WEDNESDAY April 19, 2023
Are You Persecuting Christ?
As he [Saul] journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
Acts 9:3-5
Saul’s actions can be likened to a rabid animal charging at someone. This describes Saul, a person who was exhibiting fanatical or raging behavior in persecuting Christians. When he heard about Christians in Damascus, in Syria, he set off to receive orders from the High Priest to enthusiastically persecute them. Saul was determined to bring them back to Jerusalem so they could be incarcerated or killed.
God intervened. Suddenly there was a light that shone from heaven. Saul was fell to the ground. Saul heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Notice how Jesus associated Himself with His Church. Did you know that when anyone chooses to persecute a Christian, they are, in actuality, persecuting Christ! Saul’s encounter with Jesus would be the end of Saul––an angry persecutor––and the beginning of the new life in Christ as the Apostle Paul. God saved Saul and chose him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. He had an amazing plan for His life, but as His Apostle––Paul would be the one to be persecuted.
I find that just before a person is about to break and surrender their life to Christ is a time when they become the most rebellious. They are fighting against God. When people are praying for them, He will get ahold of their life. When my wife’s family came to visit our home, I would complain, “Why does your family have to be here?” They were the nicest people, but they bugged me! They were always smiling and saying they were praying for me. In my mind, I thought, Pray for yourself! I do not need your prayers. Yet those prayers were answered when I gave my life to Christ.
Are you a person who is fighting against God and persecuting Christians? Did you know you are actually persecuting Christ? Stop your religious persecution and surrender your life to Jesus. Know His plan for your life.
Persecution is the heirloom of the church, and the ensign of the elect.
~C.H. Spurgeon~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
