That doesn't logically follow. God directed their steps elsewhere. He did not want them to go to Asia, at least just then. If he did not want the gospel preached in Asia why did Jesus tell the disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel? Or perhaps it's my logic that's wrong, and in fact Asia is not part of the world?
God could quite easily have other people evangelising in Asia, or in his own plans the timing was not exactly right.
He forbid them to preach in those areas, he had other plans for them.
Neither of us knows if anyone at the time was already preaching there, but they sought to preach there, so we can assume they knew no one was preaching there, meaning they had not heard yet the gospel. Regardless God tells us they can not believe unless they hear, and unless He sends someone to preach they can not know about Christ. And God forbid them to preach there, so they were not elect to hear the message. Perhaps at a later time. People come and go.
God sends preachers, preachers speak the Word aloud, people hear the message, if they hear God speak, then they believe and call on Him to save them. Because Faith comes by Hearing God Speak to You.
Romans 10
14 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? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith
comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:
“Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world.”
Adn even hearing a preacher speaking does not mean people are elect. Because not all have believed the message. Only the elect will believe upon hearing the Word of the Lord speaking to them.
