DON'T LET GOD HAVE TO KNOCK YOU DOWN TO GET YOUR ATTENTION

 

DON'T LET GOD HAVE TO KNOCK YOU DOWN TO GET YOUR ATTENTION

PROCLAMATION

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus; and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, ‘Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?’  And he said, ‘Who art Thou, Lord?’  And The Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.’ ”  Acts 9:3-5 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke records that Saul was present when they stoned Stephen. (Acts 7:57-58)  After that Saul went from house to house arresting believing men and women and putting them in prison. (Acts 8:3)  Then Saul went to the high priest and requested letters authorizing him to arrest any believers he found in Damascus and to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2)  He was on his way to Damascus when The Lord God knocked him to the ground, spoke to him, and blinded him. (Acts 9:3-7)  The men with him heard a sound but saw no man.  When Saul got up from the ground they led him by hand to Damascus.  He was there for three days without food or drink. (Acts 9:8-9)  After three days, The Lord God told Ananias to lay his hands on Saul to restore his sight.  At first Ananias was reluctant because of Saul’s reputation, but he did as The Lord God told him and Saul regained his sight. (Acts 9:10-18)  Saul was baptized and began to preach about Christ. (Acts 9:18-20)  Those who heard him were amazed and confused because of his reputation for arresting believers.  The more he preached, the more the Jewish leaders got upset with him and soon they were plotting to kill him. (Acts 9:21-24)  The disciples hid him from them, and then Barnabas took him to the apostles and told them how he had preached boldly in Damascus.  Then Saul joined them in Jerusalem and continued to preach in the name of Jesus. (Acts 9:25-29)   

APPLICATION

Saul was a zealous persecutor of believers until he had an encounter with The Lord God on the road to Damascus.  The Lord had to knock him down and blind him in order to get his attention.  He became a believer after that encounter with The Lord.  Like the Apostle Thomas who would not believe that Christ rose from the dead until he saw proof for himself, (John 20:25-29) Saul did not believe until he had a personal experience with The Lord.  Jesus said, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)  Don’t let The Lord God have to knock you down in order to get your attention.  If we hear His voice, we ought to listen to Him, invite Him into our lives, and obey Him. (Revelation 3:20)