Open doors and adversaries

Ray Stedman's comment on 1 Cor. 16:9, from a classic sermon text, is still relevant for evangelism work:

Paul is emphasizing here that there have to be both of these things present if you have a true opportunity. There has to be a "wide door," but there have to be "many adversaries." Beware a wide door where there are no adversaries. That could be the trick of the devil to uplift you in pride and make you so confident that you can do something in yourself that you are destroyed thereby. And beware heavy opposition and many adversaries when there is no open door for ministry. Jesus himself told his disciples, "if they will not hear you, shake off the dust from your feet and go to a place where they will," {cf, Matt 10:14, Mark 6:11}. Where there is no opportunity for ministry and oppression is heavy, avoid that; but where there is an open door and many adversaries, then by all means stay with that because you will have one of the most exciting opportunities of your life to see God at work in the midst of great opposition and great pressure. Well, there are the principles for scheduling your life. I hope they will help you as you plan in the days ahead.

They will, indeed.