The Holy Spirit Will Guide You In This Life
God has a plan and a purpose for each of His children. Sometimes we do things the long and often hard way. Other times we go to and do exactly what He wants of us. Being in the center of God’s will comes when you let the Holy Spirit guide you.
Let’s take a look at when Paul and Barnabas parted ways.
Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. Paul chose Silas. Acts 15:39-40
Barnabas heard about Paul’s salvation experience, searched him out, and introduced him to the leadership of the church. Later the two of them became a missionary team.
One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way. Acts 13:2-3
Before they started their second missionary journey they disagreed about ministry personnel.
Barnabas . . . wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul disagreed strongly. . . Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. Acts 15:37-39
Because of their sharp disagreement, they each went their separate ways. We don’t know if Paul and Barnabas ever patched things up. But we do know that Mark joined Paul later.
Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry. 2 Timothy 4:11
Paul and Barnabas answered the call God placed on them for the first missionary journey. They seemed like a good team with an effective ministry. Souls were saved and churches were planted.
The Holy Spirit wants to Guide our Lives
The question is, did they need to have a disagreement to go their separate ways? They probably didn’t. Or was that the only way God could get them to head in different directions?
Sometimes ministry gets so comfortable that we don’t pay attention to God’s prompting. Or we don’t want to move in a new direction that God may be choosing for us.
I would never question the spirituality of Paul or Barnabas. Mainly because Paul has put me back on the right track more times than I care to remember.
Do Christians need to have difficulties or disagreements for the work of the Lord to expand and move forward? They shouldn’t if you let the Holy Spirit guide you.
My wife and I were children’s evangelists for many years. We knew when God was calling us to change our ministry.
It would have been easy to stay on the road. Souls were being saved. Our calendar stayed filled. We enjoyed what we were doing. And churches loved our ministry.
We always tried to let the Holy Spirit guide us. So because we knew we were in God’s will, when the door opened for us, we walked through it.
Check out this related post called God Will Pour His Holy Spirit Upon All People.
Does the End Justify the Means?
On the other hand, I heard of one particular church that experienced a hostile church split. And from it, a couple of good churches were born.
Did the end justify the means? Or was it because the human equation was involved? The bottom line is we must always strive to get God’s will be done, God’s way.
That can be done when you let the Holy Spirit guide you. There will probably be a cost involved and it could be painful at times. But it will always be rewarding.
Lord, help me to listen to you and act in total obedience. May it happen without controversy coming in or through me.
Check out the entire chapter of Acts 13.
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