Closed Doors
Acts 9:23-43. Yesterday we saw how God engineered circumstances in Paul's early years that shaped and molded him for future ministry. Back in v.15-16 we see the scope of what that ministry was to be. God told Ananias that Paul's ministry was to be to the Gentiles first and foremost, secondly to kings, and lastly to the people of Israel. But first, Paul kept trying to minister to the Jews as our reading today shows. Read v.19-20 again. Thinking he was custom made to be a witness to the Jews (educated by Gamaliel, and a member of the Sanhedrin etc.), Paul headed for the synagogues to preach. Read v.21-22. The Jews were amazed, but they were not converted. Now read v.23-25. Paul won the debate, but he didn't win their hearts. Although it seemed like he was the perfect one to carry out ministry to the Jews, that was not the plan of the Lord.
So what does Paul do next? Go to the Gentiles? No. He goes to Jerusalem, the capital of Judaism -v.26-27. The disciples were afraid of him and didn't believe that Paul was a disciple. Only Barnabas, the son of encouragement, became Paul's encourager. Now read v.28-31. The churches were edified and multiplied--when? When they got rid of Paul, who had such a heart for the people of Israel. But now Paul was finally in the Gentile territory which would be his primary mission field, and he will be the main character from ch.13 till the end of the book--carrying the Gospel to the uttermost part of the earth--the final phase of Acts 1:8.
Maybe you can relate to this. You keep ministering in a certain place, in a certain ministry, only to the point of frustration. And you keep thinking, 'I'm tailor made to do this; God has molded me for this. Why then is this ministry so fruitless?' Be encouraged, because the man who would turn the world upside down, the most powerful preacher, besides Jesus Himself, had to first experience shut doors and shut doors. If the Lord is closing doors in your life, don't be discouraged. Don't quit. Don't walk away. Pray and ask Him for the ability to see the open doors. Go back to Saul/Paul's initial question: "Lord, what do you want me to do?" Listen and observe. He will tell you. He will show you. [I'm indebted to Jon Coursen's work on this passage, who has enabled me to see this in depth. Hope it helps you as it did me, God bless.]
So what does Paul do next? Go to the Gentiles? No. He goes to Jerusalem, the capital of Judaism -v.26-27. The disciples were afraid of him and didn't believe that Paul was a disciple. Only Barnabas, the son of encouragement, became Paul's encourager. Now read v.28-31. The churches were edified and multiplied--when? When they got rid of Paul, who had such a heart for the people of Israel. But now Paul was finally in the Gentile territory which would be his primary mission field, and he will be the main character from ch.13 till the end of the book--carrying the Gospel to the uttermost part of the earth--the final phase of Acts 1:8.
Maybe you can relate to this. You keep ministering in a certain place, in a certain ministry, only to the point of frustration. And you keep thinking, 'I'm tailor made to do this; God has molded me for this. Why then is this ministry so fruitless?' Be encouraged, because the man who would turn the world upside down, the most powerful preacher, besides Jesus Himself, had to first experience shut doors and shut doors. If the Lord is closing doors in your life, don't be discouraged. Don't quit. Don't walk away. Pray and ask Him for the ability to see the open doors. Go back to Saul/Paul's initial question: "Lord, what do you want me to do?" Listen and observe. He will tell you. He will show you. [I'm indebted to Jon Coursen's work on this passage, who has enabled me to see this in depth. Hope it helps you as it did me, God bless.]
posted by Royce Hendry at
5:50 AM
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