Focus: Divine Arrest

Text: Act.9:3,4

"And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth…"

Saul of Tarsus was a religious man. He could kill in the name of religion. He could punish, afflict and endanger other people's lives on account of religion. The demon of religion is dedicated to ruining lives, using religion as a tool. All over the world we are witnessing the clash of religions, and lives are destroyed in the process.

Saul of Tarsus had perfect hatred for those were called by name of Christ. As far as he was concerned, they were deluded and deserved to be jailed or killed. Luke reports that "Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem." He was chasing the people of the Way to wherever he might find them even beyond the shores of Judea.

On his way to Damascus to arrest the disciples of Jesus Christ, Saul of Tarsus was himself arrested by the Lord. The highest authority in the universe had him arrested and made him serve the noblest of purposes. A supernatural light from heaven shone upon him; a light so bright and strong that it got him blinded for a season. It was by the ministration of a Christ-sent man by the name of Ananias, that Saul's sight was restored and he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Years later, Paul says of himself, "Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" (1Tim.1:13).

No man can scuttle God's purpose except God allows him to, and that only momentarily. The Lord Jesus Christ says to Pilate, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above…" (Jh.19:11).

Whoever touches a believer touches the apple of God's eye. God says, "Touch not the Lord's anointed and do his prophets no harm." Saul persecuted the church of Jesus Christ, but Christ says to him, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest…" 

The believer and Jesus Christ are forever connected. It is such a divine union that what is done to the church is indeed done to Christ, good or bad.

God knows where and when to stop stoppers, block blockers, break breakers, hinder hinderers, crush crushers, undermine underminers and jail jailers.

Lord, I pray: stop me in my wrong tracks! Hinder me from fighting against Your will. Don't let me do all the wrong things under the cloak of an empty religion!

Don't let me succeed in doing whatever is not in tandem with Your purpose! Arrest and use me to advance Your glorious purpose on earth! Let me experience Your light of glory. Let my whole being be supernaturally illuminated and divinely galvanized and used for Your glory! Let me be arrested by the light of Your glory!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter