Life Transforming Vision
While living under the open heavens, there will be breakthroughs, miracles, blessings, healings, financial deliverance, spread of ministry and more.
It is only when we know the vision of God in our lives, does our life really change. God has only given sight to those who need to move and walk forward. Vision and sight are two different things. Vision is greater than sight. Vision is the destination that we need to reach. It is the future that we see ourselves having. It is the idea of the life that we want to have. Mission is the means and way (the route) to reach our mission.
Vision can be life transformative. We can see it from the life of the Apostle Paul.
Acts 26:19 says, ‘So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.’
When Paul stood before King Agrippa, he was at the lag end of his life. Perhaps it was in his 30s that he got this heavenly vision. Paul’s trial is taking place and while he stood before the King, he was confident that he was obedient to the vision that God had entrusted upon him. His life after he had an encounter with God was completely dedicated to this vision that God had entrusted with him.
Let’s dive into this story’s background. As we move towards the end of Acts 9, we see Stephen becoming a blood witness for Christ. If you go to Jerusalem today, you will see Stephen’s gate, which is where Stephen was stoned to death. It is written in the scriptures that when Stephen was being stoned to death, his face lit up like that of an angel. As Stephen looks upward to the heavens, God has risen from his throne and all the angelic beings are also standing up for Stephen while he is stoned to death on an Earth.
When Stephen was dying, the reason for his death, a young man called Saul stands there who then later became Paul. Saul then travels from Jerusalem to Damascus which is when he had a personal encounter with God. Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against God. He wanted to kill anyone who believed in God. Saul in fact went to the high priest to get a letter from him to capture anyone who belonged to the Way. Saul went to each synagogue and threatened to kill and capture anyone who belonged on the way. He would check with each of the synagogue leadership to identify such people. It is Saul who created the first anti-conversion bill against the first century church.
Acts 9:1-9 says, ‘1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.’
At that time the most notable murder in Jerusalem was Stephens. However during this time several people who believed in Christ were murdered. We can assume that at this time, there could have been groups of people who commenced strong prayers for their brothers and sisters in Christ. We assume that during this time, one person who strongly prayed in the Spirit to the Lord was Ananias. He would have perhaps prayed for Saul to have a personal encounter with God. Saul was highly educated, with a degree equivalent to today’s PhD. He was in the prime time of his life and was tutored under a scholar named Gamaliel. Saul was highly talented, capable and financially sound who hails from an affluent family.
More than anything, Saul was authorised to kill. I urge you to imagine this situation where Saul is riding his horse, travelling to Damascus with a bill to kill. In the background our death cries and prayers of believers along with Ananias who are hoping for Saul to have an encounter with God.
Just then a flash of light appears with a voice saying to him “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”’. To this Saul replies, “Who are you, Lord?”. Jesus says, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,”.
The principle here is if anyone hurts you or torments you, believe that God considers this offence as a direct offence against him and the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus then says a statement to Saul 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”.
God directly interfered and resolved the issue. This is a man who instigated the killing of several brothers and sisters in Christ and was responsible for the death of Stephen. God merely spoke a few words to him and turned him around. People who travelled with Saul heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul lost his eye sight for three days and he had to be guided to Damascus by the rest of the travellers. Saul just saw Jesus, heard a few words from him and his life completely changed. At this time Ananias is in fervent prayer. We can assume that possibly it is because of Ananias and the other believers who prayed that God intervened in Saul on his way to Damascus. God then speaks to Ananias and shows a vision to Saul.
Acts 9:10-12 says, ‘10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,“Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”’
Saul was praying to the Lord to restore his sight. Just then God speaks to Ananias commanding him to do just that. However, Ananias asks God… Acts 9:13-16 says, ‘13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”’
There is a complete turnaround for Saul from the day he had a Godly encounter. The man who tormented believers and tortured the brothers and sisters in Christ from that day forward, worked towards establishing churches. The man who stood against the Word becomes the author of the Word. The one who stood against Christ, now stands for his kingdom. How did this change happen in Paul? How did Saul become Paul? A vision. A vision can be life transformative.
It is only when we know the vision of God in our lives, does our life really change. God has only given sight to those who need to move and walk forward. Vision and sight are two different things. Vision is greater than sight. Vision is the destination that we need to reach. It is the future that we see ourselves having. It is the idea of the life that we want to have. Mission is the means and way (the route) to reach our mission.
Vision can be life transformative. We can see it from the life of the Apostle Paul.
Acts 26:19 says, ‘So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.’
When Paul stood before King Agrippa, he was at the lag end of his life. Perhaps it was in his 30s that he got this heavenly vision. Paul’s trial is taking place and while he stood before the King, he was confident that he was obedient to the vision that God had entrusted upon him. His life after he had an encounter with God was completely dedicated to this vision that God had entrusted with him.
Let’s dive into this story’s background. As we move towards the end of Acts 9, we see Stephen becoming a blood witness for Christ. If you go to Jerusalem today, you will see Stephen’s gate, which is where Stephen was stoned to death. It is written in the scriptures that when Stephen was being stoned to death, his face lit up like that of an angel. As Stephen looks upward to the heavens, God has risen from his throne and all the angelic beings are also standing up for Stephen while he is stoned to death on an Earth.
When Stephen was dying, the reason for his death, a young man called Saul stands there who then later became Paul. Saul then travels from Jerusalem to Damascus which is when he had a personal encounter with God. Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against God. He wanted to kill anyone who believed in God. Saul in fact went to the high priest to get a letter from him to capture anyone who belonged to the Way. Saul went to each synagogue and threatened to kill and capture anyone who belonged on the way. He would check with each of the synagogue leadership to identify such people. It is Saul who created the first anti-conversion bill against the first century church.
Acts 9:1-9 says, ‘1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.’
At that time the most notable murder in Jerusalem was Stephens. However during this time several people who believed in Christ were murdered. We can assume that at this time, there could have been groups of people who commenced strong prayers for their brothers and sisters in Christ. We assume that during this time, one person who strongly prayed in the Spirit to the Lord was Ananias. He would have perhaps prayed for Saul to have a personal encounter with God. Saul was highly educated, with a degree equivalent to today’s PhD. He was in the prime time of his life and was tutored under a scholar named Gamaliel. Saul was highly talented, capable and financially sound who hails from an affluent family.
More than anything, Saul was authorised to kill. I urge you to imagine this situation where Saul is riding his horse, travelling to Damascus with a bill to kill. In the background our death cries and prayers of believers along with Ananias who are hoping for Saul to have an encounter with God.
Just then a flash of light appears with a voice saying to him “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”’. To this Saul replies, “Who are you, Lord?”. Jesus says, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,”.
The principle here is if anyone hurts you or torments you, believe that God considers this offence as a direct offence against him and the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus then says a statement to Saul 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”.
God directly interfered and resolved the issue. This is a man who instigated the killing of several brothers and sisters in Christ and was responsible for the death of Stephen. God merely spoke a few words to him and turned him around. People who travelled with Saul heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul lost his eye sight for three days and he had to be guided to Damascus by the rest of the travellers. Saul just saw Jesus, heard a few words from him and his life completely changed. At this time Ananias is in fervent prayer. We can assume that possibly it is because of Ananias and the other believers who prayed that God intervened in Saul on his way to Damascus. God then speaks to Ananias and shows a vision to Saul.
Acts 9:10-12 says, ‘10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,“Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”’
Saul was praying to the Lord to restore his sight. Just then God speaks to Ananias commanding him to do just that. However, Ananias asks God… Acts 9:13-16 says, ‘13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”’
There is a complete turnaround for Saul from the day he had a Godly encounter. The man who tormented believers and tortured the brothers and sisters in Christ from that day forward, worked towards establishing churches. The man who stood against the Word becomes the author of the Word. The one who stood against Christ, now stands for his kingdom. How did this change happen in Paul? How did Saul become Paul? A vision. A vision can be life transformative.
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