Acts 9: A God Encounter on the Road to Damacus

Wow! I am awed every single time I read the account of Saul's miraculous and spectacular encounter with God on the road to Damascus. "Seeing The Light" takes on a brand-new meaning when you see what God did in Saul's heart. Saul was changed on that Damascus Road encounter! It was amazing! It was public! It was spectacular! Wow! I love to see and hear of radical transformations. • He entered full of fury; he left full of the fear of God. • He entered with a hand full of authority; he left led by the hand like a child. • He entered to arrest believers; he left arrested by Jesus Himself. • He entered seeing everything but the truth; he left blind to everything but the truth. 9For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything. 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. Here I go interrupting a verse again! A disciple according to HELPS Word-studies is a learner; a follower of Christ who learns the doctrines of Scripture and the lifestyle they require) Not an apostle. Not an elder. An ordinary follower of Jesus. He didn't have any special training. He seems to come out of nowhere. God could do it all by Himself, yet He often chooses to use people. He wasn't in the temple. Yet God spoke to him in a vision. Paul says this about Ananias in Acts 22:12There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there, Now continuing verse 10 The Lord spoke to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Here I am, Lord," he answered. 11"Get up!" the Lord told him. "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." 13But Ananias answered, "Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name." 15"Go!" said the Lord. "This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for My name." 17So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. "Brother Saul," he said, "the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." He did exactly what God said to do. Simple obedience. Not easy, but simple. Yes, it was scary obedience. No fireworks. No crowd. Nothing spectacular...a godly man privately walking in obedience. And when Ananias obeyed, God showed up in a supernatural way! 18At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. I'm not chasing the spectacular, but I am pursing with all my heart my Father, Almighty God, Who still shows up in supernatural ways to deliver, heal and reveal Himself to hurting and hungry people. Father, thank you that you speak to and partner with ordinary believers. Help us to lean in to hear what you are saying in Scripture and to our spirits. Help us to obey You, Your Word, Your guidance, even when it is hard and scary. In the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen. Wow! I am awed every single time I read the account of Saul's miraculous and spectacular encounter with God on the road to Damascus. Seeing "The Light" takes on a brand new meaning when you see what God did in Saul's heart. Saul was changed on that Damascus Road encounter! He entered full of fury; he left full of the fear of God. He entered with a hand full of authority; he left led by the hand like a child. He entered to arrest believers; he left arrested by Jesus Himself. He entered seeing everything but the truth; he left blind to everything but the truth.    9For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything. 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. Here I go interrupting a verse again! A disciple according to HELPS Word-studies [1]is a learner; a follower of Christ who learns the doctrines of Scripture and the lifestyle they require) Not an apostle. Not an elder. An ordinary follower of Jesus. He didn't have any special training. He wasn't in the temple. Yet, God spoke to him in a vision. Paul says this about him in Acts 22:12There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,    Now continuing verse 10 The Lord spoke to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Here I am, Lord," he answered.   11"Get up!" the Lord told him.  "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.    12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." 13But Ananias answered, "Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.   14And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name."   15"Go!" said the Lord.  "This man is My chosen instrument  to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings,  and before the people of Israel.   16 I will show him how much he must suffer for My name."   17So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. "Brother Saul," he said, "the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."   He did exactly what God said to do. Simple obedience. Not easy, but simple. Yes, it was scary obedience. No fireworks. No crowd.   Yet God showed up in a supernatural way! 18At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food,  he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. I'm not chasing the spectacular, but I am pursing with all my heart my Father, Almighty God, Who still shows up in supernatural ways to deliver, heal and reveal Himself to hurting and hungry people.   Father, thank you that you speak to and partner with ordinary believers. Help us to lean in to hear what you are saying in Scripture and to our spirits. Help us to obey You, Your Word, Your guidance, even when it is hard and scary. In the Mighty Name of Jesus. [1] Copyright © 2021 by Discovery Bible.