“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.” Acts 16:6-7 (NKJV)

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another helper that He may abide with you forever.” John 14:16 (NKJV) The words of Jesus in this particular passage describes the promise of our Heavenly Father who guarantees that while Jesus is not with us on earth at this time, He extends His earthly ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit that fills the life of every believer. A key word in the passage is the word “another.” This does not suggest that the Holy Spirit is different in personality or function. He is literally “another of the same kind.” Here is a better way to describe the work of the Holy Spirit. He will do in Jesus’ absence what Jesus would do if He were present. The Holy Spirit is the continuity of Jesus on earth while Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father awaiting His imminent return.

The narrative that contains our devotional passage reveals to us yet another aspect of the work and worth of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. He also leads us and guides us if we allow Him to. This is accomplished by what is characterized as our “inner witness”. “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:16 (NKJV) The Holy Spirit provides us with the “knowing” on the inside to know without a doubt that we are children of God. It is in a similar fashion that He leads us and guides us into all truth. (See John 16:13) To do so, as in the case of Paul and Silas, He often chooses to forbid us or not permit us to do what it is that we may desire to do or feel compelled in our flesh to encounter. It is His way of keeping us on point with our purpose and to ensure that we are walking within the path of righteousness and God’s divine will for our life.

Paul, along with Silas during his second missionary journey, desired to preach the gospel in Asia but was “forbidden”. Here the idea is to “hinder, prevent, or restrain.” It was not God’s appointed time for the gospel to be preached in Asia. Therefore, the Holy Spirit would not allow it. They now continued onward, desiring to go to Bithynia, but the Holy Spirit once again denied them access. In order to be led by the Spirit, we must be sensitive to His leadings, His urgings, and His promptings. Should we go out on our own without the confirming witness of the Spirit, or not understanding when He is restraining us, we stand to lose sight on where God is taking us or what He has for us to accomplish. When we sense that the Holy Spirit is restraining us, we best take heed and obey. To do anything less could possibly abort our destiny and lead us down the road to destruction. What if Paul hadn’t listened to the Spirit? What if he felt his agenda was more important? What if he was so selfish in his own pursuits that it didn’t matter where the Spirit was leading him. Sound familiar?

When we experience the restraint of the Spirit in our human spirit we often say, “something told me not to do that”. Or, “I felt that I was making the wrong decision.” Please be advised, the Holy Spirit is much more than a “something.” He works far beyond our human comprehension. He leads us, guides us, comforts us, and even restrains us if necessary. It is to our advantage not to minimize the restraining power of the Spirit. He often restrains us to save us from certain people, going certain places, and possessing certain things. Then there are other times that He restrains us to save us from ourselves.