The Holy Spirit Prevents and Leads into More Ministry
June 1
When we began reading through the Book of Acts on May 4, I said I prefer to call this book The Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles. Acts 16 is a fine example of the outworking of this title.
If you have been around church for very long, you may be familiar with two of today’s stories from Acts 16. The first story we’ll look at is often titled The Macedonian Call. The apostles wanted to go into two areas in Asia: Phrygia and Galatia, the land mass which covers most of modern-day Turkey. But they were prohibited from doing so … by the Holy Spirit. (Acts 16:6–7) So, why would these apostles be prevented from sharing the Gospel anywhere? Isn’t that what God wants believers to do? (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19–20)
The first possible reason is that God wanted them to begin a new ministry in Europe toward the West, and He would call someone else to continue the ministry in Asia toward the East. Or it could come down to timing. Perhaps the Holy Spirit had not yet “primed the pump” to make that specific area ready to receive the Gospel. (John 6:44; 6:65)
Regardless of the reason, Paul received a vision where he saw a man from Macedonia calling for them to come to minister on the western side of the Aegean Sea, which is in northern modern-day Greece. On their way, they met Lydia in Thyatira, a merchant lady who dealt with purple cloth. Lydia was saved and discipled through their ministry. She was instrumental in reaching her city with the Gospel.
The second story we’ll look at is the conversion of the Philippian Jailer. Paul and Silas were jailed for disturbing the peace in Philippi. They had delivered a demonized slave girl who was able to predict the future. Her owners were furious because their source of income dried up instantaneously. Paul and Silas were put in the prison’s dungeon and proceeded to sing praises to God through the night.
A powerful earthquake shook the prison and caused everyone’s shackles to fall off. The frightened jailer called for lights, and Paul set the jailer’s mind at ease by showing him that all of the prisoners were still in their cells. Immediately, the jailer asked Paul and Silas how he could be saved. After releasing them from the dungeon, he invited the apostles to come home with him, where they would share the Gospel message with the jailer’s family. They were all saved and baptized.
The final part of the chapter is another spiritual marker in the life of the church and the spread of the Gospel. The Philippian officials had beaten Paul and Silas. Being a Roman citizen, Paul had privileges that most people didn’t have. One of those privileges was due process. The city officials tried to quietly escort Paul out of the city, but he demanded they follow the legal process for Roman citizens accused of committing crimes. This demand set in motion Paul’s travels to Rome.
Application
Contrary to popular thought, in the Bible, Christians are not required to be doormats or pacifists. Yes, Jesus called His disciples to turn the other cheek. (Matthew 28:19–20) But there’s nothing wrong with demanding that your rights be respected when you’re persecuted as a Christian. But before taking this option, ensure that you are truly in the right. And if you aren’t, it’s probably best to just remain silent and accept punishment. (Acts 5:41)