Acts 22:19-21
And I said, 'Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.' And He said to me, 'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
In Chapter 22 Paul gives his testimony. Paul tells how he came face to face with Jesus and heard his condemnation, ““I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” (v 9:5) He also heard Jesus' calling upon his life, to get up and go where I tell you. He then he went to Annais, and he was baptized and confirmed the calling on his life. (9:18) Later he went to church (the Temple) and he was praying to Jesus, and Jesus again called to him. And what was Paul’s response? He looked back into his past, and focused on his past, the things he had done in his past, and tried to back out of his calling. Jesus, however saw his future and the things he would do. Paul saw his past. Jesus saw his future. Paul focussed and lived into his past failings, and misguided plans. Jesus focussed lives into his future successes and great plans for him. Paul remembered and retained. Jesus forgot and forgave. Paul saw himself through eyes of condemnation. Jesus saw Paul through the eyes of grace.
Paul accepted Jesus' grace and forgiveness. He surrendered his past to Christ and Jesus then anointed his past, covered it with his blood, broke any chains it held on Paul, and sanctified it as an instrument to be used to his glory and the spreading of the gospel of grace and forgiveness. Paul accepted Jesus as his Lord, and surrendered everything to Christ including his past, and the result was this amazing testimony of his we are reading about now in Acts.
My family, Insert your name into these three versus and read them slowly out loud to yourself for a few minutes. And embrace the truth Jesus is speaking over you.
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
Therefore if _________ is in Christ, he/she is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Revelation 21:5
And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making _________ new "
Romans 8:1-2
Therefore there is now no condemnation for ________ who is in Christ Jesus.
If you accepted Jesus as your Lord, then you need to surrender everything to Christ including your past. The result will be an amazing testimony of how Christ used you to spread his gospel of free grace and forgiveness. We are in a time of praying together as a church to be guided by the Holy Spirit into new areas of ministry for us. This is only possible if we step out of the old areas. If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Lord and allowed him to set you free from your past, please pray into that today.
Now, go back up to the three verses and insert the names of at least one friend, co worker, family member, or someone you know who needs to hear these words, and pray these versus out loud over them. Ask the Holy Spirit for the boldness to call/text and share these versus with them, in Jesus’ name. Please pray I do the same. God Bless you my friends!
We are in the final chapters of Acts. Remember we are committed to:
Spend time daily in searching in the daily chapter reading.
Fast one day a week in prayer.
Spend at least one solid hour a week in prayer.
Add a lunch + prayer over your church and your ministry.