Normal or Supernatural – 8

 Normal or Supernatural – 8

Subject – Saul (Normal) Becoming Paul (Supernatural)

By Rick Welborne

Acts 9:1-6 (NKJV)
¹  Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
²  and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
³  As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
⁴  Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
⁵  And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
⁶  So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." 

--Here it is, pretty much from the beginning, the church is under attack and the enemy (in this case Saul) is doing everything he can to destroy believers and their ability to meet. 

--Many are trying to take advantage of Covid 19 to stop the churches from meeting. You know it is an attack when abortion clinics and liquor stores can be open but not churches.

--Saul, later to become Paul, was on a mission to destroy any who were of the Way (Christians). It seemed to be personal with him. I wonder where his deep hurt came from.

--Who was truly praying for Saul? Don’t you feel that there were people bringing him before God’s throne daily? Hopefully someone was saying…If that man would just give his heart to the Lord.

--I am sure people have not changed that much from then to now. Most where hoping and praying that God would kill him or stop him some way. Few, I believe, were truly praying for his conversion.

--Let’s bring it home; how many of us are praying for Bill Gates, George Sores, or any of the rioters who have been on the streets? Are we too fearful or too angry to think about praying?

--Let’s face it, if God could change Saul, he could change anyone in our day. Can you think of anyone who had a big influence on Saul’s life?

--Pastor, I just believe God saw what Saul could become and dealt with him directly on the road heading to Damascus. I believe that, but I also believe someone else touched his life.

1. Stephen helped Saul go from normal to supernatural.

--Stephen could have been a great witness to Saul; how, Pastor Rick? How many of you remember how Stephen was chosen to be one of the first deacons in the newly born church. What qualified him?

Acts 6:5 (NKJV)
⁵  And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, 

Acts 6:8 (NKJV)
⁸  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

--We have already spoken in this series about the laity of the church and how important it is for them to be filled with Holy Spirit power and faith. 

--Each one of us have influence over people in our sphere of influence and none of us know how that person can become a life changer. We just never know. 

--Not sure if it is true but I have heard how an evangelist preached a camp meeting in a certain city and was so disheartened because only one person came to Christ. The one person was Billy Graham. 

--Years ago when Tricia and I were youth pastors in Bartow, Florida we had a group of young people who would make almost any pastor cuss or want to give up.

--They were mean, they were disrespectful, they constantly said hurtful things. We would get home from youth service or a youth event and be brokenhearted.

--One day as I prayed in the Spirit for them (I didn’t know any other way to pray for them) God spoke to me. He said lead this one young man to Me and everything will change. I said okay.

--I started meeting with him and feeding him every week. The walls began to fall after a period of time. I would make him laugh and we became good friends. His girlfriend, a deacon’s daughter was not too happy.

--One day in Wendy’s in Lakeland I could tell Randy was bothered. I thought it may be family related because his family was so dysfunctional. With his head down I asked was he okay.

--He looks up and says…I need Jesus in my life. We prayed and he was gloriously saved. His life was transformed. He comes to youth and asked could he share. I said sure.

--He tells of his being born again, and then, he says we have not been doing right in the youth group. He asked Tricia and I for forgiveness and said things would be different. They were.

--This is not the end of the story. God calls Randy into ministry. He becomes a youth pastor, then a missionary we supported, and now he is an inner city pastor touching many lives for Christ. You never know.

--Stephen is arrested and brought before the Council. The glory of God was on him. His face was like an angel. He testified to all of them about Jesus. They were furious with him when he challenged their heart’s condition.

Acts 7:55-60 (NKJV)
⁵⁵  But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
⁵⁶  and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"
⁵⁷  Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
⁵⁸  and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
⁵⁹  And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
⁶⁰  Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

--So how does Stephen have influence on Saul? Saul was there watching. Watching Stephen preach. Hearing Stephen say I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing. Saul heard him forgive the people. 

--Please do not try to tell me that Stephen’s soul print was not imbedded into Saul’s spirit. Stephen was filled with power so he was a witness to a young man named Saul. They usually get worse before they surrender.

Acts 8:1-4 (NKJV)
¹  Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
²  And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
³  As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
⁴  Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 

--Jesus tells us that unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it does not bring forth much fruit. He was talking about His death but also about Stephen. They were scattered and went everywhere preaching.

2. Jesus and Holy Spirit have to do the work.

--What we often see in the church is not people being used of Holy Spirit but we see people trying to be Holy Spirit. He comes to convict people of sin and we feel He needs our help. Nope, He doesn’t. Not for this.

--Many times people cannot hear God’s voice because all they hear is ours. They feel if God is anything like the people who are hammering them, they want nothing to do with Jesus.

--Take your hands off so God can place His hands upon them. You pray in the Spirit for them because you know you are praying God’s will. Don’t be a nag or a hindrance, work with Holy Spirit.

John 15:26 (NKJV)
²⁶  "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

--It is great for us to lovingly share Jesus with our prodigal family or friends but it takes Holy Spirit to testify to them about Jesus. We have to know when to press and when to back away. 

--Saul had encountered a believer who had received power to be a witness (a martyr – Stephen) from Holy Spirit. You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. Saul encounters Jesus on the road:

Acts 9:4-6 (NKJV)
⁴  Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
⁵  And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
⁶  So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

--Saul has encountered a Spirit-filled man and now he is having an encounter with Jesus. Why are you persecuting Me? Funny verse…Who are you, Lord? Notice he called Jesus Lord.

--Notice Saul is going from his normal to God’s supernatural by Holy Spirit and Jesus. Lord, what do you want me to do? This is evidence of the transformation from normal to supernatural. This should be our first step.

--Lordship means, not my will but Yours be done. What do you want to do with my life from this experience going forward? Not what I want but what You want. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV)
¹⁹  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
²⁰  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

3. Be filled with Holy Spirit.

Acts 9:17-18 (NKJV)
¹⁷  And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
¹⁸  Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

--Poor Ananias was given a job none of us would have ever wanted…go talk to Saul for Me!

--Ananias could not imagine how God was taking Saul from the normal to the supernatural. Saul got the same message that Peter had received. This transformation will cost you everything.

 Acts 9:15-16 (NKJV)
¹⁵  But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
¹⁶  For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."

--The decision for Peter and Paul to go from normal to supernatural was not just a flippant decision that would be something to just give goosebumps. Beatings, stoning, suffering, and eventually crucifixion. Everything!

--Brothers and sisters, if there was ever a prayer that needs to be prayed over the church of Jesus Christ is that the scales would fall off so we can receive our sight and that we are filled with Holy Spirit power.

--Without a vision people perish but hear your pastor, without Holy Spirit operating in your life so that you can be an effective witness, people will perish for sure. We need Him.

--I was so interested about when Saul became Paul. I want you to notice the first time the Bible talks about Saul becoming Paul, listen to what it says about him:

Acts 13:9 (NKJV)
⁹  Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him…

--I am sure many of you think that it is ridiculous how much I mention and preach about Holy Spirit. Can I tell you there is no way to overestimate the value of Holy Spirit in our lives.

--If we will go from normal to supernatural, it will never happen because we learn more, study harder, or any other spiritual exercise, it will only happen as we are filled with Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:15-18 (NLT2)
¹⁵  So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.
¹⁶  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
¹⁷  Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
¹⁸  Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,