Saul was one of the most feared persecutors that members of the Way ever experienced.....until Acts 9:3. Then JESUS got ahold of him and “EVERYTHING CHANGED!” Acts 9:1-2 says “But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the LORD, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to THE WAY, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”
In Acts 9:3-5 scripture records “Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And he said, "Who are you, LORD?" And HE said, "I AM JESUS, WHOM you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."
In the meantime, JESUS spoke to Ananias to go to Saul and minister to him. After being convinced that JESUS wasn’t mistaken, Ananias went and explained to Saul in Acts 9:17, “So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the LORD JESUS WHO appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the HOLY SPIRIT”! Notice JESUS didn’t have Ananias instruct Saul to repeat the “sinners prayer”, nor did he have to perform any “works” to warrant his salvation. That was ALL arranged by JESUS, the ONLY ONE WHO makes salvation possible in the first place!
Unless JESUS plucks us out of the miry clay of “this world”, we will NEVER have our EYES OPENED to SEE that we are headed straight to a devil’s hell! HE is our only HOPE! “Turning over a new leaf” will leave your life in the same condition. Saul was so CHANGED that JESUS gave him a new name, Paul. There are many labels that are associated with a CHANGED life, but when JESUS TRANSFORMS one, words cannot suffice! All we can say is that “EVERYTHING CHANGED!”
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