This post is Day 11 in a series of studies about “Doors & Gates”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Doors & Gates – Day 11

Paul spent a lot of time in Ephesus after arriving there from Corinth. On his first visit he found several believers, who seemed to know the gospel. But they had no knowledge of the Holy Spirit or His gifts. Paul saw that as his door of opportunity.

1 Corinthians 16:8-9

I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

The Thought

This door is obviously a symbolic one and not a physical one, and many of us can identify with “doors of opportunity” that must be pushed open whenever we see them. They can open to a great future job, or a chance to travel, or a life changing event.

Paul spent a lot of time in Ephesus after arriving there from Corinth. On his first visit he found several believers, who seemed to know the gospel, but they had no knowledge of the Holy Spirit or His gifts. Paul saw that as his “door of opportunity”. He met 12 men (a very Biblical number!) who knew about Jesus and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:6-7).

Paul’s “door of opportunity” included those who opposed him. He saw those people as a challenge, and was ready to discuss his faith and conversion with anyone who opposed him. Are you? Am I?

More of Paul’s experiences in Ephesus, both good and bad, can be read in Acts 19, where it becomes evident that he certainly made the most of that open door. He left Timothy there as a young pastor when he moved on to other challenges.

The church in Ephesus was privileged to be mentioned as one of the seven churches to receive a letter from Jesus in Revelation 2.

Action

Read the letter to the Ephesians in Revelation 2:1-7, and rejoice that Paul made the most of that “open door”.

Think about what an open door would mean for you today. Pray for anything specific that you have in mind. A job change, a meeting, a house move, or someone who opposes your idea of faith in Jesus???