With pen in hand he wrote words to describe it. With power from above God wrote it with his life. I am speaking of the great truth and promise we find in Ephesians 3:20-21 where God had inspired the Apostle Paul to write, "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
He had stood by "in hearty agreement" with putting Stephen to death. With the smell of anger and death in the air, he had witnessed the stones striking Stephen, one after another until he lay on the ground lifeless. It is likely that he had heard Stephen call out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" and I am certain that he heard Stephen as "he cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against them!"
This was only the beginning as Saul began to ravage and persecute the church, trying "to destroy it". The scripture tells us that he entered "house after house" and drug off men and women to put them in prison. The cries of their children were ineffective in deterring him from this course of zealous aggression. But Jesus had promised to build His church and that "the gates of Hades shall not overpower it."
It was no secret who Saul was and what it was that he was intent on accomplishing. I am convinced that Christians were imploring the Lord to stop him. To intervene and by whatever means necessary, keep him from continuing his attack on the Church. I suppose that members of the body of Christ were praying this in Jerusalem as well as in Damascus.
The believers in Damascus knew why he was coming to their city. They were aware that he had been granted authority from the Chief Priests to bind all who called upon the name of Jesus and return them to Jerusalem for punishment. Surely there were saints in Damascus asking the Lord, pleading with the Lord, to intercede on their behalf and on the behalf of all who called on His name.
But I don't suppose that any of them (no not one) would have ever thought of what God was going to do. Perhaps there was some dear saint who quietly prayed for Saul's salvation. But like us, I would suggest that most were just asking God to intervene and stop his assault upon the Church.
God answered their prayers, but He most assuredly did so, "exceeding abundantly beyond" all that they asked or thought. God did indeed stop Saul's assault on His Church and its people. He did so by revealing to him the truth of Jesus and as Paul would later write, putting him into service. Not only did He cause him to be born again, He made him an Apostle. He made him a preacher of the Gospel, a steward of the gospel of grace, a writer of at least 13 New Testament epistles; 14 if you include Hebrews. In Christ, he was a tremendous evangelist and mentor to others. He was used by God to be the teacher of many, if not most, of the fundamental truths of our faith. He was "caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak." He contended for the truth as he fought the good fight, finished the course and kept the faith. He was poured out as a drink offering.
Believers wanted God to intervene and stop Saul from persecuting His Church. But in time they would learn a great lesson that we can all rejoice with confidence in. God "is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think". This is worth a resounding hallelujah from His children!
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