“6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ 10 And when Paul[a] had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the[b] district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.’ And she prevailed upon us.“
Acts 16:6-15
“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”
Romans 8:35-39

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MARCH 4, 2025

A life led by the Holy Spirit is a bit of a nightmare for control freaks (both those who are aware of it and those who aren’t). We love power, control, our way, our agenda, our plans. But the life Jesus Christ calls us to means surrendering everything to Him.

This week, we are paying careful attention to what Jesus’ power looks like. In our passage today, we see Paul, Silas, and Timothy travel together to speak the Word of God and encourage the churches. As I read this passage repeatedly, I keep picturing a labyrinth. They are journeying along to spread God’s truth, but occasionally, they run into a hedge, and they can’t move forward. They have to find another way.  It may seem confusing to read phrases like the Holy Spirit “forbid” them from speaking God’s word in Asia, and the Spirit of Jesus didn’t allow them to go into Bithynia. But this is all part of the timing and the guiding.

God is never careless about his work. He never slaps something together and calls it done. He is meticulous to the fullest extent. And in our passage, the Holy Spirit reveals his reason for not allowing this missionary trio to go wherever they chose. God gives Paul a vision of Macedonians crying out for the One, True, Living God.

Because these men could completely surrender their agendas and follow the Holy Spirit wherever it led, they traveled to Phillipi, a leading city and Roman colony, but a city without a synagogue or a church. According to scholars, a synagogue could be formed when there were 10 Jewish men, heads of households, who could regularly attend gatherings. If not, Jewish religious gatherings had to occur outside, often near a river.

When Paul, Silas, and Timothy went on the Sabbath by the river to find a place to pray with others, they found some women, including a woman named Lydia. It was meeting Lydia and her surrender to Christ that led the way for the church in Phillip to be born.

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • Has there been a time in your life when you’ve seen the Holy Spirit direct life events so that you, or someone you know, could surrender to Him?
  • What might the Holy Spirit be calling you to surrender to Him?
  • What might the Holy Spirit be leading you to do that is not part of your plan to grow His Church?

Church Reading Plan: Exodus 15; Luke 18