(Read Acts 9:1-19)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to learn more about the amazing life of the Apostle Paul. Let’s go back to something we covered in yesterday’s message.
The Lord spoke to Ananias in a vision, saying, “Ananias! Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas.” First of all, I want to mention the fact that I have always found it comical that God sent Saul to “Straight Street” to get straight. God has a sense of humor.
God continued, “When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” Notice that while Saul was blind and fasting for three days, he was praying. The man who at one moment seemed to be on top of his world — with open access to the religious leadership, and the tremendous power to have people arrested, beaten and imprisoned — was now all alone, fasting, praying, and seeking the God he had been mistakenly fighting against for years. Saul had arrived at the place we all have… to the end of himself. He was no longer running his own life. He was no longer the Captain of his own ship.
The Lord said to Ananias, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” Saul was about to receive the assignment to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles at a time and place when it was going to cost him dearly. For Saul to fulfill his life’s assignment he was going to have to endure hardship like very few before or after. The Lord did not sugar-coat the assignment. Paul’s road was a tough one, but both the road and the Grace to travel down it were provided by God. God made it clear to the Paul what he was going to have to do, what it was going to cost him, and how he was going to be able to do it… by Grace!
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. You don’t truly tap into the power of Grace until you get to the end of yourself. There are two positions you need to fill in your own life: the cross and the throne. If you are sitting on the throne in your life, completely in charge, operating at the Captain of your own ship, then Jesus is still on the cross and He is dead to you. However, if you put Jesus on the throne, making Him your Lord, then that means that you are left to occupy the cross, dying to self, and it is then and only then that you will understand the power of Grace. Grace is free to flow when you get out of the way!
2. God provides you both the path and the Grace to travel down it. God gave Paul specific instructions about the path he was to travel in life, and although Paul’s path was very difficult, along with the path, God gave Paul the Grace to not just endure it, but to enjoy it! When writing to his Spiritual son Timothy, Paul wrote, “God has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace” (2 Tim 1:9). Notice that God gives us our purpose and along with it, the Grace to fulfill it. So whatever God expects you to do, He equips you to do, and whatever He equips you to do, He expects you to do.
3. You have the Grace to run your own race. Paul did not get Peter’s assignment, nor did Peter get his. Peter was called to the Jews and Paul was called to the Gentiles. One could make the argument that Peter’s path was easier than Paul’s, but there is no need to compare, because we will only be judged by our own assignment. Don’t waste your time competing with others, in some sort of competitive jealousy, because they have their own race and their own Grace. Your job is to run your own race. You only have Grace to be YOU!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for helping me to understand that getting to the end of myself is not a bad thing. There was a time in my life when I thought that getting to the end of myself was bad, when realizing that I was inadequate was the acknowledgement of failure. However, I now realize that my true strength comes in my weakness. Your strength is made perfect in my weakness. Your power is free to flow when my power runs out. So I freely take the position of the cross, dying to self, so that Jesus can take the position of the throne in my life, serving as my Lord. I am not the Captain of my own ship. I am not ashamed to call You my Lord and to acknowledge You as my King. It is liberating to me to say that You in charge. Dying to self means living in YOU! And as I live in You, completing relying on Your power, You give me both the path to my purpose and the Grace to fulfill it. You show me where to go and You also provide me the power to get there. You tell me what to do and You also give me the power to do it. You tell me what You expect, and You also equip me to accomplish it. You have given me the Grace to run the race You set before me before the foundations of the world, and by faith I shall access to the Grace to run it. I declare that I shall FIND, FOLLOW and FINISH my purpose in life before I die. I shall arrive at Your desired destination for my life. I shall maximize the purpose and potential You have placed in me. And I won’t waste time trying to be someone else. Other people have their own race with their own grace. You have only graced me to be ME, so I shall be the ME You called me to BE! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
