Missional leaders understand the true nature of closed doors. They are never signs of REJECTION; only guides of REDIRECTION into greater influence and broader impact.
Read Acts 16:6-15 ESV
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Missional leaders understand the true nature of closed doors. They are never signs of REJECTION; only guides of REDIRECTION into greater influence and broader impact.
In the text, Paul and his companions (missional community) are forbidden by the Holy Spirit to gain traction in Asia. Then they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the “Spirit of Jesus” did not allow them. A less experienced and immature missionary might see this as a rejection. Not Paul.
When Paul sees a vision of a man in Macedonia urging him to come and help, he immediately shifts his focus to where the Spirit of the Lord is urging. The result? He finds a person of peace in Lydia; she gets baptized along with her entire household (Oikos) and the ripple effect is that a whole new church is planted in the area (what many scholars believe to be the very first church in Europe!).
On top of that, a supernatural and powerful new prison ministry is birthed and a jailer and his entire household (Oikos) get saved (v30-34)!
Missional leaders never see closed doors as a sign of rejection, but are always sensitive to the REDIRECTION of the Lord’s divine guidance. Their missional obedience leads to God’s Kingdom breaking out in powerful new frontiers and bold new expressions of faith.
Where is your redirection taking you? Get ready for God’s Kingdom to break out in manifold ways!!!