Taking No For An Answer
SEPTEMBER 14, 2020
By Pastor Tim Shaw
In the Book of Acts, the author, Luke, tells about how God led a band of four men––Paul, Silas, Timothy and himself––on what was at times a confusing journey into the heart of God's will for them. God guided this little team with both roadblocks and a vision. God used frustrating circumstances and a positive vision to lead these guys right into what God wanted them to do. Here’s what happened according to Acts 16:6-12.
When Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke arrived in Ephesus, they hoped to be able to talk with people about the gospel of Jesus Christ, but Luke tells us, without explanation, that the Spirit of Jesus prevented them from doing so. The text doesn’t tell us the details. All we know is that on this trip to Ephesus, things did not work out as they planned. So they moved north from the Roman province of Asia to Bithynia. But there, too, they were blocked by the Spirit of Jesus. This may have been in the form of a word of prophesy in the church or something else. All we know is that they were prevented from working the plans they had made.
As they hit a series of roadblocks, Paul and his friends headed in the only direction that remained open to them. They could have gone home but they didn’t. They could have thrown in the towel, coming to the conclusion that they were on some ill-fated journey. But they didn't do that. They pressed on.
They headed west to the port city of Troas on the Aegean Sea. It was there that they picked up Luke, the author of the Book of Acts. And it was there that Paul received positive guidance through a vision he had in the middle of the night. In the vision he saw a man from Macedonia, that’s the province in Greece where Philippi is located. That man called to Paul, “Come on over here and help us.” That’s all Paul needed. They immediately set sail from Troas to Neapolis where they hiked the remaining 10 miles to Philippi.
God’s guidance often shows up in our lives in a combination of both roadblocks and positive visions. There are often a number of steps to discerning what God wants us to do with our lives. Sometimes there are roadblocks and detours. There are also positive, visionary aspects to discerning God’s will for our lives.
If Paul’s life is any indication of how God sometimes leads people into his will, there are a couple of things I take away from his experience. The first lesson is pay attention. Where is God saying no? Now, I don’t think Paul gave up trying to proclaim the gospel in Asia the first time he heard the word no. I’m sure he tested that word. He persevered until it became absolutely clear that preaching the gospel in Asia was not God’s will for him at this moment in his life.
Ephesus would become a major center of Paul's ministry later but not now. I’m sure the same thing was true in Bithynia. I’m positive he didn’t give up at the first indication that God was leading him elsewhere. But the first big lesson I take away from Paul's experience was that he was a person who learned to take no for an answer.
That was one of the most important lessons my flight instructors taught me when I was learning how to fly. I remember when one instructor asked me as we debriefed one flight lesson, “Tim, can you take no for an answer?” He said, “Your life and the lives of the people on board your airplane just might depend on your ability to take no for an answer. If you’re on final approach and you realize things are not coming together as they should, you need to abort the landing, go around and try again.”
Being able to take no for an answer is essential for discerning God’s will for our lives. We have to pay attention to what we’re experiencing. We don’t give up easily, but we have to be able to recognize a roadblock that God has put in our path or wants to use to guide us into the heart of his will.
The second thing I learn from Paul’s experience is that in discerning God’s will, there is a balance between forward movement and waiting in anticipation for God’s clear direction. Paul keeps moving as he caroms off these roadblocks and he waits, listens, and quiets his mind and heart so he can hear the positive vision God has for his life. Paul found his way by moving forward, bouncing off the roadblocks, as well as sitting in silence before the Lord and acting on God’s clear, positive guidance. And he did all of that in community with other followers of Christ who were listening with Paul for God's will. I’m sure the entire experience of discerning God’s will was extremely important to Paul in the challenging moments that unfolded in Philippi and beyond. When it got difficult, I'm sure Paul remembered how God called him to Macedonia.
What about you? Are you hitting roadblocks? Don’t give up. Keep moving forward and remember to make time and space in your day to listen for God’s voice and for his positive vision for your life. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “Plans to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the roadblocks. Help me to discern where You want me to go next. Thank You for the vision You have planted or are going to plant in my mind and heart. Help me to trust you while You unfold Your good plan for me. Thank You for inviting me into the story You are writing in our world. Write Your story in my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
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