8月28日
标 题：打开门与反对势力
经 节：因为有宽大又有功效的门为我开了，并且反对的人也多。（哥林多前书十六章9节）
打开事奉大门的同时，反对的势力也会进入。保罗曾经有许多这种经历。当他从以弗所写信给哥林多人时，他正准备决定下一步要去哪里。他选择在以弗所多作停留，因为神已经为他打开事奉的门。保罗不管自己得面对多少敌人，当知道神已经打开事奉的门，他就不准备离开。我们可能会以为，保罗面对反对势力时会作相反的决定。以考虑反对势力的角度来看，保罗理当去敌意较少的地区传道。相反地，保罗的决定是基于神的作为，不是基于人的作为。
当你回应神的邀约时，不要因为遭遇敌人的阻挠而大感吃惊。如果专注于对手的身上，你会走岔了方向，拖延该做的事。不要让你的决定取决于人的作为上。他们不能阻拦你实践神的旨意（罗马书八：31）。有时候，最有成效的属灵工作，是在面对最严酷的迫害及反对势力时所达成的。当保罗待在以弗所的时候，他的事奉引起合城暴动。一群暴徒在戏园里整整叫嚣两小时之久，拥护他们的神说：“大哉！以弗所人的亚底米啊！”（使徒行传十九：23～41）尽管他们如此激烈地拒绝福音，以弗所仍然成为亚洲福音传播的主要城市。
要超越人的行动看到神的旨意，需要敏锐的属灵分辨能力。当你看到事奉所在，要超越人们的话语评论，查找神当前的作为。
Open Doors and Adversaries
For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many
adversaries. (1 Corinthians 16:9)
Open doors of service may also let in adversaries. Paul had many of
both. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians from Ephesus, he was trying to determine
where to go next. He chose to remain longer in Ephesus because of the open
doors of service God granted him. Knowing that God had opened the doors of
ministry, Paul was not going to leave, regardless of how many enemies he faced.
We might assume that Paul would reach the opposite conclusion. In light of the
opposition he faced, he could have concluded that it was best to serve in less
hostile regions. Instead, Paul based his decisions on God’s activity rather
than on what people were doing.
As you respond to God’s invitations, don’t be caught by surprise when
adversaries try to thwart what you are doing. If you concentrate on your
opponents, you will be sidetracked from God’s activity. Don’t base your
decisions on what people are doing. They cannot prevent you from carrying out
God’s will (Rom. 8:31). Many times the most rewarding spiritual work is done in
the crucible of persecution and opposition. While Paul was in Ephesus, a riot
broke out in reaction to his ministry. The city theater resounded with an angry
mob who shouted for two hours in support of their god, “Great is Diana of the
Ephesians!” (Acts 19:23–41). Despite this fierce rejection of the gospel,
Ephesus became one of the chief cities from which the gospel spread throughout
Asia.
It takes spiritual discernment to see beyond human activity to God’s
will. As you seek places of service, look beyond what people are saying to find
what God is doing.
