A Turning Point in Life
Acts 9:1-5, NIV
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.

There are twists and turns in everyone's life. There are ups and downs. However, Christians should not despair even though we face any kind of trouble, because our God turns despair into hope through His grace and blessing. He is the master of reversion.

1. Saul persecuted Jesus (Ac 9:3-5).

The apostle Paul came from a good family and was well educated. He did not lack anything. As a Pharisee, Saul was flawless in keeping the Law. As to zeal, he persecuted the Church (Ac 8:1), and he was foremost in destroying the Church (Ac 8:3; 9:1-2). Saul persecuted the Church, because he served God by means of human passion. Carried away by his own passion, Saul was enslaved to prejudice, self-righteousness, and blind obedience, and persecuted Jesus’ disciples. Persecution of the Church and believers means persecution of and rebellion against Christ. Therefore, no one should persecute the Savior Jesus. Christians should not fight with each other but be united through Christ and bring glory to Him (Eph 4:1-3).

2. Jesus came in the light (Ac 9:3).

God had mercy on Saul who was persecuting Christ and the Church, and to save him, Jesus came to Saul in the powerful light (Ac 9:4-6). Even today, Jesus comes to us (Ge 1:3). He comes in the light to drive out all of the darkness in us who are captured by despair, sorrow, anxiety, distress, worry, concern, and a negative mind. At the same time, Jesus comes to us through the Word (Jn 1:1, 3). There is power in the Word of God. The Word of God has the power of the precious blood, life, eternal joy, hope, healing, and forgiveness.

3. A change in Saul (Ac 9:8).

Saul became blind because of the powerful light. People leave God today and are spiritually blind due to their greed, stubbornness, prejudice, pride, sin, self-indulgence, and unbelief. When the king of Aram surrounded the city, Elisha’s servant could not see God’s horses and chariots of fire (2Ki 6:16-17). We should open our spiritual eyes. We should not despair, looking at our circumstances. We must open our eyes of faith to see our Savior and Almighty God. When Saul met Jesus who came in the light, he was broken and prayed and fasted (Ac 9:9, 11). After that turning point in his life, he became a great apostle (Ac 9:4). The grace of God will be revealed when we offer Him continual prayer and fasting with tears. We will be filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit (Ac 9:17-18).

Jesus comes to us through the Holy Spirit. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, our worry, distress, anxiety, and problems will disappear. We will solve everything through the overflowing love of Jesus. Therefore, I pray that through the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the power of Christ, you will be a witness for Christ and bear much fruit in your life of faith.