAISE: Praise is also another potent key that the adversary cannot resist. Acts 16:23-26.
Acts: 16. 23. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24. Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
PERSISTENT PRAYERS. Prayers move mountains and hindrances to open doors. When you engage in a prayer of importunity, the adversary will always give up if you will not faint or give up. Luke 18:1-8.
Luke: 18. 1. And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2. Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3. And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5. Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
ENGAGING THE BLOOD. The blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross of Calvary is an irresistible weapon of victory at our disposal as children of God. Rev.12:11.
Revelation: 12. 11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.