In
Acts 16:6-10 we read:
Acts 16:6-10
"Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they
were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.
After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but
the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came
down to Troas. 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." 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."
Many
of us may have found ourselves before closed doors. Many of us may have
tried to move to one direction, pursuing something that is generally God’s
will, only to find out that the door we are knocking is not open. Well,
we are not the only ones. This has also happened to apostle Paul. His
purpose was to preach the Word of God. He had already done a great work
in Asia. As we read in Acts 16:5 "the churches were strengthened in
faith, and increased in number daily". Great was the work that God
had done through Paul in that region and he wanted to carry it on.
However, in this effort he found the door closed - not by the devil, not
by the people but by the Holy Spirit. As the Scripture says: "They
were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the Word in Asia".
Then, they tried to go to Bithynia - also in Minor Asia – but again
the Spirit did not permit them. Yes, one can have purposes that are in
alignment with the will of God in general and accordingly to knock some
doors - yet these may not open. The reason - and as we will see, this
happened in the case of Paul as well - is because the Lord wants to
direct these purposes to paths that reflect better His will. In the case
of Paul, the doors God closed brought them finally to Troas, just
opposite to Macedonia, the place where God wanted them to be. When they
were in Troas, the Lord gave them His instructions: He didn’t want
them in Asia any longer, but in Macedonia. It was time for Europe to
hear the Word of God as well and it was there where God wanted them to
go now.
If you know that something is God’s will, but you still haven’t
found a door open: "KNOCK AND IT SHALL BE OPENED TO YOU", says
the Word (Luke 11:9). Paul didn’t sit in Jerusalem or in Antioch,
waiting for the vision. He was knocking doors. He was on the way. Though
the doors he tried were closed, they finally brought him through all
Minor Asia to Troas, just opposite the place where God wanted him to be.
It may be that the doors you knock are closed. However, the Lord does
not say "sit and it will be opened to you". He says KNOCK. And
if some doors are closed, He will open the one He wants for you.
Tassos
Kioulachoglou
PDF
version (printer friendly)