By Jim Critcher
"Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to." Acts 16:6–7 (NIV84)
“There is an open door, surely this must be a sign of God leading me.” How many times have I heard well-meaning, God-loving believers say that? On the basis of circumstantial alignment, an open door if you will, something is determined to be the will of God. But if that is how we are seeking His guidance, there is a serious problem with both our theology and methodology in rightly discerning God’s trajectory for our lives.
This is not only problematic, but potentially dangerous as well. As an example, consider sin. Sin is not only an open door but provides a wide path to the door as well (Matthew 7:13). Sin always presents THE double door of opportunity. Based on the faulty reasoning of the open door being God’s will, this can easily be the very thing the enemy uses to deceive us. Like an open door, sin is always easy and always available.
Often the CLOSED door we find is there for our protection and for our direction as well. In Acts 16, it was God Himself, NOT the devil keeping Paul and his companions from fulfilling what they assumed was God’s will and timing. How can preaching the gospel NOT be God’s will? Yet, God had another route for another day. As a result of the re-routing, additional revelation and direction came. How often do we see a closed door as presenting a challenge: a challenge to be pushed open or kicked down under the “power” of the Spirit? “How dare this closure disrupt or divert my holy plans?”
Will you allow God to lead you via the closed door, not just an open door? While not as much fun or as exciting as the green light and the open door, more often than not, God is still speaking and safely directing the course of our lives even when the answer is “no”.