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Paul: From Persecutor to Proclaimer

At any given moment, our lives can change for the better if we are ready to take advantage of the opportunity by being as prepared as possible. 


When Michael Jordan showed up at the University of North Carolina, everyone called the kid Mike, and Mike Jordan was a young, hungry athlete looking to get better and prove himself.


Mike Jordan and the Tarheels faced off against Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas in the 1981 NCAA National Championship game during his freshman season, and with 15 seconds left and down 1, Jordan made a shot that gave UNC the win and the title.


Mike Jordan then became Michael Jordan, and Jordan said that shot gave him the confidence boost he needed to take his game to the next level.


One moment can change our lives if we are ready to take advantage of the opportunity.


The story of Paul is a Biblical example of how one moment can change our lives and even the world.


Saul was a Pharisee who thought he was doing the work of God by arresting and imprisoning followers and believers of Jesus until the day he heard the voice of Jesus. 


Saul was traveling from Jerusalem to a Syrian city named Damascus with a mandate issued by the High Priest to seek out and arrest followers of Jesus and return them to Jerusalem as prisoners for questioning and possible execution.


Saul’s journey was interrupted when he saw a blinding light and heard the voice of Jesus.


Acts 9:3-9 says:

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Paul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind and did not eat or drink anything.

After this, Saul’s name shifts to Paul, and Paul becomes one of the most important people in the Bible and Christianity. Paul traveled throughout the Roman Empire to spread the message about Jesus, and he founded several churches and communities.


Paul’s story shows how God can use anyone, even people who are against Him, to spread His message and love. A popular saying says, “God does not call the qualified. He qualifies those He calls.”


Throughout the Bible, there are several examples of God using ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. God chose Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt despite his reluctance and fear. David was just a young shepherd boy who was anointed as the future king of Israel despite being overlooked by his own family. The twelve disciples who Jesus called to become His closest followers were mostly uneducated fishermen.


Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” If we seek God and trust in Him, He can use us in ways we can’t even believe or imagine, and the shift in how He uses us and the trajectory of our lives can change in one moment.


Something(s) to Think About


1 - What is your biggest takeaway from this devotional?

2 - What is one moment that has changed you and how you see yourself and the world?

3 - What is one of the hardest things you have had to go through, and what did you learn about yourself through the process?

4 - When you see someone going down the wrong path, how do you help them see the wrong in what they are doing and help them turn around and choose a better path?


My Prayer


Our Father. Thank you for the blessings you have given me. Thank you for the trials and storms that I have had to go through because I know how much I learn from adversity. Please continue to help me see the areas in my life that I need to change, and please give me the discernment and discipline I need to make positive changes. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.


For a printable PDF version of this post, click here: Paul: From Prosecutor to Proclaimer


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