https://youtu.be/a22BHF_zfEA

It’s a Holy Ghost Thing

Acts 16:6-10 New King James Version (NKJV

6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in [a]Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the [b]Spirit did not permit them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The gospel is for the first time being preached on European soil. During this time, there were no lines between Asia and Europe and the missionaries sailing across the Aegean Sea were only conscious of traveling from one Roman province to another.

We know that from history, Europe became the first Christian continent and was until recently the main base for missionary efforts to the rest of the world. It was from Europe that the gospel fanned out to Africa, Asia, North America and Latin America.

Paul was only conscious of establishing new churches- here his mission to Macedonia involved visits to three principal cities: Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.

In this Paul’s second trip, he visited his churches in Phyrgia and the regions of Galatia- these already having been established, Paul is concerned with pastoral oversight and nurturing and strengthening  believers growing and maturing in the faith.

But, as they try to enter Asia (which was the natural way of their travels) they are hindered to evangelize by the Holy Spirit. Whatever way God wanted to, whether by a physical ban, uneasiness in the Spirit or prophetic word, Paul was to go a different way.  v.7 “the Spirit did not permit them”

They “passed by” Mysia- they neglected it and went straight to Troas, whose harbor faced west to Macedonia.

So, coming from the east, the only way to go now was north-west---these traveled a great distance literally the farthest route southeast to northwest extremities of Asia Minor.

They must have been in a state of considerable perplexity, wondering what God’s plan was, so far their guidance had only been negative.

God sends a vision of a man in Macedonia standing and begging, “Come over to Macedonia (across the Aegean Sea) and help us”. Here we see the guidance of the Holy Spirit-

They are forbidden in one direction, invited in another, one way the HS says, “Go not”; the other He calls “Come”

Early evangelicals can attest to this: David Livingstone tried to go to China, but God sent him to Africa instead William Carey planned to go to Polynesia in the South Seas, but God guided him to India.  Adoniram Judson went to India, but was driven to Burma.

We need to trust Him for guidance and rejoice equally in His restraints and constraints. Those who do not know the Lord will not understand. It’s a Holy Ghost Thing. What does it mean to you:

1. You cannot go without the Holy Spirit to guide you.

EVERY initiative in evangelism recorded in Acts, is the result of the leading of the HS. Either through prophetic revelation, inward prompting, external circumstances or visions. Moses understood this principle.

Exodus 33:15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us,