If you wanna open your Bibles tonight to Acts chapter 16, we'll be continuing our study in the life of Paul, and kind of looking at the preparation for his second missionary journey, and I guess the beginnings of it tonight. I wanted to take a moment, and I start out with this slide, and I know it's, I don't know if you can see yours better than I can see mine, Pretty small, I know. But anyway, I wanted to review Paul's first missionary journey. He started in Syrian Antioch, if you remember. and made his way down to Seleucia, about 16 miles down to the coast, where he boarded a ship and went 90 miles down to the island of Cyprus and landed at Salamis, preached the gospel there. We're not told exactly the results. Crossed the pathos, preached the gospel there, led the chief magistrate, Sergius Paulus, to Christ, and faced the opposition of Elymas the sorcerer there. made their way then from another 90 miles or so up to Perga on the mainland. That's where John Mark left and Paul and Barnabas continued on their way, went up to Pisidia and Antioch and many Jews and Gentiles were saved. And then the unbelieving Jews stirred up the people and Paul and Barnabas were run out of Antioch and Pisidia. They went to Iconium, same story, went to Lystra. Same story, but it was there at Lystra where Paul was stoned and left for dead. But he got up the next day, or got up that day, went back into town, and then made his way to Derby, and then turned around, and he and Barnabas made the journey back again, came down to Perga. They actually went to Italia before they headed back to Antioch. They came back, and so that was Paul's first missionary journey. But we're beginning in chapter 16 tonight, and thinking about the, leading of God, let's just read verses 6 through 12 is what we're going to be looking at this evening. It says, when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them not. A day passing by Mysia came down to Troas, and a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed to him, saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. And therefore, loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis. And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony, and we were in that city abiding certain days. And this text, it's one of the, it's an interesting passage as it relates to God's leading, God directing his people into his will for their lives. And really, what we're thinking about tonight as we think about God leading us along is knowing the will of God for our life. Before we get into that, let me just note again, Paul, this second missionary journey, again, Paul, keep pushing the wrong button, Paul again began at Antioch, and I don't know if I'm in the way, But he went, you know, if you remember, Barnabas took John Mark. They couldn't decide. They couldn't agree on John Mark. So Barnabas took John Mark and went back to Cyprus. Paul took Silas, they went overland to go back over the places that they had been on their first missionary journey, probably passing by his hometown, through what's called the Cilician Gates, to the mountain range, the Taurus Mountains, and then to Derbe and Lystra and Iconium and Antioch and Pisidia. And then Paul moved on, ends up at Troas, where he has the Macedonian vision, crosses, goes to Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, and then a brief stop at Ephesus on his way down actually to Jerusalem before he makes his way back to Antioch. His second missionary journey is the one that's most familiar to us because of the events that happened there. But thinking in the night about the leading guiding of the Holy Spirit In dedicating his book, The Mystery of God's Will, Chuck Swindoll, in the dedication, honors two couples who through, quote, loyal friendship, encouraging words, compassionate acts of mercy, and intercessory support were a great help during a time of turbulence and soul searching. So he says through their friendship, through their words of encouragement, through the things that they did, And even as they prayed for them, it was a great help to him and his wife. And he went on to say, these recent years have been marked by times of uncertainty and mystery for my wife and me. God has seemed a paradox in many ways, as we have continued to seek his will and walk in obedience to his word. He has sometimes been so close, we could almost feel the flapping of angels wings as they hovered around his throne. But at other times he has seemed so distant, we felt strangely confused and even abandoned. Those are not easy waters for Christian couples to navigate, especially when you feel you're journeying without answers and lacking reassurance. And he went on to write, he said, if we're honest enough to admit it, there are days, and then he said, no, there are even months, when we simply cannot figure out what God is up to. And no doubt there have been times when you felt like that, when you weren't sure what God was doing, when you weren't sure what God wanted you to do. God seemed to be closing all the doors and opening none. And, you know, Paul no doubt felt like that as he saw God's leading on this journey, as he is retracing, or after he had retraced his steps through Galatia, then he embarks upon new territory. He wants to take the gospel into new places. But everywhere he turns, the Lord closes the door. until at last the Lord opens the door to Macedonia. Someone has said the steps and the stops of a good man are ordered by the Lord. And so as we look at the stops that God brought into Paul's life, as well as the steps forward, we can learn about God's leadership. How does God lead us along the pathway of life? And how can we know the will of God for our lives? And I don't know that I'm going to say anything new tonight, probably not. You've heard it all before, but it is a good reminder. Remember what Peter said in his second letter, I'm going to remind you of things you already know, and you're living these things, but I'm going to remind you again. So it's good to be reminded. And let me begin by just making this observation. How does God lead us along the pathway of life? How can we know God's will for our lives? And at the outset, let's understand, it's not up to us to find God's will. Sometimes we go by that, I wanna find what God wants me, I'll find out the will of God. Well, I don't wanna know the will of God, but it is not up to us to find the will of God, it is up to God to reveal His will to us. It's not up to us to find God's will, it is up to Him to reveal His will to us, and He's not trying to hide it from us. It's not like, you know, okay, God, I need to know your will. And he says, well, you know, hide and seek if you can find it. No, it's not over there. No, it's not over there. No, he's not trying to hide it from us. But sometimes he does ask us just to follow him step by step. And he reveals his will in his time and in his way. It's been said that God is seldom early, but he's never late. And many times, as God is revealing his will to us, it seems like he's holding back, he's hiding it from us. He's not really hiding it from us, but he has a timing for revealing his will. But how does he do that? How does he reveal his will to us? Well, first of all, through the Bible. In Psalm 119, 105, we read, thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. In Psalm 43 in verse three, the psalmist wrote, O send out thy light and thy truth, let them lead me. Let them bring me into thy holy hill, into thy tabernacles. In 2 Peter 119, he said, we have also a more sure word of prophecy, where until you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts. God leads us through his word. His word is the light that guides our way. And as I was thinking about that, why is Paul facing this perplexing time in his life as he is forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, and he comes to Mysia and tries to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered him not? And why is he even having to deal with this? Why is he facing these closed doors? Why is he not knowing exactly what God is wanting him to do? And every time he tries to go this way or that way, God closes the door. Why is he in this situation anyway? And it's because of the word of God. Because when he was on the Damascus Road, and he was saved, and God told him there, he said, I'm sending you to the Gentiles. And I'm sending you to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified that is in me. From the very outset, the word of God to Paul was, you're gonna be my apostle, my missionary to the Gentiles. So Paul is out in the Gentile world seeking to fulfill the calling of God as he related his testimony to King Agrippa. He said, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. Paul is obeying the call of God that came to the word of God to him. He's doing what God had called him to do. And even in Acts 13 in verse 2, as he began his missionary ministry, as they're in Antioch, the Holy Spirit said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work wherein to I have called them. God had spoken to Paul and said, Paul, you're to be my missionary to the Gentiles. And he's out here in Asia, looking for opportunities to preach the word of God in answer to the will of God that was given to him by the word of God. I was reminded of the life of David. There were a number of times when he sought the will of God and waited for the word of God. And when he was fleeing from Saul, the Philistines were fighting against Keilah, one of the cities of Israel. David wanted to help him. But before he would go into battle against the Philistines to deliver the people of Keilah, he asked the Lord, shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said, go. And he did. And he was successful in battle. And then he stayed there in the city for a while. And then he got concerned. Saul found out he was there. David said, is Saul going to come down? He asked the Lord, is Saul going to come down after me? And the Lord said, yes, he is. And David said, will the people of Keola deliver me over to Saul's hand? And the Lord said, yes, they will. And so David left. But he was seeking the word of God. Lord, what do I do? When Paul tried to go into Asia, it tells us in verse six that he was forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia. The word forbidden means to prevent by word or act. It's been suggested that the way that the Holy Spirit forbid him to preach the word in Asia was by a prophetic utterance. That somebody, God spoke to a prophet and told Paul, don't preach the gospel in Asia. In some way or another, and is very possibly that, by a revelation of God through a prophet, God gave Paul a word, don't preach the gospel in Asia. And so when we want to know the will of God, we begin with the word of God. What does God say in his word? Now, you know, as David was seeking God's will and God spoke to him, evidently directly or at least through the priest, When Paul was seeking the will of God, somehow God spoke to him, and God often spoke through prophets. Today, God doesn't do that anymore. He doesn't need to, because we have the Bible complete. They didn't have it in David's day, it wasn't complete. In Paul's day, it still wasn't complete. And God was still giving revelation through others. That is now complete, because we have the word of God. And now God works through the revealed word to the Bible as we have it today. So God doesn't speak directly to us through prophets or dreams and visions, but through his word. And God will never lead us contrary to his word. He will always lead us consistent with his word. So we're talking about, you know, God wants me to do this. I believe this is God's will for my life. Well, does it square with what God has revealed in the Bible? Because if it doesn't, it is not God's will for your life, no matter how much you might feel like it is. No matter what anybody else might say about it, if it doesn't square with the word of God, it is not God's will. God will never lead us contrary to his word. There are things that are clearly spelled out in God's word. Do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, don't be unequally yoked together, flee idolatry, and many, many other things where God has revealed his will. This is the will of God. And we can know that. But sometimes God doesn't speak specifically about a matter that we have a question about. God couldn't give a direct revelation about every particular that we would ever face in life. The Bible would be, you know, the world couldn't contain the Bible it would take for God to cover every situation that would ever come up in the history of the world. And so there are things that God indicates by principles. We know his will based on the principles of his word. For instance, Romans 12, 2 tells us, don't be conformed to this world. Now, God doesn't spell out specifically what that looks like because in every age, in every generation, conformity to the world is going to look a little different. So we have to exercise some discernment in applying that principle to our times and our life, but there's that principle that should guide us into the will of God. We know that it is God's will that we not conform ourselves to the world. In 1 Corinthians 10, verses 23 and 24, Paul says, all things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All things are not helpful to me. When we're trying to determine, is this okay or not? You know, I have, this is not specifically stated as being sin in the Bible. Should I do it or not? Is it okay or not? Well, one of the questions you have to ask is, does this help me in my walk with God? Does this help me to draw closer to God or is it going to help, is it going to pull me away from God? And I have to weigh that. And that may not be the same for everybody. But Paul goes on to say, all things are lawful for him, but all things edify not. The word edify means to build up, and I think in that case he's talking about, when he talks about being expedient, he's thinking about himself. When he's thinking about edifying, he's talking about others. Not everything that I can do, that I have a right to do, that the Bible doesn't forbid me to do, but it may not be helpful to others. And he goes on to say, no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. So there are principles as well as, you know, there's direct statements in God's word about things that specifically are his will for us to do or not do. And then there are other things that we just have to apply principle. But we begin with what does the Bible say? And so as one writer said, the better you get to know the word of God, the less confusing is the will of God. Those who struggle the least with the will of God are those who know the word of God best. That's why it's so important that we just continuously read the Word of God, and not just our favorite portions, but read the entire Word of God, because God has revealed himself in all the Bible, and we see God revealing himself, we see God giving direction to his people, we see God doing certain things, and really, when we read the Bible, what we're doing is we're getting to know God. And as we get to know God, then we can know better what he wants us to do because we know him. And we know, well, God, I know what God is like. I know God wouldn't do this. God wouldn't want me to do this. God would do that. He would want me to do that. And so as I get to know God through his word, then I can know the will of God because God is going to work consistent with what he's revealed himself to be and what he has declared his will to be for our lives in his word. But secondly, God not only uses the word, but he uses the Holy Spirit. Again, I know it says in verse 6 that the Holy Ghost forbid them to preach the word in Asia, and it was a ministry of the Holy Ghost, probably through a prophetic utterance. But in verse seven, again, it says that they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them not. The Spirit forbid them. The Spirit wouldn't let them go into Bithynia. And, you know, this may have been an outward circumstance, or it just may have been an inward impression in Paul's heart that, you know, as they tried to go into Asia, and probably in thinking about Asia, that Paul is probably thinking about Ephesus where he did end up, before he's done with his journey. But maybe he's thinking, okay, I'll go down to Ephesus. And that was a major city in Asia. I'll preach the word there. But as he's trying to make that decision, the Holy Spirit says, no, do not preach the word in Asia. So he begins to make his way up towards Mysia and there's Bithynia. So maybe I'll go into Bithynia. And no, the Holy Spirit says no. But the Spirit was clearly directing Paul and his company. And sometimes the Holy Spirit does work through impressions of heart. But again, we have to be careful because that's subjective. In other words, I think this is what God wants me to do. But again, I have to weigh that against the word of God. But God does use impression. The Holy Spirit does put certain impressions upon our heart or desires in our heart that are part of the way that God would lead us into his will. In 1 Timothy 3 and verse 1 it says, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. If he has a want to, to be a pastor, that very well may indicate that that is the will of God for his life because God may put that want to in his life. Paul wrote to the Philippian church, as you have always obeyed in my, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. God puts within you the will, the desire for his will and the ability to do his will. God does put desires in our heart. The Holy Spirit does lead us by impressions and the desires that God puts in our heart. But again, it's always gonna be consistent with the word of God, even as Paul wrote about a man who desires a pastor, desires a good word. If he says, I believe God wants me to be a pastor, I have this desire to do that, but then there are qualifications. And no matter how much he might desire to do it, if he doesn't meet the qualifications, it's not God's will. So there's still, even the desires have to be consistent with the scriptures. Later on, Paul is heading to Jerusalem, and the people are trying to persuade him not to go, but he says, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem. Paul, just that sense of the Spirit is drawing him to Jerusalem, and he couldn't help but go. One writer said, it's necessary for the servant of Christ to depend upon the Holy Spirit for direction. Waiting on the Lord and then going forth guided by His Spirit is the true way of a successful ministry or a successful Christian life. The Holy Spirit must point out the way and the places and the time when and where the word is to be spoken or we are to serve the Lord. Such humble reliance upon the direction of the Holy Spirit is but little known in our days. The great movements of our time seem to place more stress on organization, widespread advertising message, and financial support than on the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. But the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ ministering the gospel and the word in the end of this present evil age need the guidance of the Holy Spirit as much as the apostles in the beginning of the age. When the Holy Spirit is the same as he was then when he suffered them not to minister in Asia and in Bithynia, the Spirit of God leads us. And so there's the Word of God and the Spirit of God, and then thirdly, God works through circumstances. God works through the circumstance of open and closed doors. The Lord spoke to the Church of Philadelphia in Revelation chapter 3, and he said, these things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth. I know thy works, and behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it." God knows how to open and close doors. And when God opens a door, nobody can shut it. When God shuts a door, nobody can open it. I was reminded of a story that came up in our admissions committee meeting about a song that we may use at admissions conference this year. It's entitled, Bright in the Corner Where You Are. It was written by a woman named Ina Dooley Ogden. She had been invited to speak on the Chautauqua Circuit back in the early 1900s, and that was an organization that actually began as a Sunday school organization. It broadened to include a lot of different cultural things, but it never lost its purpose of spreading the gospel. So even though they would have plays and other things, they also had preachers and gospel preachers as a part of that. So she was gonna have an opportunity to minister there on the Chautauqua circuit. She was excited about that opportunity. It was gonna give her the chance to share Christ to thousands. But just before she was to begin that, those travels, her father was injured in an automobile accident and became an invalid, and she was the only one available to take care of him. And so she didn't go on the Chautauqua Circuit. She went home and she spent the rest of her life taking care of her father. It was said that she was bitterly disappointed, but she was able to surrender the disappointment to the Lord and trust his will. And she made up her mind to be a blessing where she was. and decided that even if she couldn't minister to the thousands on the Chautauqua circuit, she could be a blessing to her father and those around her. And so she wrote right in the corner where you are. Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do. Do not wait to shed your light afar to the many duties ever near you. Now be true, bright in the corner where you are. But God directed her. She had a plan for her life and God changed that plan through circumstances. God led her into a different direction, a different life than she had envisioned herself living, but that was the will of God. But God directed her through the circumstances of her life. Paul noted, as he wrote to the Galatian church, that he first preached the gospel in Galatia because of an infirmity of the flesh. It may have been that, again, Paul on his first missionary journey may have been intending to go to Ephesus. And because of illness, he ended up staying in Galatia and preaching the gospel there. He doesn't give us a lot of details, but he just says to them, you know, at the first, when I first preached the gospel to you, I came to you through an infirmity of flesh. It was a sickness that led me to you. God used circumstances, the circumstances of an illness to lead Paul to Galatia. When Paul came to Troas, he tried to go to Asia, the Holy Spirit forbid him. He tried to go to Bithynia, the Spirit forbid him. He comes to Troas and there he sees the Macedonian vision and God revealed to Paul that Macedonia was the place to go. And it's interesting that once the Lord revealed that to him, it says in verse 11, they loosed from Troas and came with a straight course to Samothrace and the next day to Neapolis. They made the journey from Troas to Neapolis and then 10 miles inland to Philippi in two days because the winds were favorable. God was, as God opened the door for Paul, you know, he closed the door, but then he closed the door to Asia, but then he opened the door to Macedonia, and he did so by, as God gave him that vision to go to Macedonia, then there's a ship available, and the winds are favorable, so he makes the journey in two days. Later on, he's making the journey back. and crossing the same pathway, and though he makes it across, it takes five days to get there. But because this time, you know, there was a perplexity, and then God reveals his will, and God just made it possible for it to happen quickly. I mean, that was just God's way of revealing to him, yes, indeed, this is my will, this is what I want you to do. So sometimes God closes the door by the influence of the Holy Spirit, where the Spirit just says no. and you just know that that thing you've been questioning, do I do this or not, and the Holy Spirit just says no, and you just know it's the Spirit of God, and you don't do it. Sometimes God closes the door through circumstances beyond our control, like he did with Ina Duleogdon. But when we are in God's will, doors will open, and we don't have to force them to open. Is this God's will or not? Well, is everything falling into place as you try to go forward? Or are you meeting resistance, and resistance that you're having to force to change? Now, you might meet resistance, but God works it out. God works, leads you, and brings you through that resistance. But if you're having to make it work, that's a pretty good indication it's not of God. Because when God's in it, it works. And I note here that God has a what, a where, and a when in His will for our lives. Because God forbid him to preach the gospel in Asia. Now, Paul journeys through Asia. He's in Antioch and Pisidia. Now he wants to enter into new territory, so he moves into Asia. This is all Asia. Paul's moving through Asia where the Holy Spirit says, don't preach the word in Asia. Don't go down to Ephesus, Philadelphia, Smyrna, Thyatira, all those seven churches of Revelation. No Paul, don't preach the gospel. You can pass through Asia, but don't preach the gospel in Asia. Don't go into Bithynia. Because God had not only a what, but a when and a where. And on his way back from this journey, he does stop briefly in Ephesus, a very short time. But on his third missionary journey, Paul spends three years in Ephesus and all of Asia hears the word. Paul, on this journey, the time is not right. It's not now to preach the word in Asia. Next time you preach the word in Asia, God has a timing. So sometimes we're trying to do something and God closes the door, then it's not that he doesn't want us to do it, it's just not now. And later on, God may open that door and you get to walk through it in the will of God. Bithynia. As far as we know, Paul never went to Bithynia, but Peter, when he writes his two letters, his two epistles, he writes them to the believers in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. It's very possible that in the case of Asia, it was Paul, not now, later. In the case of Bithynia, it was Paul, not you, but Peter. Because God has a where and a when and a what in his will for our lives. And there may be things that you think, I wanna do this, and God says, no, that's not for you, that's for somebody else. I wanna do this, and God says, but not now. That is my will, later, but not now. It can be discouraging when God fails to open or closes the door you expected and hoped would open. You have to wonder, Paul doesn't tell us, the Holy Spirit doesn't tell us what Paul was thinking, but maybe he was discouraged as he tries to go into Asia or preach the gospel in Asia. The Spirit says, no, Bethania, no. Lord, what are you doing? I don't understand. It can be discouraging when God fails to open or closes the door you expected and hoped would open. It can be discouraging when God opens a door for somebody else that you hoped he would open for you. There's an opportunity to do something, and you wanted to do it, and God closed that door, but he opened it for somebody else. But God has a what, a where, and a when in his will for our lives. And the key in all those circumstances, as God closes doors that we maybe hoped He would open, the key in all those circumstances is the focus on the Lord. Because it is His will that matters, not what I want to do, but what He wants. He will use us as He sees fit, and He orchestrates the circumstances of our lives in ways that best suit us, in ways that will best help us grow. God may open that door for somebody else. You hoped He'd open it for you, and He doesn't, but He opens it for somebody else. Why did He open it for them and not for you? Because you would best grow through the closed door, and they would best grow through the open door. God is trying to grow us into the likeness of Jesus Christ and God is trying to glorify himself through our lives. And the open and closed doors are a means by which God does that. And so instead of getting frustrated or discouraged, we just need to focus on God and say, you know, Lord, thank you for leading. And though this is not what I had envisioned, Lord, I know your will is best. And so I accept this as your will and help me to glorify you in it and help me to grow through it. And then lastly, God uses the counsel of others. There are no doubt are other things we could say, but would you look at this text? You see this, you see the word of God in Paul's life. You see the spirit of God in Paul's life. You see the circumstances in the situation. And then there are, there is the counsel of others. And let me just remind you two verses from the Proverbs. It says where no counsel is the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors, there is safety. Proverbs 11, 14, Proverbs 24, six says for by wise counsel, thou shalt make thy war. And in the multitude of counselors, there is safety. You know, as I was preparing this message, and I was thinking about this, and I was thinking, you know, God does use the counsel of others many times to lead us. I thought, well, you know, we see the word of God in this passage, and you see the spirit of God in this passage, and you see the open and closed doors in this passage. But I thought, you know, you don't really see the counsel of others in this passage. But then as I looked at it more closely, I had to change my mind. Because, go back to, Look at verse 8, they come to Troas. And in verse 9, a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him, saying, come over into Macedonia and help us. So Paul has this vision that is indicating God's will. But Paul's in this not by himself. Silas is with him. Timothy is with him. Now Luke is with him, as we see in verse 10. But after he had seen the vision immediately, he endeavored to go into Macedonia. Is that what it says? It says, we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called, what? Us, for to preach the gospel unto them. Luke writes that. What happened? Paul had a vision in the night. A man of Macedonia said, come over into Macedonia and help us. And the next morning he said, hey Silas and Timothy and Luke, I had this vision last night. I think God wants us to go to Macedonia. What do you guys think? And they said, yep, Paul, you know what? I think you're right. And so there was the council, they agreed. They're in this together. Paul didn't make a unilateral decision. Though he is the God-appointed leader in this group, he didn't make the decision by himself. counseled with the others. That's not the word I'm looking for. But anyway, he talked it over with them and they all agreed. Yes, this is indeed the will of God. And as they tried to make their way, they tried to preach the gospel in Asia, the Holy Spirit closed that door, tried to preach the gospel in Bithynia, the Holy Spirit closed that door. Now they say, you know, I think this is it. God's given us this vision. I think this is it. They said, yeah, that's it. And so as they try then to go to Macedonia, all of a sudden the door is wide open. It's God's will for their life. And so when we're making decisions about the will of God, all those involved in the decision should agree. The question that's asked many times of pastoral and missionary candidates is, is your wife in full agreement with you about this decision? You think God has called you into the ministry? How does your wife feel about it? You think God's called you to the mission field? How does your wife feel about it? Because if God is really in this thing, he doesn't just lead you, he leads your wife as well. There's agreement there. You know, as a church, we don't always have a unanimous, we don't always make unanimous decisions, but we try to have a majority and usually a big majority when we're making decisions about something that we are asking, you know, is this what God wants us to do? We want to have agreement because God's not gonna lead some of us one way and the rest of us another way. Matter of fact, we kind of have an unwritten guideline as pastor and deacons that if we don't all agree on something, we don't bring it to the church. Because if we can't all agree on it, it's probably not what God wants us to do. But there's the counsel of others and there's agreement. There should be a consensus among those that we seek counsel from. when you're questioning God's will and you're seeking the counsel of others, seek spiritually-minded men or women. Someone has suggested you ought to seek disinterested, spiritually-minded men or women. In other words, they don't have a dog in the fight. It's not gonna affect them. Whatever decision you make is not gonna affect them, so they can give you unbiased counsel, experienced men, women. Those who have walked the road of life, walked with God, had to make decisions. There was a time years ago when we went on a mission trip to Quebec, Canada. First time I had been on a mission trip, first time I had been to Quebec, Canada, and I was just, I fell in love with the place, I wanted to go back. And I came home and for three months I wrestled with the Lord about whether I ought to go back to Quebec as a missionary. And I couldn't settle the matter, so I sought the counsel of three men that I respected, three preachers that I didn't know well personally, but two of them have been my professors in Bible college. And one was a man who was a professor at that college. I didn't have him in any of my classes, but he had been a missionary or led mission teams to Nova Scotia. So he knew about Canada and, and missions. And I, so one day I, I went to Greenville, South Carolina and in the morning I met with one at noon, I met with another in the afternoon I met with another and I talked to them and shared my my desire with each of them. And you know, not a one of them said, you know what, Alan, I think God's calling you to do this. You ought to do this. Not a one of them said that. Now, none of them said, I, you know, I don't think this is God's will for your life, but you know, they, they said, well, you know here's some things to consider, but nobody encouraged me to go forward with it. And I thought it was interesting because what that suggested to me was God's not in this. And ultimately, that was the conclusion I came to. God was not in it, and so we didn't go, obviously. But that was what God had for us. But it was just interesting to me that not a one of them encouraged me at all to go. They couldn't tell me God's will for my life, but by the fact that they didn't give me any encouragement to go, it was an indication to me God wasn't in it. But there are, let me just say lastly, there are times when you have to go forward even when no one else agrees it's the right thing to do. You have to be very, very careful about that. But sometimes it is the right thing to do. You know, there's, we usually say to young men who are candidating or being ordained, one of the questions that's usually asked is if we don't ordain you, what will you do? The right answer to that question is preach the gospel anyway because God has called me. But if God has really called them, we're probably going to ordain them. But there are times when you just know this is the will of God, and yet you're not getting any encouragement, but you're just certain it is the right thing to do. When Paul was going to Jerusalem, he was being told all along the way, don't go. To the Ephesian elders, he said, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem. The Spirit is just leading me forward. I can't help it. He says, I don't know the things that are going to befall me there, save that the Holy Ghost witnesses in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me. Neither I count on my life dear to myself that I might finish my course with joy in the ministry that God has given to me to testify of the gospel of the grace of God. And on the journey, he came to Tyre, and he spent a week with believers there who told him that he ought not go up to Jerusalem. They said through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem. When he left Tyre, they came to Caesarea, stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist. And while they were there, a prophet by the name of Agabus came from Judea, took Paul's girdle, bound his own hands and feet, and said, thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And it says, when we heard these things, Luke is writing, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. But Paul answered, what mean you to weep and break mine heart? I'm ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we see saying, the will of the Lord be done. Paul is certain God wanted him to go to Jerusalem. Everybody else is saying, don't go, don't go, don't go. But Paul believed it was God's will and he went forward anyway. And there's been debate. Was Paul right or wrong? Well, God used that. And Paul had the opportunity to preach the gospel to Caesar and Agrippa and Thestis and Felix. And God had said when he called Paul, when he saved him and gave him the commission to be the apostle to the Gentiles, and he said, and you're going to bear my name before kings. and he bore the name of God before kings because he was imprisoned at Jerusalem. So Paul did what he believed God wanted him to do, and God worked through that to fulfill the calling of God in his life. So God uses his word, he uses the Holy Spirit, he uses circumstances, And then he uses the counsel of others to lead us. God does lead us along. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. The Bible says that a man's heart devises his way, but the Lord directs his steps. And the key is for us to keep seeking the Lord's leading. and be certain of his will before we move forward in any decision, in any endeavor. One of the things I think that's interesting about this passage is Paul tries to preach the gospel in Asia, the Spirit says no. Tries to go to Bethany, the Spirit says no. Paul didn't sit down and fold his hands and say, I don't know. He just kept going forward until he came to the open door. In other words, he didn't just sit back and say, okay, Lord, just show me what your will is. He kept seeking the will of God. He kept seeking to move forward. Eventually, God's gonna open the door. And he had two choices, he tried to go south, the Holy Spirit said no, he tries to go north, the Holy Spirit says no, so he either turns around and goes back or he keeps going forward. Well, he's not gonna go back till he just keeps pressing forward until the Lord opens the door. So when you're waiting to know the will of God, sometimes you just have to keep seeking the Lord and keep moving forward in what you know is God's will until he opens the door into a further step in his will. So God does lead us and accomplish his will in our lives if we will seek him, seek his leading. Let's stand together for prayer. Our Father, we thank you for this example in the life of Paul and your leading in his life. We ask you, Father, to continue to direct us. Savior, like a shepherd, lead us. Much we need thy tender care. Lord, there are times when we have to make decisions about your will for our lives. May we remember the truths that we've considered tonight. May we come back to this passage and meditate upon it and remember how you led Paul in days of old and to know that you're the same God and you lead in the same ways today. And Lord, may you lead us that we might do your will. And we pray in Jesus' name, amen.