Doors

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Holy Spirit lately. About the same power that raised Jesus living inside of his people. Walking around in our homes. In our communities. In our schools and churches. Ready to unleash his power when we call on him. Ready to comfort, to speak wisdom, to advocate, to bear witness to the truth of the gospel. And sometimes to keep us from heading where we think we’re supposed to go.

Wait, what? Yep. Paul and Silas had their bags packed and they were ready to go. 

But the Holy Spirit kept them from preaching the word in the province of Asia.

So, they gave it another try.

But the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to enter Bithynia either. Acts 16:6-7

It doesn’t sound right. Why would the Holy Spirit keep (Greek word = hinder, restrain, forbid) people from preaching the gospel?

Thanks to The Sound of Music, we like to imagine God closing a door and opening a window. Or we try to jam other scriptures into this story and talk about God closing doors that no one can open (Revelation 3:7). True, but spoken in a completely different context.

The short answer, I think, is that we don’t really know. We read on and hear about Lydia, an influential businesswoman, coming to faith in Jesus. We read about a servant girl being delivered from an evil spirit. We see a jailer rescued from suicide and brought (with his entire family) into the kingdom of God. Perhaps this is why the Holy Spirit kept his people from heading in a different direction.

But lest we believe it all to be rainbows and butterflies, Paul and Silas are also beaten and thrown into jail. And the city is rocked with a violent earthquake. Hardly a smooth and happy welcome.

But Paul had seen clearly, intuitively, that he was called toward Macedonia. And he and Silas set off at once.

Side note: I love that God lays it out so plainly in Paul’s dream. A man from Macedonia begging for help. I have dreams like this sometimes. Someone that I know asking me to pray for them. Doesn’t take too much discernment to figure those ones out!

All this to say:

Sometimes the Holy Spirit blocks our way… even when something seems spiritual and good and right.

Maybe it’s not for now.

Maybe it’s someone else’s calling.

Maybe he’s protecting us.

Most likely, we won’t fully know on this side of heaven.

If the door is shut, it doesn’t always mean that we need to bang it down.

And if the call is clear and the obedience is swift, it doesn’t always mean that things will go smoothly.

Maybe there will be beatings and unfair judgment.

Maybe it will feel like the earth is shifting under our feet.

It doesn’t mean that we misheard.

Or that we are doing something wrong.

Maybe we’re planting seeds that will sprout tomorrow. Or long in the future.

Maybe our prayers and worship in impossible situations will cause someone to ask what they must do to be saved. (Acts 16:25-29).

Maybe our story will be just the encouragement that someone else needs. (Acts 16:40).

Most likely, we won’t fully know on this side of heaven.

If the door is open, it doesn’t always mean that the journey will be easy.

But, friends, we have the same power that raised Jesus living inside of us. Ready to unleash his power when we call on him. Ready to comfort, to speak wisdom, to advocate, to bear witness to the truth of the gospel. And sometimes to keep us from heading where we think we’re supposed to go.