[Act 16:6-10 ESV] 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
It is an amazing thing to see how God works to get his servants into position to do His will. We all who walk with Jesus want to hear and obey His voice. It isn’t always so easy. There is a lot more of a process than we think. This is the great Apostle Paul going through a process of hearing and obeying. Too many people would simply go to a place and begin preaching and ministering in the name of Jesus assuming that the Lord would bless their efforts. God isn’t obligated to bless all that we do in His name. However, He will bless all that we do in obedience to His direction. I have heard missionaries and church planters make plans for where they will go and work next. Often it is by a map or by what makes sense to them. But with the plans of the Lord, it is not about convenience. So many variables are involved. One of the big things in God’s plan is the readiness of the harvest. Is the harvest ripe and ready for this season or will it be at a later time? As a young church planter, early in the ministry, I heard the Lord say, “false starts hinder future efforts.” That means that if we are insensitive to the Holy Spirit and plant a church in an area too early, when the real time comes it will be less effective because of starting too soon.
Paul here keeps listening as he walks with the Lord. Notice the Word says, “forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word.” That is incredible! Are we sensitive enough to hear a specific word that might be an adjustment to a general word? The general word was, “go into all the world and preach the Gospel.” The specific word was not now and not here. What a sensitive heart to the voice of the Holy Spirit! May we draw even closer to Him and His voice in order to hear directions from Him that may not make sense to us.
