Seeking God’s Will

Seeking God’s will for the Hill family and our next calling.

The story that got me to the place of potentially becoming your pastor.

We are going to look at the Paul’s 2nd Missionary journey.

Acts 16:1–2 NLT

Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium,

The team is now Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

Map of trip

Acts 16:6 NLT

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.

Prevented / NKJV: forbidden

Who kept Paul and the team away? The Holy Spirit?

Wait why? Was there not lost ppl needing the gospel there?

1. Sometimes God’s will does not make sense to us.

Paul thought ok if God does not want us to go south we will head north.

Acts 16:7 NLT

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.

Bithynia was along the black sea and was a large population center.

Who now kept the team from going this time? Jesus

2. When seeking God's will, there might be many open and closed doors.

Acts 16:8 NLT

So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.

3. All God wants us to do when seeking His will is to listen and obey.

So Paul and the team came from the East. The spirit said no to going south, no to going north. Well only one place to go. Go west young man go west.

So Paul went west until there was no land left. He went to Troas a sea port like Long Beach.

Ok now what God?

I thought you wanted me to preach the gospel in Corona but it was a NO.

So I went to Anaheim to preach the gospel there. But that also was a no.

Now I am at the end on the road in Long Beach.

4. Sometimes seeking after God’s will there may seem to be a dead end.

Acts 16:9 NLT

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!”

5. God will reveal His plan in His time.

Acts 16:10 NLT

So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.

Macedonia which is now modern day Europe.