“SAUL, A CHANGED MAN”

Acts 9:10-19

In these verses (v.10-19), the Lord is giving definite instructions to Ananias on where to locate Saul and the fact that he is quite a changed man.  The Lord knows how to transform our behavior – one of harming others to one where we need help from others!  This young violent persecutor, who was bent on assailing the saints of God in Damascus, was stricken by a heavy light from heaven, being reduced to a level of helplessness.  Now, we find this young violent Saul of Tarsus in solitary blindness for three days, devoid of food and water (Acts 9:8-9).

As a result of Saul’s dramatic Damascus Road Experience, he has been changed from a fierce persecutor to a firm praying saint.  He is now a tremendous prayer warrior. During Saul’s Damascus Road experience, Saul was made aware that the Lord is Sovereign over the affairs of men; thus, He can transform our little intents and overwhelm us with His ultimate purpose for our lives.  God’s ultimate purpose for our lives will never be frustrated because of any event that transpires in this life; in essence, God’s purpose will never be negated by any leader, for Proverbs 21:1, states: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will.” God’s ultimate design for our lives will be achieved, regardless to the variegated circumstances we may encounter, for Romans 8:28, says: ”And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

From Saul’s tremendous Damascus Road Experience, the Sovereign Lord was calling Saul to a life of Christian service. God states two vital reasons for calling Saul: first, to bear the name of Jesus, and to suffer for Jesus.  Saul will become the great Apostle to the Gentiles.  Saul will bear the Lord’s name among Kings, including Nero. Saul will have the opportunity to preach to those in governmental authority (Acts 13:7; 17:19; 24:22-27; 26:1-7).  Saul will also have the opportunity to bear the gospel in the synagogues with his own people (Acts 13:14; 14:1; 17:1; 18:1-4); and when they rejected the message, he then turned to the Gentiles.  Saul was also told that bearing the message will cause some pain and suffering. Indeed, this young man did incur some pain and suffering as he proclaimed the message of Christ (Acts 9:23-24; 14:5-6, 19-20; 16:19-24).

In closing, this young, once violent and ranked sinner, whose intent was to “destroy the way”, has gone through a tremendous and remarkable change, for now he is called “Brother Saul” by Ananias now ( Acts 9:17).   And, after receiving his physical sight and being filled by the Holy Spirit, he was baptized and in communion with other believers in Damascus (v. 18-19). By God’s grace through faith in Christ, God can transform any rank sinner to a fervent saint! The Apostle Paul truly testified about God’s grace and he was grateful that the Lord had placed him in the ministry, for he said on one occasion:” And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 1:12-14).

Paul’s call into the ministry and the intervention of God’s grace served as an humbling experience, for he said: “And last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the Apostles, that am not meet to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am:  and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”  God’s grace truly had arrested Saul and His grace has made a difference in our lives!

May God Bless!