What to Do When God Closes a Door – Part Three

Paul had a dream of going East to share the gospel “but the Spirit of God did not permit them” (Vs. 7).  When the door was closed Paul looked around for a new direction.

Notice that little word “but.”  It is an exciting one. It is a conjunction. For a definition of a conjunction turn to educational sources such as Sesame Street. They had a segment on “the conjunction function.” What is the function of a conjunction?

Conjunctions are words used to link together words, phrases, clauses, or sentences, such as, but or and.

A contrasting conjunction means what follows is different from what came before. You find them throughout the Bible. There are times God contrasts with circumstances.

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, BUT My word will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24: 35).

In Genesis 50: 20 the account is given of people ganging up on Joseph he said, “You meant it for evil against me; BUT God meant it for good (Genesis 50: 20).

“God is not the author of confusion BUT of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (I Cor. 14: 33).

“Finally, brethren, pray for us … that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. BUT the Lord is faithful who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” (II Thess. 3: 1, 2).

“There is no fear in love; BUT perfect love casts out fear” (I John 4: 18).

Jesus came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue whose daughter was dead. Jesus said she is just sleeping. Dr. Luke says, “They laughed Him to scorn, knowing she was dead. BUT He (Jesus) put them all out, took her by the hand and called, saying, ‘Little girl, arise’” (Luke 8: 53, 54).

They said, she’s dead BUT He said “little girl arise.” It is a good thing He said, “little girl arise” and not simply “arise.” He had such power that if He had simply said “arise” even Adam would have gotten up. She’s dead BUT He said, “little girl arise” and she did.

The world says to the believer “You are weak and defenseless,” BUT my “God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus our Lord” (Phil. 4: 19). 

Now the reason it was said “you” was the reason God said no to Paul. It was because God knew the gospel would be more readily received in the west and eventually America — and you.

When God says “no” we should say thank you Lord, I was about to make the wrong decision.

God loves you enough to close the wrong doors in order that He might guide you to the right one. Be patient and wait on the Lord.