S. SEKOU ABODUNRIN
I encourage you to read through the whole of Acts 21 before proceeding beyond this point. Read it thoughtfully, and then lets explore some of the richness of the information contained within it.
4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
There is such a thing as living in communion with the Spirit of God. I want you to notice that there is such a thing as “speaking through the Spirit”. They were not giving instructions based solely on solid reasoning alone. It is true that the Lord gave us a mind to think with, but we should not confuse this with obtaining leadership from the mind. The mind was never given to provide man with directions. The mind will be involved in the decision making process no doubt, but the information at your disposal often originates in the spirit realm.
These disciples were Spirit taught. They knew that a man could speak things of the Spirit of God. You ought to give yourself more time to practice the presence of God – practice voicing that which the Spirit inspires within you. A time will come when that knowledge will bail you out.
I want you to notice the 10th verse.
10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Agabus, a first century prophet of the church of the Lord Jesus, bears out this fact. Notice what he said – “thus saith the Holy Ghost”. He wasn’t hazy about this he was specific.
Lets put that in perspective and context. Agabus was a noted prophet, a proven minister, he knew the ways of the Spirit more than the average believer did for he was much more exercised in the workings of the Spirit. He pinpointed exactly what the Holy Ghost said! The Holy Ghost described through the ministry of the Prophet the events that would characterise Paul’s Jerusalem trip.
There is a marked difference between what the disciples said and what Agabus delivered by the anointing. Agabus informed Paul that there was danger ahead – he was informational. The disciples went beyond the bounds of information and became directional. There is a difference.
Lets break it down further.
12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
We notice that as soon as Agabus delivered the message of God to Paul, the people that were around Paul used the message, and their understanding of what the message means to instruct Paul – they were trying to lead Paul. In order words they interpreted the message. This explains what actually happened in verse 4 when it says that the disciples told Paul by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. They had insight into the future, the things that they sensed weren’t exciting, and so they took it to mean a restriction.
We must learn to distinguish between getting a message from God and interpreting that message. The disciples definitely picked up the message of God in their spirits, just like Agabus did also, but unlike Agabus they went ahead to interpret the message and tell Paul what to do and what not to do. This is moving away from just perceiving the message of God to providing leadings based on that message. When you have a message for someone else you give exactly what the Spirit says, then leave it to the person to draw interpretation - except in the rare case that God gives you the meaning of the message.
14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
Likely the disciples were spiritually sensing that danger was ahead for Paul. They were correct in this. Truth is, no one is better equipped for your future more than you. Paul already knew that there was danger ahead. In order words he knew what they knew, but interpreted it differently. What the happenings in your life means to you might often be different from what those around you take it to mean. This is why you cannot afford to be “led” by those around you. People that are spiritually sensitive can get facts from God, they can deliver it to you, but you must know what is informational and what is directional!
To the disciples danger means, “don’t go”, whereas to Paul it was simply informational, something to prepare him for the tough road ahead. He took this all in and resolved to go all the way for the sake of the gospel. We don’t judge by the presence or absence of danger. Definitely it is foolish to expose yourself to danger just to prove to “others” that you are strong, for that is not the character of God.
Paul got the message, then interpreted it and built into his consciousness the resolve to follow through with God’s plan with or without danger. Actually it is obvious that Paul could have decided not to go and he wouldn’t be violating God’s plan. He also knew that going ahead wouldn’t be out of God’s plan. He had a choice.
.... to be continued
I encourage you to read through the whole of Acts 21 before proceeding beyond this point. Read it thoughtfully, and then lets explore some of the richness of the information contained within it.
4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
There is such a thing as living in communion with the Spirit of God. I want you to notice that there is such a thing as “speaking through the Spirit”. They were not giving instructions based solely on solid reasoning alone. It is true that the Lord gave us a mind to think with, but we should not confuse this with obtaining leadership from the mind. The mind was never given to provide man with directions. The mind will be involved in the decision making process no doubt, but the information at your disposal often originates in the spirit realm.
These disciples were Spirit taught. They knew that a man could speak things of the Spirit of God. You ought to give yourself more time to practice the presence of God – practice voicing that which the Spirit inspires within you. A time will come when that knowledge will bail you out.
I want you to notice the 10th verse.
10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Agabus, a first century prophet of the church of the Lord Jesus, bears out this fact. Notice what he said – “thus saith the Holy Ghost”. He wasn’t hazy about this he was specific.
Lets put that in perspective and context. Agabus was a noted prophet, a proven minister, he knew the ways of the Spirit more than the average believer did for he was much more exercised in the workings of the Spirit. He pinpointed exactly what the Holy Ghost said! The Holy Ghost described through the ministry of the Prophet the events that would characterise Paul’s Jerusalem trip.
There is a marked difference between what the disciples said and what Agabus delivered by the anointing. Agabus informed Paul that there was danger ahead – he was informational. The disciples went beyond the bounds of information and became directional. There is a difference.
Lets break it down further.
12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
We notice that as soon as Agabus delivered the message of God to Paul, the people that were around Paul used the message, and their understanding of what the message means to instruct Paul – they were trying to lead Paul. In order words they interpreted the message. This explains what actually happened in verse 4 when it says that the disciples told Paul by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. They had insight into the future, the things that they sensed weren’t exciting, and so they took it to mean a restriction.
We must learn to distinguish between getting a message from God and interpreting that message. The disciples definitely picked up the message of God in their spirits, just like Agabus did also, but unlike Agabus they went ahead to interpret the message and tell Paul what to do and what not to do. This is moving away from just perceiving the message of God to providing leadings based on that message. When you have a message for someone else you give exactly what the Spirit says, then leave it to the person to draw interpretation - except in the rare case that God gives you the meaning of the message.
14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
Likely the disciples were spiritually sensing that danger was ahead for Paul. They were correct in this. Truth is, no one is better equipped for your future more than you. Paul already knew that there was danger ahead. In order words he knew what they knew, but interpreted it differently. What the happenings in your life means to you might often be different from what those around you take it to mean. This is why you cannot afford to be “led” by those around you. People that are spiritually sensitive can get facts from God, they can deliver it to you, but you must know what is informational and what is directional!
To the disciples danger means, “don’t go”, whereas to Paul it was simply informational, something to prepare him for the tough road ahead. He took this all in and resolved to go all the way for the sake of the gospel. We don’t judge by the presence or absence of danger. Definitely it is foolish to expose yourself to danger just to prove to “others” that you are strong, for that is not the character of God.
Paul got the message, then interpreted it and built into his consciousness the resolve to follow through with God’s plan with or without danger. Actually it is obvious that Paul could have decided not to go and he wouldn’t be violating God’s plan. He also knew that going ahead wouldn’t be out of God’s plan. He had a choice.
.... to be continued
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