Text Message from Heaven
Text: Acts 16:6-10
Introduction
1. Illustration: Do you ever wish God would just send you a text message? You’ve hit the proverbial fork in the road and you’re not sure which road to take. Wouldn’t it be nice if God just sent you a text message and said, “Go right!”
2. Believe it or not, that is what the Holy Spirit does for us. Well, sort of. I mean he doesn’t literally send us a text message, but he does lead us and direct us if we are willing to listen.
3. The thing is, sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes the answer is no, and sometimes the answer is be patient.
4. Read Acts 16:6-10
Transition: In the Holy Spirit’s direction to us…
I. Sometimes Doors Are Closed (6-8).
A. Holy Spirit Had Prevented Them
1. Our text begins in v. 6 with, “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.”
a. Paul’s missionary journeys are an amazing display of planning and a keen awareness to the leading of the Holy Spirit, whether that leading was conveyed by a prophetic word, an inward prompting, or a series of circumstances.
b. In this case they went to the area of Phrygia and Galatia, which is found in modern-day Turkey.
c. They went this way because the Holy Spirit prevented them from going and preaching in the providence of Asia.
d. You heard that right, sometimes the Holy Spirit prevents us from going the wrong way!
e. This was not what we know of as the continent of Asia today, but the Roman providence of Asia.
f. For whatever reason, the Holy Spirit would not lead them in this direction at this time.
g. Again, sometimes the answer is be patient!
2. As a result, in vv. 7-8 Luke tells us, “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. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.”
a. Once again, the Holy Spirit directed their steps by telling them where not to go!
b. They traveled to a place called Mysia and then headed north to a providence called Bithynia, which was just northeast of Asia.
c. But again, the Holy Spirit would not let them go that way.
d. Luke uses another name for the Holy Spirit here, the Spirit of Jesus. It’s possible this direction came from a prophecy given specifically in the name of Jesus (Bruce, 307).
e. Sometimes the Holy Spirit directs to not go a specific way, and that is what is happening here.
f. The Spirit had other plans for these missionaries, and they were wise to listen.
B. The Advocate
1. Illustration: This is something that I have experienced in my own life. As you are aware, I am a musician, and I got saved at a Christian concert. So, I believed that is what God was calling me to do. The problem was that was my idea and not God’s. The more I tried to move in that direction the more the Holy Spirit prevented it from happening. Once I stopped trying to do things my way, the Holy Spirit showed me that as a Pastor I could use all my gifts, including music. Then I began preaching and found something that gave me more joy than even music.
2. The Holy Spirit, our Advocate, will lead us in the direction he wants us to go, if we are willing to follow him.
a. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” (John 14:16-17).
b. The word Advocate comes from the Greek word that means “one called alongside to help.” It is a rich word that refers to a wide range of spiritual roles, such as Counselor, Comforter, Helper, Advisor, Advocate, Intercessor, Ally, and Friend. (Fire Bible Study Note).
c. You’ll notice that one of those spiritual roles for the Holy Spirit is advisor. He tells where to go and where not to go.
d. Sometimes he opens doors for us, but other times he closes doors.
e. Why would he close doors? Well, maybe, it’s because God doesn’t want us there.
f. Or maybe it’s because that door is not beneficial for us.
g. We need to trust that if the Holy Spirit closes a door, it is for our best interest.
h. We need to trust the Holy Spirit that he has something better in mind for us.
i. He always has our best interest at heart.
Transition: So, sometimes the Holy Spirit closed a door, but…
II. Sometimes Doors Are Open (9-10).
A. Paul Had a Vision
1. So, we have seen the Holy Spirit preventing them from going one direction, and now we will see him open a door for them in another. In v. 9 it says, “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!”
a. This time the Holy Spirit’s leading comes in the form of a vision at night.
b. In this vision, a man from Macedonia came to Paul pleading for them to “come over here and help us.”
c. Macedonia was in what is today northern Greece. It had been a Roman province since 146 B.C.
d. But obviously the Spirit was very specific as to where he wanted the group to go since Luke indicates the man was Macedonian.
e. So, the Holy Spirit closed doors in one place and opened them in another.
f. The Holy Spirit leads us where he needs us.
2. Luke now shows us the decision of the group to follow the Spirit’s leading. In v. 10 it says, “So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.”
a. The group decided to leave right away for Macedonia.
b. After being blocked by the Holy Spirit from going several different places, they are eager to go where the Spirit is leading.
c. There is something important here that could be easily missed. It’s the word “we.” Sometimes the smallest words in Scripture carry tremendous weight.
d. Up until this time Luke was using singular verbs, but here he used the plural pronoun. This indicates that Luke went with them.
e. He would not be sharing details from secondhand accounts, but rather as an eyewitness.
f. But another key to notice here is that “the Spirit’s interventions did not frustrate Paul’s strategy, but enhanced its effectiveness” (Bruce, 308).
g. In other words, the Holy Spirit knew what he was doing because he could see the roadmap and Paul couldn’t. We need to realize that the Holy Spirit understands things we don’t.
B. Guide You into All Truth
1. Illustration: It has now been three years since Tina and I moved to Rome, GA. When we moved here it was because of Tina’s job, and I didn’t know what I was going to do because the closest AG church that needed a Pastor was four hours away. Little did I know at that time the Holy Spirit had a place for me at a little place called Oostanaula Methodist Church. I think the Holy Spirit knew what he was doing.
2. When the Holy Spirit opens a door, don’t hesitate, but go through it with gusto. The Holy Spirit knows what he’s doing.
a. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.” (Jn. 16:13-14).
b. Just as the Holy Spirit knows where we shouldn’t be, he also knows where we should be.
c. Sometimes he shows us this through Scripture.
d. Sometimes he shows us through circumstances.
e. Sometimes he just impresses it upon our hearts, or as the Bible calls it, “a gentle whisper.”
f. Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:11-13).
g. In whatever way the Holy Spirit speaks to you, follow where he leads.
Conclusion
1. God may not send us a text message from heaven, but he does lead us and direct us.
a. Sometimes he closes doors to us.
b. Other times he opens doors for us.
2. What’s the point preacher? The Holy Spirit is our Advocate and Guide, trust him and do whatever he says and go wherever he leads.
