Acts 16:6 (NIV) Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.

In the Book of Acts, we read about the different missionary trips that the Apostle Paul took with Barnabas and later on, with Silas. They went through different regions as the Holy Spirit led them and their trips were very fruitful in bringing many people into a relationship with Jesus. As your read of all that they did and all that they endured along the way, you get inspired to share the good news with the people in your own sphere of influence. But then when you reach a verse like the one above, it’s a little puzzling. It says that the Holy Spirit kept them from preaching the word in Asia. Why would God do that? Didn’t the people in Asia need to know Jesus as well? Could it be that God didn’t care about the people in that region? Of course not.

So what could be the reason for the Holy Spirit the prevent ministry somewhere? There are a good number of reasons for that. One is that perhaps it wasn’t the right timing and the people there were not ready to receive the gospel. Perhaps there was danger because of opposition there that would have caused Paul and his companions to lose their lives or to be detained or mistreated. Although Paul and others who shared the gospel were detained, jailed, or beaten in other places where God did send them, all those things led to the gospel becoming more prominent and better received. For a good example of this, after Paul and his companions were prevented from going into Asia and also Bithynia, Paul had a vision of a man in Macedonia pleading with them to come to that region. Paul took that as a vision from God and headed there with the others. Paul and Silas wound up being beaten and imprisoned with their hands and feet put in stocks, but God was in it. As we read in Acts chapter 16, Paul and Silas began to sing hymns and praise God and while they were singing, the jail was rocked by a huge earthquake. This caused all the jail cells to be opened. When the jailer saw what happened, he was going to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. (the Romans would have had him killed anyway). But Paul called out and told him not to do it because they were all still in their cells. The jailer, recognizing that these were no ordinary men, asked what he must do to be saved. That jailer took Paul and Silas into his house and he and his entire household were saved.

That’s the difference between when God is in control and when we are in control. Some people in ministry go everywhere that they are invited without first asking the Lord if it is His will for them to go. How about all the disasters that we hear about? Are we supposed to get involved with every one of them? Just this week, I heard about three different earthquakes in three different countries. Am I supposed to pick up and go to give any help that I can in all of those places? While that may be a noble thought, a more important thing is, what is Good’s will for you in this? Do you go or just send aid, or is it that the Lord is just asking you to pray for them? You need to know before you do anything.

We are not our own. We get our marching orders from our Lord and Savior, Jesus. We go where He tells us to go and we do what He tells us to do, when He tells us to do it. Then whatever happens, including any trouble or trials that may have to go through, it will all be within the confines of God’s perfect will and He will use it all for His glory. Always pray and ask what God’s will is in doing any good work and going anywhere to share the good news of the gospel. He will open doors of ministry to you when that's what He has planned for you, or He may close the door and say, not this time. Listen for His direction because it is the difference between successful ministry and unfruitful attempts at ministry. If God says no, don’t go. Then change course and go where He leads.

Pastor Joey Vazquez