PAUL’S DECISION WAS A RESULT OF LONG-RANGE PLANNING AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES.
- Purposes: adapt spiritual goals based on divine revelation.
- Priorities: what should be done first; second; third; fourth etc.
- Plans: a strategy for accomplishing his objectives.
- Prayer: submit himself and his plans to God’s sovereign will.
- Perseverance: Hindrances, delays, etc., are part of God’s sovereign will, so there is no need to be discouraged by them. The timetable only had to be adjusted.
- Presentation: He explained his decisions based on God’s moral will and his own application of wisdom.
What would make a journey prosperous? There were things to be done that would answer to the call of God and the will of God. Paul never lost sight of the "Gospel of God," having its Author be God Himself. He was a man under authority with a clearly defined commission. He referred to his commitment to serve the "Gospel of His Son," the subject of the Gospel. He knew he preached the "Gospel of Christ," so he had no question about the Power of the Gospel. To be able to declare that message under the guidance of God Himself makes any journey prosperous.
In our calling, we must never lose sight of the One who had called us and revealed to us His will. God is the Originator of the message of forgiveness by redemption contained in the Gospel. When we preach "Christ, and Him crucified," we are on the safe ground of the will of God. When we declare it is "the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes," we present what God wants people to know and open the way for their blessing. Our plans must always have this caveat, "by the will of God." It is "God who worketh in you to will and to do of His good pleasure."