Read Acts 21.
Can a person acting in the will of God be misunderstood?
Can a person dismiss good counsel by godly people and still be in the will of
God?
Can a person living in the center of God's will suffer?
The Apostle Paul declared in Acts 20:22 that he was "constrained by the
Spirit" to go to Jerusalem. He wanted to be there in time for the
annual Pentecost celebration. He hand carried a collection for the poor
and needed to deliver it to the church at Jerusalem (24:17).
However, along the way, he was warned of the danger in going to Jerusalem.
Paul had once been a trusted leader of the Sanhedrin to pursue, arrest,
and stop the followers of Jesus. When Paul became a believer, the Temple
leadership sanctioned his assassination. Some disciples in Tyre, "in
the Spirit", told him not to go. And, then, at Caesarea, Agabus
dramatically warned him with "Thus says the Holy Spirit". Some
have misinterpreted this to be stubbornness on Paul's part in not listening to
wisdom. Rather, these statements are concerns of friends who did not want
to see Paul suffer or worse, be killed. Their statements are accurate
from the Holy Spirit of what would take place but they do not contradict the
will of God for Paul to go.
We should listen to those who have our best interests at heart. We should
take into consideration godly counsel. We must be aware of our own
weaknesses, ego, pride, selfish goals, and stubbornness. Such things are
sinful and will never achieve the will of God for our lives. Seeking
God's face, obeying His word and His will are imperatives. And, what may
be the plan of God for one, may not be what God wants from another. Paul
later wrote, "So then each one of us will give an account of himself to
God." (Romans 14:12)
Indeed, Paul stated that He was doing what the Holy Spirit led him to do
regardless of the consequences. "For I am ready not only to be
imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus"
(v.13). At Jerusalem, in an attempt not to be misunderstood, he was
falsely accused, beaten, and arrested just before the mob would have killed
him. He was never a free man after this incident. But, even then he
could honestly and publicly say, "...I have lived before God in all good
conscience up to this day" (23:1).
Every day and every decision provides a self-check to be sure we are right
where God wants us to be, doing what He wants us to do.
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