Acts 16:11-15
Paul, Silas take the gospel to Europe
The doors were closed to Paul when it came to preaching the gospel where he was. This must have been a little perplexing to him since he was a Roman citizen in a Roman colony trying to preach. The Spirit kept telling him no and he kept searching.
How did the Holy Spirit send this message to him? We don’t know. Common ways in the early church were through a prophet of the Lord, it may have been by a vision, or it may have been an inescapable conviction of his own. Another way of communication could have been his ill health-his thorn in the flesh. At any rate, the message was clear to Paul. How do we react to these sorts of things? Could it be that we are being led in a particular direction?
What makes Paul’s health a possibility is that in verse 10 the story changes from third person telling to first person witnessing. Luke was a doctor making it more likely that Paul was suffering from some ailment that he felt needed attention. This is an example to us that Paul took his weakness as being a messenger from God.
The dream of the man in Macedonia gave Paul guidance to seek to go on to Macedonia to preach the good news. What do Christians see as guidance from the Lord / Holy spirit today? Consistent study of God’s Word gives us guidance through faith in our convictions based on our study. We have read before that the amount the Holy Spirit works through us is a direct result in our attitude and growth in faith.
Next week, the first conversion from the preaching in Europe (Lydia)
Have a Great Week!
Brad
