Staying In Step

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

STAYING IN STEP

Acts 16:6-10

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

NIV

Go here, stay here, leave here, don’t go there, go there instead. Paul and his companions are keeping in step with the Spirit, or as we are more familiar with, keeping the cadence called out by the Spirit. In the Army, the leader calls out the cadence, “Your left, your left, right left, column right, march” everyone in the platoon is on the same foot at the same time. The difference is we can hear with our ears, the voice of the platoon leader and we can only hear the voice of the Spirit if we are listening with our heart or our spirit. Paul had no problem understanding where he could and could not go based on the leading of the Spirit. Of course, there were times when Paul was not treated very well by people. There were times even under the leading of the Spirit, it was not all a bed of roses for Paul, as he was beaten, left for dead, thrown in prison, and still, he continues to listen as to where to go and where not to go, and only do that which God has called him to do. We should be that humble and that bold. First, humbling ourselves before God, being willing to listen to his still small voice calling out the candace of our lives. As we recall the prayers, we most often hear within the church are for healing, whereas we seldom hear prayers for direction. Paul had, at some point, learned to be content whatever situation he was in or facing, wherever he was led to go, as what he was to do was always the same, preach the good news about Jesus. It always was not out of the realm that the Spirit had Paul do a miracle, healing at times which certainly cause the people to pay attention. From a personal standpoint, I have heard that voice twice giving me direction as to where I was supposed to move, once from living in an apartment in the city to having a new home built in the suburbs, to after remaining there for twenty-seven years, here that voice telling me to move to another state, having another new home built. In both places we were led to the right churches for the season of time the Spirit needed us there, being used in ministry until it was plain a newer fuller ministry was opened to us. The Spirit will call out the cadence of our lives if we will but listen and follow. The beauty of all this is that if the whole church were to be in step with the Spirit, then we would all be in step with each other. Paul and his companions were walking the same path together, with one purpose, one plan, and one goal. This is how the life of believers was meant to be, in fellowship with God and with one another. The first step in the right direction is we stay in step with the Spirit.