Verses 15-21  15 "Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, 16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. 17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: 21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand."         

Our boldness or confidence in preaching the gospel comes from the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.  If it were not for the grace of God, then we could not speak of God's grace and of the wonderful works that he has done for us and to us according to his covenant of redemption.  Because of the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can have boldness in the things that we speak or write as we are led of the Spirit.  One of the purposes of preaching the gospel is to put the Lord's people in mind of the wonderful works of God and of our need to present our bodies a living sacrifice, which is holy and acceptable unto God.           

Paul tells us that he was the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.  This ministry came as a result of the grace of God and the working of the Holy Spirit.  God called him to this ministry and then directed him in his labors, giving him understanding of what he was to do and say.  One of the purposes of Paul's ministry and subsequently of our ministry  is "that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost."  The Lord said that they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth.  Without the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration and without the leadership of the Spirit in the preaching and receiving of the word of God, then there can be no true worship.  Likewise, without the truth we cannot worship God acceptably.  Therefore, for the spiritual offerings of the Gentiles to be acceptable unto God, they must be according to the leadership of the Spirit and they must be according to the truth.           

We preach that the children of God might be instructed in the truth and that they may worship and serve God acceptably.           

"I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God."  Paul had no desire to glory or boast in the things that he had done.  He did, however, feel confident in boasting in the works of God and what God has done for his people.  It is okay to boast in what God has done.  We can glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.  Two more verses that substantiate this statement are: 

1.  1 Cor 1:31 "That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." 

2.  2 Cor 10:17 "But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me."  Another way of saying this is, "I will only speak of those things which Christ hath wrought by me."  Paul uses the negative to show us the folly in boasting of another man's works, even if those works seem to be led of the Spirit.  The problem in boasting of another man's works is that man will let you down and will disappoint you at times.  God will never let you down or disappoint you.          

"To make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God."  Paul could speak with authority of the Lord's dealing with him and with the Lord's working in him.  He could speak with the Spirit working in him to make the Gentiles obedient to the word of God and the true worship and service of God by word and by deed.  He could also speak of the manifestation of the power of the Spirit of God in the mighty signs and wonders wrought by the Spirit through Paul as an apostle of Jesus Christ.           

"So that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: 21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand."  Paul was an apostle and was laying the foundation of the gospel as he was directed of the Spirit of God.  One of the lessons taught to us in this passage is that God will direct our labors and each man's labor will be his own.  As far as directing the labors of the gospel ministry the passage in Acts chapter 16 is very instructive: 6 "Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them."         

Our field of labor is where the Holy Spirit directs us.  This is true of the evangelist and it is true of pastors and teachers: Acts 20:28 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."  It is the Holy Ghost who makes someone an overseer of a local congregation, just as it is the Holy Ghost who directs the labors of the evangelist. 

Verses 22-24   5:22 "For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. 23 But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; 24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company."           

The cause to which Paul refers is the cause of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the edifying and building up of the Gentiles.  The church at Rome consisted primarily of Gentiles.           

Some people take hindrances as a sign they are not directed of the Holy Spirit.  Paul did not teach this.  He had been hindered from going to Rome, yet he did not believe the Holy Spirit had hindered him.  There are going to be hindrances in our service to God and to his people.  Paul spoke of adversarial hindrances at Ephesis: 1 Cor. 16:8 "But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries."  To the church at Thessalonica Paul wrote of Satan's hindrances: 1 Thes. 2:18 "Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us."         

"But now having no more place in these parts."  Paul was saying that his labor was finished where he had been residing and that he was being directed to go elsewhere.          

"Having a great desire these many years to come unto you," This desire, no doubt, had been wrought in Paul by the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit had given Paul a great desire to go to the brethren at Rome for many years, but he had been hindered from going there for some time.  We are not told of the nature of those hindrances.           

"Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company."  Paul had been burdened by the Spirit to go and labor in Spain.  Along the journey to Spain, Paul would come by the church in Rome and promised to spend time with them preaching the gospel to them.