Loreen Juran

Read: Acts 16:6-15; Galatians 5:25

Paul and Silas partner together and head out on what we know as Paul’s second missionary journey. They were focused on sharing the Good News in “Asia” (in current day Turkey). “Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had told them not to go into the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the border of Mysia, they headed for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go.” Acts 16:6-7 (NLT)

We see the Holy Spirit closed the door to different areas; not once but twice! Paul and Silas must have wondered why the Spirit would close the door to this area. The Holy Spirit guides by both closing and opening doors so they continued to listen for the Spirit’s lead.

Paul then had a vision in which a man was pleading with him to come to Macedonia (in current day Greece). Paul and Silas didn’t’ hesitate but went the very next day to Macedonia and went to the city of Philippi. When they reached the city, God had planned an amazing meeting with a group of women praying along the riverbank.

The Lord opened Lydia’s heart there to hear the Good News and she along with members of her household believed and were baptized that very day. Paul and Silas acted immediately to go where the Holy Spirit led them and they were then in the right place at the right time to encounter the women praying by the riverbank. The baptism of Lydia marked the first convert in the Philippian church. Where God leads, there is fruit.

Lord, open our hearts to hear the Spirit so that your passion for those who don’t know you will burn within our hearts.

TIME FOR REFLECTION:

· What intentional changes need to happen in my life so that I can hear and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit?

· To hear the Holy Spirit, I must be listening. I make a commitment to the Lord to regularly set aside the following time for studying the Word and listening for the leading of the Holy Spirit: ________________________