Acts 9:1-9
Imagine being so zealous for the Lord that in the name of God, you feel you are somehow commissioned to kill the very ones He came to save. Welcome to the dangers of religion. Unfortunately, religion breeds and “us and them” mentality that goes against everything God is.
Consider John 3:17:
“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
Yet how many people take it upon themselves to be judge, jury, and executioner. Saul, a Pharisee, felt so threatened by the message of Jesus, that he was “eager to kill” the Lord’s followers. That is some bad theology there.
The Lord took this personally and decided to give Saul a visit that he would not soon forget and it changed the course of his life forever.
Imagine coming face to face, under the control of your “supposed” enemy. Jesus knocks Saul off his high horse and speaks directly to him by name. “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Who are you, Lord?” Saul asks. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.”
What do you think was going through Saul mind at this moment? He probably thought he is going to die, because that was how he viewed God, as vengeful and full of retribution. Thankfully, Saul is about to become acquainted with the true Way; yet it seems the Lord put him in time out for a few days to reflect on this moment. He was blind from the Heavenly light that shown around him and very much at the mercy of those around him. I am sure the Lord was teaching him a message even in that.
I am reminded of a Scripture that certainly rings true in this case:
“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
Proverbs 19:21 NLT
You never want to find yourself fighting against the purposes of God.
Interestingly, years later as Saul, who was later became known as Paul, gave his defense before King Agrippa and recounted this event in his life in Acts 26:12-18:
““One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’ “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’”
“It is useless for you to fight against my will.” At some point, we all must come to grips with the fact that God runs the show and that He has a plan for each of us. We choose whether we do things His way or ours. Eventually, hopefully sooner, we realize that it is useless for us to fight against His will.
Consider John 3:17:
“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
Yet how many people take it upon themselves to be judge, jury, and executioner. Saul, a Pharisee, felt so threatened by the message of Jesus, that he was “eager to kill” the Lord’s followers. That is some bad theology there.
The Lord took this personally and decided to give Saul a visit that he would not soon forget and it changed the course of his life forever.
Imagine coming face to face, under the control of your “supposed” enemy. Jesus knocks Saul off his high horse and speaks directly to him by name. “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Who are you, Lord?” Saul asks. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.”
What do you think was going through Saul mind at this moment? He probably thought he is going to die, because that was how he viewed God, as vengeful and full of retribution. Thankfully, Saul is about to become acquainted with the true Way; yet it seems the Lord put him in time out for a few days to reflect on this moment. He was blind from the Heavenly light that shown around him and very much at the mercy of those around him. I am sure the Lord was teaching him a message even in that.
I am reminded of a Scripture that certainly rings true in this case:
“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
Proverbs 19:21 NLT
You never want to find yourself fighting against the purposes of God.
Interestingly, years later as Saul, who was later became known as Paul, gave his defense before King Agrippa and recounted this event in his life in Acts 26:12-18:
““One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’ “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’”
“It is useless for you to fight against my will.” At some point, we all must come to grips with the fact that God runs the show and that He has a plan for each of us. We choose whether we do things His way or ours. Eventually, hopefully sooner, we realize that it is useless for us to fight against His will.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
Matthew 4:3-11John 1:32-34John 1:45-51John 2:6-11John 2:13-17John 2:18-25John 3:13-17John 3:18-21John 3:27-32, 36John 4:3-10John 4:11-15John 4:16-21John 4:22-26John 4:27-30John 4:31-38John 4:39-42John 4:46-53Mark 1:21-28Matthew 5:1-6Matthew 5:7-12Matthew 5:13-16Matthew 5:17-20Matthew 5:21-26Matthew 5:27-30Matthew 5:31-32
February
Matthew 5:33-37Matthew 5:38-42Matthew 5:43-48Matthew 6:1-4Matthew 6:5-13Matthew 6:14-18Matthew 6:19-21Matthew 6:22-23Matthew 6:24-30Matthew 6:31-34Matthew 7:1-5Matthew 7:6Matthew 7:7-11Matthew 7:12Matthew 7:13-14Matthew 7:15-20Matthew 7:21-23Matthew 7:24-29Matthew 8:1-4Matthew 8:5-12Matthew 8:14-17Matthew 8:18-22Matthew 8:23-27Matthew 8:28-34
March
Sunday 3-1-26Luke 7:11-17Mark 5:25-34Mark 5:22-42Matthew 10:1-8Matthew 10:38-40Matthew 11:28-30Matthew 12:33-37Matthew 12:46-50Matthew 10:10-13Mark 4:13-20Matthew 13:36-43Matthew 13:44-46Matthew 13:47-52Matthew 13:53-58Matthew 14:14-21Matthew 14:24-33Matthew 14:34-36John 6:29-35Matthew 5:1-9Matthew 15:10-20Matthew 15:21-28Matthew 15:29-31Matthew 15:32-39Matthew 17:14-20Hebrews 10:24-25Matthew 8:1-6Matthew18:18-20
Categories
no categories
No Comments