The Testimony of Conversion
O dear saint, do you remember the first times you spiritually laid eyes on Christ when God revealed Himself to you? Do you remember when you came to realize how wrong you actually were in the way you were previously thinking and living and how Jesus began to drastically change your entire perspective and purpose in life?
When Paul recounts his testimony of conversion to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, he did not hesitate to share how the resurrected Jesus interrupted his personal plans and sovereignly intervened in his life to that he might be saved and sent to bring salvation to the Gentiles.
He had formerly lived a zealous life of strict adherence to the Law and thought his religious righteousness was based on his blameless keeping of the Law but he soon discovered that he was living contrary to God's will through his rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. He had previously consented to the death of Stephen and now he was ready, if necessary, to join him in death for the cause of Christ.
Paul now had a testimony story that could be used to challenge many hardened religious hearts who were missing the reality of their faith. He went from being a death-causing Pharisee to a life-giving Apostle.
O how wonderful it is to see the transformation of someone's life who truly encounters the living Christ and surrenders to His Lordship with no regard to his own reputation or prestige!
He helps us see that an authentic TESTIMONY is:
All of this was the evidence that his life was forever changed and his past was forever forgiven and he wanted all those who saw his transformation to know this same reality for themselves.
Paul had quite the religious resume but now none of his Jewish distinguishing marks of being taught by one of the most eminent rabbis of his day (Gamaliel) or his zeal in his practice and protection of the faith through his persecution of the Way or his blameless keeping of the Law was worthy of comparison to the valuable riches and worth of his identity and calling in Christ:
Paul puts it this way: "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; " (Phil. 3:7-9)
Our Lord Jesus chose Paul to be His servant who would:
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you consider your old priorities and passions something to be completely disregarded in contrast to the surpassing greatness of knowing, seeing, hearing, and showing Christ to others?
Sometimes, God doesn’t allow things in your life to go according to your plan so that you have no other choice but to simply surrender to His will and way. The Lord loves to have a child of His that is fully surrendered to Him, so that He can work with clay that is soft and moldable in His hands! O how marvelous are His works and His ways past finding out!
The Lord is ready to do something "new" in your life, but He wants to get you to a place where you are ready for it.
Are you ready to do whatever God is asking of you?
Have you come to the place of total surrender? Why or why not?
Take some time to be sit and be still this week and allow Him to speak into your life. He wants you to let go of all of your control and suggestions for the life that He desires you to live so that He can have His way in and through you.
In the end, a surrendered life leads to God's specific purpose being lived out and this authenticates a believer who has a rightly placed faith in Christ.
ACTS IN ACTION CHALLENGE POINTS
When Paul recounts his testimony of conversion to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, he did not hesitate to share how the resurrected Jesus interrupted his personal plans and sovereignly intervened in his life to that he might be saved and sent to bring salvation to the Gentiles.
He had formerly lived a zealous life of strict adherence to the Law and thought his religious righteousness was based on his blameless keeping of the Law but he soon discovered that he was living contrary to God's will through his rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. He had previously consented to the death of Stephen and now he was ready, if necessary, to join him in death for the cause of Christ.
Paul now had a testimony story that could be used to challenge many hardened religious hearts who were missing the reality of their faith. He went from being a death-causing Pharisee to a life-giving Apostle.
O how wonderful it is to see the transformation of someone's life who truly encounters the living Christ and surrenders to His Lordship with no regard to his own reputation or prestige!
He helps us see that an authentic TESTIMONY is:
- Personal - Your own story that no one can refute.
- Portable - You take it with you everywhere you go.
- Practical - It is relevant to others’ lives and their stories.
- Powerful - It carries great influence because it is the work of Almighty God.
All of this was the evidence that his life was forever changed and his past was forever forgiven and he wanted all those who saw his transformation to know this same reality for themselves.
Paul had quite the religious resume but now none of his Jewish distinguishing marks of being taught by one of the most eminent rabbis of his day (Gamaliel) or his zeal in his practice and protection of the faith through his persecution of the Way or his blameless keeping of the Law was worthy of comparison to the valuable riches and worth of his identity and calling in Christ:
Paul puts it this way: "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; " (Phil. 3:7-9)
Our Lord Jesus chose Paul to be His servant who would:
- KNOW His will — [God’s Will]
- SEE the Just One — [God’s Son: Jesus]
- HEAR His voice — (God’s Word)
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you consider your old priorities and passions something to be completely disregarded in contrast to the surpassing greatness of knowing, seeing, hearing, and showing Christ to others?
Sometimes, God doesn’t allow things in your life to go according to your plan so that you have no other choice but to simply surrender to His will and way. The Lord loves to have a child of His that is fully surrendered to Him, so that He can work with clay that is soft and moldable in His hands! O how marvelous are His works and His ways past finding out!
The Lord is ready to do something "new" in your life, but He wants to get you to a place where you are ready for it.
Are you ready to do whatever God is asking of you?
Have you come to the place of total surrender? Why or why not?
Take some time to be sit and be still this week and allow Him to speak into your life. He wants you to let go of all of your control and suggestions for the life that He desires you to live so that He can have His way in and through you.
In the end, a surrendered life leads to God's specific purpose being lived out and this authenticates a believer who has a rightly placed faith in Christ.
ACTS IN ACTION CHALLENGE POINTS
- Re-Surrender to God’s will for your life.
- Ask God to give you a fresh revelation of Jesus.
- Find out whether God has something new for you to do.
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