When the Spirit Says No

One of the most interesting passages in Acts has to come from chapter 16. Paul is trying to preach the Gospel in some places and the Holy Spirit says no.

Acts 16:6–8 (ESV) 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.

It is weird to consider Paul wanted to preach somewhere and instead is diverted elsewhere. Troas was an important city for sure. It was almost the capital of Rome under Julius Caesar. 

But by going further at the vision's leading in Verse 9 Paul ends up in Macedonia where the churches of Philippi and Corinth are established. Certainly these cities would weigh in on theological understanding even still today as we have letters to them canonized in our Bible.

I thought of a few things:

1. Following the Lord is a lot like this. We may want to go one way with our lives but God prevents us. The Holy Spirit says no. We may have good intentions and it may seem right to us but it's just not in the cards. We have to be okay with it. One thing you don't see from Paul is a stubborn persistence of his own will when the Holy Spirit says no. We find that later with his thorn in the flesh debate with God. Only after three requests, he hears from God and accepts his fate. 

2. When we step out to serve the Lord, we never really know where it's going to take us. We just know that we should go. Paul had plants to minister to Asia but he ends up in Macedonia. Perhaps this vision and the fruitful ministry in Corinth, Berea and Philippi began to stir something in Paul to always be moving forward and outward with the Gospel. Staying closer to Jerusalem in Asia may have been what he thought was best, but this is what God said to do.

3. The Holy Spirit gives no explanation as to why he says no. There's no explanation a text from Luke. Most likely because they weren't given one at all. God said "no" and that was it. God is not obligated to explain himself to us. But how often do we subtlety resent that fact? We need to learn to be okay when God says no and just leaves it at that. He's God, we're not.

The question is, will we accept the Spirit's leading or will we fight it? We love to talk about the Holy Spirit leading somewhere or giving us something. What about when the Holy Spirit stops us from going somewhere or doesn't give something. 

We can be sure, it's not without reason, and it's best not to argue.

PRAYER:

Father, help me to listen to the Holy Spirit. Help me to be okay with what I haven't done as well as with what You have had me do. I want to be willing to listen to you no matter what. Open my ears and my heart... so that I may do your will effectively. Amen.