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“Course Correction”

We are continuing our series: “Walk according to the Spirit.”  We talked last week about what it means to live “according to the Spirit”. We emphasized the work of the Holy Spirit - the “Helper”, who does four things in our life: He convicts, He guides us into Truth, He is a Prophet and He glorifies Jesus.

Today I thought it necessary to give you a practical example of what it means to walk in the Spirit…. I’m going to use a sailing analogy…that you are, in essence, the sailboat, and that you desire the wind of the Spirit to catch your sails to accomplish God's will for your life.

You hoist the mainsail - your spirit; you’re ready to do what God has called you to do, you're waiting for the wind of the Spirit to give you direction. This is an illustration of what it means to walk “according to the Spirit.” Paul, in Acts 16 desires to take a 2nd missionary trip, he takes Silas and off they go with the goal of revisiting the churches they had planted on the first missionary trip. It is at this point that they encounter an aspect of the Holy Spirit that they may not have expected.

Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.

 It seems like the Holy Spirit has prevented them from doing what they were called to do. Why would the Holy Spirit do that? Just because there is a calling on your life to do something doesn't mean that automatically you get to do it in your time; you do it in God's time and in God's way.

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They wanted to preach in Asia but they were restrained from doing so. How did that happen?  The Holy Spirit has a way of directing us through circumstances. Somehow their plans fell through, their situation changed. What looked like a clear path to the west was now a divine roadblock. If we persist down that road that appears to be blocked by the Holy Spirit it can lead to a shipwreck.

 The Holy Spirit is leading us. Sometimes He restrains us. We get a check in our spirit; it doesn't feel right according to our spirit. Sometimes He whispers in our ear “don't go there, don't do that,” there's a restraining by the Spirit. But later, the restraining turns to a revelation.

Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

This is where the wind of the Spirit brings about a course correction. We thought we were going to one place…but now the Spirit is leading us in another way.  The Bible says that having seen the revelation, they set “a straight course” ... there wasn't going to be any side trips or sightseeing, or stopping at the beach…this is the work of the Kingdom. To follow the will of the Spirit and to be obedient to the wind of the Spirit doesn't always mean that it's an easy ride.

 Maybe the Holy Spirit is restraining you presently…. I believe that He will give you a revelation in due season…get ready to set sail, catch the wind of the Spirit and be ready for further course corrections.

Join us in person on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. or via livestream by going to https://www.firstbaptistsudbury.com and clicking on livestream for “Course Correction.”     

Blessings,

Kevin

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