Day 255: Acts 16:4–8

When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, bypassing Mysia, they came down to Troas (vv. 7–8).

Romans 8:9 tells us God has placed His Spirit within each person who has received Christ. One reason His Spirit takes up residence inside us is to tell us things only believers can understand, leading us in areas of obedience to Christ. The Holy Spirit always leads believers in Christ, but we don’t always recognize His leadership. A few basic practices can help us follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

1. Study God’s Word. God will never lead us in any direction contrary to His Word.

2. Yield to the Holy Spirit’s control. Being yielded to God’s authority keeps us pliable and open-minded to a possible change of plans.

3. Pray for clear leadership. Adopt David’s approach to prayer in Psalm 27:11, asking God to teach you His ways and lead you in a straight path.

4. Pray for wisdom and discernment to recognize specific directions. Paul asked God to give believers “a spirit of wisdom and revelation” (Eph. 1:17) to know Him better. This request is a good guideline for us too.

5. Make plans, but hold on to them loosely! I don’t believe God intended for Paul, Silas, and Timothy to travel haphazardly through the countryside. Paul was a very intelligent man. He probably formulated an itinerary just like most of us would, but he kept his plans open just in case God had different ideas!

6. Learn to recognize peace as one of God’s prompters. Peace is one of the most obvious earmarks of the authority of Christ. A sense of peace will virtually always accompany His will and direction—even when the direction might not have been our personal preference. On the other hand, a lack of peace will often accompany a mistaken path—even when the direction is definitely our personal preference. Remember, Christ is the Prince of Peace. His peace will accompany His authority.

More than any other disciple, Paul was used of God to teach about the activity of the Holy Spirit. But Paul could not teach what he had never learned. He learned to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit one day at a time, one city at a time. Let’s learn from his example and be willing to change our course when we sense God has different plans.