Loading... AVOID TROUBLE BY FIRST UNDERSTANDING GOD’S WILL - Acts 22:18
Saturday, December 31st, 2005Acts 22:18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
Paul is in Jerusalem being led away by the chief captain. Paul requested that he speak to the Jews and Paul was permitted to speak. Paul took this opportunity to give his testimony at how he came to know Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Paul continued how shortly thereafter he came to Jerusalem but while he prayed in the temple, he was instructed in a trance not to share his testimony because the Jews were not ready to hear it. Paul was also instructed that he was called to the Gentiles.
Paul desired to serve God and as such, he was found in the house of God praying. Because Paul was faithful in praying, God was able to speak to HIM. If Paul had not prayed, his natural boldness would have resulted in him giving his testimony in Jerusalem. The Jews were not ready to hear Paul’s testimony since he was the one who had just been persecuting them. Paul’s prayer helped him avoid a situation he was not supposed to be in and it revealed to him the direction the Lord had for HIM.
Paul did not immediately go and start working with the Gentiles. God’s direction was that in the future he would be working with the Gentiles. Through prayer, Paul was blessed by God to know his future direction. God gave Paul immediate and future direction and Paul obeyed. Because Paul left Jerusalem, he was close at hand when Barnabas needed help in Antioch. It did not happen overnight, but God did eventually fulfill HIS direction for Paul through Paul’s small steps of faithfulness.
God loves to give you direction. Some direction is immediate and some of it will take time before it will come to fruition. If you desire to hear and obey, you must be in a position where you hear the Lord’s direction. This means that when you pray, you cannot always be asking the Lord for the answer to your request. You must spend some time listening to the Lord. If you are doing all the talking, you will not hear God’s direction.
It is not easy to hear the voice of the Lord. You need to prepare yourself to hear HIS voice. You must block out the distractions of the world including all the things you desire to have of the Lord. Once you have blocked out distractions, listen to the Lord. Let the Lord speak to you so that you know what HIS desire is for your life. Does HE desire that you do something today? Does HE have some great direction for your life in the future? If the Lord has given you direction for the future, you need to begin to prepare yourself so that when the Lord calls you will be ready.
Remember, faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of God. You cannot obey God if you do not hear HIS voice. You desire for direction, than you must spend the time so that you hear HIS direction. Paul avoided the loss of his life before his ministry every started because he was faithful in prayer. Paul received a great ministry because he was faithful in prayer. God will reveal to you HIS purposes through prayer and reading the Bible. You must take the time to seek HIS will so as to live in HIS perfect will. If you ask the Lord to give you what HE has already promised you, then you are in the wonderful position of watching HIM answer your prayer of faith. Learn to hear the voice of God for your life.