"Delayed but not Denied,”

Text Acts 16:7-10

Acts 16:6-10

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we finally got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Context

In the Text, Paul the Apostle to the Genital and Salis find themselves in a similar situation on their second mission trip in our text in Acts 16.  Tell the Story

Question:

Let me ask this question to you: How do hear guidance from the Holy Spirit? What are we sure we are in the will and purpose of God? How often do we think we are doing what the Lord has promised only to be delayed or held back by situation or distractions.

Vs. 6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.

Paul and Salis were committed to taking the Gospel of the Kingdom to a place that had heard the Good News preached. Over in the preceding chapter Acts 15 Paul, Silas, Timothy, and others are on the road to engaging and strengthening the churches that the Lord had established on the first missionary trip. So after coming to an agreement they leave Jerusalem and head north they go up through Damascus, Antioch, and around to Tarsus then on to Derbe and Lystra they had planned to move on with next on their agenda which wear parts of Asia minor. But Paul experienced a Delay, God takes them somewhere else that was not in Paul's plans.

Holy Spirit Speaks through Inspired Ideas; Many times, the Holy Spirit will speak through what I call an inspired idea. All of the sudden, you have a solution for a problem that you’ve been praying for. It seems like it comes out of nowhere but proves to be directly from the Holy Spirit.

Point One:  In other words, Paul had experienced believed that he was doing the will of the Lord. But are we doing what we think is right or are we really out of the will of the Spirit because we experience a delay, do we start to think that God has denied our prayers?

Paul is able to hear Holy Spirit Speaks through Spiritual Discernment: Spiritual things must be spiritually discerned. The natural mind cannot comprehend spiritual things. Paul was thinking with his natural mind he was doing what seemed right plan to go north.

But we are often reminded by the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts

Transition:

Proverbs 12:5 (NIV): 5 The plans of the righteous are just,

but the advice of the wicked is deceitful

During the summer, when school lets out, I was sure I was going on a road trip. The agenda would start with a careful map study by my dad. Nowadays, GPS is the go, but back then, a paper map was necessary to know where you were going—understanding what roads and turns could be critical if we were to go in the right direction.  I got the latest best most dependable trustworthy maps from AAA. The maps could not be wrong I used the right to plan for this trip; I used the best possible agenda for this trip.  What Lord do I do now; the map did not tell me there was construction or roadblock and backed up traffic. Oh Lord, this is going to though off the whole agenda; we are hours behind. Oh God, what do I do now?  Delayed but not Denied.

Paul must have been shocked to hear is v7

Vs. 7 when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

Vs.8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

The Bible does not say how long they were there but for sure Paul had enough of Christ in him to wait on the Holy Spirit, pray, rest, and seek his face. In other words, Knock on the Door.

It is amazing to see that Paul an Apostle of Jesus was looking through a closed door. This had to be a little perplexing; maybe he even started to feel as if he had not dealt with some sin that he had not confessed to or maybe even had the wrong disciple with him that had some sin. But at this point, the fact is the Holy Spirit closed the door.

What I’m saying is the Holy Spirit is not denying or rejecting your blessing but growing Paul’s. The Spirit was reminding Paul not to depend on what he plans not what may make sense with the plan or agenda..

Point Two: Often we don’t consider when a promise from the Lord is delayed by thinking he has denied or dreams? We forget to remember, that God’s are not our ways.

In Paul’s case, the Holy Spirit has not revealed the reason for the Closed Door. Paul still moves on with his agenda to carry the Gospel to a new land; he is hanging on to what God has said “Go into all Nations and carry the Good News” and Paul’s zeal to move forward.

So What Paul does will maybe I will take another route, if this way is blocked or I cannot open this door let me try another. Make sense right if that did not work let’s try something new, God did say, “I would preach his word to All Nations, Right”

Transition:                                                                                                                                                         I remember a time when I wanted to have a degree, I planned and went to many colleges for a very long time. I could remember attending one college and completing all but one required class to obtain a Criminal Justice degree. I never heard the Holy Spirit tell me to get this degree, I just it would be easy, I did at one point hear the Spirit say that I would have one. So, what did I do with my not-so-smart mind? I switched to pursue a different degree. After the Spirit delayed for several years how about 15 years. I stopped asking the Holy Spirit what you want me to do?

Did he not say yes he said Go get that degree but He did not say right now; He did not say go be a police officer, and he did not say what college to go to. But then again, I did not ask. Or even wait for his direction from him. I was following my own agenda.,

Point Three: How often do we think we are doing the right what the Lord has promised but start to question what we heard the Spirit say because the blessing is delayed. I start to look at things from a natural view but not a Spirit view.

Can you be flexible and submit to the Spirit even if it does not line up with your plan?

As Paul received this vision, he understands he was attempting to go in a direction that was not directed by the Spirit of the Lord but now Paul see it was doing the wrong plan or purpose but the wrong time.

Vs.9  After Paul had seen the vision, we finally got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them

Vs.10 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.

Holy Spirit speaks to us in several ways; when he wants to get our attention for Paul he uses a Spiritual Vision: The Holy Spirit uses visions and images to communicate with us. A picture worth a thousand words is the old saying and this is true in the spiritual as well. Visions from the Holy Spirit come through our imagination. When the vision occurs, it will explode across your imagination in an instant.

We often think that a delayed blessing is a denied blessing because God is withholding something but waiting on His timing on his agenda. Wait on the promise wait on the blessing. For the Word says in due season, you shall reap the harvest you will reap what you saw.

Closing:

Beloved your blessings are not Denied or Delayed when you allow Jesus into your heart when and trust him by faith.  I encourage you not to delay giving your life to him. Or maybe you said to yourself, I will do the will of God tomorrow when I have time; right now, my business of plans is just getting started. I don't have the time for church. Or perhaps in the back of your mind, "Jesus will understand the stress and pressure of life that I was going through. Jesus said knock, and the door will be opened." Open the doors to your heart, and make God's plan your top priority. Today now.