God's Holy Fire: 'Spirit-Warned'

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

[Paul and his traveling companions] looked up the local disciples [in Tyre] and stayed with them seven days. Their message to Paul, from insight given by the Spirit, was "Don't go to Jerusalem."
— Acts 21:4 MESSAGE

Key Thought

Okay, I admit this is confusing. Paul is convicted that he must go to Jerusalem. At the same time, he knows hardship awaits him. Now this warning from the Spirit: "Don't go to Jerusalem!" I don't know any way to understand this situation other than one of two ways. One, Paul is disobeying the Spirit when he goes to Jerusalem. Two, this message is more of the Spirit alerting him that grief and hardship await him if he goes to Jerusalem than it is the Spirit instructing him not to go. Here's the bottom line: Either way, God uses this trip to Jerusalem to deliver the collection from the Gentile churches and to get Paul to Rome, where the good news of Jesus needed to be heard and where Paul was determined to go. Somewhere in the confusion we all face in trying to follow the Spirit's lead, we have to trust that God will get us where we need to be and doing what we need to do to honor him fully (Romans 8:28, 38-39). The question is whether we are willing to invest ourselves fully and trust in the Spirit leading us no matter what the short-term consequences of our commitment may be.

Today's Prayer

Gracious Father in heaven, I trust that you will use the Holy Spirit to lead me where I need to be to do the work you want me to do. I ask, dear Father, that my life glorifies you no matter where your leading takes me or what your leading entails. My deepest prayer, Lord, is that I never, ever, outlive my love for you and my trust in you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Comments

Archived Facebook Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
Matthew 5:16
"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'Under Slanderous Attacks I Trust in You!'
"I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for...."
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'For All People'
"Dear Precious Believer, You were saved by grace when you fully trusted Me and participated in what I did to save you. This truth was the message that..."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Song of Solomon 2:16, 17
"Surely if there be a happy verse in the Bible it is this-"My Beloved is mine, and I am his." So peaceful, so full of assurance, so overrunning with..."

Illustration

Illustration of Acts 21:4 MESSAGE — [Paul and his traveling companions] looked up the local disciples [in Tyre] and stayed with them seven days. Their message to Paul, from insight given by the Spirit, was "Don't go to Jerusalem."

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

More God's Holy Fire

Translations