Closed Doors. Open Doors.
Now Think On This
Steve Martin
“When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought
to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to
them.” (Acts 16:10 NASU)
The
Lord speaks to us in order to get us to where He needs us to be. If we listen,
we will hear His voice, know His ways, and fulfill the purpose He has planned
for us. Something good will come then.
Do you want Him to do that for you? Are you ready?
There
have been many times when I was in a situation that I did not know what to do.
I remember once needing to make a critical decision, which would affect not
only myself, but my family, friends around us, and the employment I had at the
time. It involved a move to another state, for a ministry job opportunity, but
at the same time we would be leaving family and that life which we had been
familiar with. Prayer, fasting, guidance from others, and the Holy Spirit
speaking to me brought the right decision.
We
moved. Thank you Jesus.
That
may seem just a common situation to some, as many people move all the time.
Some would think it was just a matter of time and we would have moved anyway.
Or I would have figured it out by myself, given further research and just
making the decision to do it, letting the results be as they would.
Maybe.
But then I wanted to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide our steps, so even in that common example I had learned to ask Him to help me. And as I continue to learn, as I am being trained, I will be able to hear His voice distinctly in those times when more difficult, pressing issues come my way, and I really need to know the way to go, and make the right choice. Life or death may depend on it.
But then I wanted to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide our steps, so even in that common example I had learned to ask Him to help me. And as I continue to learn, as I am being trained, I will be able to hear His voice distinctly in those times when more difficult, pressing issues come my way, and I really need to know the way to go, and make the right choice. Life or death may depend on it.
In the
Scripture given at the beginning of this message, Paul had been trusting the Lord
for direction, seeking which way he was to go. He was willing to do what the
Lord wanted him to do. People were
depending on him. His team needed his leadership, and he needed to get it
right.
He
thought it was one way, and so he proceeded, literally, down that road. But in
his going, he was directed to another way, another place. It came in the form
of a vision. Sometimes His word will come in a dream. Often He tells us in a
simple thought in our mind, which hopefully we don’t dismiss as a random
thought.
Whichever
way He choices to guide, we must know it is Him, and respond in obedience. For
Paul, later it became apparent that this was a critical step in his walk in
taking the Gospel to the Gentiles, the non-Jews. If he had not been expecting
guidance from the Lord, Europe may not have heard the Good News in this time
they needed to.
Have
you ever been in a place in your life where the doors seemed to keep getting
shut? It didn’t work the way you had expected, hoped for, figured it would?
Have you ever thanked the Lord later, after His perfect plan was then revealed
to you down the road, and you realized how He stopped you from going that way, because
He had something better up ahead, and you just had to wait a bit more?I am
sure you have, just like it happened in Paul’s life. Just as it has already happened
several times in my own, and also in yours.
“They
passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the
Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were
trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and
passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
A
vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and
appealing to him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." When
he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding
that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” (Acts 16:6-10 NASU)
Paul
was on the move. He had been wanting to go to Asia (modern day Turkey and
surrounding lands), believing that was the next stop. But the Holy Spirit, the
Spirit of Jesus, did not permit Him. Why did that happen? How did that happen?
The
time was not yet right for the one location. The Lord stopped Paul to reveal to
him where he was to be. Supernaturally.
You
too can hear the Lord’s voice. You too can learn to depend upon Him, to hear
His quiet leading, for He is more than willing to speak to you. And when a door
is shut as you start to walk through it, you will not get discouraged and give
up, but will seek Him for the open door that He has on ahead for you. Through
His Holy Spirit’s guidance He will show you the way.
Learning
to hear and obey now will be vitally important for when we are put in a
situation where knowing the right door to go through is the only one that will
work. You may be trying to push open a closed door that would cause harm for
you and those close to you, not realizing the right open door is just another
step ahead.
Depending
on the Holy Spirit to guide our steps, speak to us with His answers, and show
us what is the open door, so we don’t try to break down the closed ones, is
vital. In these days we are living in, you and I will need to know the way to
go, how to go, and when to go.
Having that close relationship with the Lord and
the Spirit of God speaking and leading will not be a luxury, but a necessity.
So think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People, Inc.
P.S. I would be
most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and
friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below.
Thanks! Steve
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Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.)
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Now Think On This - In the New Year of our Lord 01.26.16 -
#238 –“Closed Doors. Open Doors.” – Tuesday at 4:30 am
All previous editions of Now Think On This can
be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This
Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this
encouraging word with your family and friends. You can easily use the social
media icons below. Thanks! Steve
Have you ever heard God speak to you but what you thought you heard never came about? Or you got a prophetic word and the exact opposite happened? Maybe you stepped out in faith when you heard God and you ended up disappointed or you lost money?
The very well-known poem called The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost speaks powerfully to my heart. Though this poem is titled The Road Not Taken there is another road in this poem which is called the road less traveled. The road less traveled is an unfamiliar road.
