THE KING’S BUSINESS
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3:15). At all events he was already a dis ciple when Paul met him on this visit to Lystra (v. 1). Yet he received the Holy Spirit as a definite experience through the laying on of Paul’s hands (2 Tim. 1:6, 7). So it is plain that one may be a disciple some time without definitely receiving the Holy Spirit. This shows, as so many other passages in the Acts of the Apostles do, how unscriptural is the position held by some, that every believer has the Holy Spirit as an actual definite experience. The receiving of the Holy Spirit often comes some considerable time after conversion., There need, however, be no such interim. If we claim all there is for us in a cruci fied, risen Saviour we would definitely receive the Holy Spirit at the time of con version, as occurred in the household of Cornelius and as occurred on the day of Pentecost. But though Timothy had not yet received the Holy Spirit he was already a man of recognized promise because of his gifts. Paul showed a spirit of loving con cession in circumcising Timothy. There was no need that Timothy be circumcised, but to avoid all unnecessary controversy and opposition, Paul circumcised him “because of the Jews.” This shows how far Paul was from that; spirit that makes a matter of principle and conscience out of every little point of form. Paul’s tour was eminently successful. First of all, “the churches were strengthened in the faith;” and in the second place “they increased in number daily.” Asia here does not mean our modern Asia, nor even Asia Minor, but a portion of Asia Minor, the Roman province of Asia. We read how Paul was under the constant guidance of the Holy Spirit. This does not mean that Paul waited for some inward impulse before going forward or undertaking new work. He pushed on, doing the next thing that lay at hand unless the Spirit said “Don’t,” and in that case he stopped at once and turned in some Monday, February 5 . Acts 16 : 6 - 8 .
1 other direction. Paul’s idea of guidance was evidently quite different from that of some well-meaning but mistaken fanatics. He was so constrained by the love of Christ to preach the Gospel wherever he could that he needed the Jloly Spirit rather to say “stop,” than to say “go.” Many nowadays who claim to be Spirit-filled and led, sit with folded hands for hours and days waiting for the Spirit to say “go.” Where is the need of that? God has already said “Go” in Hi's Word (Mark 16:15). But still one’s ears should be ever open for the Spirit’s gentle voice, and if He says “Do not go there,” we should stop at .once whether we understand why or not. It was some time before Paul found out why, but he obeyed at once, and the larger call soon came. But the time for Paul to' speak the Word in Asia had not come yet, so the Holy Spirit said to him, “You must not speak the Word in Asia.” The time came later when Paul was per mitted to speak in Asia.' The Holy Spirit not only knows where we should' speak, but at what time we should speak in that place. .* It is perfectly proper for us to go out and preach the Word in places at one time where it would not be proper for us to go at other times. It probably seemed strange to Paul that he should be forbid den to-speak the Word of God in a place that was right before him, but he wisely obeyed and asked no questions. So when the. Spirit of God makes known to us the will of God, we sometimes cannot under stand it, nevertheless we should obey at once. If we would speak the right word in the right place at the right time in the right way we must look to the Holy Spirit for His guidance at every step, and if we thus look to Him He will give His guid ance. When the time came for Paul to speak “the Word of the Lord” in Asia, wonderful results followed (ch. 19:1, 8 y 10, 26, 27). If at this time Paul had dis obeyed the Spirit and followed his own inclination and judgment there would have been no such results. Though Paul was forbidden by the Spirit to speak the Word
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