2. FINDING THE WAY

2. FINDING THE WAY

Acts 9:1-19

1. An initiation into dependency (verse 8). The road to service begins with dependence.

Saul was very full of himself at this point in his life. This was quite an alarming thing for him to experience. Suddenly, it was as if he had no control.

No matter how long we’ve known God, we will all be ushered back into the places of complete dependency. We will still be completely dependent on the Holy Spirit of God to work in our lives. As long as we know Christ, we will be taken back into that place of utter dependency.

2. The enforcement of time (verse 9).

God enforces the element of time. Saul came to a place of complete focus. Jonah was also caught in a place where he could not focus on anything besides the LORD God.

If we don’t make time for God, He will find a way to enforce the time in our lives, by somehow sitting us still for a particular period of time. What God is doing is bringing us to a place where we become totally united with His will, and where we are completely surrendered to His purpose.

3. An important "point" behind appointments (verse 17).

Ananias and Paul were both apostles in their own way. The meaning of the word sent or apostle (apostelo, Greek) is "to send forth on a mission" (Psalm 45:2; I Corinthians 15:9-10).

The name Ananias means “grace.” Grace had been poured on Ananias at some point, and that is why he was called as an ambassador of grace. The best ambassadors of grace are those who have fully received the grace. One man was sent to represent grace, while another man was sent to receive grace.
Psalm 45:2 – The words we say are to be graceful words; that we extend a graceful hand to another person in great need of mercy. Excellency is a mouth dripping with grace.

1 Corinthians 15:9-10 – His grace to Paul was not in vain. He received it and he responded in a walk of grace. That man who was the recipient of grace became the greatest proponent of grace, besides the Lord Jesus Christ, to ever live.

From Genesis to Revelation, the man inspired to use the word “grace” more than any other was the apostle Paul. Unmerited favor; the overflowing of the heart of God to an undeserving man (Ephesians 2:8, grace (charis, Greek).

4. A new kind of prayer (verse 11).

Saul knew how to pray by the book. Saul prayed pure spontaneous prayer that day. Something fell from his mouth in that experience that had never fallen from those lips before. The same thing happened with Jonah. In those times, when the only thing we can do is pray, God purposely brings us to a place, where the only thing that He required of us was prayer.

5. An open dialogue (verses 13-16).

Although God was very insistent with Ananias, He was not resistant to Ananias. He let him complain and ask for reconfirmation of that order. Through Ananias example, we have permission from God, without fear, to reconfirm what we believe was a command. When an order seems to come out of left-field, we are very wise to recheck. Examples are David and Moses.

Ways to confirm God's will:

a. Is this command congruent with God's character?

If we can see that something we thought we understood is very inconsistent with God’s character, as it is revealed in the wholeness of His Word; we’ve got a problem and we’ve misunderstood.

b. Have you received reconfirmation?

Walking in God’s will is an extremely serious matter.

c. Have you received sound counsel?

6. An overriding authority (verse 14; Matt. 28:18).

Matthew 28:18 – Christ’s authority overrides every other authority. He is the One who you are to obey (1 John 4:4; Ephesians 6:12). Everything ultimately answers to Christ.

7. A graceful obedience (verse 17; John 20:17).

With Ananias hands, Christ touched the repentant sinner. It was a touch of restoration and a touch of acceptance.

John 20:17 – Because God’s work on Calvary was complete, He said through Christ, you are now brother and sisters. That is the statement of greatest grace.

Ananias went the distance, and once that command was reconfirmed, He completely submitted to the Father, and he said “My name is grace. The God who poured out His grace on me extends His grace to another no different.”

The word disciple means "learner, student."

God looked on Ananias and saw that he had a teachable heart. That day Ananias found a new brother and his life would never be the same.

We are all recipients of grace. We have been called by God to be ambassadors of grace.