“I WENT AWAY TO ARABIA!”

Acts 9:18-22                             (ESV)

“18 And immediately something like scales fell from his (Saul’s) eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;

19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

20 And immediately he proclaimed JESUS in the synagogues, saying, "He is the SON of GOD."

21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?"

22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that JESUS was the CHRIST.”

Galatians 1:15-19                     (ESV)

“15 But when HE who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by HIS grace,

16 was pleased to reveal his SON to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY CONSULT WITH ANYONE;

17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but “I WENT AWAY INTO ARABIA”, and returned again to Damascus.

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.

19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the LORD’S brother.”

The Apostle Paul was, without a doubt, one of the most devout Believers of the New Testament.  Yes, the same person who had previously murdered some Believers, and delivered some over to the “Jews”!  JESUS told Ananias to “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry MY name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of MY name."  Paul demonstrated an obedience to GOD that few others ever have, but only AFTER he was converted.  

Paul went to Arabia AFTER his calling by ALMIGHTY GOD.   It wasn’t the time frame that many would have imagined, but GOD is in the business of doing things HIS Way, NOT according to man’s idea of what is right!  GOD displayed that Saul/Paul was SOLELY led by the SPIRIT OF GOD, and not of man, even the other disciples.  We can speculate why GOD worked in this manner, but venture to say that Paul needed to show that the HOLY SPIRIT was directing him, not man!  When he went to Arabia, he didn’t have any “church leaders” to sway his thoughts on what he believed.  He only had the SPIRIT OF GOD to direct his thoughts and mind.  

Demonstrating that the HOLY SPIRIT is guiding your life isn’t for the weak nor immature.  Paul went to Arabia and Damascus for three years, not necessarily to get away from others (perhaps those he preferred to not be around), but to be alone with GOD and to get familiar with GOD’S Voice!  Moses was on Mount Sinai in Arabia when he got the Ten Commandments from GOD.  Now Paul was in Arabia getting his own instructions from GOD!  

Are we operating in such an intense environment that we are precluded from hearing from ALMIGHTY GOD?  Maybe “I WENT AWAY INTO ARABIA” should be an option for us to consider?  No, we don’t have to go to the Middle East to the dessert sands of Saudi Arabia, but we definitely need to get alone with GOD where interruptions are removed from our sight and our total focus is on HIM!  Don’t limit what GOD can and will do when “I WENT AWAY TO ARABIA!”