Standing through adversity is hard; but it’s through enduring the things that challenge us that we are developed for destiny and promoted into purpose.  My first book was written not because I had an overwhelming compulsion to write about worship, but because our music ministry was facing a challenge and we were provoked to rise above the challenge.  JobTitle Worshiper: Understanding The Position Of Worship Leader was the by-product of me choosing to stand in the face of adversity by learning and embracing the purpose of our calling.  My first words in sign language to a hearing-impaired worshiper were not ministered because I had been contracted to interpret for him to participate in worship, but because my heart was so broken, I couldn’t SING “Create In Me A Clean Heart” by Donnie McClurkin during worship that morning, so I rose above the challenge and began to SIGN it.

Oftentimes, we only view opposition as a challenge to our current path or goal.  Our contenders are our enemies and our faith (or lack thereof) determines our response.  Our focus becomes skewed by the actions of our contenders and our perspective changes from ‘what God said’ to ‘how we can counter our enemy’s latest move’.  We can become so wrapped up in how we handle our contenders that we totally and completely lose sight of God.  We miss the point that God ALLOWED the challenge because it’s a part of His agenda to ACCELERATE us!  Challenge positions us to rise above; and when we recognize that, we will see Opposition as the Opportunity that God intended.

In Merriam-Webster, Opposition is defined as “… an act of setting opposite or over against, the condition of being so set” or simply – showing contrast or conflict – with defiance and resistance being listed as related terms.  In Merriam-Webster, Opportunity is defined as “… a good chance for advancement or progress” with break, chance, occasion, opening, room and shot being listed as related terms.  What’s most interesting to me is that both Opposition and Opportunity start the same way:  OPPO!  When we experience the opening, we will most definitely experience the resistance.  When we experience the chance, we will most definitely experience the defiance.  One will naturally and spiritually draw the other!  Paul wrote, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” (1 Corinthians 16:9)  Where there is great Opportunity, there will be great Opposition!

With the right perspective, we recognize that God’s intent for allowing us to experience opposition is not to stop us, not to block us, not to discourage us, but to confirm our advancement and build us in that confirmation.  Opposition comes with a contrary proclamation to what God has proclaimed.  Opposition says, “You can’t!”, “You won’t!”, “You shouldn’t!” This test is our Opportunity to agree with God, to rise above the challenge and to walk out God’s proclamation!  When we succumb to the message of our contenders, we in essence reject the word of God by coming in alignment with the contrary proclamation promoted by our contenders. God doesn’t permit opposition for us to ‘GIVE In To It’, but allows it for us to ‘GO In To It’ confirming His proclamation and claiming our position in Him.  Opposition is the test that proves our faith that provides the Opportunity to proclaim our faith!  When we choose to stand on what God has proclaimed, Opposition is merely our OPPORTUNITY to represent what God said!!!