Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Acts 16:6-15 (NIV)
Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia
6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi
11 From Troas, we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath, we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
How does this closed-door point to another opportunity?
Father God, we may not audibly hear from the Holy Spirit as Your servant Paul did and still others may have visions or inner convictions. To know Your will doesn’t mean we have to hear Your voice, help me trust that You lead in many different ways. Father, sometimes I find it helpful to ask other mature Christians for their advice, sometimes I need to check my own motives to make sure that I am seeking Your will, not just what I want to do! As I read Your Word in Acts 16, help me to see that while the Holy Spirit closed the door twice for Paul, which must have been confusing for him to not know where he was supposed to go to spread the gospel, he was given definite direction and he followed it obediently and the Holy Spirit also steered Paul away from where he shouldn’t go. Ultimately Paul met Lydia and other women which opened a door for ministry in that region! The Holy Spirit then worked through those women…another door opened when 2 were closed. I pray Father God that you would open the eyes to my heart and search my heart so that I can see where You are leading me and allow me to seek Your will and not mine. I pray this in Jesus’s name, yielding to Your agenda. Amen
Today’s prayer submitted by Jodi Schulteis