Bold and unstoppable vessels of God

Acts 9:5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

Galatians 1: 15-17 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

One of the greatest Chapter in the Bible is Acts 9:1-19, the conversion of Paul. In a letter to the churches in Galatia, Paul also writes in Galatians 1:11-24 his own conversion story. In verse 15 he states: But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace. Paul was called and prepared from his mother’s womb for the great task, God had planned for him. He was born in Tarsus (modern-day Turkey and may God raise up apostles like Paul in Turkey again and in all other countries around the world), he grew up as a very zealous Jew trained at the feet of Gamaliel, a leader in the Jewish Sanhedrin, and a very influential Pharisee. Paul received the best Jewish education. As a devoted Pharisee he opposed and persecuted the Christians passionately.

When Jesus revealed Himself to him, he had the same zeal to advance the Kingdom of God. He came out of Jewish traditions and met Jesus, the light of the world. He recognized the Messiah, who is the Savior of the whole world.

God orchestrated in this conversion miraculously not only in Paul’s Damascus experience, but also used a saint in Damascus, named Ananias. This disciple was tuned to hear God's voice. Jesus gave him detailed instructions, which he followed. The Lord sent Ananias to Paul and prophesized over Paul’s life:Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. God also used Barnabas in various ways. He introduced Paul to the apostles and later searched for Paul to bring him to the great church of Antioch.

Even the stoning of Stephen, could not stop this pharisee and did not change his heart, when Stephen prayed: “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” (See Acts 7:54-60) But how greatly God answered Stephen’s prayer and what kind of anointing, Christian love, and testimony he exemplified. Soon Paul would be driven by the same passion and love towards God and men.

It took the personal intervention of Jesus to stop this man on his way to Damascus and after his conversion, Paul was trained and taught by God Himself. (See Galatians 1 verse 12 For I neither received it (annot. the Gospel) of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Verse 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. He was not taught by the Jerusalem church, but was prepared by God to be an Apostle to all people, Jews and Gentiles alike.

God’s prophecy spoken over Paul’s life by Ananias came to pass in this unstoppable vessel of God. 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 Are they ministers of Christ? - I speak as a fool - I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness - besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

Our geneation needs men like Paul and saints like Ananias and Barnabas and most likely it also will cost the lives of some Stevens in these last days. God has prepared anointed and unstoppable vessels from unexpected places in this world, through whom He can glorify Himself in this end tirme revival.

Lord, help us in this end time harvest to see your prayer request in Matthew 9:38 answered: Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. There are men like Paul, Ananias, Barnabas and even some Stevens somewhere and saints that make the ground shake when they are praying (Acts 4:23-31) and doing all the supernatural and mighty things and more that the early church did by the power of the Holy Ghost and through the blood and the name of Jesus. Hallelujah! ra

Additional scriptures for further study: Matthew 5:14-16, 28:18-20; Romans 12,10–11; Acts 9:1-43, 17:30, 22:3; 26:16-18; 1 Corinthians 9:20-22; 2 Timothy 2:15, 4:7-8.