The Holy Spirit Constrains




God can close the door on our dreams,
if those things are not in His plans for us.

 



“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.” Acts 16: 6-7 (NIV)



From time to time in my Christian walk, I have wanted to do something that I couldn’t.

*Maybe the time wasn’t right.

*I wasn’t really gifted in that area.

*God had other plans for me.



Reflecting on a few of those times, I realize if I had been allowed to do them, I would have been grieving the Holy Spirit. My life would not be what it is today.

It seems Paul and his companions had wanted to go into Asia. But God closed the door on their plan.

Several years ago, a close friend asked me to pray about the possibility of her and another lady starting a business together. I took the need before God; I prayed several weeks for this. I asked my friend about their decision. She told me, “It’s not going to happen.” I felt led to not pursue the topic. My friend had received her answer.

Since that time, this friend has had several illnesses in her family. For over a year now, she has watched over her sister who had two strokes and is in a nursing home. In years past, her husband went through two medical crises. Her sister’s late husband developed Cancer twice.

Several years ago, she worked for a small business in our area of town. The owner suffered a stroke. My friend, with the help of her husband, and another employee ran that business until their boss and his wife could get back to the running of it.

God had other plans for her. Had she started that business as she thought, she wouldn’t have been able to be there for her family.

In everything she does, she stands for God. Even though He constrained her that many years ago, Holy Spirit works through her.