Sauls To Pauls

One thing I began to do in the last 2 years, is to pray for many modern day Sauls to be transformed by the Lord into Paul type converts.   Now if you don’t know your Bible, Saul was one who persecuted followers of Jesus and swore to wipe out the new Christian Church.  Then one day on the road to Damascus, Saul was blinded for a time by the Lord, see Acts chapter 9.  Thereafter he was transformed into a believer of Jesus Christ.  He went on to teach and preach and write 13 books of the New Testament. Wow!

This is what Paul himself wrote in 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (NIV) I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.  Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.  The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason, I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

You know there are many people today with the notion that what happened in the Bible 2000 or more years ago cannot happen today.  Well, God says he is the alpha and the omega in Revelations 22:13.   He was here from the beginning and will be here in the end.  I ask?  Why would God change?  Why would he not be able to do those things today?  So, I pray for many of the things he did back then to happen once again.  I don’t just believe He can do these things; I know He can, and I pray He will.

One of those things, (and I would love for many to pray this) is that many Saul type people in our time, could be transformed, just as Saul was, into sold-out believers in Jesus Christ.  This would change the trajectory of our nation and the world.   How wonderful would that be! How glorious and fun it would be to watch it unfold before our very eyes.  I would suggest that we do not say a general prayer, but that we name people in our prayers.  We need to pray like this every day until we see the change.

As Christ followers, we have been given authority as in Luke10:19. We must acknowledge and accept it, and apply it to how we pray, move forward with courage, and walk in authority and love.

  I Timothy 1:5-6 (NIV) The goal is this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.

Let us not live a meaningless life full of insignificant activities.  With love, in our prayers and in our speech, may we be a wall when we stand up physically and spiritually in our authority.  May we not retreat and lay down, thus becoming a door mat for the enemy to trample on.

Think of it this way, the breakthroughs we seek could be as close as a few prayers away.  Maybe the change we need, could be a vote, a few petitions or a few NOs away.  God only knows but I stand on his word.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for prayer.  I don’t believe we will ever know this side of Heaven; how powerful it is.  Give us boldness and discernment.  May we stand in your love and authority every day.  May we live with courage and conviction not fear and apathy.  Give us the courage of David facing all our giants.  May the rocks (prayers) in our sling bring the natural and the spiritual giants down.  Lord many of us are like you, we wish that none should perish.  Our wish is that those who are full of ignorance and unbelief as Paul confessed, will all come into a right relationship with you, the Lord God Almighty through Jesus Christ, and change the course of their lives and ours.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

God Bless

Sally