What is your open door for ministry

Are your prayers for you to minister in your “sweet spot”? ⁸ But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, ⁹ for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. I Cor. 16:8-9 ESV.

Are you able to recognize God’s orchestration of events for you to bear the most fruit in your life?  John 16 records that Jesus wants us to bear fruit in our spiritual journey, fruit that remains. What does that fruit look like for you?  It does not have to look like others fruit, but it will include the saving and discipling of others.

For some there may be a lot of frustration.  You may be dreaming of a ministry of fruitfulness that doesn’t look anything like what you are presently experiencing.  Perhaps you are telling God about all of the obstacles that are preventing you from bearing much fruit.  If you had more money, more people, more spiritual leaders, better facilities, more time or more whatever, then you could be all that God has called you to be?

Why do you think Paul saw a “wide open door”? Bottom line…people were responding to the gospel message.  Not just for salvation of their spirit, but it was transforming everything in their life.  The gospel awakened a hunger for God that they wanted to know Him more.  And Paul was ready to teach them.

But, in the same verse Paul acknowledges opposition.  We  need to recognize this spiritual opposition.  It is not just the person that disagrees with you.  Our fight is not against flesh and blood (insert person who is a thorn in your side), but against spiritual forces.  Having said that, there is legitimate opposition that comes from people.  We trust God to work in their lives, but they are powerless to stop God’s wide open door.  Even if it includes persecution.  Do not judge those individuals, we are to bless our enemies.  This keeps your heart pure to continue to be fruitful in ministry.

So, my prayer for each today is that we minister and bear fruit, much fruit and fruit that will remain.  That we know how to determine wide open doors of ministry that Jesus invites us to participate in.  That we are free to share with others how God is moving openly in our sphere of influence.  And that we are encouraging others who are walking in “wide open” opportunities.

We serve a God of “wide open”  opportunities in any context, for He is GOD!