2022-10-09 Led By God

LED BY GOD (Acts 16:6-10) October 9, 2022 Read Acts 16:6-10 - Modern directions are sometimes complicated, aren't they? Used to travel to Chicago a lot and once saw a sign at a complex freeway interchange that read, "To Make a Left Turn, Make Two Right Turns." Didn't make much sense, but guess what? It worked. Sometimes God's leading seems equally perplexing. We want His will, but if only He'd text or email! We want clarity. Might even put out a fleece, like Gideon. But God is not our genie. Bruce Waltke says, "I think 'laying out a fleece' is generally the lazy man's way of trying to discern the will of God. It requires no work, little discipline, and almost no character development. God has a different program of guidance." Discerning God's leading isn't just about the destination, it's about the growth on the journey. This brief passage gives us an example of how God re-directed Paul and Silas to get them where He wanted them. It shows us that closed doors can be just as leading as open ones. It encourages us that God will lead those who seek Him. Pursuing Him saves so much heartache and difficulty in life. I see here 4 principles to help us see His will, not ours. I. To Be Led by God You Must Be Moving On this journey, P&S have revisited and strengthened churches established on Paul's 1st journey. Then, they decide to go west into Asia [not our Asia, but a small Roman province in modern Turkey], but they were "forbidden by the HS to speak the word in Asia." So, didn't God care about Asia? He did. The churches of Rev 2-3 were later added. Paul spent 3 years in one of them - Ephesus. God cared about Asia, but that was not His plan for P&S at this time. So, they continued NW instead of straight west. 7 "And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia [to the north], but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them." So, now, having gone NW into Mysia, they are prevented from going south to Asia, north to Bithynia and they've just come from the east. They must be wondering exactly where they are supposed to be. This shows us something about God's leading. First, it's not always straight ahead. It may involve closed doors. David Livingstone wanted to go to China, but spent his life in Africa instead. William Carey wanted to go to Polynesia, but was sent to India. Closed doors are just as important as open ones. At various times I thought I would be an architect, an engineer, a doctor - anything, frankly, except a pastor, yet here we are. When Patty and I were considering our future in 2007, we at various times thought the East Coast, or Switzerland - or CA. But here we are in Eaton. Closed doors have meaning. So, is God just playing with us? Like mice in a maze?! No! He's teaching us lessons in patience, dependence, listening - showing us how big He is and how small we are. Closed doors - whether thru illness, rejection, special circumstances or other means are no less God's leading than open doors. But the big point here = To be led you must be moving! Closed doors are meaningless if you're stationary. P&S because they were moving thus God was able to funnel them continuously to the NW and eventually across the Aegean Sea to Europe - but only because they were moving. When I was a boy, I loved to play on Dad's tractors. I knew it all - how to steer, clutch, brake, change gears. I knew it all. But those tractors never moved an inch. They pointed the same direction no matter how much I clutched, steered and braked. In fact, it was hard to even try to steer. But what a diff when Dad let me drive. I could steer it easily - when it was moving. So, if you want God's leading in your life, get moving. Get involved; try various roads, learn all you can and you'll find He will be there to guide. II. To Be Led by God You Must Be Listening Now, how exactly were P&S led. Luke joins them at Troas causing some to surmise perhaps God used illness to get them there to see Dr. Luke. God could have done that, but that supposes they traveled hundreds of miles on foot just to meet up with Luke, bypassing other docs in the process. Nor does it explain how their journey was disrupted not once, but twice. Others suggest God used their gift of prophecy to lead them directly. But look -- We are told how they were led. In v. 6, they were "forbidden by the HS to speak the word in Asia." And in v. 7, "the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them" to go to Bithynia. There's no secret as to how they were led. It was the HS. They were always listening for Him, and thus they were guidable. So, did He speak aloud to them? Like your GPS? He could have, but there is no indication of that either. Likely they were led by the HS in the same way we are, which involves some spiritual disciplines in our lives. First, the Spirit speaks thru the Word. It is His book, and He speaks thru it. II Tim 3:16 tells us, "All Scripture is breathed out by God." In both Hebrew and Greek, the words for breath and spirit are the same. This passage is saying that all Scripture is "God-Spirited" - written by men, yes, but generated by the HS. II Pet 1:21 describes the process: "For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the HS." This is His book, and He leads thru it, whether P&B - or us! I Cor 2:10b) "For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God." Want to know God's mind on your life? You must be listening to the Spirit. And where do we first get the Spirit's words? 13) "And we impart this (Bible) in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual." So if you want to know His will for you - start with the Word. It's filled with His will. Obey that first. Do you really think He is going to reveal His will in other areas if we are not listening to, learning and obeying what he's already revealed? If you know it's His expressed will that you honor your parents, but you are blowing them off, do you imagine He'll lead you regarding a career choice or spouse? Listen, Beloved, 90% of what we need to know about God's leading is already there in His Word. If we're living in that world, He'll get us the rest. The question for most of us is not, can we find God's will. The question is, will we obey God's will. If we're not obeying what we already know, why should He reveal any more? Start with what you know! Obey that first. You say, "But that doesn't tell me Yale or Harvard?" We should all have such a decision, right? But we have similar ones where the Bible is not specific. What then? Then we pray and seek God's guidance - listening to what He says through circumstances, advice from others, the quiet promptings of the Spirit in your own heart as you search the Word, dismiss selfish motives and truly listen. That's exactly how I believe P&S heard the HS - the same way we do, thru the spiritual disciplines of the Word and prayer. The more you seek the Spirit in His Word, the better you'll hear His still small voice on all issues. Stephen Covey said, "Most people do no listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply." You listen for God with the intent to understand and obey, and I guarantee - you'll hear Him. III. To Be Led by God You Must Be Submissive That is, ready to obey. After directing P&S to Troas by means of closed doors, Paul got a vision -- not God's norm for us today, but no more critical message has ever been delivered. God sends a vision, and Paul's response is immediate. 10 "And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us [notice the "us". Luke has joined the team] to preach the gospel to them." Can't you sense Paul's relief. "So that's what this has been all about!" God wants us in Europe! So His plan becomes their plan! And here we see a most important element in having the leading of God in our lives - a willingness to follow - submission to God's will over ours. His plan becomes our plan! A lot of people plead for God's direction, but the really want God to affirm what they've already decided. They want God's - as long as it agrees with their own. We're often like the wife at the Q&A in a Love and Respect marriage conference on "The Husband's Authority in the Home." One young wife stood up and said, "I want him to be the head; I want him to the be leader. I just want to make sure that he makes decisions in keeping with what I want." As soon as she said it she realized she'd given herself away. It's no different with God. Want God's leading in your life? Guaranteed you can have it. But when you ask, you must be ready to obey. Surrender was Paul's middle name. He knew it was the only place of true joy. He lived Rom 12:1: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual worship." You can't go halfway on a sacrifice, can you? It's all or nothing. But when it is "all" you've unleashed the power of God in your life in ways you can't even imagine. His plan will always be best. IV. To Be Led by God You Must Be Dependent If you've been watching closely, you've picked up a principle often seen in the Bible. Did you notice that God's leading didn't mean Paul knew where he would end up? He didn't know. He just followed God a step at a time until God got him where He wanted him. Why? Why didn't God just tell him from the beginning - "Get on up to Philippi - to Europe. That's where I want you." Why all this messing around? I'll tell you why. He was keeping Paul dependent - giving him continuous incentive to be in touch with God daily - to live by faith without which "it is impossible to please [God]" (Heb 11:6). Many of you have experienced this. You thought you were going one place and God changes everything on you. Or you just know you're supposed to get moving - but to where? Isn't that a great place to be? Doesn't it add to life's adventure. Isn't it just like God? To give us the opportunity to live by faith. Heb 11:8: "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." This is God's way more often than not. Teaches patience, trust, obedience, and dependence. David was anointed king at an early age, but it was years before he got the throne, during which time he was hunted by Saul like a dog. Why? Shaping him in faith, obedience and dependence. Esther went unsummoned to King Ahasuerus to plead for her people. She didn't know whether she'd be received, exiled or killed - which in that court was a distinct possibility. But by faith she followed God's leading with no guarantees, and was the instrument for saving her people. It was 1920. Oswald J. Smith was sure God was calling him to be missionary. He went to his mission board with high hopes, and his prayers were answered, but the answer was NO! The board turned him down because of his frail health. A closed door. Several more came in quick succession. So, he began to serve as pastor to a couple of churches in Canada. In 1927 he even went to a church in LA. But a year later, he realized he was misplaced. He took his family back to Canada saying, "I knew I wasn't in the right place. . . . I wanted to serve God, and serve Him in the place He would have me. It's that simple." Where did God want him? Founding People's Church in Toronto from which he eventually visited more than 35 countries supporting mission work around the world. And People's Church - became the largest supporter of missionaries of its time - over 500. He was moving, listening, submissive and dependent. And God led him every twisting step on the way. Conc - So what of us? Led by God or led by self. God's leading is not always easy. It led Jesus to Calvary to pay for our sins and make us right with the Father. It made eternal life free to us. We owe nothing for the that gift, any more than you'd take out your wallet to pay for the gifts you get on Christmas morning. But doesn't His sacrifice stir you to follow His leading? It won't be easy; but it will be worth it. Be moving, listening, submissive and dependent and join that great adventure of belonging to Jesus. A traveler engaged a guide to take him across a desert. When they arrived at the edge of the wasteland the traveler saw nothing but trackless sands without a single footprint, path, sign, or marker of any kind. He said to the guide, "But where is the road?" The guide answered, "I am the road." So He was, and so Jesus is the only road to God. Do you have Him? Let's pray. DONE 7