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Author: ANULI AUSBETH-AJAGU (Mrs.)
Posted to the web: 9/12/2005 11:56:18 AM

Simply put, an adversary is an opponent. An opponent, according to the Chamber’s English Dictionary, is 'one who opposes a course of action, belief, person, etc.' The same dictionary defines opportunity as 'an occasion offering a possibility; advantageous conditions'In life, every human being must have an adversary at some point in time or the other. In fact, there are people who have several adversaries in their lives. An adversary is often someone within reach, someone whom you relate closely with, work with, live with, or have any business to deal with. An adversary could either be your enemy or your catalyst. An enemy is one who clearly hates or tries to harm you. My definition of a catalyst is simply someone who rouses you from a state of inactivity and Luke-warmness into action. David, an ordinary shepherd boy, was a nobody who was catapulted from obscurity to prominence. It was Goliath, the ranting raving Philistine giant who gave David the rare opportunity to display his hunting prowess. Indeed, little David became a superstar when he used a sling stone to fall and kill Goliath. Folks, we all need Goliaths in our lives! We all need that rare opportunity to use our adversaries’ opposition as a lifetime opportunity to manifest our innate God-given abilities. Your ability to perceive and turn challenges into opportunities will bring you into limelight and catapult you to greatness. I am not saying that we should spend our lives praying for enemies to motivate us. Neither am I suggesting that you go looking for trouble in a bid to force an adversary on yourself. I heard of a man who wanted people to believe that he had super faith and was superhuman. He went by himself to Ibadan zoo and jumped into the den of lions. Guess what? The lions had a great feast crushing his bones. You must be wise and know the difference between courage in adversity and foolhardiness. So, how should you deal with your adversary, in order to windup a success and not a victim of circumstance? The following tips will be useful:Have a positive attitude to every situation: No doubt, nobody likes adverse circumstances. We often dread challenges because we fear that they could drown us in the pool of failure. However, you must realize that tough times never last, tough people do. Make up your mind to face every challenge that life brings your way courageously. Don’t crumble under pressure. Don’t be crippled by fear. Face your situation squarely and ask God to open your eyes to see the advantage in your situation, so that your challenges become stepping stones to victory.See your adversary as an enemy you must conquerI mentioned earlier that your adversary could be an enemy or a catalyst. Peradventure you have enemies in your life, who are after your neck and would stop at nothing to destroy you, ask God for divine intervention. Battles are better fought and won when the Almighty God is the Commander-in-Chief of your battlefront. Your ability to fight and win a genuine battle against oppression is limited. But God the Creator of all things can hide you under his Almighty shadows, away from destruction. He can silence your enemy when you put your trust in Him. The greatest enemy of your life is Satan, and he is daily plotting how to wreck and disgrace you. God, through His son Jesus Christ, would offer succour, hope and victory to those who surrender to Him.Perceive your adversary as your catalyst to greatness Now, talking about your adversary as your catalyst, note that your adversary, being your opponent, might not necessarily be someone that hates you. It could even be a loved one who opposes you based on ignorance, pride, envy, pettiness, narrow mindedness, or fear of competition. That is why youths, at some stage in their lives, often perceive their parents, guardians, mentors or bosses as their adversaries or more succinctly put, their 'enemies of progress.' It is not unusual to find yourself at loggerheads with loved ones about your course of study, career choice, etc.Neither is it news that a spouse refused to appreciate his or her partner’s vision or goals, but rather derides, mocks and insults the person’s genuine striving for success. The way out of this quagmire is that you simply need to be resilient. You need to absorb all the insults without caving into self–pity and rejection. Wake up from your slumber! Get angry with your negative circumstance and thrust yourself forward into success zone. You simply need to pursue excellence, prove your mettle, and silence your critics by making a legitimate success of your endeavours. Realize that success has twin brothers. Those who laughed at you will eventually rejoice with you. They will celebrate you when you prove them wrong by your noble achievements. Those who erstwhile condemned your efforts will suddenly become praise singers, chanting lyrics such as, 'I always knew you will make it someday. I am very proud of you.' That will be your testimony and mine!Maintain a positive attitude to criticism Indeed, no man is an island. Sometimes, God sends an adversary into your life to warn you against imminent danger. Your adversary might be someone sent to counsel you, direct you, and rescue you from foolish and myopic decisions. Thus, don’t be unduly rigid or dogmatic. Keep an open mind and weigh/consider every criticism and opposition. There just might be wisdom contained in a piece of advice which could save you from a lifetime of disaster. Ask God to give you grace to discern. Pray and know how to deal with every adversity. Turn your adversities into golden opportunities and become a winner in life.