Devotional #26
“Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia. After they came to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly, gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them” Acts 16:6-10.
Paul visited Derbe and Lystra again after a few years, this time with Silas. They took Timothy to accompany them on their missionary journey thereafter. As they continued their ministry the churches were first established in the faith and increased in number with the same principle as was recorded in Acts 9:31.
The churches in the areas of Lystra and Derbe were edified, first, inwardly, and later the Lord added growth outwardly. When the churches grow in number without inward growth in the faith, the body of believers is found weak and will not be able to stand either the temptations of the enemy or the testing of the Lord.
The Holy Spirit had forbidden Paul and company to preach the word in Asia. The Holy Spirit, as a person, was with them and stopped them to preach the word in the region of Galatia. When they were stopped, they tried to go to Bithynia from Mysia, the northern region of Phrygia and Galatia. But again, the Spirit did not allow them to go to the Northern region.
Therefore, they moved from Mysia to the West instead of the North and reached Troas. Paul had a vision in Troas, that he along with others was being called into Macedonia. Paul and others moved from Troas to Macedonia with an assurance that the Lord had called them to preach the word in Macedonia. The Holy Spirit had stopped them to preach the word in Asia and wanted them to take the word to Europe. This was the first time the word was taken to Europe, and it was through Paul.
The Spirit had guided them clearly where not to preach and where to preach. When the Holy Spirit sends His servants for His work, He guides them where and when, and how to do. When churches grow in faith, Lord may raise many workers to take the word of God in the neighboring areas. The Spirit had much greater plans for the apostle Paul to use him across Asia and Europe.
The Holy Spirit had forbidden Paul, Silas, and Timothy as we read (verse 6) “that they were forbidden”. They all also were not allowed to go to Bithynia by the Spirit(verse 7). A vision appeared only to Paul stating as if they were all guided to go to Macedonia in verse 9.
First two times, the Spirit forbade them and stopped them in their goings as if the Spirit had spoken to them all. The leading of the Spirit was experienced by all of them in the same way to avoid confusion. In their work of the Lord, they were given the experience of the same leading, maintaining unity in their mission. Though the vision was only given to Paul to go to Macedonia, they all had the assurance that they were called to Macedonia.
The Holy Spirit guided them all twice where they should not go and guided only Paul where all should go. The Holy Spirit has His ways of guiding His servants. When these servants were sent by the Holy Spirit, they were able to sense the guidance of the Spirit clearly and moved accordingly. They left Asia and entered Europe.
Paul while in Macedonia preached the word in Thessalonica for three sabbath days and had to move to Berea because of the persecution. He had a great burden to visit them again, to know how they were doing in their persecution. But he could not immediately visit them, as he was hindered by the enemy many times. But he waited, for the Lord’s time and hoped that the Lord would enable him to visit them in His time. “Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you” 1 Thess 3:11. Paul got used to be led by the guidance of the Spirit in his goings and he came to the experience of knowing the Lord’s appointed time by waiting upon Him.
Our Lord said “… The Son can do nothing of himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever the Father doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and he showeth all things that himself doeth: …” John 5:19-20.
In the life of our Lord, He moved from place to place as per the guidance of the Father and did only those things that the Father had shown him. When the Lord was told about Lazarus’s death, He did not go immediately to Bethany but waited where He was till the time had come for Him to go there. Paul and other apostles were also guided similarly by the Holy Spirit. Those who habitually listen to the Holy Spirit and obey the Spirit’s guidance will have the same privilege that the Lord enjoyed, and that Paul and other disciples experienced.
This privilege is offered to all of us, but it depends on how we yield to the voice of the Holy Spirit when we are guided not to go and when guided to go. If we carry premeditated thoughts in our minds about places or people, and any self-interest, we will lose the sensitivity to listen clearly to where not to go and to see the vision of where to go.
The Holy Spirit may bring all of us to this experience of listening and seeing clearly and then obeying Him whole heartedly by His grace.
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