Acts 16:6 Paul and his friends went through Phrygia and Galatia, but the Holy Spirit would not let them preach in Asia.
There were times the Holy Spirit stopped Paul and redirected his ministry journey but there were other times when satan resisted Paul. We wanted very much to come to you (Thessalonians), and I, Paul, tried again and again, but satan prevented us (1 Thessalonians 2:18). Apostle Paul was able to discern the redirection of the Holy Spirit from the resistance of satan. Discerning and deciphering the closed doors are very important in our journey of faith. Not all closed doors are the work of the devil. There are times when God shuts doors that do not concur with His plan. Paul was able to discern the voice of God’s direction as he had a close relationship with the Saviour.
“The Lord God speaks to us in our heart not in our head. The devil messes with our mind and injects toxic thoughts in our head.”
The Holy Spirit redirected Paul and his ministry team away from preaching in Southern Turkey as the Lord needed him more in Macedonia (Northern Greece). Paul and his team did not have the peace to proceed to Southern Turkey but had the nudge to go to Northern Greece. However, in Thessalonica, Paul was legally banned from entering and preaching the gospel by the corrupt government authorities. There was an anti-conversion and anti-Christian law that was passed which shut the door to the gospel. A lewd gang of unbelieving Jews stirred uproar and caused an upheaval in the city. Hence, it was the devil working through the shady government officials that stopped Paul from spreading the Goodnews. Malevolence, false accusation and assault in the city were demonic resistance.
How to discern the voice of God?
1. Reject: When people reject you they are rejecting the Holy Spirit who is working in and through you. Paul continued to minister to the believers in Thessalonica through letters. Paul was assaulted and forced out of Thessalonica physically as the devil worked through the wicked government authorities but no one could stop his anointing from continuing to flow and build the church in Thessalonica. So, don’t be dejected by the rejection. Don’t take it personally and go into depression. Pray for them and the anointing in you will penetrate into the hearts of those who resisted you.
2. Refrain: When the Holy Spirit shuts a door, there will be peace about the delay or the denial. He will speak to us though the peace in our heart. When you lose peace over something that could be ‘theologically right, ethically good and socially approved’ then, refrain from going forward.
3. Redirect: When God redirects, stop pushing your agenda forward. Wait for the now ‘word’ (rhema). The same God who says go will also say stop, turn and reroute. Be sensitive to the rhema for the day.
Discern between the resistance of the Holy Spirit and the rejection by the demonic spirits.
Luke 10:16a Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me.
Prayer: Dearest Holy Spirit, help me to discern your redirection from the rebuff of the devil and give me the resistance to defeat the demonic restrictions. Amen.
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