God's Prophetic People - A People of Passion, Purpose And Power

God's Prophetic People

his schooling at Tarsus, which was known for its great schools and universities, was trained by one of the most sought-after teachers/philosophers of his era, Gamaliel. After receiving approximately ten years of training and education — and Paul certainly had a passion for learning and standing on the truth — he became very zealous in the traditions of his fathers. This zeal drove him to persecute Christians, and the people of The Way. Enthusiastically, Paul’s ambition at this time was to stamp out the Christian faith altogether. This zeal was greatly misdirected, causing pain, persecution, and even death to others. You see, misdirected zeal can cause enormous amounts of hardships, sufferings, and even fatalities in peoples’ lives. Fortunately, the story didn’t end there. You are probably thinking of the story right now. Paul, when he was on “The Way” to Damascus to stomp out some more Christians, was awakened by the Lord Himself in a very significant way. Paul had a divine encounter with the Lord. This encounter turned his whole life around, and he refers to it often throughout the New Testament. When the Lord revealed Himself to Paul on the road to Damascus, he was blinded by the light of God’s presence. After Paul received confirmation through Ananias who laid his hands upon Paul, his zeal for God’s purposes not only grew, but he also became very focused to fulfill God’s eternal plans. This new zeal enabled Paul to: • Respond wholeheartedly to the Lord • Become a great missionary • Become a great Church builder • Write fourteen out of twenty-seven New Testament books • Preach powerful, heart-stirring sermons • Overcome rejection • Persevere through occupational changes (tent-making, etc.) • Withstand storms and shipwrecks • Overcome physical ailments

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A People of Passion, Purpose, and Power / © Brian Daehn