Watered Down Power

My mind has been going in about a bazillion different places today.

In Sunday School, Steve said something that just completely blew my mind. He said, "I am so glad that God saw fit to put Paul in prison so much." I did a double take (as did everyone else who was listening) and he went on to explain that putting Paul in prison was how God slowed him down enough to write. It was a little tongue-in-cheek, I know, but it hit home. Hard.

Then, in preaching, I was enlightened by Acts 9. The same power that stopped Saul in his tracks, blinded him, convicted him, stumped him for three days and healed him is available to us today.

How sad is it that we live our lives as if we believe just the exact opposite? I do the same thing.

I noticed that as soon as Saul was healed of his blindness, he went to work for God. He didn't say, "Well, I have to study before I can go teach in the synagogue." He also didn't say, "I have to work on myself some before I try to teach others." In fact, his actions were so quick and immediate that AFTER he taught in the synagogue, Christians were trying to figure out how to defend themselves against him. Think about that. News travels fast - especially "juicy" news - and such a change in Saul would certainly be juicy. He was moving faster than the rumor mill!

How many times have I said, "I'll get myself right before I..." or "I'm not qualified because of..."

HELLO!?

Saul/Paul LITERALLY crucified Christians one week and was teaching about Christ BEFORE the next. Talk about needing time to get "right" and lack of qualification! He could have easily said both "I need to learn and study" AND "I'm not qualified" and NO ONE would have argued with him! He let the Holy Spirit do the work and he was just a willing vessel.

But then I say to myself, "well, things are different now." But they aren't. Because according to the scriptures, that same power is available to us today! The Holy Spirit doesn't get watered down over time. God didn't afford His power to just those of the early church and then leave us alone and defenseless. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. It's why we have the faith we do!

So how does one get to that point? How do you get to the point that you are so close, so "right" with God that the Holy Spirit can speak through you, give you courage and clear direction and conviction to act? How does one get so focused that they can approach those who are better off, more educated, with more authority and better thought of with such boldness that they shock them?

Going by Saul's example, two words: Radical Transformation.

I wonder what that would look like in today's world? I admit that sometimes I want to go away and hide from the rest of the world because that seems the only way I can focus on God. But what would it look like for one to be radically different and yet still in (really OF) this world?

Check out this quote Michael shared in his closing prayer: "I think the greatest miracle God can do is take an unholy man out of an unholy world, make that unholy man holy, and put him back in an unholy world and keep him holy." (Leonard Ravenhill)