Strategic Planning

The Apostle Paul was quite strategic in his approach to ministry. He would start his ministry in Antioch on the coast of the Mediterranean and travel west through Asia. Upon reaching Asia he would then circle around cities primarily in the south. While in each city Paul would first approach the Jews, typically in the synagogues. Depending on his reception by them, he often would defer to preach to the gentiles outside the synagogues. Finally Paul would then make his way back to Palestine. But not without revisiting certain cities re-iterating his message to the saints.

Thus as Paul embarked on this missionary journey in Acts 16, he was programmed to travel through Asia encouraging his prior contacts in Asia, while exploring new ones. But God had quite different plans. Sometimes we might have a system that works efficiently for us, but at a point in time, the Spirit might desire a different route. Paul felt the Holy Spirit didn’t want him to proceed into Asia but was at a loss for the next direction. Thankfully he received a vision indicating aid was needed in Macedonia of Greece. God apparently wanted Paul to extend his ministry from Asia into Europe.

As Paul arrived in Philippi of Macedonia, he and his friends were led to the pray at the river. IT was at the river that Paul led Lydia an influential woman to Christ, who was a resource to Paul’s ministry. This speaks of the importance of prayer, in conjunction with the Holy Spirit leading. The more we pray, the more we are led by the Holy Spirit. Further the Spirit at times would impress upon us the need to pray, as he wills to lead us in fulfilling his call on our lives.

Have you ever had your paradigm shifted? Paul did. His sensitivity to the Holy Spirit would be the inception of a missionary move to the West that would ultimately result in the gospel being spread to the entire Roman Empire. As Paul writes to the Romans much later, he indicates that he has fully preached the gospel near and far. But did you know this claim would not have been accomplished had he not responded to the leading of the spirit. Maybe you have had some successes in ministry, but your prayer life is weak, or your sensitivity to the spirit’s leading is indistinct. Then may I suggest that your impact for the kingdom will be very limited. God might be speaking to you about a career change, a ministry initiative, a relationship break up, or a plethora of things. You and I naturally would respond to these situations in a predictable way, either simply to suit our fleshly desires, or to fit with our temperamental dispositions. But take time to pray, be lead of the spirit, and most of all be flexible. God’s desire is that you will be truly fruitful in your kingdom endeavours. As you endeavour to depend on God, may you bear much fruit and thus prove to be his disciple.