Acts 17:1-9
Paul & Silas Trust God’s Strategy
Acts 17:10-21
Obstacles that Hinder the Work
Acts 17:22-34
Paul Preaches in Athens
Acts 18:1-17
Paul’s Ministry in Corinth
Acts 18:5-11
Opposition Enhances Ministry Results
Acts 18:12-17
Paul’s Roman Citizenship On Trial
Acts 18:18-28
God Works His Will in His Servants
Acts 18:24-28
Tactfulness“Words That Work Mightily
Acts 19:1-10
The Holy Spirit is a Person
Acts 19:11-20
Miracles Performed by Paul for Authentication
Acts 19:17-22
Beware of Cult Practices
Acts 19:21-41
Results of Religious Greed
Acts 20:1-12
Paul’s Journey to Troas
Acts 20:7-12
When, Where, How & How Long to Worship
Acts 20:13-24
Paul“An Example of Faithfulness
Acts 20:22-24
Paul’s Determination To Go To Jerusalem
Acts 20:25-38
Paul’s Warning to the Ephesian Elders
Acts 20:32-38
Paul Shares About Giving
Acts 21:1-9
Paul Warned By the Christians
Acts 21:10-16
Paul’s Determination despite Warning
Acts 21:17-26
Paul arrives in Jerusalem
Acts 21:27-40
Boldness at the Barracks
Acts 21:37-40
Boldness At the Barracks
Acts 22:1-5
Paul’s Defense of His Heritage and Ministry
Acts 22:6-16
Paul’s Salvation Testimony
Acts 22:17-30
Paul - A Roman Citizen
Acts 22:22-30
Paul“A Roman Citizen
Acts 23:1-11
Comfort in Times of Trial
Acts 23:6-11
Comfort In Times of Trial
Paul’s Determination To Go To Jerusalem
Acts 20:22–24
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Once while St. Francis of Assisi was hoeing his garden, he was asked, “What would you do if you were suddenly to learn that you were to die at sunset today?” He replied, “I would finish hoeing my garden.” (Source Un known, Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author) … More
Notice verse 22 where it says that Paul was going to Jerusalem “bound in the spirit” (small “s”). This may indicate that this was not a Holy Spirit compulsion, but he was doing it by his own self-will. Some Bible scholars, such as Donald Grey Barnhouse and John Phillips, have made it quite clear that they do not think it was God’s will for him to go to Jerusalem. Phillips says; “the Lord told him expressly that his ministry was elsewhere far hence unto the Gentiles” (22:17-21). Barnhouse says; “Paul was making up his own mind to go to Jerusalem when I firmly believe, God wanted him to move on to Rome and perhaps to Spain, since he was the apostle to the Gentiles.”
Some have said that Jerusalem was Paul’s lodestone mountain. Ancient mariners were afraid to get their boats very far from land because aids to navigation were few. Some of these old time adventures or sailors were told to beware of “fabled lodestone mountain.” They had been told that it had a magnet that would draw their vessels to shipwreck on the rocky shore. God had told Paul quite clearly that his testimony would not be received in Jerusalem, and that his ministry was to be to the Gentiles (22:17-21). Yet Jerusalem seemed to draw him like a magnet. It seems that he was determined to go to Jerusalem, when God wanted him to move on to Rome. He had even convinced himself that his “binding in the spirit” was of God.How many times have you heard someone with a strong desire of their own to do something say; “The Lord is leading me,” and then the whole plan falls through or backfires? Was the Lord wrong? Certainly not! It was not the Lord’s leading at all, but they convinced themselves because of some whim or determination they had.
Application
I need to be very careful about having such a determination to do something my way that I miss God’s way. He guides through His Word, and never in a way that is contrary to His Word. I need to share examples of how this works. Example: Someone who says the Lord is leading them to marry an unsaved person. I can be sure that God never leads anyone in a way that is contrary to His Word.
Acts 20:22-24 (English Standard Version)
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