June 15. Acts 21. Albert Sanford

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Is the spirit contradicting? We read in Acts 20:22 "And now compelled by the Spirit, I [Paul] am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there" (NIV). And in chapter 21:4 we read, "We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them for seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem and in 21:10-11, a Prophet named Agabus took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, ''This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' "

Paul was convinced that the Spirit was leading him to Jerusalem while others were convinced that the spirit was warning him not to go. Which is correct? Often times it's not as black and white as we wish it to be. It's possible that the spirit was leading Paul into trials, as he led Jesus into the wilderness and at the same time he was using prophets to warn him of the dangers that lie ahead. God doesn't call us to trust only when the path is easy. He called the Israelites to step in the river before he parted the sea, with the Egyptians pursuing behind. He called the Israelites to march around Jericho 7 days and 7 times on the 7th day. He called his people to march into the promise land filled with giants. He told Gideon that an army of 22,000 was too many to go against the Midianites so he slimmed it down to 300. Time and again we see that God's ways are not our ways. With much prayer and grace we can hope to be like Paul who said in 21:13 - “I am ready not only to bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

Do we make decisions based on the degree of difficulty or based on what is right?

Lord, give us courage to walk your path of righteousness wherever it may lead!