The Holy Spirit Sometimes Gives Us a Prophetic Word

The Holy Spirit sometimes gives us a prophetic word. In Acts 21:10-11, a prophet named Agabus approached Paul, symbolically took Paul’s belt and with it tied his own hands and feet. Then Agabus declared, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” This prophecy was fulfilled just days later as we read in Acts 21:27 and following verses.

Perhaps the truly interesting thing about this prophetic word is the two differing responses it generated. Luke records that Agabus and the other listeners “pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem” (Acts 21:12). But Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Was Paul wrong in going to Jerusalem? I don’t think so.

We assume because the Holy Spirit warns Paul what would happen to him in Jerusalem that Paul should not go. But in Acts 20:22-23, Paul revealed to the elders of Ephesus, “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.” Also, when his friends could not dissuade him from going, they responded, “The Lord’s will be done” (Acts 21:14). The Holy Spirit was indeed warning him what he would suffer in Jerusalem, but not with the intent to keep him from going.

A few years ago, I agreed to embark on a project in which I knew I would encounter spiritual opposition. On my way to an initial meeting, I had a very unusual experience. I was driving my car into downtown Anchorage in late afternoon on a February weekday. It was almost dark and snowing hard. Suddenly the thought jumped into my head that on my way home (which would then be rush-hour) my car would stall in heavy traffic and that when I would try to restart the car, the key would break off in the ignition and that I’d have to call a tow-truck to get my car home. These four distinct elements of a future occurrence simply appeared in my mind.
 
I have to be honest with you, the thought totally caught me off guard and I wondered, “Where did that come from?” I pushed the thought away and proceeded to my meeting. On my way home I was reflecting on the meeting. I pulled up to a stoplight in the right center lane of four lanes of heavy traffic and my car died. I tried to restart it and my key instantly snapped off in the ignition. Immediately I thought about the premonition I had had a couple hours earlier and thought, “This is just too weird!” I could not restart the car and had to call a wrecker to tow it home. Why the Holy Spirit would give me a preview of these events was a mystery to me!

The next morning I met with one of my spiritual partners who pastored another church in town. I shared the above incident with Ron and asked him, “What was that all about? Why would God reveal the details of something like that to me? I don’t see the point.” Without hesitation Ron replied, “God was merely reminding you that he knows every detail of your life and that nothing escapes his notice. He is sovereign.” The truths that Ron spoke to me impacted me powerfully. I was amazed how engaged and personal God is in the details of my life. (See also Luke 2:25-27 for another example of how the Holy Spirit sometimes reveals something to us and gives us specific instructions in a situation.)

© Rob Fischer 2008