Does anyone recognize today’s verse? Please say, yes! I have used this verse hundreds of times! I love this verse. Paul used this verse to speak of the founding families of the great church of Philippi. We concluded yesterday’s devotion by expressing how Paul was sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
From this experience in Paul’s life, let us note three truths about being sensitive to God.
1. There are some good things God does not want us to do.
God wanted the gospel to go to “Asia” and “Bithynia.” Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that we are to take the gospel “to the end of the earth.”
However, God did not want Paul to go to those places. He had a different plan for him. In the same way, there are many good things that need to be done in our church and in the community. No one has to do everything. It takes prayer and sincerely seeking God’s will to know which things God has for someone else.
2. There are some things God wants only us to do.
Evidently, God had other people to go to the other places. In a “vision” the Lord confirmed that Paul was to go to “Macedonia,” especially to “Philippi” because there were people there who needed him to start a church.
In the same way, there are ministries that only you can do. There are people that only you can reach. There are gifts that only you can give.