Pray It Forward: Embracing God's Redirection in Uncertainty

Devotional

Day 1: When the Future is Unclear, Pray It Forward

When life’s direction becomes uncertain and plans unravel, the call is not to push harder or force your way through, but to stop and pray your way forward. God often uses obstacles and unexpected roadblocks to redirect us, opening new opportunities that we could not have foreseen. Instead of interpreting every difficulty as a failure or setback, consider that God’s grace may be at work, guiding you to a better path. Are you willing to pause, pray, and let God lead you, even if it means letting go of your own agenda? [37:52]

Acts 16:6-10 (ESV)
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Reflection: Where in your life do you sense God putting up a stop sign or redirecting your plans, and how can you respond by pausing to pray instead of pushing forward on your own strength?

Day 2: God May Change You More Than Your Circumstances

When you commit to prayer, be prepared for God to transform you from the inside out, sometimes even more than He changes your situation. Like Lydia, who went to the place of prayer seeking God and left with a completely changed heart and life, you may find that God’s greatest work is done within you. Prayer is not just about asking for solutions but about opening yourself to God’s transforming presence, even if it means stepping into the unknown or uncomfortable. [47:50]

Acts 16:13-15 (ESV)
And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

Reflection: What is one area of your heart or life you are afraid God might change if you truly surrendered it to Him in prayer today?

Day 3: The Place of Prayer Leads to the Place of Power

Sometimes, faithfully praying and following God leads not to immediate relief but to greater challenges—yet it is in these places of pain and captivity that God’s power is most clearly revealed. Paul and Silas, after being beaten and imprisoned, chose to pray and worship in their darkest hour, and God responded with miraculous deliverance and the salvation of the jailer’s household. When you find yourself stuck or suffering, remember that prayer can unleash God’s power in ways you cannot predict. [55:33]

Acts 16:25-34 (ESV)
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

Reflection: When you are in a place of pain or difficulty, how can you choose to pray and worship, trusting that God’s power may be revealed even in the midst of your struggle?

Day 4: The Gospel Grows in the Fertile Soil of Opposition

God often uses the most difficult, “stinky” situations—places of opposition, persecution, or hardship—to grow the gospel and transform lives. Just as manure prepares the soil for growth, the hardships Paul and Silas endured in prison became the very ground where the jailer and his family found salvation. When you are tempted to complain or despair in tough circumstances, remember that God may be using your situation to bring about spiritual fruit and to reach others with His love. [59:40]

Philippians 3:12 (ESV)
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Reflection: Think of a current hardship or “stinky” situation in your life—how might God be using it as fertile ground for spiritual growth or to reach someone else with the gospel?

Day 5: Be Captivated by Christ Above All Else

The ultimate example of praying it forward and surrendering to God’s will is found in Jesus, who faced the greatest obstacle—the cross—by first going to the place of prayer in Gethsemane. To be truly free and fruitful, let your heart be captivated by Christ above all else, not by comfort, popularity, or your own plans. When you are captivated by Jesus, you can endure any captivity or challenge, knowing that He is your all in all and that His love is more powerful than anything you face. [01:01:39]

Luke 22:41-42 (ESV)
And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Reflection: What is one area where you are tempted to be captivated by something other than Christ, and how can you intentionally surrender that to Him in prayer today?

Sermon Summary

Uncertainty is a part of every journey, whether it’s a road trip through a blizzard or the path of faith. When the future is unclear, the best response is to “pray it forward.” This is the lesson drawn from Paul’s second missionary journey in Acts 16. Paul and his companions set out with a clear plan, only to be repeatedly blocked—not by circumstances alone, but by the Spirit of God Himself. Sometimes, God’s grace comes in the form of a stop sign, redirecting us away from our own plans and toward His greater purposes. The challenge is to recognize when obstacles are not just random difficulties, but divine redirections.

When plans fall apart, the temptation is to push harder, to force our way through. But spiritual maturity means learning to interpret obstacles as possible guidance from God. Instead of pressing forward blindly, we are called to stop, pray, and listen. God often uses these moments to open new opportunities we never imagined, just as He did for Paul, leading him west to Macedonia instead of north to Asia. Importantly, discerning God’s will is not a solo endeavor. Paul’s team made decisions together, reminding us to seek God’s direction in community, inviting others to help us discern His voice above our own desires.

Prayer is not just a means to change our circumstances; it is the place where God changes us. Lydia, a successful businesswoman, went to the place of prayer seeking God and left transformed by the gospel. When we pray, we open ourselves to God’s work in our hearts, even when it leads us into uncomfortable or unexpected places. Sometimes, prayer leads to miraculous breakthroughs; other times, it leads us into deeper trials, as it did for Paul and Silas when their faithfulness landed them in prison. Yet even there, prayer unleashed God’s power, setting captives free and bringing salvation to the jailer and his family.

The gospel often grows in the “fertile soil” of opposition and hardship. When we are captivated by Christ above all else, we can endure any captivity or challenge, knowing that God is at work even in the most difficult circumstances. Jesus Himself modeled this, praying in Gethsemane before facing the cross. In every season—when facing obstacles, seeking direction, or enduring suffering—the invitation is the same: start at the place of prayer, be willing to be changed, and let God lead you forward.

Key Takeaways

1. Obstacles can be God’s grace in disguise. When plans are blocked and the way forward is unclear, it may be God Himself redirecting us. Rather than pushing harder, spiritual maturity means stopping to pray and being open to new directions that God may reveal, even if they weren’t part of our original plan. [39:57]
2. Discernment is best done in community. Paul and his companions made decisions together, seeking God’s will as a group rather than as individuals. Inviting others into our discernment process helps us distinguish between our own desires and God’s true leading, guarding us from self-deception and opening us to collective wisdom. [43:45]
3. Prayer changes us more than our circumstances. Like Lydia, who went to the place of prayer and left transformed, we must approach prayer not just to get answers or solutions, but to be changed ourselves. God’s primary concern is our hearts, and true prayer always leaves us different than when we began. [47:50]
4. The place of prayer is also the place of power, even in suffering. Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns in prison, and God’s power was unleashed in their darkest hour. Sometimes, prayer leads us into deeper trials, but it is precisely there that God’s presence and power are most clearly revealed, setting captives free and bringing salvation to others. [55:33]
5. The gospel flourishes in adversity when we are captivated by Christ. Hardship, opposition, and even “stinky” situations can become fertile ground for the gospel when our hearts are fully His. Like Paul, who pressed on because Christ had taken hold of him, we are called to be captivated by Jesus above all else, following His example of prayerful surrender even in the face of the greatest obstacles. [60:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[23:51] - Worship: Way Maker
[30:42] - Settling Into the New Facility
[31:41] - The Road Trip Story: Pushing Through Obstacles
[33:33] - When Plans Fall Apart: Uncertainty and Faith
[34:23] - Pray It Forward: The Next Step in Uncertainty
[35:42] - God’s Redirection: Obstacles and Opportunities
[38:11] - When Nothing Happens: Trusting God’s Hidden Work
[39:57] - Stop Signs as God’s Grace
[43:08] - Discerning God’s Will Together
[46:32] - Lydia’s Transformation at the Place of Prayer
[49:21] - Prayer Changes Us
[52:20] - The Slave Girl and Spiritual Opposition
[54:21] - Prayer in Prison: Suffering and Power
[56:40] - The Jailer’s Salvation: Captivity and Freedom
[59:08] - The Gospel Grows in Adversity
[61:10] - Being Captivated by Christ
[61:39] - Jesus: Our Example in Prayer and Surrender
[63:12] - Responding in Prayer and Worship

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 16:6-34 (ESV) — > 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
>
> 11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
>
> 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
>
> 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
>
> 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

Observation Questions

What were the specific ways the Holy Spirit redirected Paul and his companions during their journey? (Acts 16:6-10)
What happened when Paul and Silas went to the place of prayer in Philippi, and who did they meet there? (Acts 16:13-15)
How did Paul and Silas respond when they were thrown into prison, and what was the result of their response? (Acts 16:25-34)
According to the sermon, what is the significance of the word “we” in Acts 16:10, and how did the group make decisions together? [[43:45]]

Interpretation Questions

The sermon suggests that sometimes obstacles are actually God’s way of redirecting us. How can someone tell the difference between a random difficulty and a “stop sign” from God? [[39:57]]
Why is it important to seek God’s direction in community, rather than making big decisions alone? What are some dangers of trying to discern God’s will by yourself? [[43:45]]
The story of Lydia shows that prayer can change a person more than their circumstances. What does this mean for how we approach prayer, especially when we want God to change our situation? [[47:50]]
Paul and Silas experienced suffering even though they were faithful and prayerful. What does their story teach about the relationship between prayer, suffering, and God’s power? [[55:33]]

Application Questions

Think about a time when your plans were blocked or didn’t work out. Looking back, do you see any signs that God might have been redirecting you? How did you respond at the time? [[39:57]]
Are you currently facing an obstacle or “stop sign” in your life? Instead of pushing harder, what would it look like for you to “pray it forward” and be open to a new direction from God? [[40:15]]
Who are the people you invite into your decision-making process when you’re seeking God’s will? Is there someone you need to include for more wisdom and accountability? [[43:45]]
When you pray, do you usually ask God to change your circumstances, or are you open to Him changing you? What might change in your prayer life if you focused more on being changed than on getting answers? [[47:50]]
Paul and Silas prayed and worshiped even in prison. Is there a difficult or “stinky” situation in your life right now where you need to choose prayer and worship instead of complaining or giving up? [[55:33]]
The gospel often grows in the “fertile soil” of hardship. Can you think of a time when God used a hard season in your life to help someone else or to grow your faith? [[59:08]]
Jesus prayed in Gethsemane before facing the cross. What does His example teach you about surrendering your plans and desires to God, especially when the way forward is hard? [[01:01:39]]

Sermon Clips

Have you ever felt uncertain about the direction that you were going and what to do next? Maybe you had a plan, you were pretty clear about the plan, and now everything's not working according to plan. Things are changing. Should you give up? Should you go back? Maybe you were very certain that God had called you, but now everything seems confusing and complicated. Maybe your marriage is going off the road and you have no idea what to do next. Maybe you've got a job that started out great, but now it's not working out and it feels like it's spinning out of control. Do I just keep going until I find myself in the ditch? Do I stop where I am? Do I go back? As we travel with Paul on this second missionary journey, we're going to learn a very important faith lesson. And here it. When the future is unclear, pray it forward. [00:33:33] (56 seconds) #prayItForward

Sometimes God's grace in your life is a stop sign. A stop sign could be the grace of God in your life. And that, I think is a message that God's laid on my heart that I feel like I need to say to some of you in the room today. Maybe this is the one thing you need to hear this morning. Stop. Stop whatever it is you're trying to make happen. Stop fighting. Stop pushing. Stop arguing. Start praying. Start praying. Commit yourself to praying your way forward. [00:39:46] (41 seconds) #prayDontPush

Any of you kind of pushy on your own agenda when you hit an obstacle I can be. Let's pray our way forward instead of pushing our way forward. See, it takes great maturity to be able to see obstacles, to interpret obstacles as spirit inspired, as possibly from God. Yet we see it in scripture. [00:40:27] (20 seconds) #GodAsObstacle

Here's the problem, at least in my life, and my guess is in yours sometimes as well, I can look for the signs that I want to see. In fact, I can kind of paint my own signs and put them up and go, look, the sign says, go that way. Okay, that must be God. I made the sign. But when we bring other people along, they can kind of help us go, was that you, or is that really God? Because that's not what I'm seeing. [00:44:21] (24 seconds) #prayerChangesYou

When you go to prayer, you are going to be changed. When you go to prayer, is that your purpose? It should be. You are going to be changed because it is you that God wants. Don't forget that. I mean, we're all worried about our circumstances and our happenings in our life and our problems and our obstacles, and our God is concerned about us. You are the one that will be changed when you pray. [00:49:06] (26 seconds) #prayerStartsEverything

Maybe you've been in a meeting, a church meeting. And I did this, just this last week. I caught myself doing this. We were done with the meeting. I said, well, let's wrap this up with prayer. And that's a good thing. But sometimes I think what it is is that we talk and we talk and we talk and we plan and then we just go, okay, now let's put a little prayer bow on top. A little, little, Please bless all the things I decided and planned, God. And let's put a little prayer bow on top. Let's wrap this up with prayer. Maybe we need to start at the place of prayer. Let's start at the place of prayer like Paul did. [00:50:32] (29 seconds) #prayWhereYouAre

Sometimes God puts you in some pretty stinky situations. I think being in the middle of that jail probably smelled. I mean, like the jail probably smelled, not to mention how stinky the situation was. And yet criminals heard the gospel, the jailer was saved. Because Paul and Silas were willing to be captives of Christ first, less concerned about being captives of man. The Gospel grows in the fertile soil of things that stink sometimes. [00:59:46] (27 seconds) #captivatedByChristAlone

He is our greatest example of everything. I just taught you. When he was going to the biggest obstacle of all times, the cross, when he was on his way there out of love to die for me and you, to pay the penalty for our sin, and that obstacle stood before him, what did he do? First he went into the garden called Gethsemane and he prayed it forward. He poured out his heart to God, said, this looks hard. Is there another way? But if not God, Father, you have my heart and I will go through this obstacle if that's where you're leading me. He is our example. [01:01:22] (42 seconds)

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