When God Opens the Heart
- Baptist Daily Devotional
- Sep 11
- 3 min read
Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | September 11 2025 | Acts 16:11-15
KEY VERSE: “One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” Acts 16:14 (NIV)
MESSAGE:
Luke emphasised the importance of women in Macedonia coming to Christ. Lydia was a merchant of expensive cloth, and she was the first of several whom Luke mentioned in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. Paul also confirmed the importance of women in the Macedonian churches. Conversion is not ultimately about persuasion or eloquence - it is about God’s Spirit at work in the human heart. Lydia was already a worshiper, but she needed God’s touch to fully respond to the gospel. Luke emphasised that Paul's mission to Europe began with the conversion of a prominent woman and her household. The Holy Spirit was giving birth to an exciting new chapter of growth in Jesus' church (Acts 1:8). This passage reminds us that salvation is a divine work, faith is a personal response, and transformation flows into visible obedience. The three key lessons are: God is the one who opens hearts, The gospel requires a response, and Transformation begins with the heart.
The text reveals that God is the one who opens hearts. Lydia listened to Paul’s preaching, but it was the Lord who opened her heart. Human words may enter the ear, but only God’s Spirit penetrates the heart (John 6:44; Ezekiel 36:26). When we share the gospel, we must depend on the Holy Spirit, not just human effort. We also learn that the Gospel requires a response. God opened Lydia’s heart, and she responded to Paul’s message. Hearing is not enough; genuine faith responds with trust, obedience, and surrender (Romans 10:17). The final lesson is that transformation begins with the heart. Lydia’s open heart led to an open life: she was baptised, and her home became a place of ministry (v.15). When God changes the heart, everything else begins to change—priorities, actions, and relationships. True transformation is evident when faith takes root in everyday living.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Do you rely on God’s Spirit to open hearts when you witness, or are you depending only on your words? How are you personally responding to God’s Word today? Only God can open the heart, but we must respond with faith and obedience. When the heart is transformed by grace, the whole life is changed for God’s glory.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, thank You for being the One who opens hearts. Open my heart daily to Your Word, and use me as an instrument to point others to You. May my response to You be obedience, and may my life reflect true transformation that brings You glory. For Your dear Name’s sake. Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 254: Job 29–31 — Job’s Final Defense
DAILY word study: OPENED
The word “opened” in Acts 16:14 comes from the Greek dianoigō, meaning “to open fully, to cause to understand, to make clear.”
It implies more than physical opening—it is the Spirit’s work of unlocking the mind and heart to receive truth. Lydia listened to Paul, but God caused her heart to grasp and respond to the gospel.
Reflect on this:
No matter how clearly we speak, only God can open hearts. Our task is to share faithfully, trusting the Spirit to bring understanding, conviction, and transformation.
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