The Holy Spirit Orchestrates the 2nd Missionary Journey

Acts 15:1-35 — The Second Missionary Journey

A major theme in the Book of Acts is how the Holy Spirit directed the spread of the Gospel. So far, He came down on the Apostles at Pentecost when three thousands got saved (Acts 2). He enabled the Apostle Peter address the Sanhedrin with boldness (Acts 4). He was a Witness to the work of the Lord Jesus and the Apostles and against the leadership in Jerusalem when they put the Apostles on trial (Acts 5). He enabled the ministry of the seven (Acts 6). He strengthened Stephen and gave him a vision of heaven as he was being stoned (Acts 7). He confirmed the acceptance of the Samaritans into the Body of Christ when the Apostles prayed them to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8). He directed Philip to preach to the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:29). He filled the Apostle Paul to empower him for his ministry ahead when Ananias prayed for him after the Lord Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:17). He comforted the church after the heavy persecution surrounding the stoning of Stephen (Acts 9:31). He came down on Cornelius's household and interrupted the Apostle Peter's speech to them to usher in Gentiles into the Church (Acts 10). He initiated the first missionary journey by instructing the church in Antioch to assign Paul and Barnabas to the work of the ministry (Acts 13:2-4). He supernaturally empowered the Apostle Paul to bring judgment on Elymas in Paphos (Acts 13:9f).  He comforted the new converts in Pisidian Antioch and filled them with joy (Acts 13:52). He confirmed the Gospel of salvation by faith at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:28). Now, in Acts 16, we see the Holy Spirit continues His ministry directing the spread of the Gospel.

The Apostle Paul's second missionary journey canonically* started at the end of Acts 15 when the Lord used the dissension between Paul and Barnabas over John Mark to create not one but two missionary teams (see blog post for relevant background on John Mark). Luke records that Paul and Silas, then, "went through Syria" and also "Cilicia" in Minor Asia where the Apostle Paul is from.  The Apostle Paul then began going through the cities he has evangelized on his first missionary journey, Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium where he also had Timothy join his missionary team. However, afterward, "they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in [Minor] Asia" (Acts 16:6). Instead, Paul saw a vision of "a man of Macedonia" pleading for Paul to "Come over to Macedonia and help" them (Acts 16:9). The missionary team's immediate response was to begin their journey toward Macedonia. The change in pronouns to the plural first person, "we", indicates that Luke joined the missionary team then.

So...what's the application here?
Should we seek visions from the Holy Spirit to direct our ministry?

The answer is an unequivocal NO!

Here are a few reasons:
1. Notice that the Apostle Paul was not seeking a vision. He was merely trying to spread the Gospel the best he can to the areas accessible to him around his home.
2. Notice that the Holy Spirit used a variety of ways to direct the spread of the Gospel. Sometimes He used persecution. Other times, he brought comfort and joy.
3. Seeking visions and signs presumes on God but also says the Scripture is not all-sufficient to direct our lives. Although the Holy Spirit may chose to use supernatural ways to direct our lives, typically He uses the Word of God which is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).

*Chronologically, the second missionary journey started shortly after the Jerusalem Council around A.D. 49 .