Scriptures: Acts 9 v 1 - 22.
Saul of Tarsus was totally and utterly against
Christianity and the Lord's disciples. He stood by a watched as the first
Christian martyr, Stephen, was stoned to death. In this passage he is making
death threats to those who were of "this way" and obtained permission
to travel to Damascus to arrest them.
As he came near to Damascus a heavenly light shone around
him and he fell to the ground. That Light was Jesus who asked Saul why he was
persecuting Him. Saul trembled before Him and instantly submitted to Jesus
saying, Lord what do You want me to do?
Jesus told him to go into Damascus and he would receive further
instructions.
Saul was blinded by the Light and his fellow-travellers,
who had heard the voice of Jesus but seen nothing, led him to the city.
In Damascus the disciple Ananias had a vision wherein the
Lord called his name and he said, I am here Lord. Jesus told him to go to Saul
giving him the name and address of where he was staying. Jesus had also given
Saul a vision of Ananias praying for him to receive his sight.
Ananias asked the Lord to confirm his mission as he knew
that Saul had authority to arrest Christians. Jesus reassured him saying, Saul
is a chosen vessel of Mine and will take the gospel message to the Gentiles
(non-Jews). So Ananias obeyed and Saul received his sight and was baptized and
filled with the Holy Spirit.
Saul (the name means Destroyer)became Paul, meaning
Worker, immediately began preaching that Jesus is the Son of God but many were
still afraid and wanted to kill him.
He was smuggled out of Damascus and spent 3 years in the
wilderness where Jesus taught him the truth about the Law vv Grace; the life
lived in the Spirit vv fleshly lusts and thereby turned this learned former
enemy into a powerhouse for the Lord.
When did you have your Damascus Road awakening? Jesus has
a plan for everyone. Paul had no clue that his determination to arrest
Christians would be so powerfully and convincingly interrupted by God Himself.
The Pharisee was humbled and his religious pride forever broken. I had no clue
that the very night my turbulent marriage was over that Jesus would step into
my life while I was busy yelling at a God I never knew about how messed up I
was! It was the first time that God was real to me. He did not mind my anger
because I was talking to Him and He took full advantage. He talked back and
gently showed me my grievous sins and when I had admitted guilt He blotted them
out with the Blood of Jesus and forgave me.
At another
crossroads in my journey I was given Acts 22 v 10 after asking the Lord which
way I should go. It read: "And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord
said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of
all things which are appointed for thee to do." It was not to Damascus but
to a prayer meeting before dawn that I went, and the pastor gave me verse 14-15
of Acts 22 to my great surprise.
Every one of the 98 messages on this blog is an
outworking of those two verses in my life, and many other things still to be
shared. I think God chose me to do this because I never quit on anybody who
means business with our Saviour. I am eternally grateful to Him for the very
great privilege it is to call Him Lord and Redeemer and to pour out my life for
others to know Him in the fullest way.
Paul did it because he knew Jesus intimately. I do it
because I would not exchange one moment of my life in Christ for any material
thing in this world.
At the end of his life Paul said, "That I may know
Him and the power of His resurrection."
He was looking toward to this time when that resurrection power would be
fully manifested; when the vision of the Bride of Christ and the Ransom paid
for her would be made known; when the greater works would be done and the end
would come with the glorious return of Jesus Christ to this Earth to rescue
Israel from destruction in the Battle of Armageddon.
If you would like to know more of the topics mentioned
please visit the Prophetic Fire blog on http://www.propheticfire.co.za.
If you are already logged on and would like to read the
ten part vision then enter "Whom God Foreknew" into the search box.
This is Vision One. The rest are clearly numbered. There is also a study called
"The Greater Works". If you would like to contact me for comment,
prayer or questions feel free to email me on brendarethman@gmail.com.
Prayer: Heavenly Father it is so important that we have a
conversion in our hearts rather than mental assent to Your reality. I pray that
every person on Earth will have an opportunity to know You and to have Jesus as
Lord and Saviour. In Jesus' name. Amen.