Acts 9:17-18 Point Of Impact
Step 1: Pray. Select.
Today’s verse came from a notation I had during my prayer time two days ago.
Doing things in order, as God has been requiring and correcting my flesh daily this week to learn how to apply order in all things, I was called to revisit the verse of 2 Corinthians 12:11, which then led me to study Saul, the former Christian killer turned powerful disciple of Jesus. Let me tell you, friends. What a journey this has been!
As I came unto my verse this morning in Acts, speaking about Saul’s encounter on the road to Damascus and his conversion to Christianity, I felt so intrigued at the confirmation coordination of God working and bringing two men together through the acts of prayer and obedience to work a miracle.
Let’s get into it!
Step 2: Write. Read. Circle
Acts 9:17-18 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
After reading the scripture three times, the following words stood out amongst the others:
Ananias
Entered The House
Laying His Hands On Him Said
The Lord Jesus Sent Me
Step 3: Re-Write
With a focus on the words that stood out, here is the personalized sentence placed upon my heart. Don’t forget, if you are doing this alongside me today, to add your name to your unique sentence:
Jennifer, Ananias entered the home, laying his hands on him said, “The Lord Jesus sent me.” Immediately, he received his sight, arose, and was baptized.
Step 4: Visualize
The Holy Spirit has me immediately drawn into the scene. I picture Saul kneeling on the floor, praying and crying. He is alone, and in my vision, he is scared.
I can see the room is dark and made of only wood. Almost cabin-like. It is lit by a single lantern with a flickering candle inside hanging on one wall, which means nothing to him in Saul’s blinded state since he cannot see anything anyway.
I witness tears streaming down his face like waterfalls and take in his almost swollen-shut eyes from crying out to the LORD. Holy Spirit tells me that even though he would be hunted if people knew where he was staying in Damascus, he is not crying out of fear of being caught. He is crying out of the realization of the level of persecution and death he delivered to so many innocent Christians. He was previously blinded by his own knowledge, which was the belief that Christians were against Judaism, exalting himself against the gospels and any teachings of Jesus. But today, everything he previously knew ended. He will never be the same again. He was nothing but a lowly fool.
In the weakest state of his life, calling out to Jesus for forgiveness, I imagine the voices, pain, and noises of all the people he brutally killed and murdered by his hands and orders were repeating in his mind, driving him almost to the point of insanity. He must have experienced a level of torment during his time of blindness resulting from his own ignorance that most of us could not handle.
But he held tight, praying, and the LORD heard even a sinner of this nature’s cry. Wow!
Friend, the Holy Spirit has begun to shift my focus regularly on how important it is to go back to hearing the voice of God in these times.
Psalms 23:4 to mind:
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
Saul is literally in the shadow of all the deaths he caused, blinded with no light or hope. Then, the story takes its beautiful twist! Ananias bursts through the door and lays hands on Saul. In this incredible moment, Saul does not worry about Ananias’s intention or whether or not he is there to kill him for all the evil Saul has done because God already told the two men supernaturally this event would happen. By Ananias laying his hands on Saul, they both knew the prophecy was about to become reality!
From that moment forward, Saul, who is now better known as Paul, could see. It was time for him to go out and fight on behalf of the LORD and confirm the teaching of Jesus. He was known for reporting the truth about Jesus and was influential in his convictions about Jesus being the Messiah.
The main point the Holy Spirit is trying to get across this morning is that Saul was told the same thing Ananias was. This encounter was spoken about in great detail to Saul during his prayer time, and he believed in God and his words.
Ananias's obedience to rise up to the call, despite the fact it was to lay hands on a feared Christian killer, and said, “Here I am.” He also believed in God and his words. He believed God would protect him and even believed Saul was changed because God told him.
The conviction to prayer and obedience displayed by these two men astonishes me this morning.
Friends, when God speaks, believe him. When he calls, answer him. He works in so many supernatural ways that we cannot weave together. Still, the great I AM is working all things together for our good and is trustworthy in taking a blind sinner and giving him sight so everyone can see the goodness of the LORD through Jesus.
I moved to Step 5 since I had a question.
Step 5: Ask. Seek
The words that came to mind were:
Holy Spirit, as I walk beside you more closely daily, I realize I know little about how marvelous you are. How do I strengthen my belief in the messages you give me?
Step 6: Hear. Write. Receive
Here is the answer I received:
“I have given you people in your life that you may not understand now but later will confirm what I speak. This is where the believer must not walk alone. I will always answer through prayer without ceasing, but you must confirm what I speak of with other believers. This is not just for you but for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. In order to spread the word the way Jesus intends, you must stay true to his teachings. Man was never meant to be alone. With the way the world operates, which is moving in isolation, we are losing the children of God and their hope. They are circling the mountain longer than they should have. You must fight on the right side and not do what you are told by man but do the will of your Father. Give them a reason to look up and stop circling. Your Father is gentle, kind, loving, and always moving forward with abounding grace. Like Ananias, do exactly what God says, and they will know he is with you. You will never be lost in the wilderness if you stay close to me and continue preaching about your experiences and encounters. I am the great I AM. I speak to many for the salvation of a few. Find your flock. Band together and set out to move when you are called and only follow His instructions, and wherever you go, whomever you encounter will know you were sent from the LORD as an answered prayer through his instruction and confirmation. He must always go before you, and you must always remain an obedient servant. He will provide for his servant plenty, and you will be rich in your Father’s eyes and heart.”
Step 7: Pray. Confirm
Father God, I come to you through the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus.
I feel an urgency today to heal. I feel an urgency today for you to call me or show me great things. I do not see what is ahead, but by blind faith, I know it will be nothing short of miraculous.
Let every demon flee at the sound of your voice, and may every soul fly free at the bending of any and all knees. Help us raise up an army to fight on your behalf, and let us boast about the truth of Jesus and the resurrection power that now resides within us.
I come to you standing on the authority of Jesus who lives inside me to speak to the mountains and the giants causing them to fall so we can move forward on your behalf and heal the sick, the blind, and those in need as our main purpose for our lives.
I love you, LORD, and lift up your son today and always. I seal this prayer with the precious blood of Jesus and acknowledge his and Paul’s sacrifices to protect the Gospels, which will save us all in the end. Giving us life and life more abundantly as you promised. Amen!
If you used the scripture of the day and need prayer or someone to pray with you, connect Here. Remember, you are not alone.
Step 8: Share. Testify
If you workshopped any of the verses mentioned above using the 8-Step Prayer Practice, we would love to hear from you in the comments below about what the Holy Spirit showed or spoke to you today.
Remember to spread hope and share your miracle or testimony HERE. We want to see how God is working in your life!
Conclusion:
Friends, I am sitting here with my jaw on the floor at how miraculously wonderful the workings of God are.
Paul’s journey is nothing short of miraculous and a pure demonstration of how one encounter with Jesus can move your life in the direction of purpose and hope.
Let’s all be humbled at knowing that, through our mere obedience, the composer of our living world has already created a symphony of safety and beauty for us.
Show up when called, and pray without ceasing until you hear your answer. Once you hear his voice, wait; he will fight on your behalf.
Sending prayers of bravery and courage today that we all answer the call of his voice no matter what it is and know he is already working out everything for your good!
Be strong and very courageous. See you soon!
