STAY IN YOUR PLACE

*STAY IN YOUR PLACE......FOLLOW THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT*
Tayo Onaleye

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Caveat: The aim of this piece is not to castigate our beloved Apostle. No. I hold him in very high esteem. But there are one or two things we can learn from his trip to Jerusalem.

Romans 15.4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

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From three different sources the apostle Paul was warned not to go to Jerusalem.

*1. He had uneasiness in his own spirit.*

Act 20:22 And now, behold, *I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem,* not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

*2. Some believers warned him.*

Act 21:4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: *who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.*

*3. A prophet warned him.*

Acts 21. 11  And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, *Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.*

 12  And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

*Lesson 1. Be led by the Spirit and not by zeal.*

It is very clear that apostle Paul was not supposed to go to Jerusalem at this point in time.

In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.

But may be because of zeal apostle Paul still went ahead to Jerusalem.

He was obviously very passionate about the salvation of the Jews.

Romans 10. 1  Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

Rom 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

But passion and zeal for something cannot replace the direction of the Holy Spirit.

The leading of the Spirit must be elevated above passion or zeal.

When there's a clash between your passion and the leading off the Holy Spirit follow the Spirit.

As a lady you may be so passionate about a guy. You love him so much. But...... if the leading of the Holy Spirit is restraining you......Follow the Spirit.

You love the lady with the whole of your soul but there's uneasiness in your spirit. Follow the Holy Spirit.

*2. When you have uneasiness in your spirit, hold on.*

The uneasiness in your spirit is a very clear signal: *don't*

Wait for inner peace.

Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts......

Phi 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Psa 85:8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, 

Your spirit is far more advanced than your mind.

Your spirit can pick signals that your mind is numb to.

Even if you don't fully understand  the signal, pay attention to it.

Pray for clarity.

Ask the Holy Spirit for the meaning of the uneasiness.

Wait and process the uneasiness.

Don't rush.

Don't be in a hurry.

Hold on until you have the inner witness of peace in your spirit..

*TWO CONSEQUENCES OF GOING TO JERUSALEM DESPITE THE WARNING OF THE SPIRIT NOT TO*

*1. Unnecessary suffering*

Apostle Paul suffered great physical torment and torture.

Persecution goes with soul winning. But not unnecessary suffering.

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

If you go to a place that you're not supposed to and suffer for it, it's not persecution. It's transgression.

Pro 27:8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

*Eventually apostle Paul spent two years in detention because of the trip to Jerusalem. Acts 24.27*

A single wrong move can cost you years!

*2.  There was no record of any soul winning on this Jerusalem adventure!*

In all the missionary journeys of the apostle he always won souls for the Lord no matter the opposition he faced but not this one.

This trip to Jerusalem is the only one in which Apostle Paul did not win any soul to the Lord.

*Unfruifulness may be a sign that you're in the wrong place.*

If you're perpetually struggling with little or nothing to show for your efforts you may want to ask yourself some sincere questions: *Am I in the right place?*

Psa 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

Later on in life apostle Paul focused on reaching the Gentiles to whom he had been called and stopped trying to win the Jerusalem Jews.

Galatians 2. 7  But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

 8  (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

Thank God for the life the great Apostle Paul..... he being dead yet speaketh (Hebrews 11.4)

Let us learn to recognize and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Let us learn to recognize and stay in our appointed place.

Peace.