Anything Is Possible - Saul's Conversion
Anything Is Possible – Saul’s Conversion
The Guinness World Record is the documentation of the things people have been able to do that normally seem impossible or no one else have done before. There is no better record of impossible things becoming possible than the Bible. With the documented proofs of miracles and signs and wonders, what else could we ask for? In Acts 9, we come to one of those wonders of the world. Saul, the persecutor and harasser of believers in Christ is now a believer.
This type of miracle is clear evidence that the Holy Spirit is in-charge and has been establishing the Church with little assistance from man’s intervention.
Welcome to an incredible and amazing story of Saul’s (who was also called Paul, Acts 13:9) conversion. There is HOPE for everyone.
Acts 9: 1-19:
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered.
11The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
13"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
15But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. “Saul was there, giving approval to his (Stephen’s) death” “Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, dragged off men and women and put them in prison” (Acts 8:1 and 3). These are the insights we have of the havoc Saul was causing on the early Church in Jerusalem. As far as any member of the Church at that time is concerned, Saul was the number one enemy of the Church. I don’t know how many of them were praying for his conversion. This is a hard prayer to pray. However, we know that Stephen prayed for him just before his last breath – “Lord do not hold this sin against them”.
2. The enemy does not give up. Saul was now going beyond Jerusalem to bring back those believers in Christ who already fled to Damascus from Jerusalem or lived there. When the enemy is at work, he can only go but so far after you and me. God has everything under control and knows the exact time to say “hands off”.
3. Notice how the believers were referred to in the early time. Saul was looking for those who “belonged to the Way”. Remember Jesus said “I am the Way”. Are you following the Way or any ways? There is only one Way. Jesus is the only Way to the Father God. I am sorry, this is non-negotiable. It is not being intolerant of the other religions. However, I am willing to be called intolerant for my belief that Jesus is the only Way.
4. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me” Who can stand the voice of the Creator and Maker of all things. Jesus sees every insult, hatred, or persecution against any of his people as done against Him. Saul did not have any choice that to melt under the awesomeness of God. I believe Jesus must have showed Saul himself on the cross and showed him how much he loved him to die for Saul. It is the love of God that draws to Himself and in addition to the terror of an awesome God.
5. God has chosen us for his purpose before the foundation of the world. “This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." vs.15 &16. Everything Jesus said here became true for Apostle Paul. Paul was a key instrument in spreading the good news of Jesus and he suffered for it. The funny thing is that you never know who God has chosen until it is manifested. As result, we cannot write anyone off.
6. Our God is precise and to the point with specifics. Notice the instruction to Ananias. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street” vs.11. It can’t be any more precise than this. When God is in it, the direction is clear. We may have our doubts but God is clear and He is not the author of confusion.
7. Look at the instant acceptance of Saul by Ananias because God has already spoken and he believed God. We must accept each other by faith because of what God has already done for us and not until we clean up our acts. Ananias referred to Saul as “Brother Saul”. From enemy number one to Brother Saul?
8. Ananias said to Saul, Jesus sent me “so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit”. This is the message. We are pointing people to see Jesus so that they can be filled with God himself (the Holy Spirit).
9. Saul obeyed immediately. “He got up and was baptized”. He has seen the better of two worlds and needed no more convincing. Most people who are yet to believe in Christ are seeing only one version and have chosen to only see the world’s version suppressing the truth of God. Our job is to help people see the heavenly vision of salvation.
Who could believe this story of Saul’s conversion except you and me? This is what God can do and does when He ordains to transform a life. He did it in each of our lives who believe. It is a miracle that we can see God and be a house for Him to dwell. To God be the Glory for the great thing he has done. Now watch out for Saul (Paul) in the later chapters of the Book of Acts.
Do you know a Saul (a murderer, persecutor, harasser and etc) in your life that needs God’s mercy? Pray that God will knock him/her from their high horse. Do not write off anyone. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26. Let’s give God all of our impossibilities today. Will you? Amen.
The Guinness World Record is the documentation of the things people have been able to do that normally seem impossible or no one else have done before. There is no better record of impossible things becoming possible than the Bible. With the documented proofs of miracles and signs and wonders, what else could we ask for? In Acts 9, we come to one of those wonders of the world. Saul, the persecutor and harasser of believers in Christ is now a believer.
This type of miracle is clear evidence that the Holy Spirit is in-charge and has been establishing the Church with little assistance from man’s intervention.
Welcome to an incredible and amazing story of Saul’s (who was also called Paul, Acts 13:9) conversion. There is HOPE for everyone.
Acts 9: 1-19:
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered.
11The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
13"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
15But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. “Saul was there, giving approval to his (Stephen’s) death” “Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, dragged off men and women and put them in prison” (Acts 8:1 and 3). These are the insights we have of the havoc Saul was causing on the early Church in Jerusalem. As far as any member of the Church at that time is concerned, Saul was the number one enemy of the Church. I don’t know how many of them were praying for his conversion. This is a hard prayer to pray. However, we know that Stephen prayed for him just before his last breath – “Lord do not hold this sin against them”.
2. The enemy does not give up. Saul was now going beyond Jerusalem to bring back those believers in Christ who already fled to Damascus from Jerusalem or lived there. When the enemy is at work, he can only go but so far after you and me. God has everything under control and knows the exact time to say “hands off”.
3. Notice how the believers were referred to in the early time. Saul was looking for those who “belonged to the Way”. Remember Jesus said “I am the Way”. Are you following the Way or any ways? There is only one Way. Jesus is the only Way to the Father God. I am sorry, this is non-negotiable. It is not being intolerant of the other religions. However, I am willing to be called intolerant for my belief that Jesus is the only Way.
4. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me” Who can stand the voice of the Creator and Maker of all things. Jesus sees every insult, hatred, or persecution against any of his people as done against Him. Saul did not have any choice that to melt under the awesomeness of God. I believe Jesus must have showed Saul himself on the cross and showed him how much he loved him to die for Saul. It is the love of God that draws to Himself and in addition to the terror of an awesome God.
5. God has chosen us for his purpose before the foundation of the world. “This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." vs.15 &16. Everything Jesus said here became true for Apostle Paul. Paul was a key instrument in spreading the good news of Jesus and he suffered for it. The funny thing is that you never know who God has chosen until it is manifested. As result, we cannot write anyone off.
6. Our God is precise and to the point with specifics. Notice the instruction to Ananias. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street” vs.11. It can’t be any more precise than this. When God is in it, the direction is clear. We may have our doubts but God is clear and He is not the author of confusion.
7. Look at the instant acceptance of Saul by Ananias because God has already spoken and he believed God. We must accept each other by faith because of what God has already done for us and not until we clean up our acts. Ananias referred to Saul as “Brother Saul”. From enemy number one to Brother Saul?
8. Ananias said to Saul, Jesus sent me “so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit”. This is the message. We are pointing people to see Jesus so that they can be filled with God himself (the Holy Spirit).
9. Saul obeyed immediately. “He got up and was baptized”. He has seen the better of two worlds and needed no more convincing. Most people who are yet to believe in Christ are seeing only one version and have chosen to only see the world’s version suppressing the truth of God. Our job is to help people see the heavenly vision of salvation.
Who could believe this story of Saul’s conversion except you and me? This is what God can do and does when He ordains to transform a life. He did it in each of our lives who believe. It is a miracle that we can see God and be a house for Him to dwell. To God be the Glory for the great thing he has done. Now watch out for Saul (Paul) in the later chapters of the Book of Acts.
Do you know a Saul (a murderer, persecutor, harasser and etc) in your life that needs God’s mercy? Pray that God will knock him/her from their high horse. Do not write off anyone. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26. Let’s give God all of our impossibilities today. Will you? Amen.
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