Acts 16:6-7, Acts 16:10, Philippians 3:13-14, God uses closed doors to head us in the right direction.

Acts 16:6-7

"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. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them."
NKJV

Have you ever had God close a door that you thought was open? What was your reaction? Did you moan and complain, or did you thank God for the closed door while praying about what to do? Prayer is a good thing. Paul exhorts us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), but this doesn't mean to stop looking for other open doors. You can pray while taking action. What did Paul and his crew do when the Lord closed a door? Did they sit around and moan to one another about how difficult it was to be a Christian and how they wanted to minister in Bithynia but the Lord would not let them? No, they didn't! They kept moving forward as God revealed to Paul the door that He had opened.

Acts 16:10 "Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them." NKJV

Although God closed some doors for Paul and his crew, God opened the doors to Macedonia in order that Lydia would be saved and the door to Europe would be opened to the Gospel. You see, sometimes the door that God closes opens the door to something awesome that He has in store. What should we do when God closes the door? Don't try to kick in the door! Don't peep through the doorknob and don't look under the door. Instead, prayerfully try another door. That one's closed? Look behind you...there's another door. Try that one. It's open! Now what? Take a step of faith. The rest is up to God. Press forward.

Philippians 3:13-14 "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." NKJV

Life Lesson: Closed doors are a blessing.

Dear Father,
Thank You for saving me. Thank You for allowing me to serve You in whatever way You have planned for me. Please forgive me for the times that I have tried to force open doors that You closed. Give me eyes to see the doors that You want me to go through and the courage to go through them. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

My Comments: I can not tell you the many times the Lord has used closed doors to guide me in the direnction He wants me to be going. And the times I did not listen quick enough and paid the consequences.

The one time that really stands out for me was the year my husband lost his job close to retirement (it was a very well known business which notoriously laid people off or closed down postitions when people made too much income or were close to retirement). We struggled for two years trying to make it and lost our home, van and went into so much debt and had way too much stress! Eventually we went bankrupt. Not a good thing and I would not recommed it to any one yet at the time we did not know or understnad what God was doing and what He expected and how He was directing our lives. We do now.

After we lost those worldly things and went to bankruptcy court we moved to a shack we had out at the beach (bankruptcy let us have one and we could maintain the shack and not the home) where we eventually found out what God was doing and it was wonderful.

We ended up in college and eventually David got a better job than he had had and one he loves. He works with prisoners who struggle with substance abuse so they can lead better lives.

A friend of ours recently learned the reason for him not getting the jobs he applied for when he came back from missions in Africa. He needed a job in order to bring his family back to the states yet wherever he went he didn't get the jobs he was usually over qualified for. He was getting discouraged. The process grew him and strengthened his faith and trust in the Lord.

He just (after many months of trying and door closings) got a job with the state making twice as much as one job he was denied.

God is amazing and His timing is the best. We need patience, faith and trust to know He will work everything out if we wait on Him with faith and trust!

Lord, we praise you for all the closed doors, for building our faith and trust in You. You see and know what is best for us and you place us where we will grow and help others to know You. Thank you Abba for the Love you shower us with and help us to see with Your eyes and wait upon Your timing. In Jesus name, Amen