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Bible story · Acts 16:6–15
Come Over and Help Us
Read it yourself in the King James Bible: Acts 16:6–15 ↗
“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”
Acts 16:9 (KJV)The Story
On his second missionary journey, Paul and his companions had plans. They wanted to preach in the province of Asia. But the Holy Spirit forbade them.
So they tried to go into Bithynia. Again, “the Spirit suffered them not.”
Two closed doors. They ended up at Troas, on the coast, perhaps wondering what God was doing.
That night, Paul had a vision. A man from Macedonia was standing there, pleading with him: “Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”
After the vision, they immediately got ready to sail, convinced that God had called them to preach the gospel there.
They crossed the sea to Macedonia and came to the city of Philippi. On the Sabbath, they went to a riverside where women met to pray. One of them was Lydia, a businesswoman who sold purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart, and she and her household were baptized.
That was the beginning of the church in Philippi, and the beginning of the gospel in Europe.
Reflection
Before God spoke through the vision, He spoke through two closed doors. Paul had good plans. They just weren’t God’s plans.
More Bible stories from Acts. More about: Hearing God’s Voice · Paul
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Day 14 of Book 4
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