Heart RehabSample

RED FLAGS

Endless ser­mons and podcasts and books rightly tell us that the safest place to be is in the will of God. But how do you know God’s will for your life? How do you identify God’s hand on a thing instead of your own?

One way God lets us know that something is not His will is through warnings. He cautions us. He shows us red flags.

But here’s the hard thing: It’ll be tough for you to see the spiritual red flags when you have already decided what you want God to say!

Let’s look at Acts 16:6-8 in The Message:

[Paul and Timothy] went to Phrygia, and then on through the re­gion of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn’t let them go there ei­ther. Proceeding on through Mysia, they went down to the seaport Troas.

Look at these two words: “their plan.” Paul and Timothy’s plan was to turn west. We all make plans, right? A plan to marry that person, to start that business or ministry, to move to this place. In Paul and Timothy’s case, the Holy Spirit blocked them—not once but twice. God was telling them, My will is not here, and My will is not there. Paul, I need you to go on through Mysia.

How many times does the Holy Spirit block us? Yet when things don’t work out for us, we tend to take matters into our own hands or find our own reasons:

I’ve got to keep push­ing.

This is just bad weather.

The devil is doing this.

Can you identify the blocking of the Holy Spirit? Remember, you can’t have the rewarding if you overlook the warning. And whatever you don’t deal with in this season will show up in the front row of your heart in the next season.

Dear Father, give me the wisdom and guidance to know Your will. Help me be someone who loves You and who is fully submitted to Your will so that I can glorify You. In Jesus’s name, amen.