We cannot open another person's heart to the Gospel because the Lord alone opens hearts.
In Acts 16:14, Lydia heard Paul, yet her heart did not open until the Lord opened it. Les Feldick stresses that even the apostle's preaching was not enough; the Holy Spirit must do the opening work before a person can attend to the truth.
Acts 16:14 — This verse directly answers the question: the Lord opened Lydia's heart, not Paul.
In Acts 16:14, the Bible describes Lydia as a worshiper of God who heard Paul and Silas, but she could not respond savingly until the Lord opened her heart. The text explicitly says, "whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul." 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 explains why the Gospel does not get through to the lost: "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Romans 10:14-15 also shows that human preachers are still necessary to carry the message, but preachers themselves must be sent by God.
Les Feldick teaches that believers must do their part by opening the Scriptures and sharing the Word, but they cannot force anyone to believe. He uses Lydia in Acts 16 to show that Paul did not open her heart—the Lord did. It was not Paul's "fancy preaching" that got through to her; it was the Lord's work in her heart. Les explains that lost people are blinded by the god of this world, and until God strips away that blindness, even believers are helpless. The Holy Spirit must open both the spiritual heart and the spiritual understanding. After the Lord opens a heart, the person can then attend to the truth of Scripture. Les also emphasizes that God has left His Word in the hands of human beings, not angels. Believers are ambassadors for Christ and ministers of reconciliation. God uses one human instrument to lead another to salvation, but the opening work always belongs to God.
Lydia was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira. She worshiped God and had some knowledge of God, but she was still lost. Neither Paul nor anyone else opened her heart—the Lord did. Only after the Lord opened her heart did she attend to the things spoken by Paul.
Les Feldick teaches that talking until you are blue in the face will not get anyone saved. The Holy Spirit is the One who opens the heart. Satan, described as the god of this world, blinds the minds of the lost, and only God can strip away that blindness. The Lord must open both the heart and the spiritual eyes before the Gospel can take root.
Les Feldick says believers must be there with the truth of Scripture when the Lord opens a heart. God has left His Word in the hands of human beings, not angels. Believers are ambassadors for Christ and are called to share the Word. God uses human instruments to reach other humans, so believers should be skilled in Scripture and ready to show others what the Word really says.
God Must Go Ahead of Us
Les explains that even though believers are sent to proclaim the Word, no one can do anything unless God goes ahead of them.
Blinded by the God of This World
Les teaches that the god of this world blinds lost minds, and unless God strips away that blindness, even believers are helpless.
Lydia's Heart Opened by the Lord
Les points to Acts 16:14 to show that Paul and Barnabas did not open Lydia's heart—the Lord did.
God Makes the First Move
Les stresses that it was not Paul's exciting preaching that reached Lydia; the Lord opened her heart first, and then she attended to Paul's words.
Holy Spirit Opens the Heart
Les says human words alone, even spoken until blue in the face, get nobody; it is when the Holy Spirit opens the heart that people respond.
Religious but Lost
Les observes that Lydia was religious and had knowledge of God, but she was still lost and blinded by Satan until the Lord opened her spiritual understanding.
Believers Must Be Present with Truth
Les teaches there is nothing we can do to win a lost person until the Lord opens their heart, and then believers must be there with the truth of Scripture.
God Uses Human Instruments
Les explains that God has left His Word in the hands of people, not angels, and uses one human instrument to lead another to salvation.
Acts 16:14: And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
This is the key verse showing that the Lord, not Paul, opened Lydia's heart.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
This explains the spiritual blindness that only God can remove.
Romans 10:14-15: How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
This shows the need for preachers but also that preachers must be sent by God.
2 Corinthians 5:20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
This gives the believer's role as an ambassador, while the opening work remains God's.
Les Feldick says Lydia was religious and had knowledge of God, but she was still lost. Her eyes were blinded by Satan like anyone else. The Lord had to open her spiritual understanding before she could attend to Paul's words.
No. Les teaches that we can open the Scriptures and explain the truth, but we cannot force anyone to believe. The Lord must open the heart, and then the person will attend to the truth spoken.
Believers are called to be ambassadors for Christ and to share the Word. God leaves His Word in human hands and uses believers to reach others. When the Lord opens a heart, we must be there with the truth of Scripture.
Watch the Teaching: What It Really Means to Be Saved - Romans 10:9 Explained