“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, we which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
(Ephesians 2:10)
There comes a time in our walks of faith where God begins to reveal His plans for our lives, and in so doing presents opportunities like doors that give us entry into places He has determined we walk before we were born. There are many pictures of “doors” in the Bible.
We know God can make a way for us when there seems to be no way. We must also remember that when God opens a door He also gives us strength to go through it. He never gives us more than we can bear. When He closes a door, we should not try to force our way through. He knows what is best for us.
Alexander Graham Bell said:
“When one door closes, another one opens, but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us.”
Sometimes God, in His Sovereignty allows doors to close because He has a better plan a different perspective than you or I.
God allowed the doors to close to Paul when he sought to go to Bithynia in order to open a new ministry to Europe.
The Lord allowed several doors to close to Paul in order for Him to gain greater understanding of the Lord’s ability to speak through the Holy Spirit’s prohibiting him from going into Asia.
Sometimes, we learn more from unanswered prayer than when we get our way….
The Lord used the closed doors to teach Paul more about what He did NOT want him to do.
Sometimes, things have to get worse before they can get better. In seeking God’s will it is important for us to know what we are not to do as well as what we are to do and where we are to go. Otherwise, we would think that God automatically guides us with a supernatural GPS system.
Thomas Edison had to fail with over 300 experiments before he finally landed on the right type of filament for the electric light bulb.
Inevitably Paul would learn by experience to develop patience and character.
Paul later wrote in Romans 5:1-5: “Tribulation works patience, and patience proven character and proven character hope and hope does not disappoint because the love of God is poured in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who is given to us.”
God knows what He works in us is more important than what He does through us.
Because of the ministry God gave Paul in Macedonia he was able to start a vibrant church in the city of Philippi, leading a demon possessed girl to Christ and deliver her from the power of Satan.
He also lead the Philippian jailer to Christ and his whole household.
Sometimes closed doors allow us to see much greater fruit than if we would have gotten our original prayers answered.
Never despair when things don’t appear to be Going your way because God may have something far greater for you to accomplish through another means…….
Because God changed doors from what Paul thought was best he was also able to influence and lead other people he did not know in their lives.
Paul was able to teach Timothy, Silas and Dr. Luke as they accompanied him on his DETOURED journey. In Acts 16:10 the use of the pronoun we says that Paul worked together in the fellowship of other godly men who partnered with him in this new exciting adventure sharing his burdens and joys.
After 22 years of captivity, Joseph was able to say to his brothers, “You meant my captivity and slavery for evil but God turned it for good for the saving of many lives.” (Gen 50;10)
We have to remember that God has a much bigger plan than our own interests when it comes to the fulfilling of His will for our lives. Paul’s life was a living sacrifice being poured out for the sake of bringing MANY to the Savior and into maturity.
Maybe today you’re finding it hard to try opening doors YOU feel God has presented for you but are having difficulty opening it. Perhaps God has a different door a different direction.
How do you know the door you’re looking at is the “right” door?
In Revelation 3:8 Jesus says to the 7th church in Philadelphia, “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name.”
If you’re weary and of little strength, maybe from struggling to force the door open it’s time to know for sure.
God can keep the door open even if we weaken.
Jesus says in John 10:9 that “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
Pray, seek God, be faithful in reading through the whole Bible and He will speak to you and direct you, open a door “no man can shut.”
Walking the Berean Road 