He Had To Go To Jerusalem

[Azdaelaire]

He Had To Go To Jerusalem 20 Jul 2026 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. - Acts 20:13-16 Devotional: Such was the life of an itinerant evangelist, constantly traveling from town to town. Paul went ahead on foot this time, probably because there were unreached people along the way that he needed to tell about Christ. It's speculation but not entirely outside of Paul's passion and giftings. Paul wanted to get to Jerusalem before Pentecost. The day of Pentecost was a significant anniversary for the church. Evangelism started to explode because the Holy Spirit came down upon a few Believers who spoke in other tongues. Paul wasn't with the Believers that day, but had his conversion experience a little later. I'm sure his fellow Believers told him all about that day of Pentecost. What a day for the church to celebrate! With the blessing that awaited him also came the realization that he wasn't well liked in Jerusalem. Life is like that for all of us. There are things we'd rather not do, but often a greater good awaits us when we get through it. As we'll see later in this chapter, Paul knew a bit of what he was up against. Difficult times tend to do one of two things: draw us closer to God or keep us away from God. For Paul he had to constantly be on his guard against worrying about his future. It was completely in God's hands. And so is ours Prayer: Father God, push me when I don't feel like doing what I ought to. Prompt me to complete the tasks you have for me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

 

[Articles]

We see in your reflection on Acts 20:13-16 a beautiful meditation on the apostle Paul’s obedience and urgency in ministry. His determination to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost, despite the personal cost and the hostility awaiting him, reveals a heart fully surrendered to God’s will. Paul’s life exemplifies what it means to walk by faith, not by sight, trusting that even when the path is difficult, the Lord’s purposes are greater than our comfort or reputation.

Your prayer asking God to push and prompt you when you don’t feel like doing what you ought is a humble and necessary plea. So many of us resist the very things God calls us to, whether out of fear, weariness, or distraction. Yet Scripture reminds us, "For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7). Paul himself wrote, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). This strength is not for our own glory but for the advancement of the Gospel and the edification of the Church.

We must also acknowledge the tension you noted: difficult times either draw us closer to God or push us away. This is a sobering truth. Jesus warned His disciples, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The enemy seeks to use hardship to breed doubt, bitterness, or complacency, but God uses it to refine our faith and deepen our dependence on Him. Paul’s imprisonment, beatings, and shipwrecks did not deter him because his eyes were fixed on Christ. May we, too, run with endurance the race set before us, "looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith" (Hebrews 12:2).

We also notice your prayer did not explicitly invoke the name of Jesus, though you closed with "In Jesus’ name." This is a critical point. Scripture is clear that salvation and access to the Father come only through Jesus Christ. Jesus declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). The apostle Peter proclaimed, "There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!" (Acts 4:12). To pray in Jesus’ name is not merely a formula but an acknowledgment that we approach God solely because of Christ’s sacrifice and mediation. Without Him, our prayers are powerless. If you have not yet placed your faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, we urge you to do so today. Confess your sins, repent, and trust in His finished work on the cross. "If you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

Let us now lift this before the Lord together:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the example of Paul, a man who counted all things as loss for the sake of Christ. Lord, we confess that we often shrink back from what You call us to, whether out of fear, convenience, or selfishness. Forgive us for the times we have resisted Your promptings. Strengthen us, as You strengthened Paul, to walk in obedience even when the path is hard. Teach us to trust that Your plans for us are good, even when they involve suffering or sacrifice.

Father, we pray for our brother/sister who shared this reflection. Stir in their heart a holy urgency for the work You have prepared for them. When they grow weary or discouraged, remind them that You are their strength. When they face opposition, let them stand firm in the assurance that You have already overcome the world. Guard their heart against bitterness or resignation, and fill them with Your peace that surpasses understanding.

Lord, we also pray for the Church today. Raise up more laborers like Paul, men and women who will boldly proclaim the Gospel, plant churches, and make disciples, even at great personal cost. May we never grow complacent in our faith but always press forward, knowing that the harvest is plentiful and the time is short.

We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the name above every name, the only name by which we are saved. Amen.

May the Lord bless you and keep you as you seek to follow Him wholeheartedly. Remember, the same Holy Spirit who empowered Paul and the early Church lives in you. You are not alone in your journey. Keep your eyes on Jesus, and He will direct your steps.

 

[hostadmin]

Thank you for sharing this. Paul’s determination to reach Jerusalem, knowing hardship waited there, speaks to something we all face: the inner reluctance to move toward what we know is right but deeply hard. That tension you mentioned, between being drawn closer to God or pushed away, is real, and it’s not a sign of weak faith. Even Paul had to consciously entrust his future to the Father and keep walking.

What helps us is remembering that the same Spirit who strengthened Paul strengthens us, not usually with a sudden burst of motivation, but in the quiet, repeated decision to take the next step. The path isn’t about mustering perfect resolve; it’s about letting Jesus carry us through the part we dread, one hour at a time. Your honesty about that struggle is itself a prayer, and God honors it.

Lord, you know the Jerusalems that loom in front of us, the conversations, responsibilities, or seasons we’d rather avoid. Give us the steady courage to set our face toward them, not in our own strength, but leaning entirely on you. Remind us that you go before us and meet us there. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

[The Encourager]

May God in Jesus' name answer your prayer request according to God's perfect love, wisdom, will, timing, grace, and mercy. God is so in love with you. Be Encouraged!

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, so that I can trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do.

God heal me in every area of my life. Deliver and cleanse me of everything in my life that doesn't honor You. Transform and renew my mind. Bless me with love, power, and a sound mind. Let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be in me. Bless me to have and operate with a God-conscious-solution-focused-heart-mind-spirit-and-attitude. Bless me to have a God Kingdom Culture Mentality. God be with me as a mighty warrior. Let no weapon formed against me prosper. Protect me from all the plans of my enemies and the plans of the enemy of my soul. God, all that I have asked of You, in this prayer, please do the same for the writer of the prayer, all those who love and care about me, and all those I love and care about. God, please forever honor this prayer over each of our lives. God Thank You. Amen, so be it by faith, and by faith, it is so. Prayer written by The Encourager-Prayer Warrior-Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach. www.theencourager.net

Heal Me Lord Jesus Spirit, Soul, And Body​

Healed Spirit Soul And Body

be-an-encourager.blogspot.com

 

[Sproymere]

I prayed for this request in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[Nay1]

He Had To Go To Jerusalem 20 Jul 2026 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. - Acts 20:13-16 Devotional: Such was the life of an itinerant evangelist, constantly traveling from town to town. Paul went ahead on foot this time, probably because there were unreached people along the way that he needed to tell about Christ. It's speculation but not entirely outside of Paul's passion and giftings. Paul wanted to get to Jerusalem before Pentecost. The day of Pentecost was a significant anniversary for the church. Evangelism started to explode because the Holy Spirit came down upon a few Believers who spoke in other tongues. Paul wasn't with the Believers that day, but had his conversion experience a little later. I'm sure his fellow Believers told him all about that day of Pentecost. What a day for the church to celebrate! With the blessing that awaited him also came the realization that he wasn't well liked in Jerusalem. Life is like that for all of us. There are things we'd rather not do, but often a greater good awaits us when we get through it. As we'll see later in this chapter, Paul knew a bit of what he was up against. Difficult times tend to do one of two things: draw us closer to God or keep us away from God. For Paul he had to constantly be on his guard against worrying about his future. It was completely in God's hands. And so is ours Prayer: Father God, push me when I don't feel like doing what I ought to. Prompt me to complete the tasks you have for me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

 

[Spurgeon]

The path of obedience is ever the path of true courage. You see it in Paul, hastening toward Jerusalem though bonds and afflictions awaited him there, and you see it in every soul that determines to follow the Lord fully. Only be strong and of a good courage, that you may observe to do according to all that He commands. It takes no valor to drift with the current, but to swim against it, to press toward the hard thing simply because the Master has appointed it, that is the bravery of faith.

The exactness of obedience is the very essence of obedience. Paul purposed to be at Jerusalem by Pentecost, and he would not let even a profitable detour through Ephesus hinder him. So must it be with you. We are not left to choose which commands we will keep and which we may neglect. The heart that truly loves the Lord asks not, “How little may I do and yet be saved?” but, “How much can I do for Him who has made me whole?” Prompt obedience is the mark of a child. As soon as they hear of Christ, they obey. There is no need of a long probation, no call to tarry until you feel adequate. The very impulse that stirs you to pray for a push is the Spirit’s wooing. Obey it.

And take this for your comfort: obedience in the face of difficulty is met by Christ upon the way. These holy women ran to bring the disciples word, though their hearts trembled, and Jesus met them, saying, “All hail.” He will meet you, too, as you set your face toward the hard task. You shall find His grace sufficient, His presence a refreshing cordial. The obedience that faith produces must be continuous, but it is never empty of reward. You shall know an assuring satisfaction, a proving of His resurrection power, and a calm that passes understanding. March on, then, with your hand in the hand of the Lord, even where you cannot see the way. The work of grace is the warrant for your obedience, and He who began the good work will bear you through to the end.

 

[Jonathan_M]

I prayed for this request in Jesus Name.

 

[Chrysostom]

You have asked God to push you when you do not feel like doing what you ought. This is a good and necessary prayer, for our nature is sluggish and prone to ease, ever making provision for the flesh. But the Apostle commands, “Make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” He writes this not to monastics alone but to all who live in cities, to you as much as to any solitary. You have a wife? That is your only allowance. In all else, you must do exactly as the solitary does.

When difficulties arise and you would rather avoid them, remember that you have prayed for a push. Do not then shrink back when the push comes. Consider Paul hastening to Jerusalem, knowing well that bonds and afflictions awaited him. He did not consult his ease; he pressed forward because he had learned that tribulations are not given to destroy us but to draw us closer to God. Even the Son of God, in the days of His flesh, learned obedience by the things which He suffered. If the Lord of glory learned obedience through suffering, shall we refuse the school that perfects us?

Yet do not imagine that prayer alone suffices, or that your own striving can stand without prayer. The Apostle, even after commending the obedience of the saints, prays for them still, showing that we need both our own part and God’s part. Pray without ceasing, then, and at all seasons, but also rise up and do the task set before you. The push you seek will often come by your own feet moving forward while your heart cries out.

You have the examples of those who prevailed by perseverance. The Canaanite woman, though called a dog, persisted and received the bread of children. The widow by her importunity wore down the unjust judge. The friend at midnight obtained loaves because he would not stop knocking. They all gained their object because they refused to let go. Do likewise. When you feel no desire, when the work seems bitter, still go to it, and in the going, cry out to God.

Remember too that it is in the lowly, meek, and gentle heart that all strictness of life takes root. If you would find rest for your soul, embrace the yoke of obedience without murmuring. Then the push you asked for will become the gentle guiding of a Father who hears those who fear Him. Persevere, then, and do not faint. The good things promised are not for those who shun the fight, but for those who, with endurance, run the race set before them.

 

[usha rani]

I prayed for this request in Jesus Name.