(Learning to listen to the prompting of The Holy Spirit)
Read Acts 16:6-10
CONTEXT: Acts 16 records the start of the second missionary journey of the Apostle Paul. In this passage in vs 6-10, Paul and His companions were travelling throughout the regions of Phrygia and Galatia (Asia Minor- Modern day Turkey) and had a desire to preach the gospel in Asia!!
What is interesting to note is that even though Paul had an earnest desire to preach the gospel in Asia, we see that for some reason, The Holy Spirit actually PREVENTED him from doing what seemed godly and pleasing to Jesus!
So, the question that arises is: WHY MIGHT GOD SOMETIMES SAY NO TO SOMETHING THAT SEEMS GODLY AND PLEASING TO HIM?
Let’s take a closer look at this passage and see some of the possible reasons why this might be the case!
REASONS WHY THE LORD MIGHT SAY NO.
1.NOT GOD’S RIGHT TIMING.
As you continue reading through the book of Acts, you will subsequently find out that Paul did get to preach the gospel in the province of Asia (Acts 19:10). This therefore reveals to us that it might not have been God’s RIGHT TIMING for Paul to preach in Asia here in Acts 16:6-10. In the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead in John 11, both Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to heal Lazarus while he was still alive (John 11:21,32), and yet we see Jesus wait on God’s perfect timing (4 days after Lazarus had died- John 11:17) so that He was able to show the Jews that He not only has the power to heal the sick, but also to RAISE THE DEAD and so that God would get all the glory for it!!
Will we therefore learn to trust that GOD HAS A PERFECT TIMING TO HIS PLANS, PURPOSES AND PROMISES FOR YOUR LIFE?
2.IT COULD BE SOMEONE ELSES HARVEST/CALLING.
In 1 Peter 1:1-2, interestingly we find that one of the places Peter addresses his letter is to the believers in BITHYNIA. In other words, maybe the reason The Holy Spirit prevented Paul from preaching in Bithynia, is because He wanted Peter to be the one to follow up on them. In 2 Corinthians 10:13-16, the apostle Paul talks about how each of us has a FIELD ASSIGNED TO US.
Sometimes the reason God closes the door for you, is because He has called someone else to minister there! We each have an assigned harvest field. The people you can minister to in your work place, schools, Uni and sporting teams for Jesus are often people that no-one else in your church can minister to. That could be why the Lord has called you to be there!!
3.WHEN GOD CLOSES ONE DOOR, HE OPENS ANOTHER. In Acts 16:9-10 we find that one of the reasons the Holy Spirit closed the door on Asia was because God wanted Paul to go to Macedonia (Europe). In Revelation 3:7, Jesus says that the doors “He opens no-one can shut, and what He shuts no-one can open.”
In 2 Corinthians 2:12, Paul found that the Lord had OPENED A DOOR for him to preach the gospel In Troas.
Will you trust that when God closes one door in your life, He will open up another door of opportunity for you?
4.THERE IS A BIGGER PURPOSE BEHIND THE CLOSED DOOR. The book of Acts was written by Luke and what you will find interesting to note is the contrast in the language of vs 8 and 10 of Acts 16. In vs 8, Luke uses the term “THEY” to refer to Paul and his companions coming to Troas. Yet in vs 10 we find him using the words “WE” and “US”. It is therefore plausible to believe that Paul and his companions possibly MET LUKE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TROAS and he then accompanied them to Europe!! Luke, being a physician (Colossians 4:14) could not only look after Paul’s physical/medical needs while on mission, but Luke would be the one who would write the gospel of Luke and Acts which would be read by and encourage generations to come as part of the WORD OF GOD!
If Paul had gone to Asia to preach the gospel at that time, he may never have met Luke.
So maybe the BIGGER reason as to why The Holy Spirit prevented Paul from preaching the gospel in Asia and Bithynia at that time, was so that HE COULD MEET LUKE!!
Will we likewise trust that when God closes a door that seemed godly, there is a BIGGER PURPOSE and REASON behind it?
May these reasons help us to LISTEN AND FOLLOW THE LORD’S PROMPTING AND LEADING when it comes to living out His calling in our lives!! May we learn not to be disheartened when the Lord closes that door or says no. Will we trust that God has a BIGGER REASON behind it?
God bless!!
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