March 21, 2009 - From Prosecutor To Preacher

Meditation on Acts 9

Saul was a prosecutor against early Christians dragging them to jails. In fact he was a persecutor who was among those who consented to Stephen's death.

But on the road to Damascus, he was blinded by a shining light from heaven. He heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!" (v. 3-5 New Living Translation)

When a person is persecuting Christians, he is persecuting Jesus Himself. Jesus will deal with the persecutor one way or another. The book of Revelation indicated that Jesus will revenge for His saints.

In the case of Saul, he was led to the city of Samaria. And Jesus sent a disciple name Ananias to heal him because Saul had seen and believed in Jesus. Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. (v. 17-18) Saul then was commissioned by Jesus through Ananias to be a missionary for Jesus. After he regained his strength, he began preaching about Jesus immediately.

We need more courageous people like Ananias who dared to confront and pray for Christian haters today as the Holy Spirit so leads. God can use us to witness to a prosecutor of Christians and turn him into a preacher.