Forbidden by the Holy Spirit

Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

When I read this last night it really stuck out to me, the fact that they (Paul and his men) were forbidden to do that which seemed right. They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit. We can look at two things here. 1. What are things are areas in your life where God has forbade you from working? 2. How does the Holy Spirit communicate with you so you will know wither it is Gods will that you are in one place or another. This hit home for me personally. I am the type of person who wants to save the world. I work for a ministry, I am in grad school, I am a part of real estate investing groups, a youth leader at my church and a part of the Big Brother Big Sister program. I am lucky if I get 8 hours of sleep a night and even though all this is fine and good, God has really been convicting me for doing to much. I find it is easy for me to hear the Holy Spirit when I surround myself with certain things. For me it is music, I love music it speaks to me, so when I am listening to my praise and worship music it is easier to hear what I am supposed to be doing and where I am supposed to be going.

Acts 16:7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

I know everyone has felt this way, you get somewhere in life, or an actual place and your like, yes this is perfect let me do this or that and the Spirit says no. This happens in many ways as well you might go out to your car, try to start it up and your battery is dead, you may get frustrated but God may have just used that dead battery to save you from the accident that would have been on the freeway.

I encourage you today and this week to listen for the direction of the Holy Spirit and heed to it. Be blessed.