Last night we continued our study of learning to discern God’s will for our lives by looking at the stories of three people in the books of Acts. How God led them at certain times in life can help us understand how we can expect him to lead us. Here are the notes:
How God led Philip
Acts 6:1-5 Philip is known as faithful and spiritual
8:3-8 Goes to Samaria because of persecution, does what’s obvious
8:26 Angel gives him direction
8:29 Spirit speaks to him and gives direction
8:35 Philip responds to the situation
- Philip was regularly, ordinarily faithful and spiritual
- So he used normal circumstances to serve
- When God wanted a job Philip never could have known about, He told him supernaturally
- The Supernatural guidance was: unsought and unexpected, unmistakable, clear, incomplete (what you need to do next)
How God led Barnabas
Acts 4:32-36 He’s a living, active part of the church
9:26-30 takes Saul to Apostles
11:19-23 He’s sent to Antioch, and stays there in response to God’s work
11:26-30 gets Saul to help teach
12:25-13:4 Praying w/eldership, gets done direction from Spirit
- Being a living part of the body of Christ, motivated by love for people, puts you in position to hear God’s call. Often it will not be supernatural (the trip to Antioch), but the natural leads to the supernatural (call from Antioch)
How God led Paul
Acts 15:36-41 decides to go see the churches
16:1, 4-5 finds Timothy
16:6-10 gets divine direction when needed
16:11-12 goes to the chief city of Macedonia
- While you’re on mission—important things happen (finding Timothy) as you’re faithful to what God’s given you to do.
- Doing what’s needed (visiting the churches in central Turkey) leads to ending up in God’s will for new direction (sailing to Macedonia and going to Philippi).
- When God wants to redirect you, He’s totally able (16:7). If you’re yielded, intent on doing His will, He’ll make sure you get where He wants you.
All these people were seeking God’s Kingdom. Their goals in life had been melded with God’s goals, and they were all about serving Him. They were always on mission. And as they were on mission, the Lord led them.