But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. (8-9)
At the end of this book, Paul shares some of his travel plans with the Corinthian church. He has been quite forthright with them and used a lot of ink to address their many flaws and weaknesses. He promises to come and visit them in person, desiring to invest more in their growth and spiritual development. Then, almost in passing, he discusses his plans to stay a long time in Ephesus as well. His reason for staying there is that “a wide door for effective service” has been opened for him. In other words, he has found people who are responsive to his message. People are coming to Christ, they are growing in their faith, and new churches are being planted. Paul is encouraged by the open door of ministry he has found in the city of Ephesus and desires to take full advantage of this opportunity.
Yet, he also makes it clear that there are many adversaries there. He doesn’t seem surprised by the presence of adversaries but instead seems to intimate that open doors and adversaries go hand in hand. Wherever God is at work, you can be sure the enemy will also be there working against the Kingdom of God. In my experience, when spiritual adversity is intense, that is usually a good sign that I am on the right track and where God wants me to be. We sometimes long for the season of peace and rest to come, yet it is in the presence of spiritual adversaries that wide doors are open for effective service. A quick reading of Acts 19 can give you an idea of some of the opposition Paul faced. The city was filled with idolatry, witchcraft, magic, and greed. Eventually, the entire city was in an uproar wanting to lynch Paul and his associates. This context was the wide open door Paul was talking about. Beware of avoiding the pressure and stress; that might be the most effective place you can be.
