21 Days of Fasting & Prayer Devotional – Day 10: Being Led By The Holy Spirit
There’s an interesting part of the Apostle Paul’s missionary journey that could be easily read past if not given a closer look. It’s found in Acts 16 as Paul, Silas and Timothy are traveling through many Galatian cities that Paul had visited previously (Acts 13-14, 16:4-5). What we see is that Paul has a desire to go to Asia to preach the gospel and grow the church in this area but was prevented by the Holy Spirit.
“Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas."
“That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!’ So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.” Acts 16:6-10 (NLT)
The Bible doesn’t give us any insight into how the Holy Spirit spoke to them about Asia and it doesn’t provide any indication of how Paul might have felt. What we do know is that Paul and his companions had made a plan to go to an area where the gospel needed to be preached, people needed to be saved and the church needed to be started – and yet, the Holy Spirit told them “no.”
In this moment, it would be easy to imagine that Paul would have had a moment of confusion and questions – why would the Holy Spirit prevent me from going and accomplishing his work and the call that’s been put on my life? God did have a plan to reach this area by using Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos (Acts 18:24–28) but it was not for Paul to go and proclaim the gospel there at this time (Acts 19:1-20).
This small detail in Paul’s life and what God would later accomplish in Asia through Paul and others should encourage us to remember that God always has a plan. When the Holy Spirit speaks, it is not always for us to understand the reasons why but to walk in obedience just as Paul did. While we may have plans, and they may even be good plans, we submit ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit – trusting that his plan for our lives is better.
“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25 (ESV)
This is why times of prayer and fasting are so important because God is speaking – if we will only lower the volume of the things that take up our time, attention, focus, resources and affections – the voice of God becomes easier to hear. His plans become more clear each day. Our faith in him becomes stronger and we begin to walk according to his will.
PRAYER PROMPT:
Today as you pray and fast, think about what things in your life that you may be attempting to control, but God is asking you to allow the Holy Spirit to lead instead. List these things out, ask for the Spirit’s guidance and surrender these things over to God. Believe that his plan for your life is better than your plans.
