(Read Acts 16:6-12)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” In yesterday’s message we focused on hearing from God. I told you of how Paul and Silas were on their missionary journey and they were being led of the Holy Spirit. At one point they were headed to Asia, but the Bible says, “The Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.” So the team traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia. When they were done there, Paul and Silas came to the borders of Mysia and they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but once again, the Bible says, “The Holy Spirit did not allow them to go there.” So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
The night the team arrived in Troas Paul had a vision. Paul saw a man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” This was more than the dream. The words used in the text allude to the fact that it was a true vision – as if Paul woke up and saw the vision of a man calling for him to go to Macedonia. The next morning Paul wasted no time. He and Silas concluded that God was calling them to preach in Macedonia, so they took off in that direction. The two men boarded a ship at Troas and sailed to the island of Samothrace. It was a day’s journey. The the next day the team landed at Neapolis. From there Paul and Silas traveled to Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. They stayed there several days, as they were seeking to be led of God concerning what to do next.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Paul and Silas were being led on their missionary journey. While it might seem like Paul and Silas did not have a plan, they actually did. Their plan was to align with God’s plan. They knew God had made a plan for their trip before the foundations of the world. They were doing the best they could to make a human alignment with a divine assignment. You would do well in learning from them and attempting to do the same.
2. God expects you to be led on your life’s journey. The devil wants to drive you, but God wants to lead you. You have a choice. You can either allow the curveballs of life the devil throws your way to drive you off God’s course, or you can allow the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct you, inspite of the challenges you face along the way. Being led of God does not mean you will not face challenges from the devil or that you won’t feel the pressure to get off course by pursuing your own lusts and human desires. But what it does mean is that God cared enough about you to make plans for you before the foundations of the world and He sent His Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct you towards fulfilling those plans.
3. God can speak to you in a myriad of ways. God spoke to Paul audibly, through an inner witness, through visions, through His Word, and through other people. God still speaks today, but there is no “canned” way He does it. God can speak to you with an audible voice (even though I have never heard it) or through a still small voice in your heart. He can speak to You while you are reading His Word, or while you are running on the treadmill. He can speak to you while your Pastor is preaching or through the person sitting next to you in the pews. He can use a prophet to you pick you out of a crowd and give you a Word, or He can use your child (a 5yr. old) to give you a Word in the car on your way home. He can give you a dream while you are sleeping or an open vision while you are wide awake. The point is that if you are listening, God is speaking, and He wants to lead you. If you are looking for Him to lead you, you will find that He is.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for reminding me that I can and should hear from You daily. You took the time to make plans for me before the foundations of the world. You knew when I would and should be born and what I was supposed to do when I got here. You knew I would waste years of my life pursuing my own lusts and desires. And You also knew that the day would come when I would call upon Jesus and accept Your Son as my Lord. Now that I am Born-Again and filled with Your Spirit, my #1 goal is FINDING, FOLLOWING and FINISHING Your purpose for my life, before I die. Success for me is not about houses, cars, money, positions or titles. Success for me in simple. It is about completing Your assignment for my life. That is the only thing I will be judged by, so that is my singular focus. I don’t waste time comparing myself to other people, because they have their own divine assignments and they will be judged accordingly. I only have Grace to run my race and I am determined to do so. While I pursue my purpose, I know I must be led of You. I used to allow the devil to drive me from day to day. But I am no longer driven by him. I am led of You. I now allow Your Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct me in the way I should go. You speak to me while I am reading Your Word and You give me divine insight, wisdom, revelation, knowledge and understanding. You send people to me to speak Words into my life, and I believe and receive those Words. You speak to me through an inner witness, an internal knowing, while I am going throughout my daily routine, and I am sensitive to Your leading. You give me words to say when I need to speak and You tell me to keep my mouth shut when I don’t. You lead me while I am awake and You speak to me while I am sleeping, in both dreams and visions. Father, I am Your child, I hear Your voice, I am led of Your Spirit, and I am determined to maximize my purpose and potential before I die. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
